Touring car racing

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Touring car racing is a general term for a number of distinct automobile racing competitions in heavily-modified street cars. It is notably popular in Britain, Germany, Scandinavia, and Australia.

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[edit] Characteristics of a touring car

While rules vary from country to country, most series require that the competitors start with a standard body shell, but virtually every other component is allowed to be heavily modified for racing, including engines, suspension, brakes, wheels and tyres. Wings are usually added to the front and rear of the cars. Regulations are usually designed to limit costs by banning some of the more exotic technologies available (for instance, many series insist on a "control tyre" that all competitors must use) and keep the racing close (sometimes by a "lead trophy" where winning a race requires the winner's car to be heavier for subsequent races). In this, it shares some similarity with the American NASCAR series, but raced exclusively on road courses and street circuits rather than the American series' primarily oval tracks.

Whilst not nearly as fast as Formula One, the similarity of the cars both to each other and to fans' own vehicles makes for entertaining, well-supported racing. The lesser impact of aerodynamics also means that following cars have a much easier time of passing than F1, and the more substantial bodies of the cars makes the occasional nudging for overtaking much more acceptable as part of racing.

As well as short "sprint" races, many touring car series include one or more "endurance" races, which last anything from 3 to 24 hours and are a test of reliability and pit crews as much as car and driver speed.

[edit] Differences between touring cars and sports cars

For the casual observer, there can be a great deal of confusion when it comes to classifying closed-wheel racing cars as 'touring cars' or 'sports cars' (also known as GT cars). In truth, there is often very little technical difference between the two classifications, and nomenclature is often a matter of tradition.

In general, however, touring cars are based upon 4-door 'family' sedans or, more rarely, 2-door coupe cars, while GT racing cars are based upon more exotic vehicles, such as Ferraris or Lamborghinis. Underneath the bodywork, a Touring Car is often more closely related to its road-going origins, using many original components and mountings, while a top-flight GT car is often a purpose-built tube-frame racing chassis underneath a cosmetic bodyshell. Many Touring Car series, such as the BTCC and the now-defunct JTCC distinguish themselves from sports-car racing by featuring front-wheel drive, four-wheel drive and rear-wheel drive cars with smaller engines.

However, while in general Touring Cars have a lower technical level than sports cars, there are notable exceptions to the rule. The Deutsche Tourenwagen Masters (DTM) is considered to be one of the most technologically advanced racing series in the world, with cars that, underneath their four-door shells, are more purebred racing machines than most FIA-GT vehicles.

[edit] Series of competition

[edit] DTM

Germany/Europe

Main articles: Deutsche Tourenwagen Meisterschaft and Deutsche Tourenwagen Masters

The DTM series, the initials standing for Deutsche Tourenwagen Meisterschaft until 1996, then following a hiatus, revived as Deutsche Tourenwagen Masters in 2000, features advanced purpose built V8-powered space frame machines, covered with carbon fibre bodyshapes resemblant of the manufacturers' road machine. In order to lower costs, the engine power is limited to 470 hp, and transmissions, brakes and tyres (Dunlop) are standard parts for all. Also, dimension and aerodynamics are equalized. The approx. 1050 kg light DTM cars corner incredibly quickly and wear spectacular bodykits incorporating huge wheel arches and diffusors.

Easily Europe's premier series, DTM features many ex-F1 drivers like Jean Alesi, Heinz-Harald Frentzen and especially Mika Häkkinen since the 2005. The European locale makes this series appealing for aspiring drivers, who didn't quite make F1, as they compete alongside legends of the sport.

More than 20 works-backed entries of Opel Vectra GTS, Audi A4 and Mercedes-Benz C-Class contested the 2005 DTM series. Opel will not return in 2006, though, as GM has to cut costs. This puts the whole series in jeopardy for 2007 as TV contracts ask for 3 marques.[citation needed]

[edit] Nürburgring VLN Endurance racing Series

Germany

Main article: VLN

Since 1997, and nowadays still on the over 20 km long famous old Nürburgring, in average over 150 touring cars compete in the VLN series of ten typically 4 hour long races. Cars range from old 100 hp road legal compacts to 500 hp Porsche 996 and even modified DTM cars (1250 kg). Most entrants of the 24 Hours Nürburgring collect experience here.

[edit] V8 Supercar

Australia/New Zealand/China/Bahrain

Main article: V8 Supercar

Formerly the Australian Touring Car Championship. This series features huge grids of 650+ hp (480 kW) Ford Falcons and Holden Commodores. The weight limit for a V8 Supercar is 1350kg. At one time the cars were billed as the "biggest, heaviest, fastest and most powerful" of all touring cars. In terms of outright power, size and weight this likely still true however DTM vehicles are probably faster around a track.

Unlike the manufacturer-oriented championships of Europe, Australia's series is much closer to NASCAR with well-sponsored private teams preparing their own distinct interpretations of the Falcon and Commodore, however production derived bodyshells and panels are used rather than space-frame chassis.

In 2004, well over 50 entries will compete across the division one and two series respectively:

  • Fujitsu V8 Supercars Series, home of up-and-coming drivers hoping to break into the main game as well as loyal privateers.

[edit] British Touring Car Championship

United Kingdom/Republic of Ireland

Main article: British Touring Car Championship

The British Touring Car Championship (BTCC) currently competes at nine circuits in the UK and Republic of Ireland, with cars built either to BTCC or European Touring Car Championship (ETCC) specification, with ballast being used to equalise the two types. Cars are 2.0 Litre saloons with around 270 bhp and can be Front wheel drive,4 wheel drive or Rear wheel drive. There are currently only two manufacturer teams (Vauxhall, who run Astras built to BTCC rules, and SEAT, who enter "Super 2000"-spec Leons) although because BTCC budgets have been kept relatively low there is a strong independent and privateer presence in the championship. Manufacturers represented by privateers include Vauxhall, Honda, Lexus, BMW, Peugeot, Alfa Romeo and MG.

Prior to 2001 the BTCC was contested by cars built to 2.0 litre supertouring regulations and had in its heyday up to 9 different manufacturers. It was considered to be the best touring car championship in the world, as stated by Joachim Winkelhock on several occasions, and many of champions of that era now race in the World Touring Car Championship (WTCC).

[edit] World Touring Car Championship

Worldwide

Main article: World Touring Car Championship

Modern World Touring Car Championship (WTCC) started in 2005, replacing the old European Touring Car Championship. It is generally considered to be the most prestigious touring car championship in the world.

Running at major international racing facilities, this series is heavily supported by BMW, Alfa Romeo and SEAT, with Ford, Chevrolet and Honda also showing limited support. It features 2L cars built to Super 2000 regulations based of FIA Group N.

Following the trend of recent FIA rules, cost control is a major theme in the technical regulation. Engines are limited to 2000 cc. Many technologies that have featured in production cars are not allowed, for example variable valve timing, variable intake geometry, ABS brakes and traction control.

[edit] Other series

[edit] The Americas

[edit] Europe

[edit] Other

[edit] Previous series

  • The old World Touring Car Championship, plagued by lack of support from the FIA, raced under the Group A regulations in 1987.
  • Germany's former DTC adopted ETCC rules in 2004 and was renamed to DMSB-Produktionswagen-Meisterschaft (DPM) until 2005
  • Japanese Touring Car Championship (JTCC) ran from 1985 through 1997.
  • North American Touring Car Championship (NATCC) ran from 1996 to 1997.
  • Norwegian Touring Car Championship
  • Championnat de France Supertourisme (French Touring Car Championship), last season in 2005.

[edit] Other notable competitions

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