Stories from Super Touring. Welcome to this week's episode
of Stories From Super Touring, which this week will be
something slightly different. Today we will be looking back at
this year's Super Touring Power event at Brands Hatch, which was
a celebration of all things Super Touring.
The event was such a huge hit with fans and competitors that a
second event has already been arranged for next year, with
Super Touring Power 2 coming to Brands Hatch on the 29th and
30th of June 2024. The Super Touring Power event
this year was supported by a huge crowd who were able to
witness a strong field of Super Tours racing around both layouts
of the Kent circuit. Super Touring royalty was
present there too, as drivers such as Paul Radisich, Alan
Menu, Patrick Watts, Tim Harvey, Andy Rouse, Steve Super and
Charlie Cox were all in attendance at some point over
the weekend. Current BTCC racer Jake Hill
took all four victories over the weekend at the Brands Hatch
circuit with his 1999 loyal Aiello Nissan Primera, which I
have to say was beautifully turned out by the team from John
Danby Racing. And kudos to Richard Wheeler for
bringing out three Immaculate premieres for himself, Jake Hill
and Anthony Reed to race. In the first of our interviews
from Brands Hatch at the Super Touring Power event, we spoke to
Richard Wheeler, the owner of the three Nissan premieres,
about exactly what it takes to keep a Super Tour at running in
modern times. Richard, you're really the man
behind all these three Nissans that are running this weekend
from what Anthony says. Yeah, it's been a bit of a
labour of love getting through. I mean, obviously I bought one,
then another, and then I was because I was running two.
I was very fortunate to be offered the third one, the ILO
car, which I was only offered because obviously we're running
them. And the person, Derek, who was
selling the ILO car, he didn't want it to sit in the showroom,
He didn't want it in a collection, he wanted to sit out
racing. So yeah.
So what made you purchase the first one in the first place?
Was there a special love for the Nissan in?
Particular or. There is, because I yeah, I was.
I started watching touring cars in about 94 and then obviously
as I got more into it, it was the kind of the peak when the
Nissans were in 9899. But I did, I actually went to
Silverstone Classic in 2018 and they ran a super tour grid there
and it was like, that's what I want to do.
That is the thing of, you know, I need to get out there.
I bought a car and of course then they stopped doing it and
then there was no more super tour grid on Silverstone
Classics. Then you know, what am I going
to do now? But then yeah, another one came
up. Obviously the values were a bit
lower then because they weren't competing.
So I got the pair. Because that's the dream was to
run the team. And yeah, no, I mean, it was
great. So what do you think is the the
power of Super Touring? Then?
Why is it so fondly remembered? I mean, we're talking some of
these cars are 30 years old now. Why are the why are the fans so
passionate still about these cars?
What? Do you think is is the special
reason for it? I think it's twofold.
You know, I think one part of it is the simple fact that of the
nostalgia, you know, who doesn't love a a trip back down memory
lane, you know, and how amazing it used to be.
And I think the other thing is, it is pure engineering
excellence, you know, and I'm not not take nothing away from
the modern touring cars. They're great cars, but they're
400 now. They've got Kyber, they're 400
kilos heavier. You know, they're running more
power, more torque. They're 400 kilos heavier.
If we had their tyres, I have no doubt super tours would still be
quicker, you know, and that's 25 years of development because
it's not because you know, like I said, nothing against those
cars. But they've been engineered to a
price point because no one could afford to run agree to these
cars these days. So you said earlier there you're
a you're a fan of touring cars, you started watching in 1994.
How does it feel being able to now jump into one of one of the
most iconic cars of the year of the Nissan Premier?
And actually race it alongside some really legendary names.
It's easy to say it's the dream, but it sort of goes far beyond
that, you know, I mean, I can remember queuing.
I said to Anthony, it's funny. I can remember queuing up here
in 2000 when he was driving the Ford to get their autographs.
You know, And you know, just driving a normal car, doing a
normal job at the time and Fast forward 25 years, 20, well, 23
years, you know it just, you know, I didn't get into racing
until I was 41, like 7 years ago.
So it was just never even. It's so expensive.
It was just never even on the cards, you know?
And so you've been out, you've done three races so far this
weekend. How's it going for you?
I struggled a little bit on the Grand Prix circuit yesterday
because I've not actually done it before.
I did one track day to get my eye in, but it went, it went
really, I think I was in the front half of the grid.
And on the second race, I had a really good battle with Paul
Radisich where we were side by side into Padukill Bend and
traded a little bit of pain. And I mean, who to say that you
did that to say, yeah, yeah, you know, I actually went in there
with Radisich side by side and we rubbed a bit and you know,
it's it's you can't put a price on that, can you?
But today, yeah, I mean, obviously I'm more, I'm more
familiar with the indie circuit. And on that second part of that
race after Safety Car, I think I went up from 9th to 4th.
I really had the bit between the teeth and someone showed me a
video of the my move on read into paddock and apparently my I
locked the inside wheel up for about 20 or 30 meters as I
literally sailed up the inside with the back end light trying
to keep control of it and get around the corner.
So you know but that's what these cars were designed to do.
If you want to put me in a museum, great.
But that's not what we're here for you know we want to and
there's there's no fun for me in a procession.
Dr. You know, it's it's amazing to see the fans reaction to the
cars, but you want to get out there.
And have a bit of argy bargy, You know, that's where the fun
is. And you say about the fans
reaction to the cars, one of the particular reactions from me
personally is seeing your whole team kitted out in the the
premier team wear that they wore back in the day and you know
you've got the racing suits, you've got the hats and it just
adds to the ambience for the weekend, so.
From us as fans, we just want to say thank you for putting on a
great show. We really enjoyed seeing your
cars out there this weekend. Yeah, thank you.
No, we we put a lot of effort into that.
You know, when people say to me, you know, would you get out of
it, half of it's the driving and half of it's sharing the passion
with other like minded fans. You know, we've got the flags,
we've done the tops, we've done what we've done.
We're trying to recreate how the team was back in 9899 and that's
the way you bring the memories back, isn't it?
You know, So we've really put as much as we possibly can into it.
Absolutely. And one final thing.
Obviously you own three of these super tourists now.
How hard are they to maintain and and to run in general these
days? You know, 25 years on?
Very. It's not.
I mean, we've got three cars running.
We've had, we've had a gearbox out twice, we've had a mast
switch go, I've had brake problems, I had an ECU problem.
I couldn't get up out of cure. I was not going to crawl up in
first and then use the downhill bit to build up momentum to get
enough reps to run. It's.
With an EC Eugene, there's there's, you're constantly
finding niggles and faults all the time.
I'm very lucky. I've got John Danby Racing who
are a great team. You know, they do a lot of
historic stuff. They can even manufacture stuff
and they've got a great team of guys on it because without them
there's no way we'd have three cars running.
It's just it would be a mammoth task, you know?
As Richard explained there, one of his star drivers in the
Nissan was Anthony Reed, a driver who raced the Nissan in
1997 and 1998 in the BTCC. Let's hear from Anthony Anthony.
Welcome back to Graham's Hatch. You're in a Nissan Touring car.
Is it? Does it feel like you're in 1998
again? Well, it it's really quite
incredible to get this opportunity 25 years after I
raced that actual car in period. It it was a golden era for
British Touring Car Championship.
You know all the manufacturers involved, more professional
drivers being paid to race in the British Touring Car
Championship than there were in Formula One.
I was very fortunate to drive for a couple of the top teams,
Nissan in particular and then obviously the Ford Mondeos.
Without Richard Wheeler this wouldn't be happening I can tell
you. I mean I might be driving some
beaten up holes Nissan, but it won't be prepared to to to this
level of preparation. It's a proper professional team.
John Danby Racing Richard's, you know, in a position to make that
happen. Three cars and running the three
cars here this weekend just reminds me of August the 30th,
1998, where it was the absolute zenith of Super Touring.
I I feel, you know, we were on mainstream television when there
were far fewer television channels and you know, Murray
Walker had been commentating in 19797 and and Steve Ryder was
presenting. We had the big names and touring
cars, clan menu, Rydell and then of course the F1 drivers and.
Nigel was at that race, Nigel Mansell was in that race,
obviously Derek, Warwick, Morbidelli, they were competing
also ex F1 drivers. And I mean I was slightly late
getting to the circuit. I got to the circuit.
Well, I got as far as the big roundabouts on the top of the
M25 at 7:00 in the morning and the traffic was backed all the
way up there, made a quick call. One of the mechanics had a
motorcycle, so he came out and picked me up.
We dumped the car on the roundabout, otherwise I wouldn't
have made the race, but it all that sort of stuff.
And then there was a bit of a frac car between Mansell and
Tiffany. Dell had been entered in a third
works Nissan for the Top Gear feature.
And there there was a bit of Arji Barji between Tiff and and
Mansell, who'd never been the best of friends, and all of that
sort of ingredients. And the fact that the feature
was on Top Gear the following week, too.
And it was live television, massive crowds, all the big
manufacturers. It was unbelievable.
And you know, the the memories become fonder as time goes by.
Well, the significance becomes actually it becomes more
significant. It's, you know, British Touring
Cars is still very popular, but there's so many television
channels, it's much more artificial, you know, sort of
contrived, you know, boosts, corrections.
This was match play. There was no success ballast
reverse grids or anything or digging around with the ECU, no.
You you mentioned earlier the the cars being prepared.
John Danby Racing. I I have to say they are
immaculately prepared and they look exactly as they did back in
1998 nineteen 99. It's incredible and what I like
is the nice touches the team members are wearing their
shirts. Identical shirts as they were
in. The 90s.
And you've got your own suits on.
It's it's it's wonderful. It really adds to the to the
whole. Team effort.
It's a real spectacle and as I said to the the boys, my 2
teammates and said let's let's stage a shot on the first couple
of laps of qualifying so all three cars were together.
I hope people got for. That, yeah, yeah.
So in many ways the car is very familiar to me, the gearbox, the
engine, the way the engine performs, the handling, the
balance. I mean probably the major
differences were running on a control time in period.
We have factory Michelins, which were constructed specifically
for the Nissan and that would give you another two seconds a
lap here, you know, just the whole thing.
It's it's and to have this opportunity 25 years later, I
mean, you know this is my 48th season of continuous motorsport
without a break and if it weren't for people like Richard,
yes, and the Goodwood events. Being involved with Goodwood has
extended my career with Classics and stuff.
I'd be sitting in front of the fire with my slippers on or
something. I.
Was going to ask you. Actually, there's.
A major difference between this weekend at night and I8, as you
mentioned that today, is you're racing on the GP loop in the
premiera. How does the Premiera fare
around the back end circuit? Yeah the with these control
tires the difference between the 98 car and the 99 car is we've
got a multi link rear suspension system on the 98 car and for 99
the cars they switched to a beam axle which is gives a very
progressive control of the way the rear end behaves.
Mine is a bit knife edgy and on this harder control tire it's
hard work around the back you're hanging on so I can't drive with
the sort of commitments I could do in period.
And also my engineer, chassis engineer, race engineer.
He's currently a missionary in Africa.
I think I must have driven him too so hard he turned to born
again Christianity and it's now a missionary.
I wish he was here because he he'd be able to sort that car
out, but but all that sort of stuff.
I mean the great thing is that I've, I've got Dave Hill here,
who in period rebuilt the engines and he's here.
And the curious thing is that the ECU runs on the software,
which Windows 98, Yes, and he's one of the few people in the
country that has Windows 98 unadulterated.
No bugs on his laptop which he never plugs into the Internet
and. Yeah, And he's kept, yeah, over
all these years, the same computer.
Everything. Wow.
And he found out what the problem was.
Today. And so you obviously we've just
had race one now you, sadly. Had an issue what?
Was that issue? Yeah, the that was a real shame
because I was on for a solid 3rd place.
Jake was flying and and leading the race and with two laps to go
suddenly the engine cut out as I came down pit straight and as I
rolled down Paddock Hill Bend I tried to do a hard reset, you
know, master switch off and on, but it made no difference.
The engine was dead. Well, they've just found it,
they've fished it out and it's the wire.
Or something's broken, you know, probably £0.50 worth in
£1,000,000 car. So not only have you been
driving the Nissan this weekend, though, because you've also
taken the Mondeo that you raced in 2000 for a demonstration a
couple of hours. Well, that was fun.
I mean, there was a few issues with the car and misfire.
The clutch stopped working. I mean the clutch was fully
engaged but the pedal, you know, the hydraulics didn't let go and
there was a bit of a kangaroo hop from from it.
But I jumped into that car and it fits like a glove because the
seat was molded to me. Right.
And it's a carbon seat and very nostalgic to drive that car.
I can imagine the nostalgia. Hits very hard as we get but of
course that car is not prepared to the level of the Nissan's and
the the the thing the Nissan's complicated that Mondeo is
unbelievable. But the V6 engine Dr. shafts
through the the two cylinder heads of the engine and all that
sort of stuff. They go through the V Bank and
that car is really high maintenance.
The thing is that, yeah, it took a team of probably about 40-50
people to run the cars. Yeah, in period.
Yeah, you had tried. To run them.
Now you had your engine engineer, the chassis engineer,
data person with, you know, printers in those days.
Some of the old, you know, bigger cathode ray tube type
with a keyboard, so you had to have a flight case and then you
had the printer on top. But it was, it was brilliant.
It worked really well because during qualifying they could
just hit the print button and hand it in through the window.
You just have a look, you know, compared with Menu and Rydell.
To compare, that was your real time in the middle of qualifying
and you can see where they were quicker or slower.
So yeah, good to be back in the Mondeo.
Even if it was. For a brief hopefully they'll
get those issues fixed for tomorrow, but I'm really looking
forward to driving that car because that was the quickest
Super Tour I have raced obviously at the end of the
year. I mean the best handling was the
Nissan Primera because it had my DNA in it.
So between Nissan Motorsport Europe, Alec Poole, all the
other engineers like Bob Neville, Derek Gardner who had
designed the Jackie Stewart winning Tyrrell and stuff like
that, they were a team based in Didcot that helped develop that
car with me and I've been with the program for three years, so
it had my DNA and it suited my driving style.
The moment day it was more edgy, it was quicker over the lab,
obviously two years younger and a great experience to work with
Pro Drive and obviously the Blue Oval.
As always here on Stories From Super Touring, we want your
opinions and we asked yours about Super Touring power and
you didn't disappoint. Don Wary got in touch to say
that his favorite part of the weekend was arriving early on
Saturday morning and walking down to Paddock Hill Bend and
without even looking, being able to tell when the five cylinder
Volvo S40 approached. Meanwhile, Chris Phillips got in
touch to say that he was at the event with his son Tom.
Tom's a new fan of the podcast after the event.
It's a big hello to him and and thanks for tuning in, Tom, he
said his favorite part of the weekend.
Well, there was more than one and he said the Andy Rouse and
Paul Radisich reunion on stage was pretty incredible, as was
how accessible all the drivers were in the pit lane.
He loved the sound of the Mondeo Paul was driving and how hard
the cars were driving, including the Orange 323, which certainly
wasn't hanging about. You're right there, Chris.
Jake Callahan said the whole weekend is probably the best
weekend in motorsport he's ever experienced, but the highlight
for him was the Saturday morning standing at the start of the pit
lane with a friend and a few of his Co workers as the whole
field went out as one. He said A special mention also
for the hug between Paul Radysich and Andy Rouse when
they met at the stage, which was such a heart warming moment.
Joshua Sumner got in touch to say the whole thing was just an
awesome nostalgia trip from meeting drivers that he watched
and raced against on the PlayStation on TOCA.
We've actually seen a few of them get back behind the wheels
of their old cars, it was just something else, he says.
Everything was just so well thought out.
Everything from a retro gaming tent playing TOCA to the intro
music from the games like TOCA blasting out as the cars came
out on track. Greg Denton told us it was a
great event and that seeing the iconic cars and drivers racing
the cars was amazing. We did meet Greg and he said
that meeting the team from stories From Super Touring and
sharing our passion for Super Touring in person was a
brilliant bonus. Can't wait for the 2024 event?
Well neither can we. Greg Henry Smith said the Super
Touring event was not only the highlight of his year, but
probably the highlight of any historic motorsport event he's
ever attended. It's hard to name a particular
highlight from the weekend, he says, as there were so many
special moments but Alan Menu and Paul Radysich or to coin the
Murrayism, rather seech. Meeting them was just
incredible. They say never meet your heroes,
but they were both absolute gentlemen and fascinating to
listen to. A lot of love there for Paul
Radysich and we can understand why.
He's a very popular driver. During the 90s in the BTCC we
caught up with Paul as he allowed us to spend some time
with his four team, absolutely touring power.
Paul, welcome back to Brands Hatch.
Yeah. Thank you.
It's been well, probably close to 30 years since I've run this,
you know, 94 car at Brands Hatch.
So, yeah, great to be back and the enthusiasm hasn't waned at
all. I mean, people just love seeing
these cars. Running around, you know, Yeah.
And of course, it's now 30 years this year that you took the
Mondeo's first ever victory in the BTCC here at Brands Hatchet
in the August bank holding meeting.
Good memories. Yeah, it was.
We, I think we sort of expect it was early days with the car and
I think it's the first time we changed to Michelin tires and
the car started to really come on song.
So to come here, I think qualified third.
And so a little bit surprised there.
Then at the start I managed to get through the two in front and
held everybody up for what seemed like an eternity and
literally was holding everybody up.
But you know he he in front has has the right away.
That year you then was only your half year in the BTU.
You only did the the the part season there in 94.
The cars changed quite considerably with the addition
of front and rear arrow. After Alfa Romeo's creative
interpretations, we say of the rules and how do you feel the
cars changed when they grew the splitters and the rear wings?
I I I must have been reading something, and not not that long
ago then Ty Queenie would say, Oh well, the the splitters and
the wings didn't really make any difference.
But the reality was, I know we we put some wing splitter on
that car 94. And it was half a second quicker
and so half a second would have made all the difference and you
know, the speed, but but that, you know, the car itself from 93
to 94 didn't change much at at all really, I think Cos we've
got a bit more power out of the car, made a little bit more
unreliable. But but you know, we we we just
didn't quite have the that outright speed that the the
Alpha had. I think that was with us
actually that Gabrielli told us that he said it didn't have any
issue, it didn't have any advantage at all and it was the
diff. But as you say, extra half a
second a lap is is a big deal and and then you moved
eventually to Peugeot. And struggled.
It was a tough year in the Peugeot.
Any any regrets of how your time in the BTCC ended?
No, no, look, it made it when I'm I'm, I'm a guy make a
decision that's the way you go and and it had been what, 4-4
years, five years with with Ford and we weren't really making
that much progress and I thought it's time for a change.
Peugeot deal was that they would do one year with the British.
Based car and then they would go for the following year to the
French. So that sort of captioned my
imagination because the French car was with Ayala was extremely
competitive. So I thought one year pain for
for the second year gain, but that didn't work out.
But so that, yeah, that was you know, because then Peugeot
folded up that year the end of 97 and and then there was really
nowhere to go so. I know we're here and you're
racing your car that you won the World Cup at Donnington in in
1994. How did it feel getting back in
the car for the first time? I don't know how long is since
you've driven the car last, but does it fit like an old glove
still? It's still it's I was asking in
the driver's briefing where where's the the limits of the
track? Because the only way that car
goes around the corner is you've got to get it on the inside curb
and and get it up on two wheels. So, so we.
We, you know, ask you a question about how does it feel?
I mean, yeah, it does feel like a well worn glove.
The car's much easier to drive and this guy's because it's got
power steering. In the day it didn't have power
steering and it was it's something you had to muscle
around. But it's look, it's it's, you
know, the car is uncompetitive here compared to the later model
stuff, but it's just great to be driving such a world class
track. Been a lot of upgrades to the
track, that's the surface is much better.
Probably lost the best part of it with the chicane at the back,
but you know it's great. It's great to be here and part
of the scene and and still around and and and driving the
car that I had so much success with.
And when you're out there on track.
Just how competitive is it? I know it's a it's not a
demonstration, it is a race. But how hard are you pushing out
there? Look, I think you know 90%
keeping the 10% up your sleeve for for another day, but you
know the cows are old now 30 years, so you got to drive them
with respect and and and that's what we'll do.
Thanks. One of the star attractions at
Super Touring Power was a visit of Alan Menu, double BTCC
Champion in 1997 and 2000. We grabbed a very brief word
with him. He was a man in demand, but he
has promised that he will be on an episode of Stories From Super
Touring very soon. We're going to be holding you to
that, Alan. Allan, welcome back to Branch
Hatch. It's been a good few years since
you've raised a super Tory here. What's your life?
What's the nostalgia for you right now?
Well, it's to be honest, I've had a great time.
It's like it's very nice to be back to see not only the the
cars, you know, because there are like two or three of my cars
here, but also the the public and the fans and like so many
people it's it's amazing and it's quite humbling to see so
many people who still remember and.
Telling me that they had such a great time in the 90s, like
watching us go around, not just me, you know, but so it's like,
yeah, it's been really good. Why do you think Super Touring
is fondly remembered 2530 years on from the era racing in
Britain? Well, I think it was such a big
championship at the time and there was so much competition
and the races were, you know, live on BBC, so I think it did,
it did help to like generate. Massive buzz around it and and
yeah, it's lasting. And one final thing.
Your 97 Renault is here and it's been demoed.
What was it like seeing that car for the first time in probably
many years for you? Was got me emotional, to be
honest. Yeah, because I turned up
yesterday and I saw it and the engine was running.
And it's like, oh, I I didn't cry.
But you know, I was like, oh, it's like, and he brought back
so many memories. So that was really nice.
But I didn't expect to feel, to feel that, you know?
But yeah, so I guess it just shows how much it means to me.
Not just that car, but but those times, you know?
We also sat back with regular stories from Super Touring
contributor Andrew Charman as he was the founding editor of Super
Touring Magazine back in the 90s.
It was great to hear what he thought of Super Touring power
Andrew. Super touring, Power Brands,
Hatch, it's been quite a successful.
Weekend, do you think? I think it's been a success
beyond everyone's wildest dreams, to be honest.
Yeah, it has been, isn't it? I I can't.
Believe How many people are here to enjoy it.
No, I was here yesterday Saturday and everyone was really
happy. Then there seemed to be a good
crowd and then we turned up this morning and doubled at least.
So why do you think the Super Touring formula is so widely
celebrated? And why fans hold these cars so
dearly to their hearts still. 2530 years on.
I think because it was such a special era in the history of
the Touring Car Championship, you people often compare today's
championship and that championship then and you simply
cannot because today the BTCC is very much the pinnacle of
British motorsport in those days.
It was basically an international championship that
just decided to hold all its rounds in one country and you
know, you had top works teams. I was interviewing people in
drivers in 95 who two years before had been on Formula One
grids with the likes of Ed. Center and Michael Schumacher.
It was just a very special time. And any particular highlights
this weekend? Is there anything that's really
caught your eye or? Anything that's really stood up,
the nostalgia for you. Yeah, just about everything.
It's been great. I mean, I've caught up with so
many people I haven't seen for years.
You know, I haven't seen Alan for quite a long time.
It was quite scary actually. He spotted this yesterday having
a coffee and brought over and introduced me to his
granddaughter. Because when we did a feature
with him for the first issue of Super Touring Magazine, there
was some lovely pictures with him and his son who was now who
was then the same age as his granddaughter is now, you know,
so. And there's there's been lots of
people. I even had the fanboy experience
standing out at panic when someone came over to me and
said. You're Andrew Chaff.
So yeah, yeah, no, it's it's been a very special weekend all
all tribute to everyone that's organized it.
Obviously the team of brands action, particularly Peter
Steele, I mean Peter Steele. Who?
Who is a touring car photographer.
He's worked really hard to get the cars and he's, you know,
they they've all done this really special job.
So there's sort of murmurs that this could end up being an
annual event. Is that something you'd you'd be
back in? Oh, absolutely.
Yes. I I mean, I had old super
touring shirts made-up specially for the event because I knew I
wouldn't fit in the ones for about 25 years ago.
So so yes, I I don't want to get just one year's use out of them,
you know, or one weekend's use. So yes, I very much hope it will
become an annual event because this has been really special.
But there's so much more. There's so many directions in
which it can grow. So one of my personal highlights
at Super Touring Power was seeing the Orange Mazda 323 that
was built by Roger Dawson from 1995 to be run by Team Magic and
Slim Borgood. The deal to run the car fell
through and the car was never raced in period.
It raced this weekend and it was the first time that I had
personally seen the car in action, so I was really excited
to see it. The unique cast scored a podium
on the Saturday, driven by James Kellett, who Levi spent some
time with. Been seeing you out there quite
a lot this weekend. How's it been driving?
The Super tourists. Yeah, absolutely mega so far,
really enjoyed the event. So I got called in last minute
to be able to drive the Mazda and really I'm liking it so far.
Obviously this is a car that I've never driven before until
this weekend, so. It's been mega so far.
Yesterday was really good. We had a great qualifying
qualified P4 and I was able to grab a podium in the last race.
Today we'll have a few. We've had a few issues with the
rear anti roll bar link so the pace isn't quite as good that
today as it was yesterday, but hopefully in this last race we
can see if we can go up a few places.
Brilliant and and in terms of, as you say, it's first time even
in the car it's. The first time that.
Really. Anyone is.
During the car in a lot of sense because this actually, whilst
built in period was never raced in the the British showing car
championship. How does it feel to sort of
drive one of? These like lost Unicorn.
Cars, in a way. Incredible.
It's a privilege to drive this I can't thank.
The owner Alan's got enough to to give me the opportunity to
drive it. And yeah, we've been doing some
development development on it. I very much feel like we've gone
kind of gone back in time a little bit and because obviously
it was never developed from a driver's point of view because
it never really raced. So for me to actually do some
development on it, it feels really, really good.
Perfect and. And in terms of your current
race and currently in the Porsche Carrera Cup GB this
year? In terms of difference,
obviously front, rear would draw all.
That what has been at sort of the the.
Uptake on having to learn this car this weekend as a as a one
off. Well, it's, I believe it's
always good to learn a new. A new car and it's it's a it's a
challenge and I like a challenge and obviously it's front wheel
drive, front engine, something that I'm not massively used to.
But in the end of the day it's it's a it's a race car, a race
car's a race car. You jump in it and you you pedal
it as hard as you possibly can and it's proved it proved it
yesterday that the car's capable of doing well and and yeah,
we're having a great front. Levi also caught up with
multiple Bathurst winner Steven Richards, who was driving a
Volvo S40 at Brands Hatch. So, Steven.
Welcome to Brands Hatch. Sorry Steve.
Touring Festival this weekend. How's it been out there and back
in near the Volvo? It's been it's been fantastic.
We really you know to have the commitment from a few New
Zealand guys that are bringing their cars out is is
unbelievable. So I'm I'm just the lucky one
that gets to come out and have a have a drive but.
I've driven this car once before back in New Zealand and it's
pretty, pretty familiar. It's a nice car.
It's a 1997 model. And then I suppose the good part
about that for me is it was then sent to Australia for 1998 and
my my father Jim, drove the car. So, yeah, that's, that's, that's
quite special, yeah. As you mentioned.
I mean in the late 90s as your father Jim and and many others
driving that in in the Australian.
Championship is it? What do you think was made it
such a big thing seem Tory, not just?
In the UK, but in. Australia and in other parts of
the world, what was it that made it such a massive?
Part of the the motorsport world in the 90s.
Well, I think the the, the, the opportunity, the different
amount of manufacturers, the fact that in some ways it was
good that every year the British cheering Car championship had to
update their cars in order to be.
To to be competitive. So therefore the cars became not
as valuable and really they just had to sell them on to get to
get rhythm. So from a from a purchase
perspective everywhere around the world similar to Australia,
if we were running year old cars it was quite economical, the
running costs were quite high but the actual the actual
capital costs were were quite good.
So you know, you had that whole situation where where different
manufacturers and different teams were building.
You know, you had two different manufacturers at Peugeot's, You
had, you know, Audi Sport involved, so you could actually
get these cars and race them in other markets where they were
relevant. So it was a very, it was a very
cool time of touring car racing and we had that.
We had the same thing alongside the V8 Supercars or the V8
Touring cars as they were at the time and and people had an
option. So I think that's why it was so
successful. And just in terms of.
Style compared. To as you say that the V eights.
Now the dominant. Championship in Australia?
What is it solicitly? The.
Difference in driving a Super
Tour compared to the the V8 beats that The Commodores and
the Falcons. There's there's some obvious
differences. The weight.
The weight is the first one. Our V8 supercar with a driver in
and fuels up upwards of about 1500 kilos.
These these cars were you know, 975 kilos.
The regulations allowed them to be close to the ground.
They had had a lot more. At the time, they had a lot more
aerodynamic downforce than than the supercars did.
So they were the chalk and cheese to be honest.
You know, you had a big 600 horsepower engine in the front
and then a 300 horsepower highly tunable, very fast through the
corners in terms of a super tourist.
So very different cars. Yeah.
That brings to an end our coverage of Super Touring power
from Brands Hatch. Make sure you'll be at Super
Touring Power Two at Brown's Hatch next June because it will
be an event not to be missed. Thanks again for listening to
stories from Super Touring this week.
Join us next week where we're joined by Mr. Peugeot, Mick
Linford. We talk about his time running
the Peugeot team in the British Touring Cup Championship.
We'll see you next week. Goodbye.