Winton - who cared? - Ford Forums - Mustang Forum, Ford Trucks, Ford Focus and Ford Cars

milchy · 08-18-2002, 00:56

A sad admission.

I have been following Falcons on the racetrack ever since the Moffat-Bond 1-2. I have loved watching the Touring Cars and now the V8 Supercars. I look forward to every round, virtually counting the hours till the Falcons once again go into battle against the Holdens.

Such has been the state of the championship this year that I didn't really care when Winton was on and nor did I set the video to watch the action. Does anyone else share these views?

The result was as expected - Fords scrapping for the minor placings. AVESCO take note. There is something now seriously wrong with this series and many fans must by now be switching off!

I pray that there will be some Ford success in the enduros this year - for everyone's sake!

P.S What the hell has happed to DJR? They have gone from bad to worse!

Cobra · 08-18-2002, 01:45

I have felt this way for the past few years. But I echo your sentiments especially this year. Ford's lack of performance coupled with extremely bad luck and costly eroors in the pits has given us no favours. I just live in hope that next year the BA's will be a better sorted race car.

About AVESCO though, I feel the harder they try to make the series more even, the worse is the outcome. By incorporating the same setup's, suspensions ect on different cars makes it worse as each car takes things differently. The commodore takes things a bit better. I think that they should go back to a more production type IRS suspension and let the egnineers dabble with different rear axle geometry setups.

I guess the whole problem isnt helped by Commodore having a wider track, but doesn't this comes down to the actual design of the car? Maybe if Ford made the AU more compatible with Race car type setups as well as the road the AU might not have endured such horror performances as we have witnessed over the past few years.

Donut King · 08-18-2002, 01:49

Quote:

Originally posted by Cobra
.....

I guess the whole problem isnt helped by Commodore having a wider track, but doesn't this comes down to the actual design of the car? Maybe if Ford made the AU more compatible with Race car type setups as well as the road the AU might not have endured such horror performances as we have witnessed over the past few years.

The commodore has a wider track due to an allowance under the rules, simply, if they couldn't run a wider than production front track, there would be no way to fit the massive wheel/tyre package in the front of the commodore. If tracks were determined by production track widths AU would have 3mm wider front track than the commodore.

Cobra · 08-18-2002, 01:55

Quote:

Originally posted by Donut King

The commodore has a wider track due to an allowance under the rules, simply, if they couldn't run a wider than production front track, there would be no way to fit the massive wheel/tyre package in the front of the commodore. If tracks were determined by production track widths AU would have 3mm wider front track than the commodore.

but isnt the problem of the wheel/tyre size and width due to a different offset?

ford.boy · 08-18-2002, 01:58

Quote:

Originally posted by Donut King

The commodore has a wider track due to an allowance under the rules, simply, if they couldn't run a wider than production front track, there would be no way to fit the massive wheel/tyre package in the front of the commodore. If tracks were determined by production track widths AU would have 3mm wider front track than the commodore.

Well, shouldn't that be Holden's problem, not Ford's?. Ford should also be given a wider front track (the same ratio), so that the better car has the upper hand. If not, it kind of defies the point of racing these cars. they may as well give the holden drivers F1 cars and the Ford drivers go... no... BILLY carts (exaduration). Why a car that has a worse setup is given a better setup, I don't know.
(I'm soooooooooooooooo pised, I just found this out.)

Donut King · 08-18-2002, 02:00

Quote:

Originally posted by Cobra

but isnt the problem of the wheel/tyre size and width due to a different offset?

No it's cos the wheels are 11 inches wide... it required massive changes to the front end as it is so that it could fit...

Ford teams are partly to blame for this, they blocked the commodores from getting the double wishbone front end with the VT, which apparently meant that no increase in track would have been required

Rakija · 08-18-2002, 02:11

Did you guys see how much the murphys car was pulling away from Ambrose during the last few laps.

The crumbledores do have an advantage there, Ambrose was pulling quick laps but couldnt find the speed thru the corners..

Cobra · 08-18-2002, 02:28

Quote:

Originally posted by Donut King

No it's cos the wheels are 11 inches wide... it required massive changes to the front end as it is so that it could fit...

Ford teams are partly to blame for this, they blocked the commodores from getting the double wishbone front end with the VT, which apparently meant that no increase in track would have been required

Really? So what front end does the commodore run now? maybe they had allready discussed these issues and figured that the bad would outweigh the good? What I mean is that the commodore with the same track as falcon might be more potent than what the commodore has now with a wider track?

Donut King · 08-18-2002, 02:36

They use macpherson strut front end now.

There is a distinct advantage to having a wider front track, it aids in turn in speed and stability within the corners, I doubt that if they had a narrower track that they would be more potent than they currently are.

Remember in F1 they gave them a narrower track in '95 along with the other restrictions after senna/ratzenbergers(sp?) deaths... it was intended to slow the cars down... thats the most relevant example I can give to prove my point that a narrower track is a disadvantage..

whataboutBEN · 08-18-2002, 02:50

Have to agree with you on that one. We watched half of the first race then got bored. Skaife has more than double the points on any other competitor. This is a sentiment been reflected in the bikes and the f1 with Rossi and Schumacher. It just isn't entertaining anymore.