Part 2 of Autosport and we arrive in easily the highlight for many of the show - the Live Action Arena. 1 entire hall is transformed into an indoor racetrack for racing and demonstration runs, so tight racing and very noisy! The Fiesta racing was the 1st racing demo out
Followed by the
European Drift Championship drifters -
Mark Luney, Paul Conlan and Pete Barber
and some close dirtbike racing
Then
5th Gear presenters Tiff Needell and Vicki Butler Henderson doing some semi drifting - Tiff struggled to do competitive drifting way back in 2006 so he might be better next time he fancies a proper go - or not, particularly when he claimed not to be able to turn the traction control off on the Jaguar he is seen driving above.... Vicki was a bit better in her Porsche though!
Then we have the Autograss specials - purpose built chassis, usually motorcycle engine powered so a very high power to weight ratio - so wheelies and the ability to drift almost the entire arena easier than the drift cars almost, although I think the wheelies were more for show, still good to see though!
And close racing, Id love to see these on their natural surface - grass and mud
The
Formula Palmer Audi single seaters were good too, plenty of flames, although this,again, might have been done for the show with the cars adjusted to overfuel slightly, but looked good in the dark!
The cars were being driven by the finalists of the McLaren Autosport BRDC Award
Pat (on the right, Fiesta) and Liam (on the left,Citroen C4) Doran about to do a rallycross demo - but given these cars are ideal for the slippery surface of the arena (4wd and 600bhp) the show they put on was a little tame compared to what Ive seen them do before, but then again with 17 shows to do over the 4 days of the show and practice sessions, you have to make the cars last
F1 stockcars - big, heavy, fast - and loud with their unsilenced Chevy V8's - always a favourite of mine - you dont just hear them, you
feel them
Being RWD with low grip meant they too, were easy to drift around the arena and are full contact racing, so bumping,nudging and pushing is allowed
An original (not a replica) Lancia Stratos, sounded lovely with its raspy Ferrari V6
An original Audi Sport Quattro - driven here by none other than Stig Blomqvist - the original Stig!
And to end, figure of 8 banger racing, the previously made comment regarding 17 shows applies here too, Id say the last show on Sunday was entertaining!
Part 3 soon
Time to round up coverage of Autosport International with another tiny selection of what can be seen, above the Fiat 500 Abarth, which will form a 1 make racing series this year
Surprisingly the only Group C/GTP car at the show, the Nissan NPTI
A treat for the ears in the Le Mans Series in 2010 - the JMW Motorsport Aston Martin Vantage GT2
Not as common here as in America but the new Camaros look great
Standing still rather than trying to pan it at high speed - the 2008/9 Time Attack winning Roger Clark Motorsport Impreza - The Gobstopper
A pair of classic rallying Lancias - 037 and Delta Intergrale
Group B Metro 6R4
Peugeot 205 T16
and former works Imprezas of the much missed Colin McRae and Richard Burns
The Ginetta-Zytek LMP1 car of Beechdean-Mansell Motorsport - to be driven by Nigel Mansell and his sons in 2010
The Drayson Racing Lola-Judd LMP1 car, to be raced in the American Le Mans series in 2010
