TORC Tourning Cars - Media Night

Media day kicked off on Sunday night with a massive first for the TORC series it was to be a collection of wacky races with no holds bar racing all damage turned off and just to see if you could make it round the track obviously with the presentation of the new seasons cars being shown off too. So lets get down to it.  We kicked off with the VW campers these were completely stock, driven with no tunes the race saw us at Prague full circuit and only three laps with the speed of the buses this was all it was gonna need. 11 campers turned up at the start line in random grid formation headed by Robracer in the PG Tips livery, until the first time up the hill all racers kept hold of there race positions and all four wheels on the ground but a wrong gear change in the by Mad saw him slip from 2nd to 10th and that's how it looked the race was going to be won on slick gear changes up the never ending hill.  Into the first town section for the first time, we saw Kidders and the Vengabus bus driven by kinky come together to drop them both off the poduim postitions and down to fourth and fifth. The last corner was always gonna be the highlight of the two wheeled action and on the first lap it was Rotaryrhys who was the first to try his hand at stunt driver leaning on Pronag, who just managed to make it through unscathed, followed by Mad doing exactly the same thing, but unbeleivably ono one ended up on there side!  End of lap one and Robracer still in front and with an impressive lead over the rest of the field but a slight slip on gear changes going up the hill saw that lead eaten away and the recovering Bradderstig was on the charge. Last corner antics again, this time led by Kinky, Devilsboogeyman, RotaryRhys and Hoppers, saw them all find the outside tyre wall it was like synchronised crashing. End of lap 2 and Robracer lead was coming down as both Bradderstig and Kidders were closing but this was now Robs race to lose and that he did in spectaclur fashion being the first camper to roll over on the very last corner!  Bradders chopping on the bit to take advantage, but wait Bradders got jealous of Robs roll and decided he wanted a go as well, which left it wide open for Kidders to take the chequered flag followed by the recovering Rob in second, Xray in third, Kinky 4th Bradders 5th Seeley 6th Mad 7th Pronag 8th Devilsboogeyman 9th RotaryRhys 10th and Hoppers bringing up the rear. In all the race was slow but with some dramatic crashing to spice things up, the entertainment facture obvious with the smiles on everyones faces.

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 On to Silverstone and the Main attraction or so you would think and its Media day and lots of shiny new cars on display, although a number of teams missing as they are working out late deals.  RML had two cars on the grid and have kept with the 2009 FWD Focus and the same sponsors but they do fit the car and team well.   Pronag in the BMW 1M saloon wearing its livery very nicely J4tee in the Honda Civic is looking very quick no livery as yet but I'm sure it will be unveiled soon Devilsboogeyman in a brilliant coloured BMW 1M looked amazing and definitely one of the nicest liveries seen today. Hoppers was giving Alfa their debut in the championship, I kept hearings about the livery wasn’t finished but with Hoppers is it ever finished?   I'm sure that car will have more paint jobs this season than races. Kidders with a sweet looking golf having signed a deal to join Major Raver and RangersRick in the DART team.   Bradderstig and Kinky in the 555 Sponsored Subaru looks like a car with a lot of potential and the talent of the team is definitely there. Xray Energy was present in his focus from SWR looking like the team needs a bit of money coming there way wow that's a lot of sponsors. Seeley in the Hyundi Velostar sponsored by Rokit looks like a very quick car and his been seen in the thunder enduro format and showed a lot of potential then so we shall see. RotaryRhys in the monster energy merc A45 looks quick but can the new driver keep his nose clean only time will tell. All joking aside the cars look great and with the close racing of last season it looks to be a great series going forward good luck chaps.

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    So serious business out the way and the wacky races continued and I am telling you now it only got worse from here on next up was the limos at long beach full track the cars did eight laps, the fun and games started before the race did when the Marshalls were seen with one of the cars down at the hairpin just making sure it would fit but on to the race and random grid again and the cars are even crazier than last time the liveries were very out there with a rainbow car and a tampax sponsored one and the presdential limo made an appearance, carnage is all I can say 25 foot cars with no brakes and a roundabout was never going to go well but to two cars on top of the roundabout and another car sideways through it was definitely entertaining. The cars handled on the same level as a P&O ferry but the drivers were having great fun and it was definitely entertaining for the  crowd no wall was safe in this race. The first time round the hairpin saw the first three drivers take it like they were in there touring cars absolute precision as for the rest of the field not so much the crashes just got more and more entertaining from going straight on at corners, to side ways cars going straight across the track this all lead up to a road block on the last lap which I will add was dreamed up by Bradderstig I know what your thinking but its true he does have a wacky side. I'm not gonna lie I missed half the race rolling around the floor laughing was definitly a good way to blow off some steam for the drivers. I would tell you the grid positons but I dont think it needed them.

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On to the craziest race I have ever seen and it was the F1 cars on the tiniest track in Rio I think my street at home is longer oh well on to the race and the liveries were very tame and all sported ones from there formula 1 heroes all I can say is driver assists were key here it was like watching swan lake with the spinning cars on every part of the track and what a lot of rubbers being used four drivers stood out and who were actually trying to get round properly although I think the others drivers were but the cars had other ideas. I think out of the whole race three clean laps were recorded and they were from Kinky, Kidders and Hoppers all in all a very entertaining race but maybe a bigger track was needed. Now these wacky races went on into the night and I think I heard through the grape vine that the finale was somersaulting ford transit vans I'm sure you can find pictures of this some where on the internet. I really hope these races happen again was amazing to see the drivers relax and have a laugh for an evening, here's to the next one.

Marc "Mad" Davis.