[DOF_power]

PRIAULX AND BMW WIN TITLES AGAIN




Andy Priaulx remains world champion. The BMW Team UK driver led the final race of the season from lights to flag to claim his third consecutive world title.

BMW have double reason to celebrate as they also took the Manufacturers’ Championship for the third year.
Yvan Muller and Augusto Farfus did not took the start because their cars were not repairable after the problems (fuel pump failure for Muller and a collision with Tarquini for Farfus) they had in the first race.
Off the line James Thompson got a fantastic start to jump from fourth to second. He continued his rapid speed and overtook Nicola Larini for second at the Lisboa corner.
As the pack took the same corner Gabriele Tarquini, Rob Huff and Alessandro Zanardi were casualties. Zanardi and Huff did not rejoin while Tarquini finished 14th.
Over the next couple of laps Thompson was closely chasing Priaulx and Larini was also keeping tabs on the pair. Lap four saw Priaulx edge away while Larini and Thompson were nose to tail. On lap seven Larini made a stunning move at the exit of the Mandarin corner to demote Thompson to third.
In the final laps Larini closed the gap on Priaulx, but not enough to try an overtaking manoeuvre, while Thompson had to fight hard to defend his third position – that also meant third place in the championship – from the assaults of Tiago Monteiro.
The battle for the points in the final laps saw Jörg Müller and Jordi Gené dropping down and handing the 5th place to Tom Coronel who finished ahead of Rickard Rydell, Félix Porteiro, Colin Turkington and Fredrik Ekblom who scored the last point as Turkington was not eligible to do so.
The independent race was won by Luca Rangoni after a tough battle with Stefano D'Aste and Carl Rosenblad. His victory was not enough however as D'Aste emerged as the Independents' Trophy winner by two points.

[Bob Tanner]

Originally Posted by DOF_power

PRIAULX AND BMW WIN TITLES AGAIN




Andy Priaulx remains world champion. The BMW Team UK driver led the final race of the season from lights to flag to claim his third consecutive world title.

BMW have double reason to celebrate as they also took the Manufacturers’ Championship for the third year.
Yvan Muller and Augusto Farfus did not took the start because their cars were not repairable after the problems (fuel pump failure for Muller and a collision with Tarquini for Farfus) they had in the first race.
Off the line James Thompson got a fantastic start to jump from fourth to second. He continued his rapid speed and overtook Nicola Larini for second at the Lisboa corner.
As the pack took the same corner Gabriele Tarquini, Rob Huff and Alessandro Zanardi were casualties. Zanardi and Huff did not rejoin while Tarquini finished 14th.
Over the next couple of laps Thompson was closely chasing Priaulx and Larini was also keeping tabs on the pair. Lap four saw Priaulx edge away while Larini and Thompson were nose to tail. On lap seven Larini made a stunning move at the exit of the Mandarin corner to demote Thompson to third.
In the final laps Larini closed the gap on Priaulx, but not enough to try an overtaking manoeuvre, while Thompson had to fight hard to defend his third position – that also meant third place in the championship – from the assaults of Tiago Monteiro.
The battle for the points in the final laps saw Jörg Müller and Jordi Gené dropping down and handing the 5th place to Tom Coronel who finished ahead of Rickard Rydell, Félix Porteiro, Colin Turkington and Fredrik Ekblom who scored the last point as Turkington was not eligible to do so.
The independent race was won by Luca Rangoni after a tough battle with Stefano D'Aste and Carl Rosenblad. His victory was not enough however as D'Aste emerged as the Independents' Trophy winner by two points.

I was introduced to this Series when I lived in Spain. Thanks to EuroSports TV I was able to follow it a bit, along with the 500cc GP Moto's.

IMHO this Series incorporates several concepts which NASCAR could do well to study. Among those concepts are a wide variety of tracks/circuits and mandating the cars at least look stock.

[DOF_power]

>
^ I fully agree.
In the 1960s they even brought the Ford Galaxy from NASCAR and raced it in both the british and european touring car championships (by the likes of Jim Clark, Graham Hill, Jack Brabham).
That would be impossible today.