This Week in Motorsport
Tourists
World Touring Car Championship
Rounds 19 & 20
Race of Japan
Sunday, 21 October 2012

I looked forward to the Race of Japan to see two things: the new Honda Civic entry in the W.T.C.C., & mighty Suzuka. The Civic was reasonably fast, though hampered by the usual teething problems for a new car in its first races; Honda should be very satisfied to come away with Tiago Montiero's ninth place finish in Round 19 & tenth place in Round 20. There are four more races to see from '12, four more chances to work out those teething problems, & with Montiero & '09 World Champion Gabriele Tarquini set for a full-season campaign in '13, Honda's fortunes in the W.T.C.C. look bright. Alas, the touring cars competed on only a fraction of the Suzuka Curcuit used for the F1 Japanese Grand Prix! The Esses were there, but the truncated circuit cut out the Degnar Curves, the Spoon, the mega corner 130R, & the treacherous Casio Triangle. The W.T.C.C. cars raced at Suzuka, but it wasn't the mighty Suzuka! that is the second-best track in all the world. The dominant works Chevrolets finished one-two-three in the first race, but were locked out of the podium in the second race, finished four-five-six; colorful character Stefano D'Aste won his second race of the year in his privateer B.M.W., after an initial victory at Austria's Salzburgring in May. D'Aste's racing suit is unique, being colored to resemble a leisure suit—the "coat" alternating in the red & green of the Italian flag with a white V to resemble a shirt & tie, & white "pants." (For the Race of the U.S.A., D'Aste had a one-off Uncle Sam racing suit.) No one of good will could begrudge such a character his success.

British Touring Car Championship
Rounds 28-30
Brands Hatch, Grand Prix Circuit
Sunday, 21 October 2012

The B.T.C.C. season came full circle, ending where it began, at Brands Hatch, albeit at the slightly longer (or at least less ridiculously short) Grand Prix Circuit. The sky was impenetrably gray throughout & rain fell during the day's second & third races. I thought this a fitting send-off for as thoroughly British an exercise as the B.T.C.C. The factory Hondas & M.G.s & privateer B.M.W.s that had been dominant all season long were largely dominant on the final day of competition, though in a brilliant drive through the rain an older Ford upset the applecart to claim the driver, Árón Smith's, maiden victory. Gordon Shedden of the works Honda team was crowned British Touring Car Champion, with his teammate triple champion Matt Neal ('05, '06, & '11) second in the overall standings & double champion Jason Plato ('01 & '10) of M.G. third. Heaven knows the B.T.C.C. isn't perfect, but it's fun.

The Rebel Black Dot Song of the Day
Louis Prima, "Pennies from Heaven" from Elf: Music from the Major Motion Picture (T.L.A.M.)