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Sunday, Dec 21, 2003
BTCC Spoiler
The British Touring Car Championship is my single favorite motorsports series. I've only been to one race weekend, they being way over in Britain. But I was always able to obtain a video tape of season highlights at the conclusion of the season. Within a couple of hours, I could relive the excitement and suspense of a full season of racing.
Starting last year I could catch the full season of races on Speed Channel. The races are shown in delayed broadcasts during the "off season", since Speed fills up their regular schedule with American racing of the "go fast, turn left" variety. To maintain the sense of suspense while watching the months-old events, I have to carefully avoid news outlets that carry BTCC results.
The care in avoiding spoilers paid off last year as the season built to an amazing conclusion. Vauxhall teammates James Thomson and Yvan Muller battled for the championship down to the final race. Watching this year's season in time-delayed mode, the same sort of showdown is shaping up. With a few races to go, Yvan is ahead, but James is within striking distance.
Speed is also showing the European Touring Car Championship and the Deutsche Tourenwagen Masters in time-delayed mode during the off season. While watching the ETCC race at Estoril, I noticed James Thomson on the grid. "Well this is odd." Perhaps this race took place after the end of the BTCC season.
I has a fleeting thought that I should tell Tivo to save this race until I had a chance to see the final few BTCC races, in case the announcer revealed any BTCC news. And then, "Also on the grid is Yvan Muller, the new BTCC champion, who clinched the title over Thom-o in the final race of the season."
Aaaaaaarrrrrrrrgggghhhhhhh!