Club Arnage

We all know who the old Stig was, anyone heard who the new one is. I heard a rumour it was Justin Wilson but he dosn't look tall enough to me

There was a spectator at the recent Tempest Stages Rally, where I was afficiating, who works at Dunsfold Aerodrome.  He tells me it's Darren Turner. Maybe someone can confirm that.

Sorry lads, but what's the stig ??

It is Julian Bailey.


"The Stig" is an unknown test driver they use on Top Gear - the better of the UK TV Car shows.  He had fun in the Morgan on last nights show!  The previous "Stig" was Perry McCarthy

Mr. Bailey makes sense coz he and Pezza are big buddies (all part of the Damon Hill, Mark Blundell, Martin Donnelly etc. possee). Met one of the aforementioned once who told me that JB is known as "Grumpy"!!

 ;D

On a recent trip to Europe, I saw "Top Gear" had changed quite a bit since I left there in '00, and looks as most of the crew has gone to the show we can actually get in the states called "5th Gear." Was there a dispute with Clarkson and the others?

Unsure, but 5th gear is cack! they seem to be obsessed with telling you how to drive like a getaway driver.

Or what to crash pointlessly into a concrete wall to show the effects, as if any sensible person did not already know what the outcome is likely to be.....

I don't think it's going to be Justin Wilson, Stig is far too short!!

I don't know about that, 5th Gear is less for car nuts but crash tests & stuff like that, what about the indestructable 4x4 & the caravans they destroy. It may be funny but isn't the joke wearing a bit thin?? I do like the celeb guests & the hot laps in fast cars though!!

Jeremy Clarkson is a good presenter but is too opinionated & stubborn.
Richard Hammond seems to me to not care about cars (or not care enough anyway)
I think James May is the best of the bunch, he's "left field" but doesn't pretend he's something he isn't.

Tiff Needell on the other hand, I have a lot of time for, likewise Jason Plato.
The 5th Gear items may be different to what we're used to but they have to be, what's the point in copying Top Gear

I  like both programmes and watch them each week, but i agree 100% with chris beatty about the opinions.

Hammond the hampster is like Clarksons side kick, known on the street as "ma Bitch "

Anyone around Surrey ought to get some tickets & find out (they film in an airfield not far from Guildford)

If this Stig is Julian Bailey he seems to be a damn sight quicker than Perry was.
It's gotta beat trying to race in an unreliable MG-Lola EX257!!  :)
Before y'all start, I drive an MG so I know how unreliable they are!!

I think the 5th Gear lot is part of the old Top Gear production team, Andy Wilman used to be involved in Top Gear a while back & is now producing 5th Gear?

Missed Top Gear this week will have to try & catch the repeat one evening!!

Top Gear was basically taken in all its (former) glory over to Channel 5 - I remember a good mate telling me that there would be "no more Top Gear".  Then 6 months later the new format arrived... Damn good.  I think all the BBC kept was the name, and they put it to good use.

I notice no-one mentioned "Drivel" ... err... "Driven" on Ch4

Wishy is already trying to get tickets.  We live about 1/2 hour from Dunsfold.  Will let you know

I thought it had died a death, Jason Plato, now onm Channel 5

Mike Brewer on Discovery doing car mart or simular ???

I thought there attempt at Le Mans a few years back was terrible though. 30 mins highlights ?

I've was at the filming of Top Gear last year, happens on a Wednesday and takes around 5 hours to film, 10 or so of us from our club were invited as one guy's car was being used in a shoot out.

Presenters are much more approachable than you'd think including Clarkson, Johnny Vegas was our star that day!
Remember when Edmunds and of course 'Mr Road safety' William Woolard were the presenters?  ;)

Don't agree. The old Stig was a much smoother driver and his "showboating" laps were more controlled. Not saying the new Stig is crap, it's just I think the old one was better.

I too am trying to get some - via a friend whose cars have been featured recently (KWE Jaguars). I will let you know if I am successful.

you get them via the top gear web site as long as you're over 18

I've applied for 2 tickets for 15th December... Lets see what happens

That's the date Wishy's applied for, may see you there.  Beer afterwards? :D

well if we get the tickets...

Sorry lads, theres only one true Stig for me, and thats Stig Blomqvist who i have just watched win the Roger Albert Clark Rally, tear arsing across Northern England and Southern Scotland in a MK2 Escort BDA. Along with Hannu Mikkola and Malcolm Wilson and Ray Bellm, Awesome !

Saw the rerun of this episode on BBC 4 last night. I didn't spot the CA t-shirts in the audiance. Johnny Vegas was a bit of a star considering he has never had a driving licsence,a touch of TDA when he was younger maybe ?

I bet it prob gets quite boring stood around a lot?  Do you get to see anything other than the inside of the hanger?

Yes, too cold in the hangar for just a CA T-shirt, it was a freezing day in December!
We were chatting to 'Vegas' just before he appeared on the set.

Heard a few rumours

Julian Bailey
Darren Turner
Nicholas Minnasion

Could be any of them.......or....as the other rumour states - it could well still be Perry McCarthy, dressed in different overalls.....

spoke to Clarkson at the MPH Show in London the other week, asked him who the Stig was but of course he didn't know...suggested Perry was still the Stig, this was denied. Jezzer reckons the Stig turns up in the overalls and balaclava and know one on the set knows who he is...and he did say he, so that rules out Vicki Butler-Henderson, plus she isn't that good a driver anyways!

also spoke to Clarkson about getting him in a Porsche GT3 RSR for Le Mans and covering it on Top Gear but he wasn't interested because and I quote "Top Gear is better than Le Mans, we are above all that lot...my mother watches Top Gear and if she doesn't like it then we don't show it"

Clarkson your a T055ER and your mum stinks!!

Stig really does show up with his balaclava on. Apparently only two folks on the show, producer and director, know who he is

El Presidente...nice to see ya!

Had dinner with friends on Saturday and his sister works for the production company on a different project. She is however getting us a couple f tickets and they will get us into the recording of the show but also to the track side for the filming.

I was thinking of waiting for The Stig to come along and then shouting "Hi Julian" or "Hi Pel" to see if it gets a reaction  ;)

...or maybe you could have your photo taken with him then we can have a Guess the Stig thread...  ;)

And if he says "Oh God not you again" then we know it's JH!!  ;D

Just spat out my beer  ;D

1995 rac

Top photo, Great driver and all that is missing is the bobble on top of the Thomas the Tank' hat

Bobblehat

(keep the young ungs at the track)

the bobble

i think it had been pulled off by the wearer

to think.... Stig was old then (1995) and ten years later he's still going with excellent performances  
 
 :)