BTCC 2011 news.

[Rob]

14/Jan/2011
Gow: BTCC hitting new peak

British Touring Car Championship boss Alan Gow believes the series is set for a new high thanks to its new NGTC technical regulations.

Speaking on the central stage at the star-studded Autosport International Show, Gow said the Dunlop-backed championship was perfectly positioned to grow even further in stature.

"It is a bigger draw than it has been this century," said Series Director Gow. "It is getting bigger all the time, we have a fantastic array of new cars coming out, we have great TV package with ITV. Everything is in place to grow the championship again."

And he said the NGTC regulations, which will lead to even more appealing cars yet dramatically reduce teams’ budgets, will add even greater momentum to the championship’s continued rise in popularity – some 325,000 people watched trackside at BTCC events in 2010, putting attendances on a par with Premiership football matches.

"There’s a very basic explanation behind it – it will be cheaper, faster and better looking,” he added. "How we have achieved that... basically you don't have to go through an expensive homologation process.

"The championship going forward will be cheaper to compete in, better for spectators to look at and the cars will be nicer to drive and faster."

Already three new teams have been attracted to the BTCC thanks to the NGTC regulations – Dynojet and Speedworks will graduate from the Ginetta G50 series each with a Toyota Avensis while Rob Austin Racing will enter a pair of Audi A4s. All four machines will be built to NGTC specification and Gow hinted that at least one more such car is expected to appear in the first season of the new regulations. He also said he was delighted with the pace of the BTCC’s NGTC prototype – on display on the show’s central stage – in testing so far.

"We are not trying to make a race car out of a production car – it is a proper race car underneath," he continued. "There is no reason why it should not have been quicker and this is just a beginning of development – there will be five cars on the grid to full NGTC spec – and the cars will get quicker and quicker all the time."

http://www.btcc.net/html/generalnews_detail.php?id=2233

[Rob]

well it all kicks off April 3rd, at Brands, may go, but Snetterton again in August. Motorbase are switching from BMWs to Fords this year.

[Rob]

Two-car attack from Pirtek
Andrew Jordan will head a two-car Pirtek Racing team in 2011’s Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship.

Jordan announced this evening he will again race the squad's Vauxhall Vectra having achieved his first two wins in the BTCC in the car last season. As in 2010, it will again be powered by TOCA’s unbranded NGTC-spec turbocharged engine.

Racing alongside Jordan will be relative newcomer Jeff Smith – he confirmed some time ago he would race a Vectra for the Eurotech company that prepares the cars but his entry will now also fall under the Pirtek banner.

For Jordan, aged 21 from Lichfield and son of Eurotech boss Mike, 2011 will be his fourth season in the BTCC. He said: “It’s great to be back in the BTCC with Pirtek Racing; we had such a strong debut last year and we have been busy building on those foundations in readiness of the forthcoming season.

“We now have a bigger team behind us, we have greatly increased our staffing levels and our biggest focus is to develop and improve the Vectra for an even stronger season this year. Fundamentally the Vectra is a great chassis… Swindon, the engine builder, has also been focusing on improving the engine's performance during the winter. As a team we are confident that we will be able to once again fight for victories in the BTCC and our aim is to win the Independent Drivers title.”

Pirtek UK’s business development director Alistair Wiggins added: “The BTCC is a fiercely competitive series and we were pleased with our overall development and performance last year where we took the fight to more established teams with bigger budgets on numerous occasions. The Pirtek brand received great exposure from being part of the BTCC, which is why we have returned for a second season.

“This year the team will field two cars and, with double the technical feedback, increased development on the car, as well as increased exposure, Pirtek Racing will be looking to equal, if not better their success in 2011.”

[Rob]

Wrathall feels BTCC's power
Newcomer Frank Wrathall says he’s instantly felt the ‘pulling power’ of the Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship.

Wrathall only recently announced his plans to join the UK’s premier motor racing championship but his new status as a BTCC driver earned him a spot on the central stage at last week’s star-studded Autosport International Show.

On the Saturday he joined the btcc.net fans’ favourite driver of 2010, Shaun Hollamby, for a 15-minute appearance before a large public crowd.

Just yards away was BTCC organiser TOCA’s prototype machine built to the championship’s new Next Generation Touring Car technical regulations – Wrathall will race a similar car, based on Toyota’s Avensis model, in his debut season for his own Dynojet team.

The 24-year-old Lancastrian, who will be joining the BTCC grid off the back of his Ginetta G50 title win last year, said: “I’ve never come close to a stage appearance like that – the interest in my racing activity since we announced our plans to join the BTCC has been astronomical and then came the opportunity to appear at the show, again through the BTCC’s ‘PR machine’. It feels awesome and is a great start for a young driver looking to impress in his first season in the BTCC.

“It’s also great practice for what lies ahead – the BTCC is all about public entertainment and at every event there will be many requests from fans and media in the paddock and pit lane autograph sessions. I’m really looking forward to it.”

[Rob]

Big new sponsor for STR
The newly-named Special Tuning Racing team has confirmed Houseman Dry Lining will title-sponsor its 2011 Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship campaign.

The Lancashire outfit – formerly known as Special Tuning UK – recently announced it now has the capacity to potentially run as many as four SEAT Leons in this year’s BTCC. This afternoon, with negotiations with drivers on-going, it confirmed Houseman’s logos would take a prominent place on each of its cars during the forthcoming season (see artist’s impression).

Houseman is an international specialist in business interiors and facades and its colours will be familiar to many BTCC fans – they have appeared on a variety of cars in recent seasons.

John Boardman, STR Team Principal, commented: “We felt in order to move the team to the next level in terms of on track performance and make the team more attractive to corporate partners, we needed to launch a new brand. The transition from Special Tuning UK to Special Tuning Racing is now complete.

"We are extremely proud to have Houseman Dry Lining on board for the coming year. The team is committed to a very competitive season throughout 2011 and a title sponsor coming on board adds weight to our dedicated campaign.”

Houseman managing director Rob Houseman added: "We are very excited about our deal with STR. We have been a sponsor within the BTCC paddock for numerous seasons across several categories and considered our options very carefully as to where we wanted to be in 2011. STR are poised to be ultra competitive this year and we feel that their dedication to performance, combined with our commercial input, provides the key ingredients for a successful partnership.

“We have had offers from other competitive teams but STR offered us a fabulous package. We are looking forward to working closely with them throughout the coming season and would welcome a chance to extend our investment into a multi-year deal if both parties achieve their objectives.”

[Rob]

New look for cars
The Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship will become the first race series in the UK to shed drivers’ numbers from car doors – thereby creating more space for teams to be ever-more creative with sponsor liveries.

Instead high-visibility fleuro-yellow race numbers will be placed on the rear side windows, above the driver’s surname, as well as to the front and rear windscreens.

An example of the new look – approved by UK motor sport’s governing body, the Motor Sports Association, on a trial basis for this year – was seen at last week’s Autosport International Show when Shaun Hollamby took the wraps off his 2011-spec AmD Milltek Racing VW Golf (see photo).

Also moved from the front doors are the logos of championship title sponsor Dunlop (to the front and rear registration plate panels) and media partners Auto Express and evo (to the foot of each rear door or adjacent sill).

BTCC Series Director Alan Gow explained: “This is something our teams requested unanimously so as to add even greater value for those companies investing in their BTCC programmes and it made perfect sense to us.

"As well, it provides marshals, spectators and TV audiences alike with clearer and better identification of the cars… quite obviously the numbers stand out more distinctly than before and are now also on the front and rear screens.

"The BTCC would like to thank the MSA for its forward-thinking and, if the trial is successful, it’s something that could really benefit more of the sport in the future.”

Returns for sponsors on the BTCC grid are astronomical – it is the UK’s premier motor racing championship with trackside crowds averaging 32,500 (2010’s biggest was 42,000) plus more than six hours of live free-to-air television coverage across Britain on ITV4 from every one of its ten events. In addition, the ITV network carries highlights of the action (ITV1 & ITV4) while live coverage of events also extends to the itv.com website which catalogues each race for later viewing.

[Tifosi]

looking forward to it already. Wonder if Gio may come back. Hope so

[Rob]

looking forward to it already. Wonder if Gio may come back. Hope so

would eb good, but think he has found drive driving the new Ferrari P4/5 competizione. But think that is for Nurburgring 24hr only. Not sure. Would be great to have him bavk in BTCC, needs top quility drivers like him. Not saying the ones we have are not, but Plato didnt have that much of a tough challenge, really, last year.

[Rob]

Avensis NGTC racer undergoes wind tunnel test

The BTCC’s Toyota Avensis-based ‘Next Generation Touring Car’ has moved a step closer to its competition debut following extensive wind tunnel testing at the UK’s leading aerodynamic analysis facility, MIRA.

Built by GPR Motorsport, the Avensis racer will make its competition bow in the opening rounds of the Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship at Brands Hatch on 3 April.

The NGTC Avensis was joined in the MIRA wind tunnel by a road-going model, on which TOCA technical staff had installed a rear wing to help establish a baseline for the car’s aerodynamics. “We needed to fix a position for the rear wing, based on the aerodynamics of the road car, which gave the levels of downforce we were looking for,” said the championship’s technical director, Peter Riches.

“I am pleased to say that this was quickly achieved, and it means that we now have a base line for all cars built to the NGTC regulations and have saved a lot of development time and potential expense for the teams.”

Two privateer teams – Dynojet and Speedworks – have so far committed to running an Avensis, and it is hoped their example will be followed by others looking to take advantage of the reduced costs of development associated with the new car.

Toyota models have a long and successful history in the BTCC: three championship titles fell to Corolla drivers Win Percy and Chris Hodgetts in the 1980s while the Carina racked up numerous race victories in the ’90s.

http://www.btcc.net/html/generalnews_detail.php?id=2237

[Rob]

Testing begins for Pirtek duo
Andrew Jordanwas happy with his Pirtek Racing team Vauxhall Vectra on its first day of running in 2011…

Jordan and new team-mate Jeff Smith were both in action on the Brands Hatch Indy circuit yesterday as their team’s preparations for this year’s Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship got under way.

Brands Hatch Indy will host 2011’s opening BTCC round on Sunday 3 April. It is also where Jordan achieved the second of his two maiden wins in 2010 in the final race of last season.

Both drivers enjoyed trouble-free runs (although Smith experienced a minor 'whoopise' – pictured) and are due back on track again today (Wednesday).

As in 2010, the Eurotech outfit that fettles the Pirtek cars has opted to run BTCC organiser TOCA’s unbranded engine built to the championship’s new turbocharged Next Generation Touring Car (NGTC) technical regulations.

Jordan, aged 21 from Lichfield, told btcc.net: “The TOCA engine has had more development on it over the winter and everything feels really good straight out of the blocks. Already our lap times are looking good compared to what we achieved around here last year and that’s before we’ve even got started on chassis tweaks."

Elsewhere, the BTCC’s NGTC prototype – based on Toyota’s Avensis model – was also on track at Brands yesterday, with GT racer Matt Griffin putting it through a series of component durability tests.

[Rob]

WSR committed to BTCC
West Surrey Racing has this morning re-affirmed its commitment to the Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship, hinting that it could run as many as three BMWs in 2011’s series.

Bennetts’ famous squad, which won the BTCC title outright in 2009, has been a part of the grid every year since first entering in 1996 and is recognised as one of the pit lane’s ‘grandee’ teams.

An official WSR statement confirmed the team’s plans to continue with Super 2000-specification versions of BMW’s 320si model which it has used since 2007. The statement read: “WSR will run two or potentially three BMW 320si using two-litre normally aspirated engines which are currently being updated. The team expects that these updates, together with further chassis enhancements, will make the BMWs even more competitive.”

And team principal Bennetts commented: “We are really looking forward to running the BMWs in the BTCC again this year as they are a very good race car and, with the updates being done for 2011, I know we should be in with a chance. We will be aiming for regular podiums.

"Robert Collard had a lot of bad luck last year and, when we analysed the season, we should have finished a lot higher. We’ve had the most reliable cars on the grid for a few years now and will be looking to get points in the bag early on whilst some of the others may be finding their feet with the new NGTC technical regulations.”

He added: “We’re close on signing two drivers and will be announcing some new sponsors in the near future. The third seat is still up for grabs and we’re working hard on filling it. With the BTCC’s superb ITV package now broadcast in HD (High Definition) it will provide even better exposure for sponsors.”

http://www.btcc.net/html/generalnews...m=&searchterm=

[Rob]

Jordan tops Silverstone test
Andrew Jordan thrashed the opposition to set the fastest time in official Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship testing during the series’ annual Media Day event at Silverstone today.

Jordan’s Pirtek Racing Vauxhall Vectra set a best time of 59.982s around the Northants venue’s short National circuit.

That was a staggering quarter of a second ahead of the next fastest driver, James Nash in team-mate Tony Gilham’s 888 Racing with Collins Contractors Vectra.

Both cars are fitted with TOCA’s unbranded NGTC-spec turbo engine.

But Jordan, trying to mask a big smile, refused to get too carried away by his form ahead of the BTCC’s opening round of the season at Brands Hatch, Kent in ten days (Sunday 3 April).

The 21-year-old from Lichfield told btcc.net: “I don’t think everybody has shown their true pace today, but hopefully we can continue this good strong run into Brands Hatch when the real stuff starts.

“We won’t read too much into today’s times, but it’s certainly nice and I would never turn it down.

“I think Brands Hatch will be a very hard race weekend, but we’ve shown a lot of promise and all the hard work over the winter has paid off. Hopefully we can transform that into productive races.”

Third and fourth fastest today were the implacable rivals, Honda Racing Team's Matt Neal and Silverline Chevrolet’s Jason Plato, the reigning Champion. While the RML team that runs the Chevrolet is sticking with an S2000-spec engine, Team Dynamics, which prepares the Civics, has switched to an NGTC-spec Honda motor for 2011. It was noticeable that Plato set the fastest of all in the lap’s second much twistier sector…

Mat Jackson set the fifth fastest lap time in Airwaves Racing’s 2010 Ford Focus. As at Snetterton last week, he was just fractionally ahead of Tom Chilton – sixth in Team Aon’s newer ‘Global’ Focus.

Paul O’Neill, the focus of attention for the many hundreds of fans who attended Silverstone today to get their first glimpse in 2011 of their BTCC heroes, was ninth fastest in his GoMobileUK.com with tech-speed Chevrolet Cruze – the very same car that Plato drove to last year’s drivers’ title.

But it was a tough day for several runners as they continued preparations for the BTCC’s forthcoming opening round.

Electrical problems with his Special Tuning Racing SEAT Leon limited Tom Boardman to just seven ‘slow’ laps and poor Tom Onslow-Cole never took part in the test as AmD Milltek Racing.com’s VW Golf suffered a terminal mechanical failure during a morning installation lap.

The Speedworks team and driver Tony Hughes were also in difficulties as their NGTC-spec Toyota Avensis managed just a couple of laps in their first test ahead of their debut BTCC season.

[Rob]

Record entry list for BTCC

The Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship today confirmed a record entry list ahead of its 2011 season with the highest number of different makes and car models entered for the series in the two decades it has run as an all two-litre formula.

Ten makes of car representing Audi, BMW, Chevrolet, Ford, Honda, Proton, SEAT, Toyota, Vauxhall and Volkswagen will all feature on this year’s flourishing grid. Out of those, 13 different models will be gearing up for action including: Audi A4, BMW 320si, Chevrolet Cruze, Chevrolet Lacetti, Ford Focus, ‘Global’ Ford Focus, Honda Civic, Honda Integra, Proton Gen-2, SEAT Leon, Toyota Avensis, Vauxhall Vectra and VW Golf.

This beats the previous record (nine makes and 11 models in 1993) seen in the BTCC’s two-litre era that began in 1991. In total, 27 entries have been received for the 2011 season, the first event of which is staged at the Brands Hatch circuit in Kent in ten days’ time on Sunday 3 April. From there the title race will head off on a high-speed, action packed, six-month tour of the UK, with ten race events in total at nine different motor sport venues culminating with Finals Day, this year being staged at British Formula 1 Grand Prix venue of Silverstone, Northants – host of today’s Media Day season launch – on Sunday 16 October.

Notably, the Audi, Proton and Toyota entries are all for cars built to the BTCC’s dynamic new Next Generation Touring Car technical regulations which provide dramatically reduced costs and have led directly to four new teams alone joining the BTCC for 2011.

Official ‘factory’ teams from Chevrolet and Honda also star on the entry list, while Toyota GB are funding an engine development programme for customer teams running its Avensis to the new NGTC regulations. Further underlining the BTCC’s importance to manufacturers as an ideal sporting arena in which to showcase products, the Ford Motor Company has chosen the championship to debut the competition version of its new 2011 Focus model, in the hands of the independent Team Aon squad.

Of the 27 entries, 17 drivers contested 2010’s BTCC. They include the top five in last year’s championship including the implacable rivals, reigning Champion Jason Plato and Matt Neal, the latter’s team-mate Gordon Shedden, Tom Onslow-Cole – who has made a shock move to the tiny AmD-run VW Golf team – and Independent Champion Tom Chilton. Of the new faces, two are reigning champions stepping up from the hotly-contested Ginetta GT Supercup and Renault Clio Cup categories that support the BTCC on race weekends; Frank Wrathall and Dave Newsham. A full entry list can be viewed below…

In 2011, the BTCC will once again receive unrivalled levels of television coverage – both live and highlights – across the ITV network. Its ITV4 and new ITV4 HD channel will be broadcasting ‘all-day live’ at the ten BTCC events with highlights on both ITV1 and ITV4 in the days following. In addition, the Goodyear-Dunlop group will continue as the championship’s title sponsor through its high performance Dunlop brand. It will be at Dunlop’s Tyre Fort headquarters in Birmingham that every one of the 5,000 or so tyres supplied to teams in this year’s BTCC will be manufactured.

For the British public, the BTCC will also continue to offer unrivalled value-for-money entertainment when compared to other premier sports with free admission for children at every event and tickets for adults costing from as little as £23. Admission includes meeting the BTCC’s star drivers during pit lane autograph sessions plus, at most events, open access to the paddock.

BTCC Series Director Alan Gow commented: “I’m very, very proud about the way our 2011 season is taking shape. The fact our entry list includes ten different makes and 13 different models of cars – a record for the BTCC in the two-litre era – in what still remains a challenging financial period is, quite frankly, incredible. The BTCC is (by far) the most watched form of national motor racing in the UK – and for us to continue to reach new heights is terrific news for British motor sport as a whole. Full credit must go to all of our teams, drivers and sponsors for their incredible commitment.

“The increasing participation by new teams and the involvement of motor manufacturers – whether as official factory teams or ‘behind the scenes’ – is a ringing endorsement of the championship’s appeal. As is the presence of an increasing number of major high street brands who, more and more, are choosing to market their products in front of our millions of TV and trackside audiences as either championship or team sponsors. The BTCC’s ‘bang for buck’ rivals and perhaps tops anything that any other major sport can offer in this country.

“It is important to be mindful that 2011 is both the beginning of a new era and of a transitional period - with the previous breed of Super 2000 cars and the newer NGTC (turbo) machinery being able to fight on an equal footing for the next two seasons, it will make for a fascinating fight.

“Much of all this success is, of course, down to ITV’s and Dunlop’s continued support of and enthusiasm for the championship as well as the huge media exposure the championship receives elsewhere. Similarly, nor should the contribution of all our other partners be underestimated. ITV’s commitment in particular is extraordinary – having raised its levels of live coverage in recent years, we will now be joining other high-profile sports with coverage in High-Definition which will only add even further to the spectacle. The BTCC continues to evolve, excite and deliver; it’s going to be a truly memorable season, starting at Brands Hatch on 3 April.”


ENTRY LIST: 2011 DUNLOP MSA BRITISH TOURING CAR CHAMPIONSHIP

No. Driver (NAT), Hometown, County, Team/Car
1. Jason Plato (GBR), Oxford, Silverline Chevrolet/Chevrolet Cruze
2. Matt Neal (GBR), Droitwich Spa, Worcs, Honda Racing Team/Honda Civic
5. Tom Chilton (GBR) Reigate, Surrey & Poole, Dorset, Team Aon/‘Global’ Ford Focus
7. Mat Jackson (GBR), Henley-in-Arden, Warks, Airwaves Racing/Ford Focus
8. Robert Collard (GBR), Hook, Hants, WSR/BMW 320si
11. Frank Wrathall (GBR), Preston, Lancs, Dynojet/Toyota Avensis
12. David Pinkney (GBR), Harpenden, Herts, Rob Austin Racing/Audi A4
13. TBA, Rob Austin Racing/Audi A4
14. James Nash (GBR), Newport Pagnell, Bucks, 888 Racing with Collins Contractors/Vauxhall Vectra
17. Dave Newsham (GBR), Inverness, Scotland, Geoff Steel Racing/BMW 320si
18. Nick Foster (GBR), Odiham, Hampshire, WSR/BMW 320si
20. Alex MacDowall (GBR), Carlisle, Cumbria, Silverline Chevrolet/Chevrolet Cruze
22. Tom Boardman (GBR), Preston, Lancs, Special Tuning Racing/SEAT Leon
28. John George (GBR), Par, Cornwall & Guernsey, GoMobileUK.com with tech-Speed/Chevrolet Cruze
29. Paul O’Neill (GBR), Widnes, Cheshire, GoMobileUK.com with tech-Speed/Chevrolet Cruze
34. Tony Gilham (GBR), Dartford, Kent, 888 Racing with Collins Contractors/Vauxhall Vectra
42. Daniel Welch (GBR), Fleet, Hampshire, Welch Automotive/Proton Gen-2**
43. Lea Wood (GBR), Hereford, Central Group Racing/Honda Integra*
44. Andy Neate (GBR), Aylesbury, Bucks, Team Aon/‘Global’ Ford Focus
50. Tony Hughes (GBR), Knutsford, Cheshire, Speedworks Motorsport/Toyota Avensis
52. Gordon Shedden (GBR), Dalgety Bay, Fife, Honda Racing Team/Honda Civic
55. Jeff Smith (GBR), Wellingborough, Northants, Pirtek Racing/Vauxhall Vectra
66. Liam Griffin (GBR), Essendon, Herts, Airwaves Racing/Ford Focus
77. Andrew Jordan (GBR), Lichfield, Staffs, Pirtek Racing/Vauxhall Vectra
78. Chris James (GBR), Luton, Beds, Team ES Racing.com/Chevrolet Lacetti
99. Tom Onslow Cole (GBR), New Malden, Surrey, AmD Milltek Racing.com
TBA. TBA, TBA, Team Aon/‘Global’ Ford Focus

Key
- Cars numbers 1, 2, 20 & 52 eligible for Manufacturer and Constructor championships
- Cars numbers 5, 44 & TBA eligible for Constructor championship
- All cars except numbers 1, 2, 20 & 52 eligible for Independent championships
- Cars numbers 1, 8, 17, 18, 20, 28, 29 & 78 all full S2000-spec
- Cars numbers 2, 5, 7, 14, 22, 34, 44, 52, 55, 66, 77, 99 & TBA all S2000/NGTC-engine
- Cars numbers 11, 12, 13, 42 & 50 all full NGTC-spec

* Entry from Oulton Park
** Entry from Snetterton
TBA To be Advised

http://www.btcc.net/html/generalnews...m=&searchterm=

[Rob]

Jackson eyeing silverware

Mat Jackson believes everything is in place for him to win titles this year as the Airwaves Racing team heads to Brands Hatch – its home circuit – for this weekend’s opening round of the 2011 Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship season.

Jackson, championship runner-up outright in 2008, feels he has the necessary tools to challenge for what is British motor sport’s most coveted piece of silverware. Furthermore, in one motor sport publication this week he has been dubbed the fastest driver on the grid by former champion and ITV commentator Tim Harvey.

Last year, of course, the 29-year-old from Warwickshire drove for the Airwaves team when it ran BMWs before switching to turbocharged Ford Focus STs during the winter. Notably, in Jackson’s hands, the 2010-spec car has twice emerged ahead of Tom Chilton in rival squad Team Aon’s newer ‘Global’ Focus in pre-season testing.

“Everybody here at Airwaves Racing is behind us to challenge for the championship,” said Jackson. “It’s certainly the right step going to the Ford Focus, but a championship comes down to more than just being quick – you have to be consistent, too.

“The title is a long way ahead, but that is certainly the goal. It’s going to be interesting at Brands Hatch and it is about time we got the show on the road. I’ve got to thank everyone at Airwaves Racing for getting this car ready.”

David Bartrum, boss of the Wrotham-based Motorbase outfit that prepares the Airwaves Fords, is optimistic about his team’s potential for the new season. But he's also wary of how the Chevrolet Cruzes with their tried-and-tested naturally aspirated S2000-spec engines will perform in race trim.

Bartrum commented: “We’re very much looking forward to the start of the new season. We’ve done more testing and we’re more prepared than ever before. I think we’re in a decent position and I’m happier now than I’ve been at the start of any season in the past.

“The Focus is very nimble and it’s certainly faster than the BMWs were. I think the car is quite a strong overall package and, while we have yet to find out what it’s like in race form, I’m fairly confident that we’ll be strong.

“You just don’t know whether the other teams have shown their full hand. We’re slightly concerned about the pace of the Chevrolets, as I’m not sure the factory Silverline team or tech-speed have shown their full potential.”

[Rob]

Plato: I want ten wins

Jason Plato says he wants two race wins in Brands Hatch’s opening Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship round this weekend and ten in all during the 2011 season.

The Oxford racer is going for this third BTCC drivers’ title – his second in a row – in 2011 in his Silverline Chevrolet Cruze. Notably at Brands last October he clinched the 2010 crown by achieving pole position and two race wins in a car that was laden with the maximum success ballast of 45kgs.

Ominously, he says his 2011 Cruze is even better and he also knows that one more win will see him surpass Andy Rouse’s long-standing record of 60 race victories in the BTCC.

Plato told btcc.net: “I’ll be disappointed if we’re not super competitive this weekend. Brands Indy suits our car and I certainly got a better feeling from the new car in the recent test we did there. We were able to lap consistently around lap record pace."

He added: “I want to win back-to-back titles and win it well – like we did last year when we won it very well. My season record for wins is nine so it’d be nice to win ten this year. If I’m going to beat Andy’s record then it’d be nice to really push the thing up the road.”

Plato believes it will be vital to take full advantage in the season’s opening rounds so as to build up as big a points haul as possible. His Cruze will continue competing with a tried and tested normally aspirated engine while many of his main rivals, including Honda duo Matt Neal and Gordon Shedden, will still be learning about the new turbo motors that are powering their Civics in 2011.

The Chevrolet ace said: “We need to start very strong and build up a buffer. It’s fair to assume that because of the limited running that the opposition has done they are not going to be as well sorted chassis-wise as we are and, consequently, not as kind on their tyres.

“They are going to have extra torque and power to deal with so we have to capitalise early on because we are up against some great teams and drivers and when they do sort their cars they will become a force to be reckoned with. It’s going to be a really good fight and an interesting season with all the different configurations of cars and engines.”

http://www.btcc.net/html/generalnews...m=&searchterm=

[Rob]

i want i want i want

anyone think he could do it???? i hoping Paul o'neill can get up there again this year and challenge alot more. Especially as this year he to has the Cruze.

[Julie B]

Looking forward to a fantastic season

[Tifosi]

[Rob]

Two litres, two decades

The British Touring Car Championship’s much celebrated two-litre era is 20 years old today (1 April).

It was on Silverstone’s National circuit that the championship’s first race for the new-look regulations took place on Sunday 1 April.

The race was won by BMW driver Will Hoy ahead of the Vauxhall Cavaliers of Jeff Allam and John Cleland. But this was far more than just a race… it was a highly significant turning point for touring car racing globally.

Since its inception in 1958 through to 1990, the UK’s premier saloon car championship was split into ‘classes’ according to cars’ engine capacities. All the cars competed on track at the same time but, regardless of overall finishing positions, identical points were awarded in each class – this often leading, some argued unfairly, to drivers in some of the lower-powered categories emerging as overall champion.

But in 1991 all that changed – with growing TV interest, officials of the new TOCA organisation that had taken control of the series realised the importance of simplifying the regulations for the watching public. They announced cars powered by two-litre engines only would be eligible to compete.

The decision was a masterstroke and the same winning formula continues to be used today with all cars running 2000cc engines – only in 2011 there’s the option of using units that meet either the championship’s normally-aspirated (Super 2000) or turbocharged (Next Generation Touring Car) regulations.

A look back over the past two decades shows Vauxhall as having won most two-litre BTCCs titles with seven in total (1995, 2001-02-03-04, 2007-08) followed by BMW on four (1991-92-93, 2009). In terms of makes, the greatest number of race wins is also currently held by Vauxhall. Of the drivers, reigning Champion Jason Plato, since making his debut in 1997, has racked up an astonishing 60 wins to equal the legendary Andy Rouse’s long-standing record.

“It’s been an incredible 20 years and it’s been my pleasure to have been at the helm for most of them… although there have, inevitably, been some ‘moments’ down the line,” commented BTCC Series Director Alan Gow – the no-nonsense Australian who back in the early Nineties convinced the sport’s UK governing body, the MSA, that TOCA should take over the running of the championship.

Gow added: “Virtually every major motor manufacturer has contested the BTCC since it went the two-litre route and I’d like to think that the BTCC has played a significant role in their UK sales success.

“Our two-litre regulations turned ‘touring cars’ into motor racing’s only other UK household ‘brand’, after Formula 1. No other motor racing championship in the UK comes anywhere near to the TV coverage, audience and spectator numbers of the BTCC… and, from where we came from 20 years ago, that’s something of which I am extremely proud.”

[Rob]

Top Tesco fuel to sponsor AmD

The AmD Milltek team has announced sponsorship from Tesco’s ‘Momentum 99’ premium performance fuel brand on the eve of the Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship's new 2011 season.

The deal is highly significant for what is one of the grid’s smallest teams which has already pulled off a shock by signing one of last year’s chief title protagonists, Tom Onslow-Cole, to race its VW Golf.

It also adds to the growing number of high street brands appearing on the BTCC grid.

Momentum 99 logos will feature prominently across the AmD Golf’s sunstrip and tailgate starting at this weekend's opening BTCC round at the team's home circuit of Brands Hatch.

Shaun Hollamby, boss of the West Thurrock-based outfit, said: “We are proud to be chosen to promote the Tesco Momentum 99 brand in the BTCC. Our tuning company AmD Tuning will be continuing to represent the premium fuel brand in the UK’s burgeoning road car performance tuning market.”

http://www.btcc.net/html/generalnews...m=&searchterm=

[Tifosi]

Nice to see that Quali is on ITV.com now

http://www.itv.com/touringcars/

[Rob]

Nice to see that Quali is on ITV.com now

http://www.itv.com/touringcars/

forgot all about that was on ITV.com

[Rob]

Plato reduced to tears

Jason Plato says he was reduced to tears by his Silverline Chevrolet team’s efforts to repair his mangled car after a violent crash looked to have ruled him out of the yesterday’s third Dunlop British Touring Car Championship race at Donington Park.

Plato’s Chevrolet Cruze was ‘written off’ after it had left the track and barrel rolled at the start of race two.

Even the reigning champion himself described the remains of his car as “£250,000 worth of scrap metal”.

But miraculously within two hours the RML crew that prepares the car had stripped and rebuilt it – enabling him to compete in race three. From a lowly starting position, he came through to cross the line in a highly emotional sixth and score five points that could be crucial come season’s end.

Plato said: “It was amazing. It looked an impossible task and the car looked like a Transformer. But the lads were just amazing – you could see the passion in everybody.

“They’re the best racing team in the world, forget F1. That was teamwork. I had tears in my eyes, they had tears in their eyes and to see their commitment makes up for all the bad weekends we’ll ever have. There was real emotion out there today.”

It later transpired that two RML staff members – watching at Donington as spectators on a day off – also ran to their team’s aid to help the mechanics pull off their miracle repair job.

Team manager Rod Underwood added: “We had to give it our best shot. We didn’t think there was a hope of getting the car out at first, but somehow it all came together and we did it. I’m still not quite sure how – two hours to fully rebuild a car when most of it was broken…”

[Rob]

TO-C targets more top tens

Tom Onslow-Cole says his VW Golf is capable of plenty more top ten results after hustling it to a maiden points finish at Donington Park yesterday.

Onslow-Cole kept clear of the chaos to cross the line seventh in the second of the day’s three Dunlop British Touring Car Championship races – even seeing off the Silverline Chevrolet Cruze of Alex MacDowall.

In doing so he achieved the first outright points finish for both the tiny AmD Milltek Racing.com team and a VW-badged car in the BTCC's two-litre era. Notably, his fastest lap time was just over half a second off race-winner Andrew Jordan's best.

“It was a real rollercoaster of a weekend,” said Onslow-Cole. “We had some problems on Saturday, but then everything started to come together on race day. The first race was pretty unbelievable, but race two was really good. We did have some luck on our side, but we had the pace to run in seventh which shows that the work the team is doing is moving us in the right direction.”

From third on race three’s reversed grid, Onslow-Cole then even dared to lead briefly into the first bend only to be forced into retirement further round the lap with collision damage.

But the New Malden racer who, after finishing fourth in last year’s championship, had clearly taken a gamble by joining a smaller team for 2011 believes the Golf has what it takes to become a regular top ten menace.

He added: “Being knocked out of race three when I was running in the top three was a tough way to end the weekend, but we are only six races into a 30-race season and now we’ve scored our first points and found more speed in the car. I’m confident we can now build on this weekend.”

http://www.btcc.net/html/generalnews...m=&searchterm=

[Rob]

Another 30hrs+ from ITV

ITV’s bumper coverage of the Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship continues this May bank holiday weekend at Thruxton.

The network ITV4 and ITV HD channels will again be broadcasting live on race day (Sunday) from 11.00am-6.00pm so armchair enthusiasts can take in all the drama of the BTCC’s three headlining races as well as the majority of the support race action.

BTCC highlights will then follow next week on both ITV1 and ITV4 as well as their HD channels.

But of course the weekend begins on-line with the dedicated www.itv.com/touringcars web page providing live coverage of Saturday’s all-important qualifying session.

All added up, ITV’s Thruxton coverage will again surpass 30 hours…

Here’s a run-down of when to see ITV coverage of the BTCC from Thruxton this weekend.

Sat 30 April:
3.10pm-3.50pm, live qualifying coverage on www.itv.com/touringcars

Sun 1 May:
11.00am-6.00pm, live race day coverage on ITV4, ITV4 HD & www.itv.com

Tues 3 May:
1.30pm-3.00pm, BTCC highlights, ITV4 & ITV4 HD

Fri 6 May:
2.30am-3.50am, BTCC highlights, ITV1 & ITV1 HD

Fri 6 May:
1.30pm-3.00pm, BTCC highlights, ITV4 & ITV4 HD

Sat 7 May:
7.30pm-9.00pm, BTCC highlights, ITV4 & ITV4 HD

In addition to the above, fans can also view highlights of all races throughout the season by visiting ITV’s dedicated online BTCC page www.itv.com/touringcars which also provides news, podcasts and a regular blog by race commentator Ben Edwards.

[Rob]

Dunlop talks Thruxton tyres http://www.btcc.net/html/generalnews...m=&searchterm=

Dunlop’s behind-the-scenes activity with teams is never busier than at Thruxton – a circuit notoriously hard on tyres and which this weekend hosts round three of 2011's Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship.

Each year, Dunlop brings a ‘one off’ tyre to Thruxton designed to help cope with the Hampshire circuit’s punishing combination of aggressive kerbs, an abrasive track surface and long, fast corners which place unique demands on tyres.

This weekend will be no different with the majority of teams continuing to run the company’s bespoke Thruxton tyre, while the likes of Dynojet and Rob Austin Racing will be supplied with a larger 18-inch version to suit their NGTC-spec Toyota and Audi respectively. Each tyre of course is developed, constructed and transported out of Dunlop’s Tyre Fort headquarters in Birmingham that also services numerous other high profile race championships around the world, on both two and four wheels.

Going into the weekend, Dunlop’s BTCC Manager Michael Butler answered several key questions about how the company approaches Thruxton and what technical work goes on behind the scenes with the championship's teams.

Q: Why is Thruxton such a tough circuit on tyres?
A: “Thruxton is the fastest circuit on the calendar. However, compared to most fast circuits that have long straights, Thruxton is one long sequence of curves that constantly puts tyres under a heavy load. Even the start finish ‘straight’ is curved!

“In addition, the circuit has a very abrasive surface and our Thruxton tyre has a compound that has been proven to cope with this.

“Thirdly, the kerbs at the Chicane and the Complex are very aggressive and our revised construction is designed to tackle the challenge of a tyre impacting with these kerbs at high speed.”

Q: What support do you offer the teams to optimise their tyre performance?
A: “At all BTCC rounds we have a group of highly qualified tyre engineers who monitor the pressure and temperature of each tyre whenever the car comes into the pits during practice, qualifying and after the race. Measuring the temperature across the tread face of the tyre can highlight if teams are running a set-up that is too aggressive to provide optimum performance over a full race distance.

“In addition, our unique Radio Frequency ID chips in the tyres allow us to monitor the usage of each tyre and to assist the teams in managing their allocation of tyres over the weekend.

Q: What guidelines do you issue to teams?
“With this special tyre, it is critically important to run specific vehicle camber settings and tyre pressures to optimise its performance. Last year, the winning teams followed these settings and had strong tyre performance throughout the weekend. We will share this advice and guidance from last year’s success with all the teams.”

Q: Do you also advise on specific tyre pressures for Thruxton?
“Tyre pressures vary from car to car and are also dependent on set-up and driving style. Our analysis of tyre temperatures and pressures from qualifying and practice will allow us to guide the teams on what pressures they should run in the race. When tyre pressures are low at the start of the race we also advise avoiding the kerbs until the tyres are up to full operating pressure and temperature.”

Dunlop talk about ‘Race to Road’ technology. Is the Thruxton challenge relevant for road tyres as well?
“Tyres, whether for the race track or the road, are complex items formed of many components. Maintenance and inspection are critical. We recommend that all motorists inspect their tyres regularly, check pressures, avoid kerbing their tyres and have their geometry checked – just like we do with our BTCC teams in maximising their tyre life and performance.”

[Rob]

O'Neill: Turbo limit will help Cruze

By Kevin Turner Thursday, April 28th 2011, 11:00 GMT

Paul O'Neill believes the punishing nature of the Thruxton circuit and the reduction in boost for the turbo-charged cars will allow his normally aspirated Chevrolet Cruze to run at the front of the British Touring Car Championship round this weekend.

O'Neill's Tech-Speed Cruze had a difficult run at Donington Park and has a best 2011 finish of third, in the reversed grid race at the Brands Hatch opener.

He thinks the turbos, which have been handed a 0.1 bar boost reduction since dominating at Donington, will be quick over one lap at the high-speed Hampshire circuit, but may hit problems during the races.

"Despite the change in boost, the turbo cars will still be quick over a single lap in qualifying and we have to aim to get into the top six on the grid and go from there," he said.

"Thruxton is mainly one long corner so there is going to be a lot of pressure on the front left tyre and it could cause problems for the turbo cars when they are on the power. I'll be happy to pick them off and work my way to the front.

"At the minimum, we have to target a podium finish on race day and a win could possibly be on the cards; Thruxton is our best chance yet."

Tech-Speed chief Marvin Humphries added: "We need to see what impact the change in boost has on the turbo cars but Thruxton is a circuit that should suit the Chevrolet. However, we have to wait and see what happens when we hit the track for first practice."

http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/90968

[Rob]

Neal critical of boost reduction

By Kevin Turner Thursday, April 28th 2011, 11:15 GMT

Matt Neal has criticised the turbo-boost reduction ahead of the BTCC round at Thruxton this weekend, as he believes it will hurt his chances of victory.

Neal has taken two wins so far this season, the Honda Racing squad's first with Neil Brown-prepared turbos powering its Civics.

Turbos dominated at the last round at Donington Park and series boss Alan Gow has reduced all the turbo cars' maximum boost limit by 0.1 bar ahead of round three.

Neal does not believe the move is fair.

"It seems to me like it is a rule that has singled us out to penalise us more than anyone else," he said. "I just can't understand it.

"It appears that we have been held back because we had been doing such good job so far this season, which isn't fair.

"Thruxton is always tough on tyres and that means it is going to be a journey into the unknown. We are going there with one arm tied behind our back because of the rule changes and there is a lot of work to do on the set-up."

Neal's team-mate Gordon Shedden also believes the power cut will hurt the Hondas at the high-speed circuit.

"I am confused about how they have come to this decision to peg back the turbo cars but we have just go to get on with our jobs and perform to our maximum," he said.

"We are going to be handicapped because of this, but we will be giving it everything we have got."

http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/90970

[Rob]

Massive rise in ITV audience

ITV has revealed that the number of people watching its coverage of this year’s Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship is up by a staggering 34.6 per cent on average over 2010.

Official figures from the Broadcasters Audience Research Board (BARB) show Brands Hatch’s opening event of 2011 (3 April) attracted 21 per cent more viewers than the Kent circuit’s corresponding round from the previous season.

Donington Park’s (17 April) ITV audience was then 27 per cent greater than that which followed the action at the Leicestershire circuit last year.

There then followed a massive 56 per cent increase in viewers for 2011’s third round at Thruxton (1 May) when compared to the numbers of those who watched coverage of the Hampshire circuit’s BTCC fixture 12 months earlier.

All ten BTCC race events in 2011 receive comprehensive live TV coverage on free-to-air channels ITV4 and ITV4 HD. Each broadcast runs for a minimum of six and a half hours and includes all three BTCC races on the day as well as much of the action from the supporting categories.

Niall Sloane, Controller of Sport for ITV, commented: “We are delighted by these figures. An increase of this sort of popularity in any sport on mainstream TV is terrific and very much a testament to the BTCC’s fantastic on track action, dramatic storylines, rivalries and levels of professionalism which make for compelling viewing. The BTCC quite rightly remains at the forefront of our motor sport coverage and we very much look forward to continuing our coverage of this great championship into future years.”

BTCC Series Director Alan Gow said: “In the world of television I'm told that these are extraordinary increases, particularly as they are 'like for like'. These figures make for more fantastic news for all our teams, drivers, circuits and sponsors. They also yet again further underline the superior levels of TV coverage enjoyed by the BTCC over any other form of motor sport in the UK, as well as the great entertainment the championship provides for households up and down the land.”

[Tifosi]

http://www.btcc.net/html/generalnews_detail.php?id=2448

Onslow-Cole joins Aon

Tom Onslow-Cole will re-join Team Aon for the remainder of the 2011 Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship season it was announced this morning.
Onslow-Cole will drive the squad’s third ‘Global’ Ford Focus car alongside Tom Chilton and Andy Neate – he won four times for it in 2010 and came close to winning the outright drivers’ title.
The announcement comes less than 24 hours after the New Malden racer parted ways with VW Golf squad AmD Milltek Racing.com following yesterday’s second race at Oulton Park.
It could be a timely move – both Aon cars were nearer the front-running pace at Oulton with Neate in particular achieving best-ever qualifying and race results of third and fifth respectively.
Onslow-Cole said: “I’d like to thank Tom (Chilton) for securing my return to Team Aon this season. We have been in regular touch and I know that he has been particularly persuasive in me rejoining the team. I’m looking forward to racing with Tom again this year and helping him and Andy develop the new car to its true potential this season.
“I have some great memories from the 2010 season with Team Aon and I look forward to building on those in the new Global Ford Focus this year. I’m very excited about the opportunities that lie ahead.”
Team Principal Mike Earle added: “Tom was a fantastic asset to the team last season and he makes a very welcome return. The new Focus has already proven itself with a podium in its first ever race weekend at Brands Hatch, but there is still a lot of work to do in developing the car further.
“We know from previous experience that Tom will provide a great deal of feedback and help us move forward as a team and we look forward to seeing all three cars move further up the standings as the season goes on.”