SCOTLAND’S FORTH BRIDGE TO WELCOME BTCC’S STARS
& CARS
Scotland’s world famous Forth Road Bridge will collect
an extra few pounds in cash at its toll booths when it greets
cars and drivers from Britain’s biggest motor racing
series – the Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship
– as they arrive for their next race meeting at the
Knockhill circuit in Fife on Sunday 28 August.
A number of the championship’s star names will parade
their BTCC cars across the suspension bridge that stands 150
feet above the Forth estuary. The Bridge last year celebrated
its 40th birthday and its yearly northbound traffic volume
is around the 12-million mark.
The Bridge’s 1.5-mile northbound route will be closed
for a short period of time on Thursday 25 August to enable
the symbolic crossing to take place. Once on the other side,
the cars will be loaded back into their team transporters
and taken to Knockhill circuit just north of Dunfermline in
preparation for the circuit’s biggest race weekend of
the year.
BTCC Series Director Alan Gow says: “This event is
very special as it has the potential to generate huge media
exposure for the Knockhill BTCC meeting, the Forth Road Bridge
and our teams, drivers and their sponsors.
“To stage such an event on such a famous landmark and
with the superb Forth Rail Bridge running alongside will be
a phenomenal achievement. And then there is the wonderful
backdrop of Edinburgh city plus the spectacular Scottish countryside
in the background. What a great sight this will all make of
our arrival in Scotland.
“Yes, our drivers will be made to cough up and pay
the £1 toll. I’ll be very interested to see who
reaches for his wallet last …”
Gow adds: “It is important to stress that this event
could not have happened without the very kind co-operation
of Knockhill circuit, the Forth Road Bridge management team
and Fife Police Constabulary. The BTCC will work closely with
all of them to ensure that traffic disruption is kept to the
very minimum.”
This is the second major publicity event staged by the BTCC
in just over a month. In the middle of July, the BTCC’s
cars wowed 5,000 spectators with a spectacular display alongside
the Quayside in NewcastleGateshead city centre prior to their
race meeting at the nearby Croft circuit.
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