BRITISH TOURING CAR CHAMPIONSHIP
COUNT DOWN BEGINS TO DUNLOP MSA
MONDELLO PARK 23 APRIL 2006
The count down has begun: there are now less than two weeks
to go before the Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship
(BTCC) makes its only trip of the year outside of the UK to
the Mondello Park circuit in Ireland on Sunday 23 April.
The BTCC is Britain's most popular motor racing championship,
with the country's top teams and drivers doing battle in 30
races over the next seven months to find out who will win
the coveted title.
Mondello Park near Naas, Ireland's premier motor racing venue,
is all set for its annual BTCC meeting. And there is still
a chance to book tickets in advance at discounted prices by
calling the hotline on 0906 780 0585 - race day admission
for adults is €27.50/£18.00. Children aged 15 and
under get in for free. And on race day, the gates will be
opened for the public and families to meet the BTCC's star
drivers for autographs and give-aways during the hugely popular
Pit Lane Walkabout.
After Sunday's opening rounds at Brands Hatch in Kent, James
Thompson leads the standings in his new SEAT Leon. But right
behind in second, enjoying his best-ever start to a BTCC season,
is Northern Ireland's Colin Turkington, driving Team RAC's
MG ZS. The 24-year-old from Portadown took a fourth and two
seconds on Sunday and is a former double winner at Mondello.
Also getting off to a strong start at Brands Hatch was Irishman
Gavin Smith, the Rathfarnham racer achieving a best result
of fourth in Vauxhall's Astra Sport Hatch and he will arrive
at his home circuit of Mondello lying sixth in the overall
Drivers' standings.
But Turkington and Smith will have a job on their hands -
this year's BTCC grid is one of the most competitive on record
and among the other big star names are SEAT's Jason Plato,
Vauxhall team-mates Fabrizio Giovanardi and Tom Chilton and
the reigning BTCC Champion himself, Matt Neal, in the Team
Halfords Honda Integra.
BTCC Series Director Alan Gow says: "In recent years,
Mondello has produced some of the BTCC's most exciting racing
and a fair few controversial moments among the drivers. It's
that kind of track and it makes for a great spectacle.
"I'm also sure with Colin and Gavin having done so well
in the opening rounds at Brands Hatch there'll be a lot of
support for them this year. We always receive a tremendous
reception from the Irish people and the whole championship
is looking forward to once again racing at Mondello Park."
The BTCC will be in race action three times at Mondello Park
on 23 April. In addition, there will be another four races
from prestige manufacturers BMW and Porsche, with their Formula
BMW UK and Porsche Carrera Cup GB championships, plus the
latest rounds of Ireland's very own Formula Sheane and Dunlop
Supercars series.
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