COUNT DOWN BEGINS TO DUNLOP MSA BRITISH TOURING CAR CHAMPIONSHIP
BRANDS HATCH 9 APRIL
The count down has begun: there are now just over three
weeks to go before the new 2006 Dunlop MSA British Touring
Car Championship (BTCC) season bursts into life at the Brands
Hatch circuit in Kent on Sunday 9 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.
Brands Hatch, one of Britain's most famous circuits, is where
it all starts and an enormous crowd of spectators is expected
to turn out for the event that will also come under the glare
of live ITV1 television cameras. Furthermore, Brands is unquestionably
one of the best circuits for spectators to see the action.
The BTCC is famed for its close racing and controversial
moments and more of the same is anticipated in 2006: among
the big names to look out for include reigning Champion Matt
Neal, who clinched last year's title at Brands, Jason Plato,
James Thompson, Tom Chilton and Italian Fabrizio Giovanardi.
Neal will be driving his Team Halfords Honda Integra with
Plato and Thompson, both former champions, lining up in SEAT
Sport UK's new Leon model. Rising British star Chilton, just
turned 21, has switched to Vauxhall's multiple title winning
team VX Racing. Joining him in the team's Astra Sport Hatches
for his first attack on the BTCC is Giovanardi who has numerous
top touring car titles from around the world to his name.
Team RAC will also surely be a strong force with its pair
of MGs for drivers Rob Collard (Hook, Hants) and Colin Turkington
(Portadown).
Of local interest will be Wrotham team Motorbase Performance
that will be making its BTCC debut in 2006. It will enter
a Honda Integra for driver David Pinkney.
The BTCC will be in action three times on race day and the
public will also be invited into the pit lane to meet the
drivers during a special autograph session when the teams
have plenty of give-aways for the crowds, especially children.
In addition, there will be a further eight races from the
high-profile championships run by popular car manufacturers
BMW, Porsche, Renault and SEAT. That's 11 races in total.
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