'ALONSO BEATER' JONES ENTERS BTCC AT OULTON PARK
Warrington-based team Xero Competition is poised to make
its Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship debut at its
home circuit of Oulton Park in Cheshire this coming Sunday
14 May.
Xero will field a Super 2000-spec Lexus IS200 for championship
newcomer Adam Jones (Solihull) who, in his karting days, proved
a match for the likes of reigning Formula 1 world champion
Fernando Alonso and McLaren-Mercedes F1 test driver Gary Paffett.
More recently, the 25-year-old has won single-seater titles
against the likes of current GP2 front-runner Adam Carroll.
Team manager Dave Beecroft says Oulton marks the start of
a longer-term ambition to establish Xero among the front-running
teams in Britain's most popular motor racing championship.
"The long-term plan is to be in the BTCC into the future,"
said Beecroft. "We know it's going to be hard so Oulton
and the following meeting at Thruxton will be used to learn
what it's all about. After then, though, we'll begin pushing.
"It's ultra-competitive at this level. Our goals this
weekend will be to ensure we start and finish all three races
and keep out of all the banging and crashing. A top ten finish
would make me very happy..."
Jones, sponsored by Air Cool Engineering (Midlands), will
be racing in aid of Sunfields - a Stourbridge residential
school for children with severe learning and complex needs.
His recent racing career has been in sports cars across Europe,
but he's a proven winner - his CV includes French Formula
Renault Campus and Formula 3 titles. In his earlier years,
in karts, he even beat Alonso in one major international race
and also Paffett to a British crown.
The highly-rated Solihull driver said: "I'm thrilled
to be a part of the BTCC - it's what I grew up watching and
what I always aspired to. I don't think you could sell or
be part of a better championship. I know not many people in
the UK will know me at the moment, but this is my big chance
to make a name for myself in Britain.
"I'm realistic about my chances. It's a late deal and
we've not had a real opportunity to test the car in full BTCC-spec
so Oulton will be all about learning how the BTCC works. I'd
still like to think we can get in among people and cause a
bit of a stir."
Jones' only gripe is that he couldn't have a start number
of 55. He added: "I used that in karting, but in the
BTCC it's already gone so I've settled on 21 - my girlfriend's
age! It keeps her happy..."
The BTCC will be in race action three times at Oulton Park
on Sunday and the crowds will also be able to meet the drivers
for autographs and give-aways during the hugely popular Pit
Lane Walkabout. In addition, there will be a further six championship
races from high-profile manufacturers BMW, Porsche, Renault
and SEAT.
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