2009 British Touring Car Championship

[Neil Tennant]

Edinburgh driver line-up unveiled

The line-up of drivers who will perform a high-speed show for the public during Edinburgh city centre’s forthcoming Dunlop British Touring Car Festival (Thursday 13 August) has been announced.

Thousands are expected to line Johnston Terrace, right next to the city’s iconic castle, to watch the event that will act as a precursor to the British Touring Car Championship’s race fixture that weekend (15-16 August) at the Knockhill circuit in Fife.

That’s after the public has met the stars of the BTCC during an autograph session on Castle Terrace (next to Johnston Terrace).

Public admission to the event is FREE. The autograph session will start at midday with the first BTCC car expected ‘on course’ on Johnston Terrace at around 1.00pm.

Scotland’s two BTCC heroes Gordon Shedden (Dalgety Bay) and Jonathan Adam (Kinghorn) will be star attractions in their Cartridge World SEAT Leon and Airwaves BMW respectively.

Current series leader Colin Turkington (Team RAC BMW), reigning Champion Fabrizio Giovanardi – joined by VX Racing team-mate Andrew Jordan in their Vauxhall Vectras – and former double BTCC Champion James Thompson (Team Dynamics Honda Civic) will also be in action. Each ranks as one of the world’s very best touring car drivers.

Dunlop British Touring Car Festival driver line-up (provisional):
Colin Turkington (current championship leader), Team RAC BMW 320si
Fabrizio Giovanardi (reigning Champion, VX Racing Vauxhall Vectra
Andrew Jordan, VX Racing Vauxhall Vectra
James Thompson (double BTCC Champion), Team Dynamics Honda Civic
Jonathan Adam, Airwaves BMW 320si
Gordon Shedden, Cartridge World Carbon Zero Racing SEAT Leon
Tom Chilton, Team Aon Ford Focus ST
Harry Vaulkhard, bamboo engineering Chevrolet Lacetti
Martin Johnson, Boulevard Vauxhall Astra Coupe
John George, JAG/TH Motorsport Honda Integra

Support Championships
Sarah Moore (championship leader), Ginetta Junior
Fulvio Mussi, Ginetta G50
Barry Horne, Porsche Carrera Cup

BTCC Series Director Alan Gow said: “This is a stunning line-up of drivers, teams and cars for what will be a quite exceptional event. Edinburgh has a real buzz about it and to see the BTCC’s cars and drivers in action right next to such an iconic landmark as its castle – let alone experience the noise and speed generated by the cars – is going to be awesome.

"Furthermore, of course, this all takes place right at the start of Edinburgh’s world-famous Festivals period so as well as attracting many regular BTCC fans the crowd is also likely to include a fair percentage of people who’ve never before attended a BTCC event. It’s a great event for Edinburgh, for the BTCC and for the public.”



And matt neal wont be there.........

 

[Trebor901]

Just hope that Tom Chilton doesnt do his trick with his teams truck lol

 

[Neil Tennant]

http://s144.photobucket.com/albums/r176/toomywins/BTCC Live/

my pics from the 2006 event :O

 

[Gary Lennon]

Nice pics :good:

(is that you in the vid clip top left?).....ray:

 

[Neil Tennant]

^^ funny post! ^^

 

[Keith Peppiatt]

hmmm.... flexi time.... work just outside edinburgh... i think a 2 hour lunch break is due

 

[Keith Peppiatt]

well just back from holiday and watched the sky plus events from snetterton and must say that was the most actioned packed event i've seen in a long time. disappointed to read nash has got excluded from race 3. collard had been moving over out of that corner to try to defend every lap (earlier race rubbing for ages with neal i think even though it was clear he'd lost the corner) so i guess his exit gearing was letting him down a bit.

never been platos biggest fan but think his attempt in race 1 was aggressive but fair. turk just needed to give a little more room and hog the apex for the next corner to protect the switch back.

very happy with fab and glad to see vauxhall back on song.

jordan was a guy i'd always liked but he needs to make sure he chooses a line and sticks to it -thought he got a bit weavy in some of those races.

thomo was unlucky but he's driving the socks off that civic.

loved it! plenty of paint swapping going on - unfortunate cannot get to knockhill this year due to work commitments, but parents have just moved house to nottingham (from london) so silverstone may be on the cards

 

[Trebor901]

i think Andrew Jordan is a bit like Tom Chilton, great in an independant car but rubbish once they step up into a works car

 

[Neil Tennant]

PICS ERE MATES YEA INNNNITTTT


http://s144.photobucket.com/albums/r176/toomywins/BTCC Live 09/

 

[Trebor901]

That Focus is such a great looking car

 

[Trebor901]

Johnny Herbert joins BTCC grid

I am over the moon that he has agreed to race the last 3 races of the season in the Team Dynamics Honda Civic. I really hope he gets the best out of the car and can pull in some good results.

From BTCC.net

Formula 1 star Johnny Herbert will race in the final three rounds of this year’s HiQ MSA British Touring Car Championship starting at Silverstone on Sunday 30 August, it was officially confirmed this evening.

Herbert, who won three F1 grands prix during the Nineties – including the British at Silverstone in 1995 while team-mate to Michael Schumacher – will race a Honda Civic for former BTCC title-winning squad Team Dynamics.

His addition to the grid is sure to further boost the already anticipated huge numbers of spectators at Silverstone as well as Rockingham (20 Sept) and Brands Hatch (4 Oct) as the BTCC title race enters its crucial stages.

The 45-year-old, also a past winner of the world-famous Le Mans 24 Hours sports car race, was confirmed as a Dynamics driver at a fun Honda (UK) ‘Question of Motorsport’ quiz night at the Chatham Honda dealership in Edinburgh. The event was attended by assorted guests – among them 20 winners in a recent btcc.net competition.

Herbert, from Romford but who in recent years has made his home in Monte Carlo, told btcc.net: “It’s the start of a new chapter in my career. I always like a challenge and I’ve got a lot of F1 experience… although that will probably be of no use to me whatsoever in the BTCC!

“The likes of Jason Plato and Fabrizio Giovanardi have massive experience in touring cars so it’s a big thing for me to go up against the likes of those guys. I did the recent BTCC test at Rockingham with the car and was pleasantly surprised with how it drove. Now I just need to get that last bit out of it…”

A full interview with Johnny Herbert will appear on btcc.net tomorrow (Friday).

 

[Trebor901]

James Nash to sit out Knockhill

After proving he has what it takes to race with the big guys last time out he still hasnt managed to find a sponsor. I would have at least thought that Silverline might have added him to their Racing Silverline line up. He is looking to compete at least 2 of the remaining 3 meetings after Knockhill before a full season in 2010.

 

[Jon Trotter]

No Bell due to injury or Jones due to technical issues

So we're looking at a grid or 17 or 18 cars which is still enough to put on a decent show and may give some of the back markers like Johnson the chance to scrape a few points

 

[Neil Tennant]

and if weather is anythin lke todays, it will be pishing down.

 

[Matthew Parr]

That Focus is such a great looking car

Yep ive got a replica on Forza 2

 

[Simon Melhuish]

Johnny Herbert confirmed for Dynamics

Interesting news I wonder how the BTCC guys will treat him as the last few ex F1 guys that joined got banged up a bit.
_________________________________________________________________________

Anyway -

Former Formula One driver Johnny Herbert has been confirmed to drive the three last races for Team Dynamics in the British Touring Car Championship.

Herbert replaces James Thompson who is unable to drive in the BTCC due to WTCC and V8 commitments.

Herbert has tested for Team Dynamics in the Honda Civic and was pleasantly surprised with it.

"I did the recent BTCC test at Rockingham with the car and was pleasantly surprised with how it drove. Now I just need to get that last bit out of it," said Herbert.

Herbert has has done 165 Formula One races, but never taken part in a BTCC race. He is going to face tough opposition from experienced touring car drivers.

"The likes of Jason Plato and Fabrizio Giovanardi have massive experience in touring cars so it’s a big thing for me to go up against the likes of those guys," said Herbert.

Source - TouringCarTimes

 

[Wido Rossen]

BTCC 2009 - Round 8:Silverstone

Silverstone host the BTCC on August the 30th.

Track facts:
Track Length : 1.64 miles
Number of laps : 22
Race distance : 36.08 miles

Track records:
Qualifying: Gareth Howell (GBR), Honda Integra, 1m00.270s (97.89mph), set on 17 September 2005
Race: Jason Plato (GBR), Seat Toledo Cupra, 1m00.927s (96.84mph), set on 18 September 2005

 

[Neil Tennant]

http://s144.photobucket.com/albums/r176/toomywins/BTCC Live 09/

 

[Keith Peppiatt]

anyone else still drooling from that racing? plenty of rubbing... loved it.

notice collard getting involved more and more. he's been driving well and starting to show an ever more aggressive streak. it's amazing what a competitive car does to you. the rest of this season is going to be very interesting!

 

[Keith Peppiatt]

lets hope herbert performs better than mansell when he had a go at tin top racing.