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.
Admittance is free for children aged 12 and under and Brands Hatch is offering discounted adult ticket prices if booked in advance: book online at brandshatch.co.uk and a race day ticket is just £20.00 - that's 20 per cent off the normal price.
