The countdown has begun: there are now less than two weeks to run before the Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship (BTCC) headlines at the Snetterton circuit on Sunday 13 August. It is the only time this year that Britain's biggest motor racing championship - watched by millions on ITV1 - will race at the high-speed Norfolk circuit.
Snetterton is one of the fastest tracks on the calendar and boasts the longest straight in UK motor sport - Revett Straight, along which the BTCC cars will be slipstreaming one another for position at speeds of more than 150mph.
This time around the scene is set for a battle royal between the reigning champion Matt Neal and young pretender Colin Turkington. Just 22 points separates series leader Neal from the Turkington, the winner of last Sunday's latest round at Donington and who will have plenty of home support from the crowds at Snetterton - although Northern Irish, he drives for the Team RAC squad in its MG.
And with the world-famous motoring organisation's headquarters just up the road in Norwich, Turkington and team-mate Robert Collard can expect the spectator banks to be cheering them on when their bright orange cars take to the track.
Other big star names to watch for will be former champions Jason Plato and James Thompson in their SEAT Leons, Team Halfords' young rising star Gordon Shedden who won twice at Donington and Vauxhall team-mates Fabrizio Giovanardi, Tom Chilton and Gavin Smith.
BTCC Series Director Alan Gow says: "The scene is set for a terrific duel at Snetterton - can Matt Neal fight back or is Colin Turkington going to carry on his momentum from Donington? Theirs is a great sporting contest between the experienced champion and the young lion. Both have tremendous followings and I'm sure the crowds will be in for a very exciting day.
"The millions of viewers who've tuned in to watch the BTCC on ITV this year know just how entertaining the racing is - Snetterton is a chance for the people across East Anglia to come and see it live.
"Our open paddock policy and Pit Lane Walkabout sessions that are included in the ticket price mean the public, including many families and young children, can meet the drivers for autographs, photos and give-aways. The BTCC very much looks forward to meeting the crowds at Snetterton on 13 August."
Admittance to Snetterton's BTCC race day on 13 August is FREE for children aged 12 and under and Snetterton is also offering discounted adult ticket prices for just £20.00 if booked in advance on the snetterton.co.uk website or ticket hotline 0870 950 9000.
In addition to the BTCC's three rounds, there will be 11 races from a variety of supporting championships from BMW, Porsche, Renault, SEAT, T-Cars and historic touring cars.
Note to sportsdesk: hi-res copyright free BTCC images are available from BTCC.net's Media section. Log-in details plus interviews with the BTCC's drivers are available from the contact below.
On our way: British motor racing's most popular race series, the BTCC, arrives in Norfolk on 13 August at the Snetterton circuit
