ONTO SUPPORT BILL
British sports car manufacturer Ginetta will join the Dunlop British Touring Car Championship’s support bill in 2008 with its junior race series for drivers aged between 14 and 17.
The Ginetta Junior Championship will be present at all ten BTCC fixtures with two races at each event. In its third season in 2007 it has emerged as the UK’s top junior race series with grid sizes pushing the 24-mark. Another ten cars have already been sold for next year’s championship.
Coincidentally, the Ginetta company will be 50 years old in 2008 – the same year that the BTCC celebrates its half century.
Ginetta Managing Director Richard Dean said: “Being a part of the BTCC support race paddock will enable us to continue our programme of re-launching and re-marketing the Ginetta brand. In the last 18 months the Ginetta name has enjoyed a huge resurrection in terms of car sales and this further promotes us as the highest-profile junior race championship.
“For a driver aged 14-17 to stand on the podium on the same day as their heroes such as Fabrizio Giovanardi and Jason Plato and in front of the huge number of spectators who travel to BTCC meetings will be out of this world. We are very grateful to TOCA which administers the BTCC for giving us this opportunity.”
The Ginettas will add even greater variety to the BTCC support package that already includes the hotly-contested Formula Renault, Porsche Carrera Cup, Renault Clio Cup and SEAT Cupra championships. And Dean believes the cars, powered by identical 1400cc engines and capable of 100mph, will provide the crowds with plenty of thrills.
He added: “A British sports car series using front-engined, rear-wheel-drive cars is fairly unique these days. They don’t really rely on aerodynamics so stay close together through corners meaning some very exciting racing. That will likely become even more so as our young drivers sense an opportunity to do well in front of the BTCC team managers and what are Britain’s biggest motor sport crowds.”
BTCC Series Director Alan Gow commented: “We are delighted to welcome Ginetta on board and I am sure its championship is going to prove very popular among our crowds. I’m particularly pleased that here we have a British sports car manufacturer with a great heritage becoming a part of Britain’s premier motor racing arena and in what is also, of course, the BTCC’s own golden anniversary year.”
