Crowds attending the Brands Hatch circuit on Sunday 30 March for the opening rounds of 2008’s HiQ MSA British Touring Car Championship are in for a day “full of drama, excitement and controversy” – so believes the boss of the race series, Alan Gow.
Less than a second covered the 16 fastest drivers during BTCC testing around the Brands track earlier this week, with the top runners all inside last year’s pole position time. Reigning champion Fabrizio Giovanardi, Vauxhall team-mate and fellow former title-winner Matt Neal and SEAT arch rival Jason Plato (champion in 2001) were in the top ten but eclipsing them all was young BMW driver Mat Jackson.
The drivers and their teams will return to the world-famous Kent circuit towards the end of next week for their first three races of 2008 and with the ITV4 cameras broadcasting live throughout the Sunday afternoon there will be added pressure to perform.
Gow, the BTCC’s Series Director and who in the 1990s made the championship a household name, predicts plenty of panel-scraping action during the three races which headline a programme of ten races on the day.
He said: “The BTCC at Brands Hatch always makes for a great day out – not just for motor sport fans but the public in general. People can come and see versions of their family road car being raced at incredible speeds by some of the top touring car drivers in the world and as a result there is a great following among young and old.
“We very much look forward to welcoming the crowds to Brands Hatch for our first rounds of 2008 – as do the drivers during the public Pit Lane Walkabout autograph session. After five months off, the drivers are raring to go and I expect a day full of drama, excitement and controversy on 30 March. The lap times from testing point to three extremely close races.
“I’m also delighted to see that Brands Hatch has continued its free admission policy for children aged 12 and under. As well, its public facilities rank among the finest of any race track in the UK. I don’t believe there will be such a high-profile event in the South-East on 30 March – sporting or otherwise – that can offer such great value for money entertainment for the public as Brands Hatch’s BTCC race day.”
Adult tickets for Brands Hatch’s BTCC race event can be purchased for just £22.00 from brandshatch.co.uk or by calling the hotline 0870 950 9000. More information about the BTCC is available from the championship's official website btcc.net
