Total Control Racing is to make its debut in the realms of endurance competition at Brands Hatch Indy Circuit today, Saturday, 13th November, during the spectacular Britcar ‘Into the Night’ race at the all-action 1.2-mile Kent track.
Renowned throughout UK motorsport as one of the most successful teams in saloon car racing, the Wednesbury squad is to reunite with Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship front-runner Alex MacDowall and his father Ray for an assault on the 90-minute encounter in a Ginetta G50.
Having run cars in the Michelin Ginetta G50 Cup for the past couple of seasons, and becoming team champions in its first year in 2009, TCR now feels the time is right to explore other avenues as it eyes future involvement in the ranks of sportscar and GT competition.
Team principal Lee Brookes said: “You’ve got to consider every option and for us at TCR we feel the time is right to take a look at GT racing as another string to our bow. One-make championships have been our bread and butter since the team was established but we’re keen to look at new challenges.
“The opportunity to run one of our Ginetta G50 cars in this weekend’s Britcar race presented itself and Ray and Alex were keen to team up and give it a go so we’ve decided to do it. Obviously it’s a different style of racing for us but we’ll be giving it 100 per cent effort and commitment as usual.”
With an exemplary reputation throughout one-make saloon car racing, TCR has won numerous titles in the ultra-competitive ELF Renault Clio Cup and is also a consistent championship challenger in the Ginetta G50 Cup. The squad has also enjoyed high levels of success in the past in the SEAT Cupra Championship and the hugely prestigious Porsche Carrera Cup GB Championship.
Carlisle-based MacDowall Jnr ran with TCR in Clios between 2007 and 2009 before graduating to the BTCC this year with the Silverline Chevrolet squad. During his three-year tenure in the Clio Cup, he took numerous race wins and podiums and ended the 2009 season as Vice-Champion. MacDowall Snr also has an extensive history with the West Midlands team in Porsche, SEAT and Clios.
Britcar GT and Production – which will be known as the MSA British Endurance Championship from next year onward – currently features a wealth of exotic machinery across its multi-class format such as Ferraris, TVRs, Porsches and BMWs. In tomorrow’s race, TCR’s Ginetta G50 will run in Class Three.
The team’s first track action will come at 10.40 on Saturday morning with a one hour warm-up ahead of qualifying which commences at 15.25. The 90-minute race will then get underway before the Kent skies turn dusk at 16.55 and will conclude in total darkness at approximately 18.25.
