Rockingham & Silverstone races crucial to BTCC title outcome
The stars and cars of Britains premier motor racing championshipthe Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championshipare now less than a fortnight away from arriving in Northamptonshire for back to back race weekends that will play a crucial role in the outcome of this years thrilling title battle.
Three races at the US oval-style Rockingham track near Corby on Sunday 23 September (www.rockingham.co.uk) will be followed by three more just 40 miles away at the world famous British Formula 1 Grand Prix circuit of Silverstone near Towcester on Sunday 7 October (www.silverstone.co.uk).
Both venues are offering FREE full weekend admission for accompanied children (16 and under at Rockingham, 15 and under at Silverstone) as well as considerable discounts for adults booking tickets in advance. All admission includes public access to the BTCC teams paddock and specially organised pit lane autograph sessions with the hero drivers whose bumper-to-bumper antics have thrilled and captivated huge trackside and live ITV4 audiences these past six months.
The eventsthe eighth and ninth of the ten-round championship trailwill have a major bearing on who is eventually crowned Champion for only three more races on Kents Brands Hatch Grand Prix circuit will then remain (Sun 21 Oct).
Leading the points table arriving at Rockingham is reigning Champion Matt Neal who, should he defend his title, will match Andy Rouses record of four BTCC crowns to his name. But the Worcestershire ace is only marginally ahead of his Honda Yuasa Racing Team team-mate Gordon Shedden who is aiming to become the first Scottish driver to win the BTCC for 17 years.
Lying third is Oxfords Jason Platohaving seen a chance to draw level with his Honda rivals slip through his fingers in the most recent three races at Knockhill in Scotland, the double Champion knows how important it will be for his MG KX Momentum Racing MG6 to be on top form at Rockingham.
Fourth-placed Andrew Jordan in his Pirtek Racing Honda and double Knockhill winner Robert Collard in his eBay Motors BMW are also close behind. Jordans team-mate Jeff Smith is one to watch as wellthe Wellingborough racer will be in action in front of his home crowd at Rockingham and hell arrive on a confidence high after the first podium result of his BTCC career, a second place at Knockhill.
Similarly, Team ES Racing.com from nearby Bedford will be looking for plenty of local support, particularly after its star driver Dave Newshams two recent breakthrough wins in its Vauxhall Vectra, at Snetterton and Knockhill.
But with a dozen drivers still in with a mathematical chance of becoming Champion, seven drivers having shared the wins so far this season and a large, hugely competitive grid consisting of nine different makes of carsAudi, BMW, Ford, Honda, MG, Proton, Vauxhall and VWthe outcome is far from predictable.
Rockinghams event includes the BTCCs practice and qualifying sessions on the Saturday (22 Sept) as well as the championships headlining three races on the Sunday (23 Sept). Furthermore its lay-outmixing its oval and infield tracksenables fans to see the whole lap unfold beneath them from the vast grandstands that line the start-finish straight and banked first bend. Grandstand seats are included in the admission price.
In addition a further eight races from the high-profile Renault Clio Cup, Porsche Carrera Cup GB, Ginetta Junior and Ginetta GT Supercup categories will add to the bill of entertainment across the weekend. Hoping to dazzle in front on home ground will be Granthams Andy Richardson in the GT Supercup, Cambridges Ben Barker in the Carrera Cup and, in the Clio Cup, Kibworths Adam Bonham, Market Harboroughs Ronnie Klos, Wisbechs Jake Giddings and Spaldings Aaron Williamson.
