The AmDTuning.com team can today confirm that it has agreed a deal with Volkswagen Racing Cup points leader Aaron Mason that will see him make his Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship debut this weekend at Oulton Park.
The Doncaster-based racer - who leads the VW Cup standings thanks to four wins in the opening six rounds of the year - will replace AmDTuning.com regular James Kaye for the fourth round of the campaign, with a last minute business commitment that he was unable to reschedule preventing James from making the trip to Cheshire.
Aarons deal to compete in the BTCC this weekend is the latest move in an on-going relationship with West Thurrock-based AmDTuning.com, who are one of the supporters of his programme in the Volkswagen Racing Cup.
The 33-year-old is the most successful driver in the history of the series in terms of race victories with no fewer than 15 to his name, and he will now aim to impress when he swaps his regular VW Scirocco R for AmDTuning.coms turbo-powered VW Golf.
As with James, Aaron will be competing in the newly-introduced Jack Sears Trophy, where he will aim to challenge for honours amongst those drivers using older Super 2000-spec machinery.
Im really excited about the chance to get behind the wheel of a touring car this weekend, he said. I already have a relationship with AmDTuning.com from the VW Cup, and when the chance to race the Golf came along, I wasnt going to turn it down. Getting to the BTCC is the kind of thing I could only dream of when I started racing five years ago, so Im glad to have the opportunity to give it a go.
I think I can be competitive despite it being my first time in the car, although Im not going to go into the weekend expecting too much as I know it is a big step up. Ultimately, the first aim has to be to secure three finishes from the weekend, but if I could finish in the top three in the Jack Sears Trophy, then it would be fantastic.
My main focus this season is to win the Volkswagen Racing Cup but itll be interesting to see how I get on this weekend, and who knows where it might lead for 2014.
AmDTuning.com team principal Shaun Hollamby - who competed in the Volkswagen Racing Cup himself earlier in his careersaid he was pleased to give Aaron the chance to make his debut in the BTCC, and insisted he was confident that he could do a solid job, despite his lack of time at the wheel of his new car.
Unfortunately, James has a last minute business commitment he couldnt reschedule which means that he isnt able to race at Oulton Park, but at the same time, its fantastic that were able to give Aaron the opportunity to make his BTCC debut, he said. We know him well from the Volkswagen Racing Cup, where he has really shown himself to be one of the stand out drivers over the last few years. He was keen to see what touring cars was all about, so this is the ideal opportunity for him to get in the car and give it a go.
The key thing for Aaron is to get three finishes and we dont expect fireworks given it will be his first time in the car with no prior testing. I have no doubt that if he was in the car longer term, he would be a contender for the Jack Sears Trophy, but this weekend is all experience and if we are able to come away from the weekend with some silverware, then it will be a huge bonus.
