Double Renault UK Clio Cup ‘Masters Cup’ Champion Simon Belcher will graduate into the Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship next year after today, Monday, 18th November, finalising a deal to race a Speedworks Motorsport-built Toyota Avensis under the ‘Handy Motorsport’ banner.Confirmation of the 39-year-old Swindon driver’s move into the UK’s biggest and most popular motor racing championship for the 2014 season marks the culmination of a three year ‘Project BTCC’ plan, put in place prior to his move into the supporting Renault Clios at the beginning of 2012.Retaining key backing for his step-up into the BTCC from long term partner KÄRCHER, the global leader in the sphere of professional and consumer high-pressure cleaning products, the back-to-back Masters Cup winner in Renault Clios is relishing the prospect of his maiden run at the wheel of his 2.0-litre turbo-charged Toyota. Handy Motorsport will take delivery of the car in early December.“I am absolutely delighted to have made it to the pinnacle of British motorsport in the BTCC, it really is a dream come true”, said an elated Belcher, “We have been working on this deal for many months now and I am delighted to be part of the Handy Motorsport and Speedworks team for 2014.“Due to the huge success of the NGTC [New Generation Touring Car] regulations in the BTCC, which have created a level playing field between teams of all sizes, it’s now or never to make the move into the championship. The entry will be full in 2014 and beyond so it will become increasingly hard going forward to obtain a place on the coveted grid.”Belcher added: “I am so excited to make it to this level, nearly 20 million TV viewers and approaching 400,000 trackside spectators makes the BTCC the only place to be. Alan Gow [BTCC Series Director] and the whole TOCA team have been very supportive of our plans and I can’t wait to get on track.“It’s fantastic to have the continued support from KÄRCHER for our move into touring cars, we have worked together on a very successful program now for many years and I am incredibly proud to be an ambassador for such a quality brand.”Speedworks support key to Handy Motorsport BTCC projectWhile the Handy Motorsport squad will handle all preparation of the newly liveried black and yellow Avensis, the team will benefit from continued engineering assistance from the crew at Speedworks which built the NGTC Toyota. Christian Dick’s Cheshire outfit will work hand-in-hand with Handy Motorsport, helping to develop Belcher’s Avensis alongside Speedworks’ own pair of Toyotas.“Rather than build our own car in the first year, we decided it would be better to work with an existing team”, explained Belcher, “Speedworks was one of the first teams to run the NGTC cars, so have a heap of experience. They started to show what they’re capable of with some fantastic results in the last couple of BTCC events this year, hence the decision to work with Christian’s team.”Speedworks team principal Dick commented: “I am delighted Simon and Handy Motorsport have chosen Speedworks as their engineering and support partners for the 2014 BTCC season. Simon now has plenty of front wheel drive experience and has proven himself in one of the toughest one-make championships there is.“That experience will serve him well in the BTCC, as we have seen with previous Clio Cup racers that have made the step-up. Handy Motorsport have always turned out a good looking and well prepared car and, with the continuation of KÄRCHER as title sponsor, 2014 looks to be a very exciting year for all involved in this project.”Prior to embarking on ‘Project BTCC’ with a move into the Renault UK Clio Cup at the start of 2012, Belcher competed in the Legends Cars Championship alongside close friend Dave Newsham who, of course, went on to win the 2010 Renault UK Clio Cup title before becoming a race winner in the BTCC.Belcher’s varied motorsports career began in 1993, but on water rather than on the race track in the ranks of national Jet-Ski racing. Over a hugely successful nine year period, he won no fewer than four British Championships and one European title as well as being the highest ever placed UK rider in the Pro-Modified Class at the Jet-Ski World Championship.Confirming the Renault UK Clio Cup’s unrivalled position as the key proving ground for the BTCC, Belcher’s graduation follows that of a long line of Clio Cup racers – not least 2013 BTCC Champion Andrew Jordan. The newly confirmed deal for Belcher has been warmly welcomed by key figures from his formative career, including good friend Newsham.“It is fantastic Simon is joining the BTCC, like me his goal has always been to race in the BTCC so he is realising a dream… and I know that feeling!”, said Newsham, “I competed against Simon in Legends from 2005 to 2008 and then coached his progress through Clio Cup. Simon and Handy Motorsport are an extremely professional team and will make a great addition to the paddock. It will also be good to race with my old mate again too!”Handy Motorsport plans an initial shakedown of its Toyota Avensis next month before embarking on an extensive pre-season testing programme early in the New Year, both in the UK and Europe. The car will then be officially unveiled for the first time in its striking 2014 livery at the annual Autosport International Show, at Birmingham’s NEC, in January.