Inside BTCC - Issue 14 - Rockingham (September 2012)

issue 14: sep 2012

ROCKINGHAM PREVIEW / LATEST RESULTS & POINTS / MUCH MORE...

PLUS - 12 MONTHS ON: DAN WELCH’S FIRST YEAR IN BTCC

INSIDEBTCC.COM

COLLARD CLEANS UP

EBAY MOTORS BMWS DOMINATE SCOTTISH RACES...

Inside BTCC � www.insidebtcc.com

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Just nine races remain in the fight for the 2012 BTCC title and there is still everything to play for heading to Rockingham for the eighth meeting of the season.

Ten points separate Honda duo Matt Neal and Gordon Shedden at the top of the standings after Knockhill, where they were able to break away from Jason Plato after the MG man endured a weekend to forget.

In this edition of Inside BTCC, we look back at all the action from the Scottish meeting and preview what is to come at Rockingham; a circuit that combines high-speeds on the banked oval with a more technical infield where strong handling will be key to success.

As well as that, we speak to the boss of Knockhill about 20 years of the BTCC at his circuit, find out why some teams elected not to go to Scotland and one of the stars of the Celtic Speed MINI Cooper Cup answers out ten quick questions.

Dan Welch takes about his Proton in an interview carried out before the decision was taken to miss the Rockingham meeting, while we catch up with the BTCC grid girl who is keen to turn her hand to racing.

We also have the latest news and standings so there is plenty to keep you busy!

As usual, you can follow us on Twitter at @InsideBTCC and if you want to get in touch, drop us a line on [email protected]

Until next time!

WELCOME...


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CONTENTS

ABOUT INSIDE BTCC...

Inside BTCC is an independent publication that is in no way endorsed by, or affiliated to the Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship or its organisers.

Photos are credit PSP IMAGES (www.psp-images.co.uk) or JAKOB EBREY (www.jakobebrey.com) unless otherwise stated.

To get in touch, please email: [email protected].

Written, produced and edited by Matt Salisbury and Matt Lamprell.

IN THIS ISSUE...

ROCKINGHAM PREVIEWLooking ahead to rounds 22, 23 & 24

6 - 7

KNOCKHILL REVIEWWe look back at all the action from Scotland

8 - 11

WELCH LOOKING FOR THE HIGHSWe talk to Dan Welch about his first BTCC year

12 - 15

KNOCKHILL: FACT OR FALSEHOODSWhy Scotland is just too far for some teams

16 - 19

CATCHING UP WITH THE BOSSDerek Butcher on 20 years of BTCC at Knockhill

20 - 23

HODGETTS SET TO ROLL BACK THE YEARSTriple BTCC champ reunites with Toyota

24 - 25

A TOUCH OF GLAMOURBTCC grid girl Sophie Hall on the BTCC and more

26 - 27

NEWS IN BRIEFLatest from inside the BTCC paddock

30 - 31

10 QUICK QUESTIONSMalcolm McNab

36 - 37

CHAMPIONSHIP STANDINGSPoints tables after Knockhill

38 - 39

THE SEASON SO FARResults at-a-glance

40 - 41

Front cover images: Main - eBay Motors BMWs (Dzenis/PSP); Top right - Dan Welch (PSP Images).Back cover: Grid girl (jakobebrey.com).


After another weekend of action at Knockhill, the BTCC heads back onto English soil for the eighth round of the season at Rockingham – the only circuit on the calendar that will see the teams compete in an anti-clockwise direction.

Despite a challenging time in Scotland, Matt Neal was able to end the weekend with a trip to the podium to ensure that he remains the man to beat at the head of the standings, with a ten point lead over Honda stable-mate Gordon Shedden, who had moved into the lead after two podiums in the opening two races on home soil before a retirement in race three saw the lead go back to the defending champion.

Both Honda drivers have won at Rockingham in the past, with Shedden taking his second success last year and Neal having four wins to his name.

While the boost levels haven’t been kind to the Honda Civic so far, the car handles well and the pair will be eager to try and maintain their advantage in the title race over third placed Jason Plato.

Plato is level with Neal in terms of race wins at Rockingham, with his victory in the opening encounter last season being his fourth success at the Northamptonshire circuit. Plato’s Knockhill weekend was nothing short of a disaster after a clash with Aron Smith in the opening race put him into retirement and he came away from the weekend with just one finish – and that was outside the top ten in race two.

The aftermath of the clash with Smith has taken plenty of headlines in recent weeks, but the MG man will be keen to put all that to one side to try and get his championship

ROCKINGHAM PREVIEW LOOKING AHEAD TO

ROUNDS 22, 23 & 24

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ROCKINGHAMRECENT HISTORY2011

Pole Jason Plato, Chevrolet Cruze

Race One Jason Plato, Chevrolet Cruze

Race Two Gordon Shedden, Honda Civic

Race Three James Nash, Vauxhall Vectra

2010

Pole Tom Chilton, Ford Focus

Race One Matt Neal, Honda Civic

Race Two Jason Plato, Chevrolet Cruze

Race Three Matt Neal, Honda Civic

2009

Pole Jason Plato, Chevrolet Lacetti

Race One Stephen Jelley, BMW 320si

Race Two Jason Plato, Chevrolet Lacetti

Race Three Stephen Jelley, BMW 320si

2008

Pole Gordon Shedden, Honda Civic

Race One Gordon Shedden, Honda Civic

Race Two Mat Jackson, BMW 320si

Race Three Darren Turner, SEAT Leon TDI

2007

Pole Darren Turner, SEAT Leon

Race One Darren Turner, SEAT Leon

Race Two Darren Turner, SEAT Leon

Race Three Matt Neal, Vauxhall Vectra

2006

Pole Darren Turner, SEAT Leon

Race One Fabrizio Giovanardi, Vauxhall Vectra

Race Two Fabrizio Giovanardi, Vauxhall Vectra

Race Three Jason Plato, SEAT Leon

ROCKINGHAM STATSLENGTH 1.94 miles

2012 RACE LAPS 16

RACE DISTANCE 31.04 miles

LAP RECORD(QUALIFYING)

1m 23.363ss (Tom Chilton, 2010)

LAP RECORD (RACE) 1m 24.550s (Frank Wrathall, 2011)

MOST WINS (1991-) 4 – Matt Neal; Jason Plato

challenge back on track, with a gap of 36 points to Neal. Plato will also be well aware of the fact that his tough weekend at Knockhill has allowed Andrew Jordan to close in behind – with the Pirtek Racing man just four points behind.

Behind the top four in the standings come the leading two drivers still using S2000-based cars in the shape of eBay Motors pair Rob Collard and Tom

Onslow-Cole. They took a pair of 1-2 finishes in Scotland as the BMW team enjoyed its best weekend of the season so far although it remains to be seen if the S2000-based machines will be able to live with the NGTC cars around Rockingham’s infield, where better tyre wear might work to the advantage of the newer cars.

Elsewhere Mat Jackson has his eyes on a return

to the podium for the first time since switching to Redstone Racing’s new NGTC Ford Focus while Dave Newsham and Jeff Smith will be keen to try and repeat the results they gained at Knockhill – where Newsham took his second win in as many meetings and Smith visited the BTCC podium for the first time.

Frank Wrathall meanwhile retained his top ten championship position despite managing just one racing lap at Knockhill before engine woes put him out – with the Toyota man now keen to repeat the form he showed last season at Rockingham, when he took a podium finish and broke the lap record.

Having missed Knockhill,

both Rob Austin Racing and AmDTuning.com will return to action this weekend, with RAR also back up to a two car team as Will Bratt returns for the first time since Croft. There is also a new name at Team HARD with Howard Fuller in for his debut in place of Robb Holland although Liam Griffin and Dan Welch both miss out.

Griffin will make his return to action with Redstone Racing at Silverstone having yet to appear during the second half of the season, while budgetary issues have forced Welch Motorsport to take the decision to miss the event.

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COLLARD DOUBLES UP

EBAY MOTORS BMWS DOMINATE IN SCOTLAND


EBay Motors claimed a dominant double one-two as Rob Collard won twice in Scotland.

On the championship front, it’s advantage Matt Neal as the Honda Yuasa Racing Team driver opened up a lead of ten points over teammate Gordon Shedden.

Another frustrating weekend for Jason Plato leaves the MG KX Momentum Racing driver on the back foot with nine races remaining to decide the title.

RACE ONE

Jason Plato started the first race from pole position, but with Rob Collard alongside

him on the front row, it was no surprise when the BMW led through the first corner.

Plato immediately came under pressure from Redstone Racing’s Aron Smith, which allowed Collard to open up a lead of over a second on the first lap.

Andy Neate and Frank Wrathall were both early casualties. But if MG KX Momentum Racing thought that was bad, it was about to get worse. Jason Plato became beached in the gravel after contact with Aron Smith.

An angry Plato was scathing towards Smith after the

incident, saying “the lad needs to lose his license”.

The safety car was deployed to allow the various scattered cars to be recovered. With the early drama, Collard was still in the lead, ahead of eBay Motors teammate Tom Onslow-Cole.

After his early clash with Plato, Aron Smith turned his attention to holding on to third place. He came under pressure from the Toyota of Paul O’Neill. The former works Vauxhall driver tapped Smith at the hairpin, but couldn’t beat the Ford along the start-finish straight.

In fact, it was O’Neill who lost out, with

MATT NEAL LEADS TITLE HUNTHONDA HOLDS POINTS ADVANTAGE AS SEASON HEADS INTO DECISIVE HOME STRAIGHT

MATT LAMPRELL REPORTS

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COLLARD DOUBLES UP

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home racer Gordon Shedden taking fourth away from him.

At the front, the BMWs were dominant enough to be able to swap positions for a lap, handing Onslow-Cole a bonus point for crossing the line in first. However, it was Collard who was back in front when they came to the chequered flag.

The battle for third continued throughout the closing stages, with Mat Jackson joining Shedden and O’Neill behind Smith. In the end, Shedden beat Smith to the final podium spot in a drag race up to the finish line.

Smith took fourth,

with Jackson fifth and O’Neill sixth. Matt Neal had to settle for seventh in the second Honda, ahead of Nick Foster, Andrew Jordan and Adam Morgan.

The hotly-contested third position battle in the first race led to both Smith and Shedden receiving penalty points on their racing licences, as well as £500 fines – Smith for hitting Plato and Shedden for hitting Smith.

RACE TWO

Race two started as the first had finished – with Collard and Onslow-Cole at the front. Indeed, it stayed that way all the way through, with the BMW pair

looking untouchable around the undulating Scottish circuit and claiming a second BMW one-two.

Behind them, there was action from the start, with ES Racing’s Chris James ending up in the gravel at the first corner and triggering a safety car period early in the race.

When racing resumed, it was Gordon Shedden who was best of the rest behind the BMWs. Just as in the first race, Paul O’Neill battled with Redstone Racing pair Aron Smith and Mat Jackson, getting the better of Smith at the hairpin on lap 10 to move fourth.

After his race one DNF, Jason Plato had to fight his way through from the back of the grid, but could only manage a minor points finish in 11th.

In the latter stages of the race, the main action was in the bottom half of the top ten. Mat Jackson dropped down the order as he struggled

with a broken exhaust that was forcing fumes into the cockpit.

Collard, Onslow-Cole and Shedden filled the podium again at the end of the race, with Paul O’Neill claiming fourth, ahead of Nick Foster in fifth. Aron Smith claimed sixth place, whil Andrew Jordan was seventh, Matt Neal eighth and

Good weekend:Rob Collard First back-to-back wins of his BTCC career in a dominant day.

Matt Neal Might not have won races, but the reigning champ is sitting pretty at the front.

PLATO TAKES POLEPOSITION

Jason Plato claimed pole position in a rain-hit qualifying session in Scotland.

The MG KX Momentum Racing driver was at the top of the times at the right moment in a qualifying session that was impacted by the changeable Knockhill weather.

Rain before the session started meant that it was going to be a question of timing, and that could not have been more true when a red flag came out part way through the session.

Plato set the pace early on, before Rob Collard went quicker. The track was becoming progressively drier at this point and times were

tumbling. Gordon Shedden put his local knowledge to good use, setting the fastest time – only to be stripped of the lap for exceeding the track limits.

Plato went back to the top of the times, just before Robb Holland went off at the Scotsman corner. Recovery of the Team HARD Honda Civic brought the red flags out and while the on-track action was paused, the rain began to fall again.

While a couple of drivers were able to improve their times when the session restarted, there was no change at the front, leaving Plato on pole position. He was joined on the front row by eBay Motors’ Rob Collard.

RACE RESULTS - TOP 10sRACE ONE TOP TEN:

1 Rob Collard (S2000) 28:53.088; 2 Tom Onslow-Cole (S2000) +1.300; 3 Gordon Shedden (NGTC) +16.725; 4 Aron Smith (S2000) +16.736; 5 Mat Jackson (NGTC) +16.909; 6 Paul O’Neill (NGTC) +18.017; 7 Matt Neal (NGTC) +18.507; 8 Nick Foster (S2000) +18.602; 9 Andrew Jordan (NGTC) +19.139; 10 Adam Morgan (NGTC) +21.589.

Independent winner: Rob Collard.

Fastest lap: Tom Onslow-Cole (53.230).

RACE TWO TOP TEN:

1 Rob Collard (S2000) 25:47.177; 2 Tom Onslow-Cole (S2000) +3.239; 3 Gordon Shedden (NGTC) +11.127; 4 Paul O’Neill (NGTC) +15.871; 5 Nick Foster (S2000) +17.545; 6 Aron Smith (S2000) +21.783; 7 Andrew Jordan

(NGTC) +22.003; 8 Matt Neal (NGTC) +24.775; 9 Jeff Smith (NGTC) +27.072; 10 Dave Newsham (S2000) +40.372.

Independent winner: Rob Collard.

Fastest lap: Rob Collard (53.058).

RACE THREE TOP TEN:

1 Dave Newsham (S2000) 21:44.595; 2 Jeff Smith (NGTC) +1.549; 3 Matt Neal (NGTC) +2.017; 4 Andrew Jordan (NGTC) +2.062; 5 Tom Onslow-Cole (S2000) +4.520; 6 Paul O’Neill (NGTC) +9.091; 7 Nick Foster (S2000) +9.239; 8 Aron Smith (S2000) +11.588; 9 Rob Collard (S2000) +11.828; 10 Mat Jackson (NGTC) + 12.807.

Independent winner: Dave Newsham.

Fastest lap: Tom Onslow-Cole (53.321).

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Jeff Smith ninth. Dave Newsham completed the top ten.

RACE THREE

Race three saw Jason Plato’s poor weekend continue as he was forced into the pits on the green flag lap with a turbo-related problem.

Dave Newsham started the race from pole position thanks to the reverse grid and the ES Racing driver led away from the line, ahead of Jeff Smith and Matt Neal.

Gordon Shedden’s hopes of a home win disappeared when he retired after running of onto the grass in

avoidance of Aron Smith and Nick Foster. His Honda picked up grass in its vents and Shedden could do nothing as the engine temperature increased.

At the halfway point in the race, Newsham led from Smith, Neal and Andrew Jordan. The three chasing Hondas seemed unable to do much about Newsham at the front – and that was the story through to the end of the race.

The best that Neal could do was to challenge Smith for second. However, he was forced to defend from the second of the Pirtek Racing

Hondas at the same time and the reigning champion had to settle for third.

Despite the chasing pack closing in, Newsham’s lead remained more than a second and he held on for his second win of the year. Smith took second – his first podium finish of the year. Neal crossed the line third, ahead of Jordan. Tom Onslow-Cole added a fifth place to his two seconds from earlier in the day.

Paul O’Neill finished sixth, ahead of Nick Foster and Aron Smith. Winner of the first two races, Rob Collard claimed ninth,

with Mat Jackson in tenth.

Plato’s three disappointing races leave him trailing in the championship battle. Matt Neal now tops the table with 287 points, 10 ahead of Gordon Shedden. Plato finds himself

a further 26 behind as the 2012 season heads into its final nine races.

Bad weekend:Jason Plato If title hopes aren’t over then this weekend certainly didn’t help.

Aron Smith Took a verbal tirade from Plato after clash in race one.

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Snetterton marked the first anniversary for the Welch Automotive team in the BTCC, with its Proton returning to the scene of its debut and again showing solid top ten pace. Inside BTCC caught up with Dan Welch to look back over the past twelve months...

WELCH LOOKING FOR THE HIGHS


Snetterton marked the first anniversary for the Welch Automotive team in the BTCC, with its Proton returning to the scene of its debut and again showing solid top ten pace. Inside BTCC caught up with Dan Welch to look back over the past twelve months...

WELCH LOOKING FOR THE HIGHS

Inside BTCC:

It’s twelve months since we saw the Welch transporter pull up at a touring car event and saw the Proton emerge for the first time. Since then, there have been highs and lows but how would you say the past year has gone?

Dan Welch:

It has definitely been the hardest project that we have ever undertaken. The development of a car at this level is huge and we’ve had a lot of lows along the way – certainly more lows than highs. But we are starting to get on top of it now and the package is coming together. We still haven’t done a

single test day in the twelve months that the car has been complete, so we aren’t doing too bad and just have to work on our feet.

Inside BTCC:

You’ve had success at other levels, most notably in the SEAT championships. Your Dad has commented in the past about the fact that you could go and buy a Supercopa car from SEAT, pick it up from Spain and go straight to the circuit and run it out of the box.

With the Proton you have had to develop the car from the ground up, so how tough has that been as such a small team?

Dan Welch:

To get the initial car together was hard, but it has actually turned out to be harder to keep it going. It’s kind of a hobby gone crazy in every sense of the word. We are a small team but we make every part of the car we can and fabricate all the parts – so a little accident for us becomes a huge undertaking to repair and creates a massive workload. At the end of the day, there are only three of us working on it.

Inside BTCC:

You’re trying to run a business at the same time as working on the car, so how hard

is it to juggle all the commitments?

Dan Welch:

I think it’s quite easy – the customers always come first and that is how it is. We do endurance racing and VW Cup and a few other things, and the customer’s cars have to come first as that is our bread and butter money. Our car then comes second but unfortunately, it takes up a lot of time and it’s a lot of work, so there isn’t much in the way of time off!

Inside BTCC:

Just how different is the car now compared to twelve months ago?

DAN WELCH TALKS TO INSIDE BTCC’S MATT SALISBURY


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Dan Welch:

Realistically, the car is probably 90 per cent different. The only bit that is the same is the roof panel. The engine has been developed, all the bodywork was rebuilt and redeveloped and we changed shape to improve the aerodynamics. The car has been lightened and the suspension has been changed so it is fundamentally a different car to what we started with. Some parts we worked on for performance and others have been changed by TOCA to improve the NGTC concept and the strength and quality of the parts.

Inside BTCC:

If you had to pick one high and one low from

the past twelve months, do you think you could?

Dan Welch:

The low has got to be the first weekend of the season this year at Brands Hatch when we went off on the fluid in race three. Just getting the car together for the season after a full rebuild and as near to perfect as we could get had been a huge challenge so to come away with complete front end damage and the rear quarter damaged put us the back foot for Donington Park and it was a real hard slog. Our high point has to be Oulton Park where had a good, consistent weekend and that is all we can aim to do. The pace is in the car and we are getting better at keeping it in

one lump!

Inside BTCC:

How much of the potential in the Proton do you think you’ve now unlocked?

Dan Welch:

Maybe 70 per cent. There is still a lot more to come and as I said, we haven’t done a test day where we can try different settings and new parts. We’re doing all of our work on a race weekend and we are up against it, but we are doing our best and we’ll keep trying.

Inside BTCC:

You are representing a manufacturer who don’t currently have a big motorsport programme so are you trying to

impress them to the stage where they might put some money in and turn it into something other than a privateer programme?

Dan Welch:

We’re always trying with Proton and are in constant communication with them, but you’re talking to a big company from another country so nothing will happen overnight. It is a slow process but they know we are here, know what we are doing and we are officially ‘blessed’ by them. But that’s where we are at the moment and all we can do it keep trying.


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With teams under fire for missing Knockhill, we ask why the Scottish meeting is the one that teams may struggle to attend...

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KNOCKHILL FACT OR FALSEHOODS?


When it was announced that Rob Austin Racing and AmDTuning.com were going to join Thorney Motorsport in missing the Knockhill rounds of the BTCC season, it wasn’t something that went down well with race fans.

It’s not the first time that teams have elected to miss the trip north of the border - with Speedworks, Boulevard Team Racing, Motorbase and Quest Racing amongst the teams who have missed a Knockhill meeting for one reason or another in recent seasons – leaving Scottish fans far from happy judging by comments posted on various social networks and forums in the run-up to the race meeting.

As it was, the 19 car field that made the trip to Scotland still served up some dramatic action on track, but with online message boards busy with discussions over those who weren’t there, Inside BTCC decided to

get a view from inside the paddock on why Knockhill’s grid numbers have – at times - taken a hit over the years.

“There are specific costs associated with Knockhill, not least the transportation costs because it is so far away, unless you live in Scotland,” one team boss, who we’ve elected to leave anonymous, revealed. “In the ideal world, it should be budgeted for from the outset. We all know the calendar well in advance, but because Knockhill tends to lie in the latter

third of the season, it comes at a time when people may have incurred expenses and costs that they hadn’t budgeted for.

“When you start the year, you have an expection of how much the season will cost per round. If Knockhill was round one then you would be bang on plan and on budget, but by the time you get to round seven or eight of the season, you only need to have an unexpected engine failure or some bodywork damage and suddenly there are things that the budget doesn’t

quite stretch to.

“I can see why people make the judgement call that they do as there are some costs associated with Knockhill that have nothing to do with the car. One of them, which is absolutely nothing to do with the circuit, is the price of hotel accommodation as it does seem to be disproportionately expensive for this weekend. I know there is an element of supply and demand but there could also be some profiteering going on as well…”

One reason given by teams in the past for missing the Knockhill meeting is the increased risk of accident damage, given the tight and twisty nature of the circuit, although our source insisted that wasn’t the major cause for concern from a cost point of view.

“I can see where you are going but my experience with different teams is

BY MATT SALISBURY

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that yes, I have come away from Knockhill with big repair bills, but they have tended to be through contact with other cars as opposed to the scenery,” he said. “The layout of the circuit doesn’t lead to big repair costs directly, but there is always the risk of contact with other drivers who maybe aren’t using their head as much as they should. To be fair though, that could be said for every circuit on the calendar.

“Cost wise, it’s more things like transportation and then the fact that you are looking at at least an extra night in a hotel for team members. Guys in a team who don’t do this full-time and who work during the week also have had to take an extra day off work so there is a cost to them, even if it isn’t one that is carried by a team. However, if people can’t get time off work, they can’t come. There are logistical costs in that respect and teams were lucky that there

was a Bank Holiday after Knockhill, which meant people didn’t have to worry about missing a day at work.

“Don’t get me wrong, teams enjoy themselves at Knockhill, the people are hospitable and the circuit makes for great racing but the fact of the matter is that there are costs that are higher than

elsewhere.”

One team that has missed Knockhill for the past two seasons is Lea Wood’s Central Group Racing

team – now running under the BINZ Racing banner in 2012.

In the past, budget had been the reason why the team hadn’t taken its Honda Integra to Scotland but this time around, Wood and his Vauxhall Vectra made the trip over the border to compete for the first time albeit with a scaled down support team

in order to keep costs as low as possible. Those cutbacks even went as far as Wood’s parents and girlfriend Becki – who also doubles as the team’s grid

girl – staying at home.

“It was a stretch to get the budget together and it was difficult,” he said. “There was only one lorry and only one van, whereas normally there are two lorries and all the other bits and pieces. For us as a one car team it wasn’t too bad, but when you are running two cars with all the extra transport and putting the team up in hotels, it would soon mount up. We only have a small team, so I imagine it’s a logistical nightmare for a bigger outfit.

“We only had five people at Knockhill as we scaled it right back and we were thin on the ground but it wasn’t as bad as we thought and it was nice to head to Scotland – we had to give it a go!”

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CATCHING UP WITH THE BOSS

On the 20th anniversary of the BTCC’s first race meeting at Knockhill, we caught up with circuit owner Derek Butcher…

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CATCHING UP WITH THE BOSS

When the BTCC visited Knockhill, it marked the 20th time that touring cars have raced on Scottish soil – having first made the trip to Fife back in 1992.

On a weekend of celebrations, Inside BTCC spoke to circuit owner Derek Butcher to see how he felt the anniversary had gone; amongst other things…

Inside BTCC:

This season was the 20th BTCC meeting at Knockhill, so how pleased were you with the way the anniversary went?

Derek Butcher:

I think it delivered on its promise. The nostalgia of the older cars and the display of machines that we followed in the past was good and then we had the current NGTC cars that teams are learning more and more about putting on

a good show – so I’m very happy.

Inside BTCC:

There were some questionable periods of weather during the weekend, but once again we saw the Scottish fans come out in force.

Derek Butcher:

Indeed we did. We did see things falter for a few years, mainly because of the weather, but the weather was good on the day this time around. That is something that will affect any outdoor business like football, golf and motorsport but the sun shone for us and the crowds responded. So we’re very happy.

Inside BTCC:

Knockhill has had a number of owners before you took control, some of whom had grand ideas of what they wanted to achieve but who then

failed to deliver. How pleased are you with the way in which Knockhill has developed since you took over to become the venue it is now?

Derek Butcher:

I’m really delighted at how the circuit is now compared to when I took it over. It really was a weekend only circuit in a farmer’s field when I took control and all what we have done is reinvested the profits back into the business to put in tarmac, buildings and facilities. Today it is great to see a crowd of seven or eight thousand along with 2000 in the paddock all enjoying the facilities we have.

Inside BTCC:

How important are big events like the BTCC to a circuit like Knockhill?

Derek Butcher:

You saw that the Scottish Minis put on a great

show for the fans with great racing and great entertainment but like anything, it is all down to branding. The BTCC is a brand that promises to the public that it will be worth watching and the three race format gives extra value to the customer. The twist of the reverse grid always pulls one out of the hat for someone and it’s great.

Inside BTCC:

How far can you take Knockhill? Will we every see an international series coming here as there were rumours about the WTCC earlier in the year when Donington fell by the wayside.

Derek Butcher:

I think we would strive for it – never say never. The circuit is 2km long, which means it just meets the criteria for a number of championships. To be honest, we visit other circuits and frankly some

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of them are too long - and dare I say it, too boring - as the public want short laps and short lap times like you get at Brands Hatch Indy and the National Circuit at Silverstone.

People do enjoy sub 60 second circuits as it keeps things fresh and hot to watch. When you go to a circuit where the lap times are more than two minutes, you start to lose some of the enthusiasm. I’ve been on both sides of the fence as I’ve raced and also been a spectator, so I know how people feel. Sub 60 second laps are the answer.

Inside BTCC:

You can now run the circuit in both directions, so how easy or difficult was that to sort?

Derek Butcher:

We had to spend

thousands to do it but it was easily done. Probably the biggest problem was the interruption of our seven day a week working programme as we are a very busy circuit. We don’t run many big events, but we run hundreds – probably as many as 350 - events a year that can be anything from a few hours to a full day. We are a motorsport centre and have on-track driving, rallying and off-roading that people will come and do so ideally you’d do work like that in winter when things are quiet. However, that is the worst time weather wise to do groundwork so we had to fit it in in the spring and early summer.

I would encourage all circuits to look at their facilities as for relatively little money, you can get two tracks from the layout you already have, which generates more interest from the circuit user and

from the spectator.

Inside BTCC:

What reaction have you had?

Derek Butcher:

Generally it has been positive although people were apprehensive at first, as they have spent so long going one way. What we have done is run several track days for both bikes and cars, and also testing. A lot of the bike people actually prefer the circuit in reverse as they say it flows better.

Inside BTCC:

Will you speak to Alan Gow about running BTCC in reverse?

Derek Butcher:No-one can teach Alan how to make the BTCC more interesting! He has made it the most famous saloon car race in the

world and he is interested in running things the other way. He just needs to look at the logistics of it as obviously we have the MSA licence to do it.

Inside BTCC:

We asked the drivers for their top BTCC memory at Knockhill, so what sticks in your mind?

Derek Butcher:

I witnessed Gabriele Tarquini’s roll in the Alfa Romeo when he was given a tap by our Swedish friend in the Volvo. It was just a little tap that sent him on his way but it was spectacular to watch that live. The other thing that sticks in my mind is the biggest ever crowd we’ve had at Knockhill in 1994 – we just couldn’t get any more people in the gates that day.

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Former BTCC champion reunites with Toyota for Britcar 24 assault

HODGETTS SET TOROLL BACK THE

YEARS

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MATT SALISBURY REPORTS


While the BTCC season continues at Rockingham, a former champion will be making a return to competitive action down the road at Silverstone when double title winner Chris Hodgetts makes his racing comeback in the Britcar 24 Hours.

The 61-year-old will form part of the driver line-up for Team Toyota GB as it gives the new Toyota GT86 its debut in British motorsport during the round-the-clock endurance event.

Son Stefan, now competing in the Renault Clio Cup and part of the KX Akademy, will also be behind the wheel as he combines the Britcar 24 with his commitments at Rockingham, while accomplished Aston Martin racer Richard Meaden and Neil Primrose – historic car racer and drummer in the band Travis – complete the driver line-up.

Not only will the event see Hodgetts make a return to racing action, it will also see him reunited with Toyota – the manufacturer that carried him to back-to-back BTCC titles in 1986 and

1987. In honour of Hodgetts’ title success, the GT86 will compete in the same livery that he ran on his Corolla GT some 25 years ago and he admitted that he was looking forward to his return.

“If I’m being honest with you, I don’t know how it all came about,” he said. “I saw something mentioned about it and contacted Scott [Brownlee – Toyota’s head of PR] as a bit of a courtesy call. It all just developed from there as obviously there is a lot of heritage between myself and Toyota from the past.

“When I first saw the image of the GT86 in the same livery that I used 25 years ago, it stirred some memories for me. That whole era in the 1980s, when I competed in the Corolla and we won the BTCC title twice, was a special time in my life, and to now be back with Toyota again is special once again – even more so because Stefan will be driving with me.

“We have always wanted to race together and ideally it would have been at Le Mans, although I doubt that will

ever happen now. However it is a great opportunity for me to race with Toyota again and also for me to introduce Stefan into the fold.”

It’s been some time since Hodgetts has himself had a full racing programme, although that doesn’t mean he’s not been busy on track.

As a mentor to a number of drivers in the TOCA paddock, Hodgetts spends plenty of time behind the wheel of a wide range of cars and he will now aim to use his extensive knowledge to help Toyota to secure the best result possible on the first outing for the new car, which has been build up by the same company – GPRM – responsible for creating the Toyota Avensis NGTC machine.

“While I haven’t been doing a lot of racing recently, I have been doing a fair bit of testing,” Hodgetts explained. “In fact, I went out in a Clio at Rockingham to lay down some data for a driver and set a time that would have put me third on the grid for last year’s meeting. I shouldn’t be able to do that at my age, but for some

reason, I can! There are a number of drivers who I work with the TOCA paddock, like Ollie Chadwick in the Ginetta Juniors and the JHR drivers in the Ginetta Supercup, and that involves me going out on track, so while I haven’t been racing, I have been behind the wheel.

“The intention for the Britcar 24 isn’t just to finish the race; that isn’t in my remit. The intention is to win our class and hopefully we’ll have a reliable car that means we’ll get to the finish having spent the least amount of time possible in the pits, which will help us to get the job done. Having Rockingham on the same weekend will keep Stefan and me busy and he’ll have to do Clio qualifying on Saturday and his two races on Sunday at Rockingham alongside his stints in the GT86.

“We’ve got to make sure that we work well as a team and I’m sure that we will do a good job. It’s going to be great!”

Former BTCC champion reunites with Toyota for Britcar 24 assault

HODGETTS SET TOROLL BACK THE

YEARS


She’s known as one of the most popular grid girls in the BTCC paddock, but now Sophie Hall is eager to join the boys on track…

A TOUCH OF GLAMOUR


While the drivers get much of the attention from fans in the BTCC paddock during race weekends, the glamorous girls who stand in front of their cars before each of the 30 races are just as popular with race-goers eager to take some photos to remember their weekend at the circuit.

Many of the girls who can be seen on the grid every weekend have been involved in the sport for some time but one is now keen to take up a new role – by swapping her hot pants and heels for a race suit and a helmet to forge her own racing career.

On BTCC race weekends, Sophie Hall – who runs her own management company – is one of the girls who can be found representing Redstone Racing on the grid, but she is now seeking to launch her own racing career in 2013.

The 21-year-old from South Wales is working towards an entry into the Production BMW Championship next season having been firmly

bitten by the motorsport bug…

“Being around motorsport for the past few years and being here every season gives me a real buzz and it got to the stage where it wasn’t enough for me just to be stood in front of a car,” she says. “Actually competing is something that I have wanted to do for a long time and I haven’t had the opportunity, so now I’m just going to go out there and do it.

“I had been learning to do some drifting, and I’d done track days and had some tuition with some of the drivers who I have got to know in touring cars. Everyone has been really helpful and supportive but I’m looking to change direction from drifting towards an entry into the Production BMW Championship next year. It’s something that would be quite interesting and exciting for me.”

While she hopes that the move behind the wheel could be the start of a new

phase of her career, Sophie insists that it could also be a way to raise awareness of her company, Sophie Hall Management, which provides a number of the BTCC grid girls seen every race weekend.

“I’m hoping that racing is something that I could make a career of, but I’m not sure where it will end up going,” she says. “I just have to wait and see. From a business side of things, hopefully more people will see me and the company and it will become something of a promotional activity as well. At the end of the day, my company is my name, so anything where I can get my name out there and people can see me can only be good.”

Although her company doesn’t just deal with grid girls, Hall added that most of the interest she receives from potential models is from those who want to become involved in motorsport and join her and her team on the grid.

“The interest in motorsport

compared to anything else that we do is huge and we have girls applying every week who want to be on the grid,” she says. “Unfortunately, there aren’t enough cars for all the girls to come along, but I’m sure that will change in the coming years.”

And is the job as easy as it looks?

“Everyone thinks we do have it easy and that the role is very glamorous, and to an extent it is quite glamorous,” she says. “However, there is a lot of travel involved and we have to be up at stupid o’clock on race weekends to make sure we are looking our best when we arrive at the circuit to socialise and promote our teams – in my case Motorbase and Redstone Racing. It can be very draining but it’s something we all enjoy.”

She’s known as one of the most popular grid girls in the BTCC paddock, but now Sophie Hall is eager to join the boys on track…


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2013 calendar revealed

The dates for the 2013 BTCC season have been announced, although there is no surprise amongst the ten events on the calendar, which remain unchanged for another season.

The same nine circuits will host events in the same order, although the provisional dates announced following the Knockhill meeting are spread more evenly over the course of the campaign.

In 2012, series bosses had to try and avoid clashes

with football’s European Championships and the London Olympic Games.

Proton squad misses out

The Welch Motorsport Proton won’t be present at Rockingham after the team was forced to sit out the event due to budget concerns.

The team has been running on one of the smaller budgets in the paddock with driver Dan Welch revealing via Twitter last week that there was a chance that the team wouldn’t be present for

the eighth meeting of the season.

Despite the best efforts of the team, Welch has now confirmed that the team will indeed miss the meeting, which marks the first time the Proton will have been missing from the paddock since debuting at Snetterton last season.

“It’s official I’m afraid,” he said. “The Welch Motorsport Proton will not be taking part at Rockingham. Apologies to all the new Proton fans.”

In response to questions from fans, Welch revealed he was ‘unsure’ if the team would be able to compete at Silverstone and Brands Hatch.

Rookie to debut at Rockingham

Another new name will join the grid at Rockingham when Howard Fuller make his debut with Tony Gilham’s Team HARD outfit.

Fuller will step into the

team’s Honda Civic having been raced in the VW Cup so far in 2012, where he has already tasted victory in Team HARD colours.

The 20-year-old will be competing in a one-off deal with an eye on moving into the BTCC in 2013.

“We’ve decided this is the best path for me to be taking,” he said. “I’ve competed in couple of VW Cup races and the BTCC is where I really want to be. It’s going to be a steep learning curve but racing at Rockingham is all about me getting used to the crowds and the atmosphere. I’m very, very excited – if a bit nervous – to be racing against so many big names.”

Meanwhile, American racer Robb Holland – who drove the Civic at Snetterton and Knockhill – has confirmed that he will contest the final two meetings of the season at Silverstone and Brands Hatch.

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2013 BTCC Calendar (Provisional):

30/31 March Brands Hatch Indy20/21 April Donington Park4/5 May Thruxton8/9 June Oulton Park22/23 June Croft3/4 August Snetterton24/25 August Knockhill14/15 Sept Rockingham29/29 Sept Silverstone12/13 Oct Brands Hatch GP

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Audi squad returns

Having missed Knockhill, Rob Austin Racing will return to action at Rockingham – and will be back up to two cars for the first time since Croft prior to the summer break.

Team boss Austin will once again be joined by Will Bratt, who will be making his third BTCC appearance of the season having debuted at Oulton Park back in June.

Austin has tried to encourage fans to get involved in the Rockingham meeting by selling space on the roof for the weekend.

He will now hope to repay those fans that have invested in the team with a strong result at a circuit where he secured a fine second place last year.

“Obviously Rockingham was a great circuit for us last year and I’m confident that Will and I now both have the tools at our disposal to challenge for victories,” he said.

Tech-Speed set for comeback

Having been unable to put together a full-time programme for 2012, Tech-Speed are set to return for at least one meeting before the end of the current campaign.

The team ran Paul O’Neill and John George last season in its Chevrolet Cruzes but a loss of sponsorship forced the team onto the sidelines this year.

However, Marvin Humphries’ team is now looking to return with a single-car for production touring car racer Joe Girling, who has been receiving tuition from factory Honda man Matt Neal.

Girling will race the Cruze with an NGTC-spec turbo engine developed by Neil Brown Engineering and built by the same Courtenay Sport team that has been running him in the Production Touring Car Trophy

“We’ve run cars in the BTCC since the early Nineties, we enjoy the racing and the atmosphere in the paddock and we are keen to get back in there,” Humphries said. “Our intention is to be on the grid for the whole of next season and it would be nice if we can do this year’s final round at least as a bit of a shakedown.”

BARC Winter Series earns BTCC slot

The Protyre Renault BARC Championship will join the BTCC for Finals Day at Brands Hatch next month for the first rounds of its newly-announced Winter Series.

It will mark the first time that the series has competed on the full GP circuit at the famous Kent circuit, with two rounds set to take place during the weekend.

Two further rounds will follow at Rockingham three weeks later.

“The Brands Hatch Grand Prix Circuit touring

car meeting is always fantastic, it’s the best BTCC event of the year, and with probably the biggest crowd of the season, so to be involved in it is just brilliant for our championship”, said Protyre Formula Renault BARC promoter Simon North, “We’re thrilled to announce such an incredible opening event for our Winter Series.

“Being back at Brands is very important for us and fulfils two things – we’ll be part of one of the biggest motorsport events of the year in the UK and it’s the only chance for the Formula Renault BARC drivers to race on the Grand Prix circuit, so it’s almost a unique opportunity in that sense.”

The final rounds of the main championship season will take place during the BTCC meeting at Silverstone.

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SEND US YOUR:•PHOTOS•QUESTIONS•SUGGESTIONS

@InsideBTCC

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BTCC TEAMS

Honda Yuasa Racing @HondaRacingBTCCMG KX Momentum Racing @official888raceRedstone Racing @RedstoneRacingeBay Motors @ebaymotorsbtccWelch Motorsport @WelchMotorsportES Racing @teamESracingRob Austin Racing @RobAustinRacingSpeedworks @SpeedworksMSBINZ Racing @CentralGroupRacingAmDTuning.com @AmDessexPirtek Racing @andyjordanBTCCThorney Motorsport @ThorneyMSToyota @ToyotaBTCC

directorya who’s who of btcc on twitter...

BTCC DRIVERS

Matt Neal @MattNealRacingMat Jackson @mat_jacksonAron Smith @AronSmith_Rob Collard @CollardRobFrank Wrathall @FrankWrathallDan Welch @BTCCDanWelchRob Austin @RobertoAustiniDave Newsham @NewshamRacingAdam Morgan @AdamMorgan33Tony Gilham @TonyGilhamTom Onslow-Cole @TomOnslowColeLea Wood @TeamWoodRacingAndy Neate @AndyNeateTony Hughes @TonyHughesBTCCGordon Shedden @GordonSheddenAndrew Jordan @AndrewJordan77Chris James @ChrisJamesBTCCJason Plato @JasonPlato

AND A FEW MORE...

Official BTCC @DunlopBTCCInside BTCC @InsideBTCCTin Top Tuesday @TinTopTuesdayAlan Hyde @AlanHydeStudioNot Alan Gow @alan_gow_btccTalking Point @TPBroadcastingITV @ITVtouringcarsToby Moody @TobyMoodyRichard John Neill @richardjneilTim Harvey @TimHarvey7YourRacingCar @YourRacingCarUnlap @unlapBrands Hatch @Brands_HatchOulton Park @Oulton_ParkSnetterton @SnettertonMSVSilverstone @SilverstoneUKRockingham @RockinghamUKKnockhill @krcircuitCroft @CroftSupportersThruxton @thruxtonracingDonington Park @DoningtonParkUK


2012 BTCC CALENDAR31 March-1 April, Brands Hatch Indy14-15 April, Donington Park National28-29 April, Thruxton9-10 June, Oulton Park Island23-24 June, Croft11-12 August, Snetterton 30025-26 August, Knockhill22-23 September, Rockingham6-7 October, Silverstone20-21 October, Brands Hatch GP

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10 QUICKQUESTIONS

MALCOLMMCNAB

In our latest ten quick questions with drivers from the BTCC support package, we catch up with Malcolm McNab, who took two podium finishes for Team Sleigh Racing when the Celtic Speed MINI Cooper Cup joined the touring cars at Knockhill to aid his assault on the Newcomer Cup.

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10 QUICKQUESTIONS

MALCOLMMCNAB

What is your favourite circuit?Oulton Park has to be my favourite I’ve raced so far. It’s a very challenging circuit with varying cambers and gradients. It’s like Knockhill with the speed turned up to 11!

Who is your racing hero?Although some would find it a cliché, my heroes are Ayrton Senna and Colin McRae. I still remember exactly where I was (in the canteen at Larkhall kart circuit) when I heard the news Senna had died and my mum was so upset listening to the radio she missed the exit on the motorway driving to the circuit to join us. To this day, I can’t talk to people about that day without welling up. Equally Colin, I had the chance to meet him a few times when I was quite young and watched him rallying in the late 1980s in the Scottish Rally Championship. I just loved his maximum attack style.

If you could race any car, what would it be?Either a Porsche 911 round the Nurburgring Nordschleife or a 1992 Celica GTFour on the Monte Carlo Rally.

If you could pick any driver as your team-mate on a race weekend, who would you pick?I’d have to say Kimi Raikkonen, which is a bit left field given my general lack of interest in modern day F1. I’d learn loads from any top-flight driver and with Kimi, I’d love to understand what actually makes him tick! He’s got such a mystique and folklore surrounding him; he genuinely fascinates me.

What is your day job?I’m a project manager for FMC Technologies making subsea christmas trees (genuinely, industry term for a piece of oil and gas equipment!).

What do you drive on the road?Daily driver is a BMW 320Cd for commuter duties and I have a 1994 Toyota Celica GTFour for those quiet Sunday morning backroad moments.

What is the best piece of advice you’ve ever been given in your racing career?On the 95 BTCC season review VHS, Tim Harvey talks about controlled aggression. That’s been something I’ve had to pay more and more attention to, as over-driving the car is the biggest mistake you can make. Anyone who thinks we just jump in and put the foot to the floor is sorely mistaken!

Do you have any pre-race rituals?I always have a can of Red Bull 15mins before the start of the race to sharpen up my reactions. At Knockhill I augmented this with some Sudafed as I was loaded with the cold!

What is your ultimate career goal?It has to be a shot at the BTCC. I grew up going to Ingleston and Knockhill circuits and I’ve always been a tin-top kid rather than being into open-wheelers. The current NGTC rules seem to be breathing life back in to the series with more and more teams appearing, I think the next few seasons are going to be fantastic.

Who do you think will be BTCC champion at the end of the season?That’s a tough call; I think it will be Matt Neal, I hope it will be Gordon Shedden. Sheds isn’t just the local hero, he’s also one of the fairest and cleanest drivers out there and much like Turkington in 2009, I think he really deserves the title.

MALCOLMMCNAB

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RACE FOR THE TITLECHAMPIONSHIP STANDINGS AFTER 21 OF 30 RACES

DRIVERS CHAMPIONSHIP MANUFACTURER/CONSTRUCTOR INDEPENDENT DRIVERS INDEPENDENT TEAMS

1 Matt Neal 287 1 Honda/Dynamics 661 1 Andrew Jordan 299 1 eBay Motors 3372 Gordon Shedden 277 2 MG/Triple Eight 503 2 Rob Collard 265 2 Pirtek Racing 3303 Jason Plato 251 3 Tom Onslow-Cole 250 3 Redstone Racing 3054 Andrew Jordan 247 TEAMS CHAMPIONSHIP 4 Mat Jackson 233 4 Team ES Racing 2295 Rob Collard 228 1 Honda Yuasa Racing 545 5 Dave Newsham 176 5 Dynojet 1886 Tom Onslow-Cole 209 2 eBay Motors 444 6 Jeff Smith 170 6 Speedworks 1747 Mat Jackson 187 3 Pirtek Racing 372 7 Frank Wrathall 163 7 BINZ Racing 1718 Dave Newsham 146 4 Redstone Racing 317 8 Nick Foster 160 8 Team HARD 1609 Jeff Smith 121 5 MG KX Momentum Racing 305 9 Lea Wood 137 9 Rob Austin Racing 14010 Frank Wrathall 118 6 Team ES Racing.com 171 10 Aron Smith 136 10 Welch Motorsport 13711 Nick Foster 109 7 Dynojet 120 11 Tony Gilham 108 11 AmDTuning.com 10412 Aron Smith 102 8 Rob Austin Racing 94 12 Dan Welch 105 12 Thorney Motorsport 1913 Lea Wood 89 9 BINZ Racing 92 13 Rob Austin 10214 Rob Austin 72 10 Speedworks 85 14 Ollie Jackson 7015 Tony Gilham 71 11 Team HARD 78 15 Liam Griffin 5516 Dan Welch 69 12 Welch Motorsport 73 16 Chris James 5417 Andy Neate 57 13 AmDTuning.com 41 17 Tony Hughes 5018 Paul O’Neill 36 14 Thorney Motorsport 3 18 Paul O’Neill 4619 Ollie Jackson 33 19 Adam Morgan 4220 Liam Griffin 29 20 Will Bratt 3121 Adam Morgan 24 21 Robb Holland 1722 Will Bratt 20 22 John Thorne 523 Chris James 1824 Tony Hughes 1125 Robb Holland 626 John Thorne 0


THE SEASONRACE-BY-RACE RESULTS FOR THE 2012 DUNLOP MSA BRITISH TOURING CAR CHAMPIONSHIP

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30

Matt Neal 2 1 7 3 2 DNF 10 5 2 1 5 1 1 2 4 4 4 8 7 8 3Mat Jackson 7 4 DNF 1 3 EXC 1 3 6 5 DNF 7 8 DNF 12 8 6 4 5 DNF 10Aron Smith DNF DNF 8 8 9 11 7 8 14 DNF 16 DNF 10 DNF DNF 14 10 6 4 6 8Liam Griffin 14 12 11 DNF DNF 14 DNF 17 12 DNF 8 DNF 14 14 DNF / / / / / /Rob Collard 1 6 6 10 8 4 4 7 7 3 14 6 2 5 5 DNF DNC 9 1 1 9Frank Wrathall DNF DNS 13 9 14 7 5 4 3 12 17 9 DNF 8 15 2 5 7 DNF DNS DNSDan Welch 17 11 DNF 12 DNF 8 DNF DNS DNS 6 4 DNF DNF 17 10 5 17 12 12 DNF 12Rob Austin 8 5 5 DNF DNS DNS DNF 18 13 / / / 5 3 7 12 DNF DNF / / /Will Bratt / / / / / / / / / 8 DNF 11 9 18 DNF / / / / / /Dave Newsham DNF 9 3 7 4 DNF 2 6 18 DNF 10 DNF DNF 12 16 EXC 8 1 11 10 1Nick Foster 9 DNF DNS 11 11 12 14 14 11 9 6 8 18 10 8 11 13 13 8 5 7Paul O’Neill / / / / / / / / / / / / 17 DNF 13 / / / 6 4 6Adam Morgan DNF DNS DNF 15 13 DNF DNF DNC DNF DNF DNF DNF 15 20 14 DNF DNF 10 10 DNF 11Tony Gilham 18 13 10 14 7 3 11 9 DNF DNF 11 10 12 11 DNF 13 DNF DNF / / /Robb Holland / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / DNF 14 17 DNF 14 14Tom Onslow-Cole 3 10 DNF 5 10 9 8 13 10 DNF 9 3 7 6 2 6 7 2 2 2 5Lea Wood 11 15 9 DNF 15 10 9 12 8 10 7 5 13 19 DNF 9 9 DNF DNF 13 13Andy Neate 12 14 14 16 12 DNF 16 16 DNF 7 DNF DNF 6 9 9 15 12 15 DNF 12 15Ollie Jackson 13 8 DNF DNC DNS DNS 12 15 15 11 15 15 11 15 DNF DNF 15 14 / / /Tony Hughes 16 16 15 DNF 16 15 DNC 19 16 13 12 14 / / / 16 16 16 / / /Gordon Shedden 5 DNF EXC 2 1 1 6 1 1 4 1 4 3 1 6 7 2 EXC 3 3 DNFJeff Smith 10 7 4 13 6 5 13 11 9 DNF DNS 12 DNF 13 11 10 11 11 14 9 2John Thorne DNF 17 16 DNS DNS DNS / / / / / / / / / / / / / / /Andrew Jordan 6 2 2 6 5 6 DNF 10 5 2 2 DNF 4 4 3 3 1 5 9 7 4Chris James 15 DNF 12 17 DNF 13 15 DNS 17 DNF 13 13 16 16 17 DNF DNF DNF 13 DNF 16Jason Plato 4 3 1 4 DNC 2 3 2 4 DNC 3 2 DNC 7 1 1 3 3 DNF 11 DNF

BOLD denotes pole positionITALICS denotes fastest lap


RACE-BY-RACE RESULTS FOR THE 2012 DUNLOP MSA BRITISH TOURING CAR CHAMPIONSHIP

SO FAR1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30

Matt Neal 2 1 7 3 2 DNF 10 5 2 1 5 1 1 2 4 4 4 8 7 8 3Mat Jackson 7 4 DNF 1 3 EXC 1 3 6 5 DNF 7 8 DNF 12 8 6 4 5 DNF 10Aron Smith DNF DNF 8 8 9 11 7 8 14 DNF 16 DNF 10 DNF DNF 14 10 6 4 6 8Liam Griffin 14 12 11 DNF DNF 14 DNF 17 12 DNF 8 DNF 14 14 DNF / / / / / /Rob Collard 1 6 6 10 8 4 4 7 7 3 14 6 2 5 5 DNF DNC 9 1 1 9Frank Wrathall DNF DNS 13 9 14 7 5 4 3 12 17 9 DNF 8 15 2 5 7 DNF DNS DNSDan Welch 17 11 DNF 12 DNF 8 DNF DNS DNS 6 4 DNF DNF 17 10 5 17 12 12 DNF 12Rob Austin 8 5 5 DNF DNS DNS DNF 18 13 / / / 5 3 7 12 DNF DNF / / /Will Bratt / / / / / / / / / 8 DNF 11 9 18 DNF / / / / / /Dave Newsham DNF 9 3 7 4 DNF 2 6 18 DNF 10 DNF DNF 12 16 EXC 8 1 11 10 1Nick Foster 9 DNF DNS 11 11 12 14 14 11 9 6 8 18 10 8 11 13 13 8 5 7Paul O’Neill / / / / / / / / / / / / 17 DNF 13 / / / 6 4 6Adam Morgan DNF DNS DNF 15 13 DNF DNF DNC DNF DNF DNF DNF 15 20 14 DNF DNF 10 10 DNF 11Tony Gilham 18 13 10 14 7 3 11 9 DNF DNF 11 10 12 11 DNF 13 DNF DNF / / /Robb Holland / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / DNF 14 17 DNF 14 14Tom Onslow-Cole 3 10 DNF 5 10 9 8 13 10 DNF 9 3 7 6 2 6 7 2 2 2 5Lea Wood 11 15 9 DNF 15 10 9 12 8 10 7 5 13 19 DNF 9 9 DNF DNF 13 13Andy Neate 12 14 14 16 12 DNF 16 16 DNF 7 DNF DNF 6 9 9 15 12 15 DNF 12 15Ollie Jackson 13 8 DNF DNC DNS DNS 12 15 15 11 15 15 11 15 DNF DNF 15 14 / / /Tony Hughes 16 16 15 DNF 16 15 DNC 19 16 13 12 14 / / / 16 16 16 / / /Gordon Shedden 5 DNF EXC 2 1 1 6 1 1 4 1 4 3 1 6 7 2 EXC 3 3 DNFJeff Smith 10 7 4 13 6 5 13 11 9 DNF DNS 12 DNF 13 11 10 11 11 14 9 2John Thorne DNF 17 16 DNS DNS DNS / / / / / / / / / / / / / / /Andrew Jordan 6 2 2 6 5 6 DNF 10 5 2 2 DNF 4 4 3 3 1 5 9 7 4Chris James 15 DNF 12 17 DNF 13 15 DNS 17 DNF 13 13 16 16 17 DNF DNF DNF 13 DNF 16Jason Plato 4 3 1 4 DNC 2 3 2 4 DNC 3 2 DNC 7 1 1 3 3 DNF 11 DNF

BOLD denotes pole positionITALICS denotes fastest lap

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Inside BTCC - Issue 14 - Rockingham (September 2012)

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Transcript of Inside BTCC - Issue 14 - Rockingham (September 2012)