Friday 25th March 2011

Record Grid Revealed For 2011 BTCC

A whopping 27 drivers set to compete in 10 different makes

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The Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship (BTCC to normal people) has revealed a record entry for the 2011 grid of 13 different car models from ten different manufacturers.

This beats the previous record of nine makes and 11 models, set in 1993 under the old 2.0-litre super touring rules.

Audi, BMW, Chevrolet, Ford, Honda, Proton, SEAT, Toyota, Vauxhall and Volkswagen will all be represented, with a total of 27 entries for the season.

It's not quite got back the cachet of the BTCC of the 1990s, mind, nor the depth of official manufacturer involvement.

Having said that, official 'factory' teams from Chevrolet and Honda feature on the entry list, Ford has chosen the championship to debut the competition version of its new 2011 Focus (in the hands of the independent Team Aon squad), and Toyota GB are funding an engine development programme for customer teams running its Avensis to the new NGTC regulations.

As well as the Toyota, the Proton and Audi entries are also built to NGTC specifications.

You can catch the new cars (and old ones), in the hands of seasoned campaigners such as Jason Plato, Matt Neal and Gordon Shedden and new BTCC blood such as Clio cup champ Dave Newsham and Ginetta GT Supercup champ Frank Wrathall in the first meeting of the season at Brands hatch on 3rd April.

ENTRY LIST: 2011 DUNLOP MSA BRITISH TOURING CAR CHAMPIONSHIP

No. Driver (NAT), Hometown, County, Team/Car

1. Jason Plato (GBR), Oxford, Silverline Chevrolet/Chevrolet Cruze

2. Matt Neal (GBR), Droitwich Spa, Worcs, Honda Racing Team/Honda Civic

5. Tom Chilton (GBR) Reigate, Surrey & Poole, Dorset, Team Aon/‘Global’ Ford Focus       

7. Mat Jackson (GBR), Henley-in-Arden, Warks, Airwaves Racing/Ford Focus

8. Robert Collard (GBR), Hook, Hants, WSR/BMW 320si

11. Frank Wrathall (GBR), Preston, Lancs, Dynojet/Toyota Avensis

12. David Pinkney (GBR), Harpenden, Herts, Rob Austin Racing/Audi A4

13. TBA, Rob Austin Racing/Audi A4

14. James Nash (GBR), Newport Pagnell, Bucks, 888 Racing with Collins Contractors/Vauxhall Vectra

17. Dave Newsham (GBR), Inverness, Scotland, Geoff Steel Racing/BMW 320si

18. Nick Foster (GBR), Odiham, Hampshire, WSR/BMW 320si

20. Alex MacDowall (GBR), Carlisle, Cumbria, Silverline Chevrolet/Chevrolet Cruze

22. Tom Boardman (GBR), Preston, Lancs, Special Tuning Racing/SEAT Leon

28. John George (GBR), Par, Cornwall & Guernsey, GoMobileUK.com with tech-Speed/Chevrolet Cruze

29. Paul O’Neill (GBR), Widnes, Cheshire, GoMobileUK.com with tech-Speed/Chevrolet Cruze

34. Tony Gilham (GBR), Dartford, Kent, 888 Racing with Collins Contractors/Vauxhall Vectra

42. Daniel Welch (GBR), Fleet, Hampshire, Welch Automotive/Proton Gen-2**

43. Lea Wood (GBR), Hereford, Central Group Racing/Honda Integra*

44. Andy Neate (GBR), Aylesbury, Bucks, Team Aon/‘Global’ Ford Focus

50. Tony Hughes (GBR), Knutsford, Cheshire, Speedworks Motorsport/Toyota Avensis

52. Gordon Shedden (GBR), Dalgety Bay, Fife, Honda Racing Team/Honda Civic

55. Jeff Smith (GBR), Wellingborough, Northants, Pirtek Racing/Vauxhall Vectra

66. Liam Griffin (GBR), Essendon, Herts, Airwaves Racing/Ford Focus   

77. Andrew Jordan (GBR), Lichfield, Staffs, Pirtek Racing/Vauxhall Vectra

78. Chris James (GBR), Luton, Beds, Team ES Racing.com/Chevrolet Lacetti

99. Tom Onslow Cole (GBR), New Malden, Surrey, TBA

TBA. TBA, TBA, Team Aon/‘Global’ Ford Focus         

Key

- Cars numbers 1, 2, 20 & 52 eligible for Manufacturer and Constructor championships

- Cars numbers 5, 44 & TBA eligible for Constructor championship

- All cars except numbers 1, 2, 20 & 52 eligible for Independent championships

- Cars numbers 1, 8, 17, 18, 20, 28, 29 & 78 all full S2000-spec

- Cars numbers 2, 5, 7, 14, 22, 34, 44, 52, 55, 66, 77, 99 & TBA all S2000/NGTC-engine

- Cars numbers 11, 12, 13, 42 & 50 all full NGTC-spec

* Entry from Oulton Park

** Entry from Snetterton

TBA To be Advised

[muppet42]

Hoping they all make it up to Knockhill this year, would be quite a sight seeing all those cars blast round such a relatively short circuit

[EDLT]

I think the limit is 32, and according to the rumours thread there are about 35 drivers trying to organise car. We might see a full grid at some point in the season!

[IainW]

muppet42 said:

Hoping they all make it up to Knockhill this year, would be quite a sight seeing all those cars blast round such a relatively short circuit

I predict the usual story of them not budgeting for Knockhill and it being too far away. We always get short-changed up here when it comes to the national series visiting.

[KJR]

IainW said:

I predict the usual story of them not budgeting for Knockhill and it being too far away. We always get short-changed up here when it comes to the national series visiting.

Even less likely to come up when they see the new "hot dog" kerbs !

[SimonL]

- Cars numbers 1, 2, 20 & 52 eligible for Manufacturer and Constructor championships

- Cars numbers 5, 44 & TBA eligible for Constructor championship

- All cars except numbers 1, 2, 20 & 52 eligible for Independent championships

- Cars numbers 1, 8, 17, 18, 20, 28, 29 & 78 all full S2000-spec

- Cars numbers 2, 5, 7, 14, 22, 34, 44, 52, 55, 66, 77, 99 & TBA all S2000/NGTC-engine

- Cars numbers 11, 12, 13, 42 & 50 all full NGTC-spec


Nice & simple to follow then....

[williamp]

Glad Paul O'Neil has got a drive. Wonder how long before the old Honda makes an appearence!

[MG CHRIS]

Good news about the 27 car entry list but 2 cars will not be out till later on in the season. Few teams are missing bamboo and forster and only 1 car from str when they have 4. So 25 cars at brands and probably more to enter between now and the first race. Cant wait. Also thornley motorsport has been mentioned to enter and mayby a return of gio.

[bicycleshorts]

KJR said:

Even less likely to come up when they see the new "hot dog" kerbs !

Bit O/T but wtf is a hot dog kerb and which corners have they installed them on?

[A Scotsman]

bicycleshorts said:

Bit O/T but wtf is a hot dog kerb and which corners have they installed them on?

They're a "hump" that looks like half a sausage and they have been built on the inside of most corners. They are potentially lethal. If you get pushed onto one then they are so high that it would be easy to break your suspension and could also result in a car rolling.

This is Knockhill's answer to corner cutting whereas what they should have done was to use a that's prepared to penalise drivers properly.

[wackojacko]

Silverstone or Brands and i'm happy for this year........ ITV serves it's purpose for the rest


Can't wait I actually prefer BTCC and the supporting series to F1.

[slipstream 1985]

A Scotsman said:

bicycleshorts said:

Bit O/T but wtf is a hot dog kerb and which corners have they installed them on?

They're a "hump" that looks like half a sausage and they have been built on the inside of most corners. They are potentially lethal. If you get pushed onto one then they are so high that it would be easy to break your suspension and could also result in a car rolling.

This is Knockhill's answer to corner cutting whereas what they should have done was to use a that's prepared to penalise drivers properly.

id imagine it would be too hard to police who has gone too far. allow everyone to cut as much as they want to but having a risk "the raised bumps"

[muppet42]

KJR said:

Even less likely to come up when they see the new "hot dog" kerbs !

A good proportion of the fun at Knockhill is seeing how long the plastic bollards last Dust getting kicked up as they cut the corners or fly off if they misjudge it is also a great spectacle. I'm hoping the kerbs aren't quite as bad as you say, if so a lot of that could well disappear

Would really like to make the trip down though to see some of the other races. Especially Brands Hatch

[Don't Lift]

These "Hot Dog" curbs sound interesting. I wonder how that might affect the safety of the bikes.

[randombloke]

Am i reading that right or have my eyes just gone nuts,,,

Vauxhall Vectra??

[dinkel]

Well, I remember a certain Volvo Estate being particulary successfull back in the late 80s.

[GT Kodiak]

randombloke said:

Am i reading that right or have my eyes just gone nuts,,,

Vauxhall Vectra??

Was it Andrew Jordan in the PIRTEK Vauxhall last yer??

Did pretty well iirc.

[Munich]

Only GBR drivers... A big field of cars, but not as international as the BTCC once was.

[chazwozza]

May follow this, this year. Looks to be half decent, nice day out at Brands in the sun I hope...

[Retset]

Always been my favourite racing series. Looking forward to a good grid this year with plenty of the old favourite drivers and some new blood.

Also I keenly anticipate the Avensis - never thought I'd say this but the new one looks a good car in road and NGTC versions.

Did I really say that out loud?

[KJR]

A Scotsman said:

bicycleshorts said:

Bit O/T but wtf is a hot dog kerb and which corners have they installed them on?

They're a "hump" that looks like half a sausage and they have been built on the inside of most corners. They are potentially lethal. If you get pushed onto one then they are so high that it would be easy to break your suspension and could also result in a car rolling.

This is Knockhill's answer to corner cutting whereas what they should have done was to use a that's prepared to penalise drivers properly.

I am sure I heard Ian Forrest say that they are "FIA Approved" as the track had its "once every four years" FIA inspection over the winter.

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