Reid Back in BTCC!

[Yellow Fever]

Anthony Reid has been hired by West Surrey Racing/Team RAC to ride shotgun for current championship leader Colin Turkington over the final three weekends - 9 races. Having worked with WSR and Turkington previously in MGs, Reid will fit in straight away and the BMW is obviously competitive, although he has to carry 45Kg penalty for 'joining the championship at a late stage'.
Reid has only just returned from Argentina where he has been racing in their TC2000 touring car formula for Honda, scoring 2nd in the big race in Bueons Aires, so he's battle hardened and up to speed. He out qualified and out raced Alain Menu this year, for example and has beaten Giovanardi in the recent past there.
Don't forget he is the the reigning BTCC 'Champion of Champions' having beaten Plato and the cream of the crop of nineties and noughties drivers to win that one!
Should be an entertaining finish to BTCC 2009 to say the least

[VladD]

Can't wait to see him, Plato and Neil on the circuit together. Haven't seen any decent banger racing for ages.

[jellison]

Bring it on - my comments http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&a...

[chevronb37]

Awesome news! He's still on top form.

[Yellow Fever]

Funny, but out of the car Reid and Plato are big mates. When Reid gets in the car a big switch in his head goes from the 'Gentleman' position to 'Competitor' setting and he is such a tough guy. He's been chosen over the dozens of younger drivers who desperately want to be in the car because of this ability to be hard when it's needed - oh, and the fact he is very, very quick and always was.

[jellison]

Alot just don't have that SWITCH!

[Yellow Fever]

LOL Jellison, spot on. He is the easiest bloke to get on with out of the car and the hardest bas***d to race with in it

[BMR]

I suppose this isn't a question of budget needed to run the 3rd car, thankfully. For once in the BTCC it's a good talented driver we're getting to help Turkington out.

[kusee pee]

Excellent news! I've always been a Reid fan - and he always goes for the fastest time up the hill at Goodwood each year, irrespective of what he's driving. A top guy.

[Yellow Fever]

Exactly so BMR. Let's face it, this year the BTCC has somewhat lacked depth of talent in the field and likewise for 'characters'. It has turned some fans off as a result. We want drivers who are competitive and bring along some entertainment value.
Provided that 45Kg of ballast doesn't cripple the car, we can look forward to some real racing over these last three weekends.

[Yellow Fever]

Kusee - too right, how many others drivers have beaten a fleet of F1 cars in a Touring Car!

[jellison]

Yellow Fever said:

LOL Jellison, spot on. He is the easiest bloke to get on with out of the car and the hardest bas***d to race with in it

Indeed and been out running in the Marsh Plant Ex-Gerry Marshall 600bhp Monster in AMOC SGT amongst other stuff (these toy cars in the BTCC will be no probs for him).

http://www.amoc.org/index.php?option=com_content&a...

[chevronb37]

jellison said:

Yellow Fever said:

LOL Jellison, spot on. He is the easiest bloke to get on with out of the car and the hardest bas***d to race with in it

Indeed and been out running in the Marsh Plant Ex-Gerry Marshall 600bhp Monster in AMOC SGT amongst other stuff (these toy cars in the BTCC will be no probs for him).

http://www.amoc.org/index.php?option=com_content&a...

I was heart broken when that dropped out of the Silverstone round earlier this year. While I don't think anyone could match the drama of Gerry in that car, Reid is doing a superb job. Hopefully there'll be plenty of oppostition for him and Ellis in forthcoming races...

[Yellow Fever]

Mighty Aston, mighty driver - winning combination

His season in 2006 in FIA GT3 in a Dodge Viper with paraplegic French driver Gilles Duqueine produced some goos results as well, here pictured at Silverstone in the first ever FIA GT3 race which they led! They had two podiums, one that weekend at Silverstone and one which should have been a win but for an apparent lap scoring error at Oschersleben caused by a Safety Car cockup

http://www.crash.net/fia+gt/pictureArchive/0/45/20...

[chevronb37]

You have a much better memory than me, I'd forgotten all about that. I was at British GT at Oulton Park and FIA GT at Silverstone that year. Must've been doing this too long!

[Yellow Fever]

Unfair advantage Chevron, I worked for the team which ran Reidy in the Viper in 2006! An unforgettable experience.

Our best weekend was at the Pau GT race where British GT3 and French GT3 raced together. Reidy partnered with another BTCC veteran, Ian Khan. The team had a 1-2-3 with our three Vipers. Reid/Khan were set to win when the organisers black flagged them to let another of our cars crewed by two local lads through to win!

[jellison]

chevronb37 said:

jellison said:

Yellow Fever said:

LOL Jellison, spot on. He is the easiest bloke to get on with out of the car and the hardest bas***d to race with in it

Indeed and been out running in the Marsh Plant Ex-Gerry Marshall 600bhp Monster in AMOC SGT amongst other stuff (these toy cars in the BTCC will be no probs for him).

http://www.amoc.org/index.php?option=com_content&a...

I was heart broken when that dropped out of the Silverstone round earlier this year. While I don't think anyone could match the drama of Gerry in that car, Reid is doing a superb job. Hopefully there'll be plenty of oppostition for him and Ellis in forthcoming races...

Hopefully with the 4v heads on it they can take the fit to the Ellis car. They should forget the DB7 V12.

[jellison]

Just read this stupid rule on Crash for late championship entries:-

"It's going to be tough for him, never having driven the car before and having to carry maximum ballast of 45kgs (as a late entry penalty), but we expect him to be quickly up to speed and right up there in the races."

From Dick Bennetts, is this just for the first race when a new person comes in or ALL. IF ALL, well I think that is Utter bks and might just have to not watch if that is the case, some one tell me it isn't!?

[FNG]

James Thompson came into the series partway through and carried max ballast for his first race. He isn't doing now. So Reid will carry the ballast that he's due from the results of race 1 same as everyone else.

[jellison]

FNG said:

James Thompson came into the series partway through and carried max ballast for his first race. He isn't doing now. So Reid will carry the ballast that he's due from the results of race 1 same as everyone else.

That is not so bad then. He should have the hang of the car by the end of first race.