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
- 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
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