Breeze replaces Pyper, Buxton replaces Breeze!

[cos]

Bit of a shock... but I guess Gavin just doesn't have the money. Good to see Buxton *finally* step up to the BTCC.
Danny Buxton will carry #30 on his car.

[lauz]

it is a shame for pyper to have lost his drive especially since he was leading the indapendents championship. good to see that danny buxton has been given a chance in the touring carz, im sure that he will drive well for team halfords. and im sure that carl breeze will get some decent results in the astra, even if it will take a few laps to adjust to the car.

[John]

This is great news for Danny - been watching the clio races this year and know how much he deserves the drive. I presume he wont be racing the clio anymore, which is a shame as he was looking good for the title, but a BTCC drive is best in the long run.

As for the other changes - not sure why Carl is off to GA - am I right in thinking there were some disagreements between him and Vic Lee? That would probably explain it if true. And I guess Pypers run out of money and Carl has some to fund the drive?

Oh well, should make Croft interesting anyway!

[Claire]

Has this been confirmed by anyone, if so it's quite a shock, leaves the independants wide open as far as Rob and James are concerend. Great that Danny is having the chance to finally make the step up to the BTCC, perhaps Carl feels that GA can offer him something VLR can't at the moment and that's a reliable car. Shame that Gavin is the one to miss out in all this but I'm sure once the budget is sorted we will see him back.

[cos]

It's on the trusty site-with-the-blue-background if that helps.

[Claw]

As far as i'm concerned Collard has the indies rapped up! :D

[Les]

well we should see now how good Carl really is.

I think Buxton must be pretty desperate to get into a touring car to take on the Pug. Not to be nasty to Vic and co but that's not the most reliable car out there but we will see.

As for the independents championship. It isn't THAT sewn up. Season is only half gone and you just don't know what is round the next bend.

[Amanda]

I wondered how long it would be before this news came out ~ I heard it last week from a very reliable source but was sworn to secrecy!;)

I think it is a great shame that Gavin is the one to lose out, especially as he is leading the championship. I hope he manages to sort out a budget and that we seem him back again very soon.

It will be interesting to see how Carl Breeze gets on at Croft, now that he has a quick and reliable car.

[Cleland Fan]

In my eyes Pyper and Howell should be in those 2 Astras this weekend. Motorsport is so unfair at times.

[Claw]

That thread where Carl had an arguement with Vic Lee has come true and he's outta Halfords.

But I din't see why Carl should get another chance in Touring Cars.

[bramble]

Pleased to see Buxton in the BTCC, I was beginning to wonder if we would ever get a drive. I hope he makes a good first impression.

[ajphoto 4]

It is good to see that Carl will finally get a chance to show his full potential in a leading car. I have read with dismay some of the comments made about Carl over the last couple of weeks and kept quiet but would now like to take this opportunity to point out a few facts, little known as they might be, about Carl's racing career.

Carl has won 5 championships in karting as well as the Formula Renault championship, which he won with a 100% finishing record in 2001, (during his championship year he scored more pole positions than Kimi Raikonnen did the year he won), all this from the year when Formula Renault adopted a onemake chassis formula placing the emphasis back on driving talent. This earned him a nomination for McLaren Autosport Young Driver of the Year.

He also won an International Sports Car Race at Le Mans in a Marcos in 1998 and with only 10 laps practise in the car stuck it on pole position.

Now that you have some of the facts about his career maybe you'll let him settle into his new drive and let his ability shine through.

[Peter]

It's great news to see Danny finally in the British Touring Car Championship. I always thought he was one of the unlucky driver, whom the teams had missed. I just hope the reliability of the 307 holds, therefore he is given a fair crack at the nut.

It will also be interesting to see how Carl does at Croft. I refuse to believe the guy lacks talent, considering he won the Formula Renault Championship in 2001- the year after a certain Kimi Raikkonen managed the same feat.

[motormouth]

Carl's been under a lot of pressure at VLR, and frustrated at the car's lack of progress. Once he's relaxed and settled, watch him go! Trust me!

[Ed- the MG fan]

So its fairly obvious Collard will win the Indy trophy this years. No offense to James Kaye, but he's not very quick in his car.
And the Pug 307s are just off the pace, even the rubbish JSM Alfa's were quicker

[cos]

If Collard does win it's not as if it was undeserved - he has held his own in his provate team against the arguably more professional GA Motorsports. Don't forget Breeze though, he's about 30 points off the indie lead, and that can be made up in the course of a weekend, especially with the competitive car he now has.