As we continue to look back at the previous decade, Motorsport News Editor Matt James reveals his top ten memories from the last ten years of the British Touring Car Championship. Today’s episode reviews the re-introduction of estate/tourer cars into the UK’s biggest championship, stirring memories of the famous Volvo 850 Estate from the mid-nineties...

When: 2014 and 2016-2019

Where: All over the UK

The idea came from three-time champion Matt Neal initially. Having raced the hatchback-shaped Honda Civic Type R, he wanted to raise the profile of the factory-backed campaign for 2014 and took a radical decision. Neal and his Team Dynamics team-mate Gordon Shedden would pilot newly built Honda Civic Tourers for 2014.

The team’s technical director Barry Plowman was tasked with creating the estate-shaped machine. He remembers: “I thought Matt was joking when he first told me about the plan. But it soon became clear that he wasn’t. I took a deep breath.”

The challenges with the size of the Tourer meant that the engineers were always trying to work out how best to overcome the difficulties of having all the weight high up over the rear of the car. However, they chipped away and Shedden took three wins, including at the final round of the season at Brands Hatch, and finished third in the points while Neal was a race winner at Knockhill on his way to eighth in the category. Honda was runner up in the Manufacturer-Constructors competition.

Team Dynamics’ off-the-wall thinking wasn’t alone, as the ambitions BMR Racing squad revisited the idea a couple of seasons later.

BMR Racing’s initial plan for 2016 was to use the Subaru WRX, the hatchback shape which had upheld the Japanese firm’s honour in its last years in the World Rally Championship. Boffins at BMR drew up plans for the machine which had an inherent advantage in terms of its dynamics – the low-slung boxer engine meant that the weight distribution of the chassis was always likely to be advantageous. Also, as it is sold as an all-wheel-drive car, it meant the engineers could opt for rear-wheel-drive in its racing version.

Subaru came on board as a manufacturer entry, but it changed the focus a little. It asked BMR Racing to run the Levorg model instead as it tried to spruce up the image of the estate-shaped car.

BMR built a superb machine and it went on to take 21 wins, making it the fifth most successful NGTC-spec car of all time, and it also claimed the overall drivers’ championship with Ash Sutton at the controls in 2017. Subaru was runner up in the manufacturers contest during that season.

Michael Crees will race under the BTC Racing team banner in the 2020 Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship, completing the Brackley-based outfit’s extended three-car squad line-up for the campaign.

Kent-based Crees fulfilled his lifelong dream of making the BTCC grid last season after a rapid ascent through the ranks from karting to the UK’s premier motorsport series in only his third year of competitive racing.

Taking two Championship titles in his first two seasons of competition in the Ginetta Racing Drivers’ Club and Michelin Ginetta GT4 Supercup, where he notched up an incredible eleven class victories and eight further podium finishes, the 36-year-old’s story has been highly impressive.

Crees’ arrival on the BTCC grid last year was met with huge interest, with the ‘Creesy’ name gathering a loyal and ever-increasing fan following. An impressive debut race during the season opener at his home-circuit, Brands Hatch, netted the Broadstairs-racer a top 12 finish on the Indy layout and opened up his point-scoring tally.

Following up with a best-ever ninth-place finish in race three at Silverstone later in the season, Crees surpassed any expectations he had coming into the series, ending the year as the highest-placed rookie driver from the seven newcomers to the BTCC grid.

Having worked hard over the winter to secure the necessary sponsorship, Crees joins experienced, multi-race winning drivers Josh Cook and Tom Chilton as part of the BTC Racing line-up in the squad’s third Honda Civic Type R FK8.

“I couldn’t believe I was even on the BTCC grid last year to be fair! It was a dream come true,” said Crees. “My goal all along was to finish the year as the top rookie, and I achieved that. Getting a 12^th place finish in my first ever BTCC race was incredible, and then following up with a ninth at Silverstone and making it into the top ten in my first year of touring cars racing was really special.

“I’ve been working non-stop to secure a strong budget to be able to secure a deal this year. A week ago it didn’t look like I’d even have a drive. To go from no seat at all, to signing for a front-running team in only my fourth season of racing is amazing.

“I still have a huge amount to learn and to develop my race-craft. Steve [Dudman] and Bert [Taylor] have taken a calculated risk on me, and we’re going to make it work. Last year was a great steppingstone but coming into the FK8 is going to be a hell of a drive. I’m not going to put myself under too much pressure.

“Josh [Cook] and Tom [Chilton] are seasoned pros. I rate Josh highly and Tom is a fantastic driver who’s been around for a long time. I’m just going to be like a sponge and take in as much as I possibly can from them both.”

“I think this is an exciting signing for BTC Racing. Michael joining us completes what I believe is a very strong line-up for 2020,” said joint Team Principal Bert Taylor. “It’s a great opportunity to give a rookie driver the chance to come and learn his craft in a top-flight team and car. 

“Although he’s relatively new to the grid, he brings great energy to the team and willingness to improve. He should learn a lot from Josh and Tom and will benefit greatly from working with them. I feel sure that the three of them will work well together and we can look forward to lots of success as a team.”

BTCC race winner Senna Proctor will join forces with Excelr8 Motorsport as the team’s first driver announcement for the 2020 Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship.

The 21-year-old has been a regular in the UK’s premier Touring Car series for three seasons. During that time, he’s raced in two different cars and outfits, bringing a range of experience to Excelr8 as the team embark on its new adventure with the Hyundai i30 Fastback N Performance.

Since being founded in 2009, the Excelr8 name has secured 22 motorsport titles and is now looking for success at the highest level of national touring car racing, as the squad prepares for its second season of competition. 2019 saw them secure a top ten finish in the Independent Teams’ Championship, helped by overall points finishes from both drivers.

Proctor is the team’s first signing to be announced following the turn of the decade, as both parties engage for a new chapter of their BTCC careers. 

"I am incredibly excited to be joining Excelr8 Motorsport and I can’t wait to get behind the wheel of the new Hyundai BTCC car,” said Proctor. "When Excelr8 contacted me back in September about the possibility of leading a new car development for them I have to say I was honoured.

"Having met the team at Excelr8, it was clear that they share the same ambitions as me of one day lifting the BTCC crown and with my past experience of front-wheel drive we can grow together and make this become a reality over the next few seasons.

"But it’s one step at a time and we are under no illusion that there will be a lot of hard work ahead for 2020, it will be top ten and hopefully podiums finishes to get the ball rolling.

"I am heading into my fourth season in the BTCC and along with the expertise of Excelr8 Motorsport I think we could be a force to be reckoned with in 2020 and beyond.”

“We are delighted to have attracted Senna to our team,” said founder and team owner Justina Williams. “He is proven in BTCC and will now help lead our new Hyundai i30 development. This will ensure that we continue on our journey towards the sharp end of the BTCC grid and in the longer term to be challenging for BTCC titles together.” 

Team Principal Oliver Shepherd followed up; “2019 was a year of learning for Excelr8 in BTCC, whereas 2020 is the year where the squad we will show that we are not just in BTCC to make up the numbers. Senna joining the team is a massive step towards this aim and we are certain that his raw speed and experience in BTCC will be key ingredients in helping us to make this step up. We are looking forward to working together with Senna to take the fight to the established teams, bring it on!”

The 2020 Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship will see Ciceley Motorsport field an unchanged driver line-up, as Adam Morgan and Daniel Rowbottom remain with the Lancashire-based team for its upcoming BTCC campaign.

Morgan, a seven-time race winner in the BTCC, has been with his family-run squad since 2013 and took his maiden victory in the series one year later at Brands Hatch.

The 31-year-old scored four podiums last season on his way to 12th in the standings, while series newcomer Rowbottom was 28th in the table with four points-scoring outings.

Rowbottom confirmed the unchanged line-up at the Autosport International Show at the NEC in Birmingham while team-mate Adam Morgan was contesting the Dubai 24 Hours in a Ciceley Motorsport-run Mercedes-Benz-AMG GT4 alongside Jack Butel, Jon Minshaw, Katarina Kyvalova and Jake Giddings.

Rowbottom said that the team was busy undergoing an extensive rebuild of the cars over the winter period ahead of the fresh campaign, which kicks off at Donington Park on March 28-29.

Former Renault UK Clio Cup racer Rowbottom said: “Last year was a tough one for us as I was getting to grips with the championship and there was a lot to learn for me personally.

“Ciceley is a team I feel very comfortable with and Adam is a great team-mate to have. We worked well together and we identified areas where we can improve the car over the closed-season, so there will be no rest for the team.”

The second-season driver said that he had targeted success in the Jack Sears Trophy, which is contested between racers who have not scored a BTCC podium at the beginning of the campaign, as his goal for 2020.

“I want to be in a position where I am regularly challenging inside the top 10 and looking towards the podium and I want to able to back up the results that Adam has to move the entire team forward,” added Rowbottom. “I think that is we get some luck with reversed grid draws, we could look for results which are even better than that. It is a really important season for me to build on the progress I have already made.”

Over the first fortnight of the decade, Motorsport News Editor Matt James will continue to reveal his top ten memories from the last ten years of the British Touring Car Championship. The last showdown in James' 'Perfect 10' was the dramatic finale of 2019, where the action, exhilaration and heartache on-track made for one of the most unforgettable finales of the decade.

When: October 13, 2019

Where: Brands Hatch

Fourteen corners and just over three miles. The British Touring Car Championship season in 2019 was that close to its conclusion when the entire picture changed.

The sight of Dan Cammish’s Team Dynamics-run Honda Civic Type R pirouetting into the tyre wall is the overriding image of the year. All the Yorkshire man needed to do was to register a handful of points to claim an unlikely crown, one that would have been won by a dint of hard work and never giving up in the face of extremely long odds.

By rights, Cammish shouldn’t even have been in this position. The WSR BMW 330i M Sports of Colin Turkington and Andrew Jordan had been the class of the season, sharing 11 wins between them.

But Cammish had hung on grimly to their coattails. A succession of podium finishes had kept him in the picture, and when Turkington was in contact with Matt Neal’s Civic in the penultimate race at Brands, the pendulum took an almighty swing. Turkington felt aggrieved that Cammish’s team-mate had been the cause of his delay in race two, claiming it had been a “professional foul”. Emotions were running high in the heat of the battle.

Gone was the BMW man’s advantage and Cammish assumed command of the points. Sure, it was only by eight marks, but he was in control. Turkington started the third race in 25th spot and had it all to do. Cammish could be the master of his own destiny.

Except he wasn’t, as the brakes on his Honda were running hot from the off. He managed the problem as best he could and that even allowed him to let the flying Turkington ahead on lap 12 so the BMW ran in sixth spot. It still wasn’t enough for Turkington if Cammish could hold on. He could, but his brakes couldn’t and they shattered with just a handful of miles remaining.

Cammish was dignified in his defeat and immediately paid credit to his victorious rival. Turkington, who had gone into a title-winning season behind in the points going into the final race for the first time, knew he had driven the race of his life to win, but admitted that he had been fortunate. 

“That was the hardest title I have won,” said the Northern Irishman. “For sure, I thought it was gone after race two. But, in this championship, you just never know what is going to happen. You have to believe, and your hard work reaps rewards. But that was one hell of a race.”

In the unforgettable finale of the 2019 Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship, Colin Turkington took his fourth Drivers’ Championship, making him a record-equalling BTCC titleholder.

Turkington’s start to the 2019 Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship was less than ideal; he left the first event of the year at Brands Hatch 11th in the standings, with teammate Tom Oliphant three points in arrears.

Following this, his climb to the top of the table began, clawing his way to third at the series left Donington Park and joint first by the conclusion of the third weekend of racing.

From this point, at the end of each event, it was the Northern-Irishman leading the title fight. Despite his domination of the standings at the end of each race weekend, it wasn’t an easy road keeping hold of the top spot.

This was never truer than during the 2019 Brands Hatch finale; where his 25th place finish in race two saw rival Dan Cammish overtake the BMW driver’s points tally. This brought the title fight down to the wire as it all rode on the final race of the year.

In what Turkington describes as ‘the race of [his] life’ the 37-year-old fired through the pack, making up ten places in the first lap of the race and proving his determination to not go quietly.

During the final lap of the contest, as a second-place overall finish seemed inevitable for Turkington, Cammish’s Honda suffered brake failure. In the blink of an eye, his Championship dreams were over and the #1 BMW driver’s despair turned to ecstasy.

Turkington’s 2019 season saw an impressive 27 points-finishes, five wins, eight podiums and the top average qualifying – fourth on the grid – all of which paved the way to his record-equalling fourth Championship title.

 “Never in my wildest dreams did I think I would get close to Andy Rouse’s record [of four titles] – that’s amazing and very special. This has been my hardest championship yet by a long shot – to win it two laps from the end of the season is completely different to the other ones. I was in shock when I crossed the finish line and was told I was champion. It was just pure elation – nothing else in life gives you that feeling. I really do feel for both Andrew and Dan – it’s a bitter pill to swallow. You put in a full year’s work to try to win this, and I honestly thought it had got away from me after race two.”

 - Colin Turkington

https://www.facebook.com/OfficialBTCC/videos/516606285796330/?t=138

Tom Chilton will compete as part of the expanded three-car BTC Racing line-up for its 2020 Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship campaign after penning a deal to join the Brackley-based outfit over the winter.

The 2010 Indy Champion has enjoyed a hugely successful BTCC career since making his debut back in 2002. At the time, he was the youngest driver to ever make the grid at just 17 years old and he made an instant mark on the series, taking fifth in the Independents’ standings.

Works drives for Honda, Vauxhall, and Ford followed as Chilton established himself as a rising BTCC star before switching to the World Touring Car Championship stage in 2012. Returning to the UK in 2017 after a stellar five-year stint in the WTCC, where he secured the Independents’ Title and placed third overall in his final season, Chilton quickly re-established himself as a serious title challenger.

With an incredible 14 outright BTCC race wins and 57 podiums under his belt, the 34-year-old has been a consistent championship contender during his impressive tin-top career, coming close to clinching the Drivers’ title in 2018, where he finished third overall, and as Independent runner-up.

Chilton brings a wealth of experience to the fledging BTC Racing squad for its 2020 title challenge, piloting one of the Dudman/Taylor-owned team’s race-winning Honda Civic Type R FK8 machines, alongside Josh Cook. BTC Racing ended last year’s maiden season running the FK8s in fourth place overall in the Teams’ and Drivers’ Championships, and as runners-up in both Independents’ Standings.

“I’m incredibly excited about joining BTC Racing,” said Chilton. “The team did a sterling job last year. To have ended the season fourth overall and as Independent runners-up in their first season running the FK8 chassis was an outstanding achievement.

“I can’t wait to get testing underway. I have a great history with Honda, and I’m really looking forward to getting back in one again, and behind the wheel of the FK8.

“Josh [Cook] is a great driver, and I like having good team-mates to push me. I’d like to think that with my years of experience I can bring something new to the team and help to push them on at the sharp end of the grid.

“BTC Racing is a relatively young team, but their attitude and performance caught my eye last year. I like their approach and professionalism. I’m optimistic about the future that we can build together, not just for this season, but hopefully for many years moving forward.”

Joint team Principal Bert Taylor added; “Personally I couldn’t be happier to have captured Tom. You only have to look back over his racing career to see what a true talent he is.

“Tom’s signing is another part of our plan to push forward and challenge for the BTCC title in 2020. He brings a wealth of experience and talent to the team, and I have no doubt that his knowledge will help to develop the Civic further this season.

“We have two great drivers confirmed in Tom and Josh [Cook] with a third to be announced soon. We have come a very long way in a short time. I feel that we have one of the strongest line-ups on the grid this year for what will be only our fourth season in the BTCC.”

Throughout the next fortnight, Motorsport News Editor Matt James will continue to reveal his top ten memories from the last ten years of the British Touring Car Championship. It's another one of the BTCC's legendary showdowns today: 2015.

When: October 11, 2015

Where: Brands Hatch

Realistically it was all about Jason Plato versus Gordon Shedden for the 2015 championship spoils. Plato had taken his BMR Racing VW CC to five victories going into the finale at Brands Hatch in early October, while Shedden had four wins in his Team Dynamics Honda Civic Type R. Despite that, Shedden had the upper hand by 23 points as the teams assembled in Kent for the final showdown.

That buffer had been chipped away slightly after the opening race on the grand prix track as the Scotsman finished sixth in the first encounter, right behind Plato.

But it was race two where the real drama unfolded. Shedden dropped to 16th spot on the first lap and knew that all was not right with his Japanese machine.

A pinched brake pipe had led to the anchors remaining partially on throughout the race, and his Civic lacked the real punch that he needed to make any progress at all. It was a painful 15 laps for the Honda man, who was aiming for his second BTCC title.

He was powerless to prevent slipping down the order further as the brake discs on his hatchback glowed red hot. There was a very real chance that he wouldn’t finish the race, but he made it to the flag in 19th spot.

With Plato taking his chances and, from a handy front-row start in the reversed-grid finale, going on to dominate the very last race, the pressure was on Shedden. He had to climb from 19th to sixth position (at least) to land the big prize.

He began one of the races of his life to tear up the lower order. He was in the top ten after just nine laps and then set about his rivals one by one to cross the line in fourth spot. That was enough for the crown by a slender four points in one of the category’s most memorable finales.

Shedden admitted afterwards that he had put everything on the line in those 18 laps in a car that was shorn of any success ballast after his travails earlier in the afternoon. “I knew that I was either going to do enough to win the title, or end up on my roof in the tyre barrier. I was going to give it everything I had,” said Shedden afterwards. “I did, and it paid off. Why doesn’t this championship get any easier?”

It certainly doesn’t, but Shedden became the first driver for almost ten years to claim back-to-back titles with another successful campaign in 2016.

Trade Price Cars Racing has today (9 January) confirmed that reigning MINI Challenge champion James Gornall will complete its driver line-up for the 2020 Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship season.

The 35-year-old from Bedford, who will be making his series debut with the second-year team as part of a new-look driver line-up alongside the recently announced Bobby Thompson, brings a wealth of experience from a hugely successful racing career to date.

A multiple champion in karting, Gornall - known to his fans as Jiggy - carried his success into car racing with a championship victory in BARC Formula Renault, but it was a move into the British GT Championship in 2008 that saw his career hit new heights.

Racing alongside Jon Barnes in a Brookspeed-run Dodge Viper, Gornall secured the championship title thanks to an unrivalled tally of four wins - wrapping up the crown with two races of the season still to run.

The same season also saw Gornall take a class win in the Silverstone 24 Hours with the Beechdean Motorsport team before a hiatus from racing that would run through to 2014 when he elected to return to competition in the BMW Compact Cup.

Racing against Trade Price Cars Racing team owner Dan Kirby, Gornall secured second in the standings in 2015 and then went one better twelve months later to lift the championship title.

After a strong guest appearance in the MINI Challenge in 2018, Gornall then worked to put together a full-season programme in the series in 2019, with five wins - and an impressive 13 podiums - allowing the BRDC member to secure another championship title.

That championship success resulted in Gornall securing the chance to sample a BTCC machine for the first time, with an outing in a Ford Focus RS at Snetterton only strengthening his desire to make the step up to the BTCC for the 2020 campaign.

Gornall has now agreed terms on a deal to move into Britain’s premier motor racing series with Trade Price Cars Racing, which will be looking to add to the silverware it secured on track during an impressive debut campaign.

The award-winning, Essex-based motor dealership took the step into team ownership in 2019 and celebrated a first win in the series at Knockhill, regularly taking the fight to the established order with its ever-improving Audi S3s.

Gornall will make his debut in the Trade Price Cars Racing Audi when the new season kicks off at Donington Park in late March.
 
"When I decided to enter the MINI Challenge last season, it was with the aim of learning the skills required to move into British Touring Cars in the future, as I’d never raced in front-wheel drive before,” said Gornall. “The test I did in the Focus as a reward for winning the title only increased my desire to join the grid, as I felt comfortable straight away and knew that I would be able to do myself justice.

"I’ve known Dan [Kirby] for a few years from our time racing against each other in the Compact Cup, and we had a chat about his plans for the touring cars with the Audis twelve months ago at Autosport International. I’ve kept a keen interest in how things have been going since then, and it’s great that I’m now going to be part of the team for my debut season in the BTCC.

"As a driver, you always want to win races and if you don’t go into a new season feeling you can win, then you won’t do. The team has shown that it can fight for victories and that has to be my target in 2020; to fight for silverware and to challenge for both the Independents’ title and the Jack Sears Trophy.

"I’m looking forward to working alongside Bobby and think we can have a lot of fun during the season ahead. A huge thanks to Dan and the team for making this deal happen, and I can’t wait to get started."

"On the back of our 2019 season, there was a lot of interest in the Audis and a lot of speculation about who would be at the wheel,” said Trade Price Cars’ team owner Dan Kirby. “I’m really pleased to now welcome James into the team. I’ve raced against him in the past, and you only have to look at the success he has enjoyed in his career to date to see what a talented driver he is.

"As a newcomer to the series, James is a driver who fans might not be too familiar with. However, I’m confident that they will soon see what James can do when the season gets underway as you don’t become a six-time British champion in a range of disciplines without being a quick driver. James has a winning mentality, and I’m looking forward to seeing him make his mark on the BTCC during his maiden season.

"With James alongside Bobby, I think we’ve put together an exciting driver pairing that will allow us to build on the success we enjoyed in our first year, and I’m confident that we’ll make a real impression again in 2020."

It has today (9 January) been confirmed that Sam Osborne will be joining the AmD Tuning team for the 2020 Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship.

The 26-year-old will be embarking on his second season in Britain’s premier motor racing series with the West Thurrock-based outfit, and will be at the wheel of one of the team’s two race-winning Honda Civic Type Rs.

Having previously raced in the MINI Challenge and the Renault Clio Cup UK, Osborne made his touring car debut in 2019 after securing a late deal to join Excelr8 Motorsport at the wheel of an MG6 GT.

Osborne secured a best finish of 14th during the season after an impressive drive at Snetterton, where he picked up his maiden points finish in the series.

The Worksop-based driver concluded his first campaign in the series just outside the top 20 in the Independents’ championship, whilst he was also well placed in the Forever Forward standings having made up more than 90 spots from his starting positions over the course of the 30 race campaign.

Having worked hard to gain as much knowledge as possible from his debut season, Osborne now heads into 2020 looking to make the most of the expertise of the AmD Tuning team - and the undoubted potential of the Honda - to make strides forwards up the grid.

Running alongside race-winner Jake Hill, Osborne will hope to regularly challenge for points finishes, with his overall goal being to challenge for honours in the Jack Sears Trophy - which is open to drivers who hadn’t achieved a podium finish prior to the campaign’s commencement.

Osborne will make his debut in the Honda when the 2020 season gets underway at his home circuit of Donington Park in late March.

AmD Tuning’s new-look livery and sponsor line-up for the new campaign will be revealed in due course.

"I’m ecstatic about this deal and can’t wait for the new season to get underway,” said Osborne. “To be honest, it hasn’t really sunk in yet, but this is a fantastic opportunity for me and one that I want to try and grab with both hands.

"From the moment I first spoke to Shaun, I knew that this was the right deal for me and I’m hoping that this can be the start of something long term with the team. There is little doubt that my rookie season had its challenges, but I’m hopeful that the Honda is a car that will be better suited to my driving style and that I can work with the team and with Jake to learn as much as possible and make progress up the order.

"To regularly challenge for points finishes is the first objective and if I could then make a bid for the Jack Sears Trophy it would be fantastic."

"Sam is a driver who did a solid job during the 2019 season when you consider that he went into his first year in the series with very little testing and with a team that was new to the BTCC,” said Team Principal Shaun Hollamby. “It’s a big step up from the Clio Cup, and he showed himself to be more than capable of racing at this level.

"With a year of experience behind him, Sam’s goal now has to be to make the step forward to challenge for points on a regular basis and we certainly feel that that is something that he can do during the year ahead. The Jack Sears Trophy is a realistic goal, and it would be great if he could help us challenge for the title for a third time.

"Sam and Jake have known each other for a number of years and our hope is that they can work together to challenge for some strong results in 2020."