Team Shredded Wheat Racing with DUO made the most of its mid-season break from the Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship to visit the Shredded Wheat factory in Staverton, Wiltshire last week.

The Kent-based team made the journey south-west for a planned employee day to the impressive Cereal Partners site, giving all of the staff based there the chance to meet BTCC drivers Mat Jackson and Martin Depper and to celebrate the squad’s successful race weekend at Croft just prior to the visit.

The day was a resounding success with great interaction from those on site as they made the most of the opportunity to meet the team, have a look around the race-winning Ford Focus ST, and even compete against each other during the popular pit-stop challenge for the chance to win VIP tickets to the season finale at Brands Hatch in October. An internal raffle was also held with the lucky winners taking away exclusive signed team kit from the event.

Vandu Patel, Brand Manager for Shredded Wheat said: “It was brilliant having the Team Shredded Wheat Racing with DUO guys come down to the Staverton factory. It was a great opportunity to create a brand experience for everyone to get involved in and there were a lot of very happy petrol heads!

“The 30 degree heat certainly provided an endurance test for the guys but their enthusiasm and energy stayed high all day;” she added. “The day was our chance to really engage with our factory team - especially for those who haven’t yet had the chance to make it along to a BTCC event – and the feedback we’ve received has been excellent.”

In addition to the employee activity, the Motorbase crew also enjoyed a guided tour of the automated factory and combined heat and power plant which is housed on-site.

“It was great to get the chance to meet everyone at the Shredded Wheat factory,” commented Team Manager Oly Collins. “We were really well looked after and the level of support and interest for the team from everyone at Staverton was a real boost for us all. We always enjoy these types of events away from the pressures of a race weekend, it offers up opportunities to spend time with the staff that wouldn’t normally get to come to the BTCC races and they’re always good fun.

“It was fascinating to see the Shredded Wheat factory in action, it’s a very impressive set-up and the tour carried out by Gary Woodhouse was a real highlight.”

Luke Davenport has confirmed he is on the road to recovery after speaking to Tin Top Tuesday from his hospital bed yesterday (27 June).

The Team Shredded Wheat Racing with Duo driver was injured in the multi-car crash during qualifying at Croft, in an incident which also saw both Aron Taylor-Smith and Jeff Smith hospitalised.

Aron and Jeff have since left hospital, albeit with their own significant injuries to overcome, but it was Davenport’s condition that caused the greatest concern to doctors.

Luke was placed into a medically induced coma at the James Cook Hospital in Middlesbrough after suffering multiple chest injuries, lung damage, a broken right leg, a broken pelvis, broken right arm, a broken collarbone and concussion.

He was woken from his coma last week and remains in hospital, but has thankfully begun his physiotherapy and rehabilitation programme.

“I have only started eating proper food in the last few days now they have taken all the intake tubes out,” he said in an interview with Tin Top Tuesday. “I have got straight back into the habit, and mentally that has given me a boost.

“I still get tired quickly but I am just starting physio now. The physio had me sat off the end of the bed today, and that has all gone really well.

“I can bend both knees and I feel good. I am just desperate to start cracking on with physio really.

“The support has been unbelievable. I could be my phone all day to go through all the messages. It has been huge. I keep having soppy moments but I think that must just be the drugs I am on!

“They are looking after me well in hospital has been amazing. The resources we have in touring cars is so strong when an accident like this happens.

Davenport also gave special mention to the BTCC Medical Team and everyone who assisted with the accident at Croft earlier this month.

“The people they had on hand to help us out was so impressive,” he added.

“Apparently, it took them about an hour and a half to get me out of the car and if you think about the intricacies of that and the level those doctors work at – and to be faced with three badly injured drivers – then hats off to them.”

Tin Top Tuesday will carry the full interview with Davenport in its episode released later today. It can be found at soundcloud.com/tintoptuesday.

Reigning BTCC champion team boss Dick Bennetts celebrates his 70^th birthday today (Monday, 26 June) and the renowned engineer is looking stronger than ever!

Bennetts’ West Surrey Racing organisation has achieved huge success since entering the Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship in 1996, winning 14 overall and independents’ titles.

Neither show any sign of slowing up yet either with the Sunbury-on-Thames organisation having taken BMW and Team BMW to the head of this year’s BTCC Manufacturers’ and Teams’ Championships and having guided drivers Colin Turkington, Rob Collard and Andrew Jordan to victories.

Born and raised in Dunedin, New Zealand, in 1947, a young Bennetts arrived in the UK in his 20s as an engineering graduate and former (not very good; his words) competitor with a determination to succeed in motorsport.

After coming to prominence as a championship-winning race engineer for Niki Lauda and Stefan Johansson – both as part of Ron Dennis’s Project 4 organisation, Bennetts established West Surrey Racing in early 1981 and ran Jonathan Palmer to that year’s British Formula 3 title.

WSR established themselves as the top team in the series, winning a record five championships with Palmer, Ayrton Senna, Mauricio Gugelmin, Mika Hakkinen and Rubens Barrichello. The team had won 56 races by the time they left the series at the end of 1995, and took the bold step to move into the BTCC as Ford’s manufacturer team following an introduction to the American giant by Paul Radisich.

After an inauspicious start (Radisich and team-mate Steve Robertson collided on the team’s BTCC debut), WSR’s Mondeos began to move towards the front as the team’s experience built; a maiden win coming at Silverstone in 1998 courtesy of the late Will Hoy.

Appointed to mastermind Honda’s BTCC programme for 1999, WSR kicked off the season with victory for James Thompson and remained in title contention for much of the year. They can also claim to have won the BTCC’s final Super Touring race; Tom Kristensen triumphing under cover of darkness at Silverstone in 2000.

A switch to MG came as the cost-controlled BTC regulations replaced Super Touring. Entering the series for the final three rounds of 2001, victory came at the final event of the year at Brands Hatch and kicked off a five-year stint that included Anthony Reid becoming independents’ champion in 2004.

It was the switch to BMW machinery in 2007 that was to prove the biggest boost to the Surrey squad, however. Colin Turkington put the 320si on pole for its debut, won three consecutive Independent drivers’ and teams’ crowns plus the overall title in ’09.

A testament to Dick’s desire for engineering excellence, which filters through WSR, the 320 was still a regular race winner in 2012, and paved the way for its successor, the WSR-designed-and-built 125i M Sport.

This car is by some margin WSR’s most successful. Winning second time out in Turkington’s hands, it went on to become the class of the 2014 BTCC field with nine wins and 26 podiums from 30 races as Bennetts’ team took the overall and Independent Drivers’ and Teams’ Championships.

Further milestones were reached in 2015 – with a treble win at Croft – and in 2016 with Rob Collard, Sam Tordoff and Jack Goff combing to win the Constructors’ and Teams’ Championships.

The current season has also started superbly with WSR BMWs winning six times and leading the Teams’ and Manufacturers’ title races.

Famed for his stopwatch and clipboard (the watch having gone missing at Knockhill last year after years of trusty service) and for his meticulous attention to detail, he shows no sign of slowing down just yet.

Happy birthday Dick.

 

WSR in the BTCC under Dick Bennetts

Debut: 1996

Makes represented: 4 (Ford, Honda, MG, BMW)

Race wins: 75

Pole positions: 26

Fastest laps: 102

Podiums: 244

Titles won: 14 (2x drivers’ titles, 2x teams’ titles, 1x constructors’ title, 5x independent drivers’ titles, 4x independent teams’ titles).

BTC Norlin Racing rounded off the first half of 2017 with an encouraging double points finish at Croft.

Heading into the fifth weekend on the Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship calendar, the outfit had been looking to reverse a minor blip suffered at Oulton Park three weeks prior.

The team had been a consistent points-finisher, with both cars, up until that point and both Chris Smiley and Dave Newsham felt good points were the aim for the team's pair of Chevrolet Cruze machines in North Yorkshire.

Qualifying was cut short, with Smiley and Newsham starting line-astern in 27th and 28th respectively – though Newsham felt the speed was there for more following practice.

He made strong progress in the opening race, making up ground on the way to 19th. Luck wasn't on the Inverness-based racer's side, however, as two laps from the chequer he was forced into pitting with a puncture – his race over after a long limp home, leaving him at the back for race two.

Smiley also managed to make strides – up to a creditable 20th position, leaving him primed to make further moves on the day.

Race two was status quo. Newsham recovered to his race one berth – prior to that puncture, and Smiley his. 

The finale saw a season-best of 13th for Smiley, while Newsham completed a points double for the squad, ensuring he had tallied in each of the last five weekends.

“We had a strong start in the third race.” said the Northern Irishman. “I passed seven cars cleanly, had a season-best finish and brought the car home in one piece, even after a large shunt in the closing moments.

"All in all, I’m very pleased with the outcome considering where we started the day. It was important to get points – our pace deserved it.”

Team Principal Bert Taylor added: “There were a lot of challenging moments at Croft but the team, as usual, worked faultlessly through these.

"I’m pleased to see both drivers progress up the grid but our next goal is to get both drivers into the top 10 in qualifying.”

The team will attend the two-day test at Snetterton and Newsham is looking to learn: “This gives us a great opportunity to study and test the data that we have gathered in the first half of the season so we can move the car forward for the second half of the season.

"The team is in good shape and things will only get better."

Gordon Shedden heads into the mid-season break in an enviable position, with the champion maintaining his lead in the Drivers’ standings – a stark contrast to where found himself in the tally at this point last year.

Back at Croft, Halfords Yuasa Racing duo Shedden and Matt Neal completed one flying lap apiece and lined up fourth and eighth respectively for Round 13 of the Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship in a truncated qualifying session.

The duo’s fortunes were mixed in the opener. Neal moved up two places to sixth by the end of lap one but retired with damaged left rear suspension after contact with Josh Price’s Subaru.

Shedden, with the maximum 75kg of success ballast on-board, maintained his fourth place throughout 14 of the 15 laps, finally succumbing to pressure from the lighter BMW of Rob Collard on the ultimate corner of the final lap – leaving him fifth.

Race two provided more points for championship leader Shedden, who finished a hard fought fourth. The experienced Neal, who started from the back of the grid in 29th – thanks to that first lap incident in Round 13 – finished 18th.

The third race of the day was to be the highlight of Neal’s weekend, scything his way from 18th to an impressive fifth in a Honda Civic Type R he described as ‘awesome’.  His team-mate continued to score, with ninth place cementing his mid-season standings lead.

Shedden's position at this point last year was far less of an encouraging one. The reigning champion held ninth spot in the running – some 52 points behind then-leader Sam Tordoff.

The Yorkshireman had enjoyed a more consistent start to the season with a three more visits to the podium come mid-season than Shedden. It would be some task on the Honda mainstay's hands to turn things around, but turn it around he did. 

“To come away from Croft, after last year’s results, leading the championship is mega," said Shedden.

"It was a hard-fought weekend for me where we were struggling with out and out pace against the rear-wheel drive cars, but I emerged with a good points haul and I'm happy to go into the sabbatical at the sharp end. 

"This time last year I was ninth in the standings and 52 points off the lead and I went on to win the championship, so I am clearly in a great position. 

"I always say championships are won on the bad weekends and not the great ones so if this is bad, I will take it."

Neal said: “It was a case of what might have been for me. Obviously qualifying jumbled the grid and then it was just bad luck in the first two races.

"In race one, I got hit, which broke my rear suspension. In the second race, I hit some fluid through the Esses while making my way through the pack and that did a huge amount of damage which blunted my pace. 

"In the third race the little Civic Type R was awesome, it was hooked up from the start and I managed to carve my way through the pack to finish fifth and gain many much-needed points.

"I am looking forward to the summer break now and will come back fighting in the second half of the season with it all to play for.”

Further to his accident during qualifying for round 13 of the Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship at Croft circuit on Saturday, June 10th, we (Motorbase Performance) are pleased to report that Luke is now conscious and communicating and has been moved to the high dependency unit at James Cook Hospital in Middlesbrough. 

Halfords Yuasa Racing's Matt Neal took his second Dunlop #ForeverForward award of the season at Croft after charging drives in races two and three saw him gain a total of 24 positions.

Contact in Sunday's opening encounter saw the Honda man start race two from the back of the grid, enforcing a comeback from Neal – making up 11 places en route to an eventual 18th.

Matt Simpson, in another Honda Civic Type R, of Simpson Racing this time, also made up 11 places and was joined by the Ciceley Motorsport Mercedes of Adam Morgan on the pedestal for most ground gained in the opener.

Neal topped the tally again in race three, with 12 positions made – his fifth spot yielding points that may become vital come season's end. Tom Ingram in the Speedworks Motorsport Toyota endured another tough weekend, with contact putting pay to his efforts early on, enforcing a fightback. He made up 11 spots – enough ground to come 16th in the finale, tantalisingly just outside of the points-paying positions.

Arguably the most eye-catching performance of the weekend came from the Adrian Flux Subaru Racing Levorg of Ash Sutton as he strung together a victory and two podiums in North Yorkshire.

Race three's battle through the top ten and subsequent duel with team-mate Jason Plato was an enthralling to-and-fro and were it not for some elbows out driving from eventual winner Mat Jackson, Sutton could have stolen a dramatic win out of the final turn on the ultimate tour.

#ForeverForward – Croft:

1) Matt Neal 24
2) Tom Ingram 17
3) Martin Depper/Aiden Moffat 15

#ForeverForward – Overall Standings:

1) Matt Neal 74
2) Ollie Jackson 70
3) Colin Turkington 69

AmDtuning.com with Cobra Exhausts played host to two lucky competition winners at Thruxton circuit earlier this season, as we teamed up with the outfit to offer a special Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship VIP prize package.

The championship partners with teams throughout the season to offer our fans the chance to meet their heroes and get as close to the action as possible over the course of one of our race weekends. This time, Jessica Hornby and Shaun Kilburn were drawn as the victors.

They won weekend tickets, the opportunity to meet team AmDtuning.com with Cobra Exhausts and its drivers Ollie Jackson and Ant Whorton-Eales, a walk up and down the hallowed BTCC grid before all the action got underway, team-wear and to top it all off – a fitted Cobra exhaust system and a remap courtesy of AmD Tuning. 

Jessica said: "We would just like to say a huge thank you to the official BTCC team for the opportunity of attending Thruxton's BTCC event as VIPs.

"The hospitality was nothing but amazing throughout the day, from being greeted at the gates with a buggy to the pits, to the breakfast and two-course lunch, along with the opportunity to meet our favourite drivers, go on the grid and watch the races up close!

"We would also like to say a massive thank you to AmD for the prizes won as part of the competition. When we met the team, we were greeted with team t-shirts, handed over by Ollie Jackson and Shaun Hollamby. We also got the opportunity to sit in Ollie's car, take pictures with the team, go onto the grid upon start of each race, and arrange a date for the Cobra exhaust fitting, all set to be fitted by AmD, along with a free remap!

"We could not be any more grateful for this amazing opportunity, we thoroughly enjoyed the experience and will be back!

"We would recommend future competitions to anyone in future, it was 100% worth it."

Keep an eye on the official BTCC website and the series' social media feeds for more competitions coming throughout the year.

Rob Austin produced a sensational drive, under intense pressure, during round 15 of the Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship at Croft last Sunday, to just miss out on Handy Motorsport’s second outright podium of the year by the slimmest of margins – just 0.041 seconds.

After a fantastic battle with double BTCC Champion Jason Plato during the second half of race three of the weekend, Evesham driver Austin looked to have just done enough to keep his rival at bay and secure third place. On the sprint to the chequered flag, though, Plato’s Subaru Levorg was able to steal the final spot on the outright podium by fractions.

Even so, fourth place for Austin in his front-wheel drive Toyota Avensis marked a terrific result at a track most suited to rear-wheel drive cars and he also finished in second place in the Independents’ Trophy battle.

Earlier in the day Austin finished 11th in round 13, having started an unrepresentative 17th on the grid due to a red flag shortened qualifying session, and in round 14 he was an improved eighth – second again in the Independents’ battle.

Notably, Austin has closed to within just three points of the Independents championship lead.

“I would dearly have loved to get on that podium and reward the boys,” said Austin. “To be fair, Jason drove really well and the nice thing about racing with him is you know he’s not going to try and fire you off the circuit and you can have a really strategic, hard-but-fair battle with him. So although I lost out, I really enjoyed the challenge.

"In the wet in free practice we had a really good car, and left a bit on the table as well, so we looked forward to qualifying but it didn't go our way. After everything that happened in qualifying though, we were just happy to have a car in one piece but a shame not to have a representative grid slot. “

He added: “The first race on the hard tyres was really tricky but 11th on hard tyres, from 17th, I was really happy with that. We picked up a couple of positions in race two on medium tyres, and then finally had some luck with the reverse grid for race three - we often seem to miss that luck.”

Reflecting on race three, team principal Simon Belcher said: “It was very nerve racking but Rob did a sterling job holding everyone off. Croft is a rear-wheel drive circuit, we came here knowing that and I think we did a really solid job this weekend.”

There is now a seven-week summer sojourn in the BTCC calendar with the second half of the 2017 season set to begin over the weekend 29th/30th July at Snetterton 300 Circuit in Norfolk.

Jake Hill again showed strong pace and great race craft in his TAG Racing VW Passat CC at Croft, maintaining his record of scoring points at every BTCC race weekend in 2017.

The shortened qualifying session saw Hill qualify in 16th place for race one, but he made two places early on when Senna Proctor and Jason Plato ran wide. A tough scrap ensued for the remainder of the contest but the Kent racer would eventually finish 12^th.

“That was so hard! I got bashed about several times and on the option tyre with an unfamiliar set-up we were struggling, so I'm delighted to score some points.”

On the 'Prime' tyre for the remaining races and starting 12th, a blistering first lap saw BRDC 'Rising Star' Hill slice past Plato and Rob Austin at turn one, and as Tom Chilton and Tom Ingram dropped out he finished lap one in a brilliant eighth place - and second in the Independents’ category behind Mat Jackson.

His pace saw Hill edging closer to Jackson, but Plato's Subaru was closing fast and the 95-time race winner soon edged by in the factory-supported car. This left Hill racing with race-one rival Austin and unfortunate contact left his car with broken rear suspension.

After crawling back to the pits, Hill's crew speedily replaced the broken toe-link, and allowed the young talent to complete the race, albeit by now four laps down and in a very frustrated 25th place.

Starting way down in the final encounter Hill battled with Ingram, Dave Newsham and Jack Goff, working his way forward to eventually take 19th position, but frustrated at what might have been after the race two incident.

"The TAG Racing crew have worked so hard so a huge thanks to all of the boys for their efforts. We have had some guests from Ecoflam and Zynth here this weekend, and as always a huge 'thank you' to all of our superb partners Rolec, Sportif Cars, Brisky Racing, Ecoflam, Danfoss, AW Supply Services, Bill Rawles Classic Cars and we were delighted to welcome SpinCar and Litchfield on board with us at Croft.

The series now heads into a summer break, with racing resuming at Snetterton on the 29/30th July, but the teams’ will first run the circuit at the Dunlop Tyre Test on the 5th and 6th July.

"I'm looking forward to a couple of decent days testing to try some of the set-ups we really want to try. Most of the tracks remaining will suit the car, so if we can get some solid data from testing we should be in good shape," smiled Jake.

"We're really going for it in the second half of the year!"