Photo: Stillphotography.co.uk

New BTCC cars hits the tracks

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Two of the new cars for the British Touirng Car Championship 2007 – Team Halford’s Honda Civic and Rick Kerry’s diesel BMW 1-series – made their track debutes recently. The BMW 120D ran at Snetterton while the Honda Civic ran at Brands Hatch.

Diesel BMW 1-series hits the track

The first diesel-powered car to enter the Dunlop British Touring Car Championship has made its track debut.

Rick Kerry’s BMW 120D ran at the Snetterton circuit in Norfolk as he makes final preparations ahead of the BTCC’s opening rounds at Brands Hatch on 1 April.

The car will be the first ‘oil burner’ ever seen in the championship since its inception in 1958 and joins a list of cars to run on alternative fuels in the series – this year’s grid will also include a pair of bio-ethanol-powered MG ZSs.

Kerry, from Ipswich, said: “Touch wood, the car has proved reliable straight out of the box. There’s still a lot of work to do between now and Brands Hatch but at least we know it goes round in circles OK.

“It was lovely to actually get in and drive it at last after all the months putting this project together and make a bit of history in the BTCC.

“I’m actually thinking of nicknaming it ‘Stealth Racer’ because it’s so quiet. People watching tell me all they can hear is the whistle of the turbo engine…”

A record entry list of 26 drivers will contest the BTCC’s opening rounds at Brands on 1 April, the event marking the start of the UK motor sport calendar.

Team Halford’s new Honda Civic

Reigning champion Matt Neal has given his new Team Halfords Honda Civic its first run at Brands Hatch – just eight days before he begins the defence of his Dunlop MSA British Touring Car crown at the Kent track on 1 April.

The stunning-looking car took to a damp track this morning (Friday) ahead of more testing this afternoon.

Neal is aiming to become the first driver to win three straight BTCC drivers’ titles since Andy Rouse in the mid-Eighties. Team Halfords will also be hoping to make it three consecutive outright Teams’ titles.

However, completion of his Civic has come late and it remains to be seen if that will hamper Neal’s and the team’s progress in the season’s opening bouts.