BTC Racing waiting for change in fortunes

Former BTCC race winner Gareth Howell joined BTC Racing for the fourth round of the HiQ MSA British Touring Car Championship at Thruxton.
Gareth was standing in for regular driver Stuart Oliver who was away doing sponsorship duties for his truck racing campaign that he is running alongside his venture into the BTCC. Re-uniting Howell with the SEAT Toledo he campaigned last season with Motorbase Performance.

Qualifying did not go as expected for the two BTC drivers. Gareth only managing 21st place as he suffered the BTC Racing curse by having a front wheel bear failure after experiencing a trouble free practice session.

“Although I am happy with the car, the failed front wheel bearing has meant that we haven’t been able to qualify with the times we would have expected from this morning’s sessions. An up-beat Gareth said afterwards. “Once we rectify the problem I am in no doubt that we will improve and move up the grid during the races tomorrow. It is great to be back racing again in the BTCC!”

Team leader Chris Stockton was not to fair any better, after an earlier ‘off’ doing some grass cutting at Church corner, Chris was to finally to succumb to a drive shaft failure putting him out of the session with a lowly 24th start position.

Stockton said: “Unfortunately I had an off at the long right hand corner Church during qualifying and this broke the front splitter and therefore had a detrimental effect on the car’s down force.

“The team then brought me in to change the tyres for new ones and on my first flying lap I clipped the kerb and the car pulled sharply to the left. I finished the lap to get a time and then brought it back in to the pits as I had broken the driveshaft on the front right hand side.”

As usual the team did a stirling job to get their two cars on the grid for race one.

After what seemed an excellent start from Gareth, the officials decided that he was judged to have started out of position so was called in for a stop-go penalty.

“It was a shame that I was called in for the penalty as I had made up quite a few places in the first three laps and the car was feeling great.

“Once I rejoined I was obviously in last place so I made a decision to drive smoothly and get the car to the end. My mid-to-end race pace was good and the car felt good too.

Howell finally finishing in 18th place, followed by team mate Stockton who was caught and passed by Howell after Chris encountered a clutch problem, slowing him in the process.

“It was disappointing to start the race at the back after a incident packed qualifying! However the car felt good and I managed to make up a few places and was running round 19th for the majority of the race. I was having some good tussles with Martin Bell who was in-front of me for much of the race. Only in the final 3 laps did I have to slow as the clutch was slipping.”

Race two was a short affair for Stockton as he got clipped and spun onto the grass by Alan Taylor as Chris was trying to pass Taylor and Vaulkhard in one move at the back of the circuit on the first lap.

“I made a good start from last on the grid and the car felt really good, However, going into the back of the circuit we were three cars abreast and that resulted in me being pushed off onto the grass and out of the race.”

Gareth meanwhile crossed the finish line in 12th place making up 6 places from his start position..

Race three was to give the team a knock-back, with both cars unable to finish.
Chris explained: “I gained about 5 places in the first few laps which was good news and the car was feeling good. However, on lap 10 I came into the chicane up the inside of Jelly.

“He squeezed me tight, didn’t give me any room at all and we bumped together briefly before my wheels went onto the grass and I spun into the tyre barrier. In all honesty it was just a racing incident.”

Meanwhile Gareth’s version was: “I started the race in a very similar way to race 1 and 2, overtaking a few cars in front before reaching a point where I was holding my own. It got to the point where I was chasing Rob Collard when, coming into the chicane, I felt a bump on my front left.

“I assumed a puncture and came back to the pits to change the tyre but once I regained the circuit it was obvious it was more serious and I had to pull off and retire. Once the car was back in the garage it appears the front left suspension had a problem, more than likely from clipping the kerb.”

Stockton summed-up BTC Racing’s weekend: “Again we have had disappointments this weekend. I have only managed to finish one race but am still confident that these cars will get us further up the grid.”