A packed grid took to the Oulton Park circuit in perfect conditions
MG KX Momentum racer Jason Plato scored a flawless double BTCC victory at Oulton Park today (9 June) before a dramatic fire put him out of the final contest, handing his Honda Yuasa Racing rival Matt Neal the championship lead.
Two-time champion Plato is no stranger to winning at the Cheshire venue, having taken seven victories at the circuit prior to this weekend, and he duly added to his impressive tally.
He was in dominant form throughout the event – claiming pole position before securing two lights-to-flag wins in commanding fashion. But for the agony of race three, the Oxfordshire driver was still pleased with his weekend’s work, “I’ve been on fire – literally,” he said in reference to both his fine form and later misfortune!
Plato’s young team-mate Sam Tordoff starred in race one by claiming second – the best result in his short BTCC career so far and the first ever one-two for MG KX Momentum Racing.Reigning champion Gordon Shedden took third in the opener before going one better in race two in his Honda Civic, whilst 2009 champion Colin Turkington claimed third in his eBay Motors BMW 125i M Sport.
The chaotic final encounter was won by Andrew Jordan in his Pirtek Racing Honda Civic after his team-mate Jeff Smith spun away the lead with just three laps remaining. Turkington scored another podium, rounding out an extremely encouraging weekend for the eBay Motors driver.
The impressive Adam Morgan took his first ever Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship podium in the final race, which was just reward for the Ciceley Racing driver and continues his fantastic form so far in 2013.
Matt Neal finished just 0.078s off the rostrum after hounding down Morgan in the closing stages but his race results of sixth and two fourth places were enough for him to leave Oulton Park with the championship lead. Such is the competitiveness of the 2013 BTCC season that Neal, Jordan and Plato are separated by just seven points at the top of the standings.
Other notable results belonged to the Rob Austin Racing-run Audis of Rob Austin and Will Bratt – the duo finished fifth and sixth respectively in race three.
Lea Wood and Liam Griffin shared Jack Sears Trophy honours
Lea Wood looked set to claim a first ever treble in the Jack Sears Trophy but after taking two wins he was forced into retirement in the final contest, which handed Liam Griffin’s Ford Focus his fourth win of the season. Wood heads the S2000 order with five victories.
Further to Neal’s lead in the overall Drivers’ standings, Honda lead the Manufacturers’ Championship and Honda Yuasa Racing also top the Teams’ Championship. Andrew Jordan and his Pirtek Racing squad hold the advantage in the Independents’ Drivers’ and Teams’ standings respectively.
Rounds 13, 14 and 15 of the Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship take place at Croft on the 22/23 June.
Jason Plato said: “I’ve been on fire – literally! It has been a fantastic weekend. What happened in the final race was just one of those things. The most important thing for me is that we’ve got the performance and we’ve sent a shockwave down the pit lane. There’s a long way to go but we’ve put on a pretty dominant display here, which bodes well for Croft and beyond.”
Andrew Jordan said: “If you’d asked me how my day was going after race two I’d have been a lot less happy than I am now. To pull that result off has made my weekend – you can never be sure what’s going to happen in race three and it was only once I got up into fourth that I thought I could actually win it. It’s a shame that we couldn’t get a one-two for the team – there were no team orders, Jeff (Smith) just lost the rear going into the chicane and didn’t quite manage to save it. Consistency is key for me this year and while I didn’t get great results in the first two races, we scored big in the last one while Shedden and Plato didn’t finish, so that makes it an even better result.”
Colin Turkington said: “That’s the first podium (race two) that we’ve had on raw pace. We didn’t have any luck or a reverse grid to be there so we’re definitely moving forward, but we have to keep our feet on the ground. We’ve still got more performance to find in the car and it’s not there yet. I didn’t expect two podiums, especially with the speed of the Hondas and the MGs, so to take those results when they're in the kind of form they are is absolutely fantastic.”
Adam Morgan said: “It’s absolutely amazing to get that result, not just for myself but for my team, my family and all the sponsors that support me. The race was pretty hectic – I didn’t get a second to catch my breath, but I just kept pushing and to get my first BTCC podium at my home circuit – it’s brilliant. The car felt really really good, and now I've got one, I'll be pushing harder than ever to get up there again.”
Penalties: Liam Griffin received a one second time penalty in race one for gaining an unfair advantage
Andrew Jordan received three penalty points and a £500 fine for an incident relating to driving standards in race three
Jeff Smith received three penalty points and a £500 fine for an incident relating to driving standards in race three
Another challenging weekend for Airwaves Racing ended with a glimpse of promise this weekend (June 8/9) during round 4 of the Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship (BTCC).
Cheshire’s picturesque Oulton Park circuit provided the backdrop to a drama filled race weekend that saw the Airwaves Racing squad suffer yet another run of torrid bad luck; securing two top ten finishes; despite showing promising pace in the Mountune-powered Ford Focus ST next generation touring cars.
An uneventful qualifying session on a blistering track on Saturday afternoon left the Airwaves Racing drivers with much work to do during Sunday’s three races. Mat Jackson and Aron Smith ended the session in P11 and P17 respectively; as Smith’s #8 Focus struggled with an intermittent engine fault that hindered the Irishman’s progress throughout the session.
Sunday’s opening race started well, with both Jackson and Smith making good ground through the pack in the opening laps. The good news proved to be short lived however as the Smith’s engine fault kicked in during lap 4, relegating the Irishman through the ranks - eventually forcing the #8 Focus into the pits for an early retirement. The #7 Focus ST’s improved pace and set up paid dividends for Airwaves Racing team-mate Mat Jackson, with the 32 year old managing to pick his way through the field to cross the line in 7th position.
A momentous effort in the Airwaves Racing garage to pull a rabbit out of the hat during the midday break, saw the Motorbase crew successfully changed Smith’s engine against the clock in an impressive 1 hour 15 minutes; allowing the Irishman to join the back of the grid for the start of race 2. The team’s hard work was rewarded with a sterling drive from Smith – making up an impressive 11 places to come home in P14.
Jackson looked to be on for a strong top 5 finish during the opening laps, when disaster struck once again following a coming together with Tordoff’s MG – causing damage to his #7 Focus which could only manage a crawl to the finish to end race 2 in P20.
Mat Jackson leads his teammates at Oulton Park
With a new set up and last minute coolant repairs to Smith’s Focus forcing a pit lane start; both Airwaves Racing NGTC’s started the final race of the day from the back of the pack. Once more, both Airwaves Racing drivers showed their remarkable race craft as they picked their way through the packed grid, battling to the mid field within the first eight laps – with Smith collecting an, albeit short-lived, fastest lap time on the second lap. As has been the story too frequently thus far this season, luck played a cruel trick on the Airwaves squad once more, with Jackson’s charge through the field thwarted by a similar issue to the damage experienced in race 2 – forcing an unscheduled pit visit and return to the back of the pack. Despite a gallant effort from Jackson, it proved too little too late and the #7 Focus could only muster a P19 finish for the last race of the weekend.
Smith’s final race of the day proved to be more positive, with the Airwaves Racing driver producing a stunning drive from the back of the grid to secure the team’s second top ten finish of the weekend and some much needed championship points.
Liam Griffin on his way to a Jack Sears Trophy win.
Addison Lee Motorbase team-mate Liam Griffin had a more successful weekend to further boost his Jack Sears Trophy campaign; collecting another two class wins in his S2000 Focus ST during Sunday’s opening and closing races. A judicial reversal of the opening race results leaves Griffin just one race win off the top spot now, with everything still to play for at the next round.
Despite suffering another frustrating weekend, the Airwaves Racing squad have made promising steps forward with the pace and set up on the NGTC Focus ST’s and now have a two week break to put the lessons learned this weekend into practice before the racing gets underway when The Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship returns for round 5 at North Yorkshire’s Croft circuit on June 22/23.
Motorbase Performance Team Manager Oly Collins said:
“As bad weekends go, that has got to be right up there. We just haven’t had a break - despite being confident we had made good progress leading up to and during this weekend. Fundamentally a poor qualifying result hurt us amongst a very competitive top twelve.
“Both drivers were dealt some really bad luck today but we have to pick ourselves up and work hard to make Croft our turning point.”
Airwaves Racing driver Mat Jackson said:
“We’ve really made progress with the car this weekend. I think we would have had three top five finishes this weekend, but performance wise we had a few issues that cost us that, which is a real shame but we’re still learning.
“There’s a light at the end of the tunnel now and we’re moving in the right direction – we’re challenging the Honda’s and faster than the Toyota’s and I feel comfortable with the direction that we’re heading in.”
Airwaves Racing driver Aron Smith said:
“It’s been a little bit of a troubling weekend; and it’s unfortunate because we’ve done so much testing and developed the car so much from where we were – but we just never got to show our hand to be fair.
“We had engine issues in qualifying on Saturday which affected us in race 1 and forced the retirement. I’ve never seen a team work so hard to change an engine between races; because it’s one of those things that you don’t even make it out at all and even though we had to start at the back, we still made it to the grid, which was impressive.”
“Now we have a much clearer direction going into the next round which is really positive. Hopefully Croft will be a turning point for us.”
Addison Lee Motorbase driver Liam Griffin said:
“All in all I’m pretty happy with the weekend. Race 1 was a bit disappointing with the result being reversed, but the ying and yang came through with us getting another win in race 3.
“Overall the weekend was a fair result; Lea Wood had the pace- but to come away with one of the trophies from the weekend is a good result for us and a good sign for the championship.”
Double podium for eBay Motors at Oulton Park
eBay Motors enjoyed success at Oulton Park
The eBay Motors team secured a return to the podium with Colin Turkington enjoying a second and third place finish as the Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship season resumed at Oulton Park after a five-week spring break.
a successful launch of the Hub Live project
Alongside the strong outing on-track, eBay Motors also enjoyed a successful weekend away from the circuit following the debut of the eBay Motors Hub Live – a new interactive zone allowing race fans to get closer to both the team and the sport with a special four-person simulator, Q&A sessions with the drivers, trophy photo opportunity, download terminal for the eBay Motors app and the chance to collect a free eBay Motors Team cap.
Paul O'Neil, local lad and winner of Oulton Park in 2002, hosted the drivers in Hub Live and entertained the crowds, with the drivers answering his questions and being on the receiving end of his fun jokes.
Having worked to make improvements to its NGTC-spec BMW 125i M-Sports in a series of tests during the break, the team was able to add to its collection of silverware, with 2009 title winner Colin Turkington bringing home a brace of top three finishes.
Colin led the eBay Motors challenge in qualifying to put his car seventh on the grid, with team-mates Rob Collard and Nick Foster with more work to do on race day from 16th and 22nd respectively.
A solid run in the opening race saw Colin take the flag in fifth place, with Rob also lapping strongly to cross the line in tenth, despite a scare when Tom Onslow-Cole’s VW got out of shape ahead of him at Druids mid-race. Nick however was the undoubted star as, having elected to run the Soft compound Dunlop tyre in the opening race, he stormed through the field to take twelfth – making up no fewer than ten places in the process.
Race two saw Colin make a strong start to run in the top three before an opportunistic move from Honda’s Gordon Shedden demoted him to fourth just before a Safety Car period that bunched up the field. Pushing hard on the restart, Colin was able to get ahead of Sam Tordoff’s MG to take his second podium finish of the campaign.
Although the reverse grid draw for race three left him eighth on the grid, Colin was able to secure further podium glory in race three with a strong drive through to second place while there were more points for both Nick and Rob as they took the chequered flag in eighth and eleventh following a hectic race in the midfield.
Colin Turkington with the spoils of the weekend
Following the weekend, Colin sits sixth in the championship standings with Rob and Nick in 16th and 17th, while eBay Motors hold fourth in the HiQ Teams Championship having picked up its biggest points score to date from the trip to Cheshire.
The eBay Motors Hub Live will be back in the paddock at a number of events later in the year.
Colin Turkington, eBay Motors Team driver, (5th/3rd/2nd) said:
“It’s been a really positive weekend and the car was a massive improvement compared to Thruxton. I didn’t expect to get two podium finishes after qualifying, as I thought we’d be around the top six, so it’s a good way to finish. This is a circuit where the rear-wheel drive cars do go well and the higher temperatures helped us as well. We still have time to find in qualifying as we showed with the gap to the pole sitter, so even though we are moving in the right direction, there is still a lot of work for us to do.”
Rob Collard, eBay Motors Team driver, (10th/NC/11th) said:
“It’s been a really frustrating weekend for me. We can see the potential that there is in the car and we’ve made improvements again, but I just wasn’t able to get the best out of it in terms of results. This is a difficult circuit when you are in traffic to try and make up places and it didn’t go my way. This is a weekend I’m just going to put behind me and focus on Croft, which is a circuit where the rear-wheel drive cars have gone well in the past.”
Nick Foster, eBay Motors Team driver, (12th/15th/8th) said:
“I had a great run in race one to make up ten places and the car felt strong. If I’m being honest, I didn’t expect to make up so many places on a circuit where overtaking is tough. Race two I got mugged off the line and after the incident with Rob and some contact from behind, I managed to score despite the damage to the car. It was good again in race three and it was an action-packed way to end the weekend. I’ve scored some good results but we know we are still lacking the pace over a single lap and even though the team is doing a great job, there is more to find.”
Toyota Man Morgan Claims Podium Finish At
Oulton
Adam Morgan sprays the champagne after finishing third at Oulton Park
Toyota Avensis racer Adam Morgan is celebrating his maiden BTCC podium finish after a gutsy drive to
third place for Ciceley Racing in the final race of the Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship’s
Oulton Park raceday. The result was not only a personal best for the 24-year-old from Lancashire on
his home circuit, but also the best BTCC finish so far this season for a Toyota driver. Morgan’s success came at the end of another remarkably consistent day for the Toyota independent -
he finished ninth and seventh in the earlier races to maintain his run of form. He’s one of only four
drivers to have scored in every race and has claimed a top-10 result 11 times from 12 starts.
“It’s fantastic to get a podium finish, especially at a circuit that has been a bit of a bogey one for us in
the past,” said Morgan, who holds seventh place in the drivers championship and is second in the
Independents Trophy standings. “I have to give massive thanks to the guys in the Ciceley Racing team
and to all our sponsors for their support, as I wouldn’t be here without them.”
Adam’s podium charge saw him battle past Adam Welch’s Proton for third in the early laps to latch on
to the tail of the lead battle, being disputed by Jeff Smith’s Honda and Rob Austin’s Audi. Smith ousted
Austin from the lead at mid-distance and Morgan followed him through for second before being
returned to third by Andrew Jordan’s Honda. Jordan went on to win from BMW driver Colin
Turkington, with Morgan holding off a determined challenge from multiple champion Matt Neal
(Honda) by just 0.078s at the line.
Added Adam: “It is fantastic for me to be able to race side-by-side with people like Colin Turkington
and Matt Neal - and it was a great feeling to hold off Matt at the end when my tyres were shot. We’d
gone with an aggressive set-up and I knew we had to push early on to get ahead.”
Dave Newsham (17) leads Adam Morgan
There was a strong showing today also from the Speedworks Motorsport team and in particular Dave
Newsham, who scored his and the team’s best results of the season - fourth in qualifying and eighth
and sixth respectively in races one and two. Unfortunately a thump from another car led to a spin in
the finale after he showed strong early pace. “We have really turned a corner with the Toyota,” said
Newsham. “It’s better to drive and we showed we had a good qualifying car. Today, we struggled in
race one but made changes and now we have a good race car as well, so I feel very positive for the
future.” His team-mate, Ollie Jackson, scored his first point since the season-opener at Brands Hatch
with 15th place in race three.
After a good qualifying performance, Dynojet Racing Toyota driver Frank Wrathall endured another
day of misfortune. He started the first race from sixth on the grid but a knock from another car in the
first-lap melee knocked his Avensis about sufficiently to demand a pit stop for investigation; Frank
rejoined a lap down and finished 23rd.
In race two Wrathall drove brilliantly to claim back 11 places and secure 12th position, which he used
as a springboard to race to ninth in the finale. “The Toyota felt really good and was strong, but we were
up against it because of where we started,” said Frank. “We set the fourth-fastest lap in the final race,
which showed what we were capable of. We were really on the back foot as a result of the first race - it
is so difficult around here to make up places from the back of the field.”
Toyota’s quartet of independent racers will be back in action in a fortnight (23 June) at the Croft
circuit in North Yorkshire.
Honda
Yuasa Racing Battles on at Oulton Park
Mat Neal in action at Oulton Park
Honda Yuasa Racing
maintained its lead in all the major Dunlop MSA British Touring Car
Championship standings despite a trying event at Oulton Park last
weekend.
Shedden celebrates 3rd in race one
The
Honda Civics of Matt Neal and Gordon Shedden again handled well
around the Cheshire track, but success ballast from previous rounds
and low turbo boost levels thanks to the championship’s engine
equalisation system made life tricky.
Shedden qualified third
after having his best time disallowed for exceeding track limits,
while Neal – running with the maximum 45kg of ballast – was
eighth quickest.
Reigning champion Shedden tracked the leading
MGs relentlessly in race one to finish third and then went one better
second time out to grab the runner-up spot.
He was in the
jostling lead pack in the reversed-grid encounter, which he started
on the BTCC’s soft tyre, before contact with a rival punctured a
tyre and sent him to the pits.
“Splitting the MGs was good
in race two,” said Shedden, who remained fourth in the drivers’
standings. “The car has been fantastic all weekend and we maximised
what we had.
“The Civic was great on the soft tyre again,
but it was a crazy reversed-grid race and it didn’t go my
way.”
Neal battled his way to sixth in race one and, with no
ballast for race two, improved to fourth in the second event. After
a battling drive in the finale, which included a dramatic fight with
former champion Colin Turkington, Neal came home fourth to hold a
four-point lead over Pirtek Racing Honda driver Andrew Jordan in the
title race.
“The weight and the boost made it hard,” said
the triple champion. “You’ve got to drag the weight up in four
places here.
“When we had the weight out for race two we
made a set-up change that didn’t quite work and we didn’t reap
the benefits.
“We changed it again for race three and the
car came alive. It was awesome. I wanted the race to go on. It felt
like the soft tyre was lasting better than the hard!”
As
well as holding first and fourth in the drivers’ championship,
Honda Yuasa Racing also maintained its lead in the teams’
championship. To complete the set, Honda leads the manufacturers’
standings and Jordan and Pirtek Racing head the independents’
championships.
Plato
on fire at Oulton Park – literally
MG Drivers Plato and Tordorff on the podium
Jason
Plato thrust himself right into the heart of the fight for this
season’s 2013 Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship by taking
his MG KX Momentum car to two stylish wins at Oulton Park in Cheshire
on Sunday.
The
former champion was the highest points scorer across the weekend’s
three races, but was ruled out of the final event when damage caused
his car to erupt in flames.
Plato’s
team-mate, Sam Tordoff, underlined the team’s competitive showing
in Cheshire by landing the best result of his career to date when he
followed his sister car over the line in the opening race.
Plato
said he was delighted to have turned the car’s potential into a big
points pay day with his 77th and
78th career
victories in Britain’s leading motor racing championship.
“That
was one heck of a weekend,” he said afterwards. “We had a
fantastic car underneath us but that is only part of the job. You
still have to land the results and we did. The team has worked hard
to get the best out of this car, and I am now confident that we will
be able to go anywhere and be fast. It is a joy to drive.”
After
his fiery exit from the third race of the weekend, Plato said during
the lap prior to retirement slight contact in the pack during the
early jostling might have contributed. “There was a concertina
effect at the hairpin on lap two, and everyone tapped into the back
of each other,” he explained. “I nudged into the car in front,
and that may have a link to the failure but there is no apparent
damage we can see on any external components. It is a shame, but
we’re still able to walk away form here with a smile.”
Tordoff
was all smiles after the opening race of the weekend. The Leeds ace,
a member of the KX Akademy, banked a career best second place finish
behind Plato after a brave opening lap. He ran side-by-side with a
rival through the first two corners before securing the spot.
He
failed to finished the second event after a brush with another car –
incredibly, Tordoff’s first non-points finish of the season –
before staging one of the drives of the weekend to go from 21st to
seventh in race three.
“I
was delighted with the podium in the opening race and, as Jason says,
it underlines the progress we have made in the car throughout the
year,” explained Tordoff. “I was still able to push at the end of
the first race if I had needed too, but fortunately, I didn’t have
to. I went with the softer option tyres in race two, which went off
towards the end and I dropped back before the contact.
“Race
three was really good fun, and that shows what we are capable of –
I think if I had have started in the top ten, I could have won that
race,” he added.
Tordoff
consolidated fifth place in the standings, while Plato has moved to
within seven points of the title summit as the title fight reaches
its halfway point at Croft in North Yorkshire in two weeks’ time.
MG
KX Momentum team principal Ian Harrison said he thought that the team
had exploited its chances with the wins at Oulton Park.
“When
you have won two out of three races, you can’t complain,” he
explained. “But what I am delighted about is that we have two cars
up there capable of battling for wins, which we haven’t had before.
Sam had some rough times this weekend but hey, this is the BTCC. It
isn’t easy. Jason’s narrowed the gap to the points leaders and we
are in a strong frame of mind.”
The 2013 eBay team, Rob Collard, Colin Turkington and Nick Foster
eBay Motors announces Colin
Turkington will be joining its driver line up for
the 2013 Dunlop MSA British Touring Car
Championship (BTCC). The 2009 BTCC Champion joins Rob Collard and
Nick Foster in the new NGTC specification BMW 125i M Sport cars, as
they launch their three-pronged attack on the Championship.
2013
is the fourth season in the BTCC for eBay Motors, the UK’s leading
online automotive marketplace, and looks to be the most exciting yet.
Colin
Turkington said:“I’m
really excited to be back in the BTCC with eBay Motors for the 2013
season. I have a long relationship with WSR and we’ve experienced
some great success together in both the BTCC and WTCC. I am hoping
to bring that success once again this year. Getting behind the wheel
of the NGTC specification BMW will be a new challenge and I can’t
wait to be back on the grid at Brands Hatch on 31st
March.”
Rob
Collard said: “Colin and I raced together
in 2006 and his addition to the team sees us look stronger than ever.
I hope to build on last year’s strong performances and will be
looking to win races in the new BMW 125i M Sport.”
Nick Foster said “It’s
going to be fantastic having Rob and Colin as teammates this year.
I’m looking forward to learning from both of them to building on my
success with the eBay Motors team.”
The 2009 BTCC champion returns to WSR in 2013
eBay
Motors Team Principal Dick Bennetts added:“It’s really great to have Colin back on
board for the 2013 BTCC season. With Rob, Nick and now Colin, I
believe eBay Motors have a very strong driver line-up capable of
challenging for Championship honours.”
Andrew Hooks, eBay’s Head of Hard Goods (Motoring &
Electronics), said: “We are excited at the
prospect of a fourth BTCC season and wish our drivers all the very
best for the challenging and thrilling season that lays ahead.”
The first race of this year’s Championship takes place
at Brands Hatch on the 31st
March 2013, with the Media Day at Donington on the 21st
March.
To keep up to speed with all the news on the car
development and the drivers’ preparations visit
www.ebaymotorsbtcc.co.uk
and follow us @ebaymotorsbtcc
West Surrey Racing will set to work transforming the 125i into a NGTC car
eBay Motors today announced it will continue its title sponsorship of West Surrey Racing (WSR) for the 2013 Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship (BTCC).
WSR are designing and building new BMW 125i cars to NGTC specification for the 2013 season. The cars will be based on the M Sport version of the road car, and will be powered by 2-litre turbocharged engines in keeping with the BTCC rules. This new direction for WSR follows the use of a BMW 320si for the past 6 seasons.
eBay Motors is the UK’s leading online automotive marketplace and 2013 will be its fourth season in the BTCC, having been a partner of WSR since 2010.
Following a second place finish in the 2012 BTCC Teams’ Championship and 14 podium positions, the eBay Motors team will look to build on that result in 2013 by capitalising on the new model BMW and highly experienced team.
Andrew Hooks, eBay’s Head of Hard Goods (Motoring & Electronics), said: “We are excited by the prospect of a fourth BTCC season supporting the WSR team and the addition of the new BMW 1-Series. Being part of the championship has given us the opportunity to share our passion for the world of motors and highlight our huge selection of parts, accessories and vehicles on our UK site. We look forward to a competitive and successful 2013 season as eBay Motors.”
Dick Bennetts, WSR Team Principal, said: “We are very pleased to continue our relationship with eBay Motors into the BTCC 2013 season. This is the fourth year we have worked together with eBay Motors and both parties are very focused on continuing the successes of previous seasons. With the introduction of the new model BMW 125i M Sport, we are confident of being very competitive throughout the 2013 season. We chose the new 1- Series as we felt it was more suitable to the current BTCC regulations. The wheelbase is quite a lot shorter than the new 3-Series car, so it should perform well on the tight twisty circuits that we race on in the UK.”
eBay Motors will announce a new livery, as well as the driver line-up for the 2013 BTCC season in the near future.
The first race of this year’s championship takes place at Brands Hatch on the 31st March 2013, with the Media day at Donington on March 21.
Here's what happened when we caught up with eBay motor's top driver Tom Onslow-Cole earlier this year
eBay Motors Mechanics Challenge culminates with Guinness World Record for the fastest milk float
LONDON:
Thursday, 25th October 2012 - The eBay Motors Mechanics Challenge has
broken the Guinness World Record for the fastest milk float on earth as
the vehicle reached speeds of 77.53 mph (124.78 kph) at the Transport
Research Laboratory (TRL).
The
new record was set after eBay Motors challenged British Touring Car
Championship (BTCC) star Tom Onslow-Cole and TV motoring expert Edd
China to transform an electric milk float into a high performance speed
machine using only parts and accessories purchased on eBay Motors, the
UK’s leading online automotive marketplace.
Tom
and Edd worked with the eBay Motors team of race engineers to develop
the vehicle; this even included fitting a V8 engine from an old
ambulance and a using a milk churn as a fuel tank. Throughout this
project, BTCC fans and motoring enthusiasts had the opportunity to vote
on which parts and accessories to incorporate into the milk float to
improve its style and performance.
Tom Onslow-Cole, eBay Motors driver, said: “The
eBay Motors Mechanics Challenge has been an amazing journey and I’m
delighted that we have broken the Guinness World Record for the fastest
milk float. The team mechanics and Edd China put in a sterling effort to
create a milk float that looks as slick as this and has the performance
necessary to break the record.”
Andrew Hooks, Head of eBay Motors, said:
“It is fantastic that the eBay Motors Mechanics challenge has beaten
the World Record for the fastest milk float and great to see the
reaction from our customers, many of whom not only keenly followed the
project, but also chose the winning parts. Tom Onslow-Cole did a
fantastic job driving the record-breaking milk float and I’m sure people
will enjoy watching the float being put through its paces in the stunt
videos on our website.”
Edd China, eBay Motors blogger and host of Wheeler Dealers, said:
“It’s been brilliant working with the amazing engineers at WSR on this
project. With their support our humble milk float is now almost a
fully-fledged racing car! I’d like to thank all the fans for their input
on what eBay Motors parts and accessories we used to build the milk
float during the Mechanics Challenge, they clearly know their stuff!” Fans
at the final BTCC round of the 2012 season were lucky enough to see the
float in action as it made its way around the Brands Hatch GP circuit
on Sunday. For further information, exclusive videos and imagery of the
eBay Motors Mechanics Challenge and all other BTCC activity go to www.ebaymotorsbtcc.co.uk and follow the action here @eBayMotorsBTCC. Watch it on :http://www.youtube.com/embed/tMGgxa3Mn94
Little
more than a week remains before Northamptonshire’s world-famous
Silverstone circuit (Sat 6/Sun 7 Oct) hosts the crucial penultimate
round of this year’s Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship. The
three races at Silverstone will decide who will then still be in with a
chance of winning the UK’s most prestigious motor racing title on Finals
Day at Brands Hatch in Kent a fortnight later.
Seven
drivers can mathematically still be crowned BTCC Champion in 2012,
namely Honda Yuasa Racing Team team-mates Gordon Shedden and Matt Neal
who lead the way, MG KX Momentum Racing’s Jason Plato, Pirtek Racing’s
Andrew Jordan, eBay Motors pair Robert Collard and Tom Onslow-Cole and
Redstone Racing’s Mat Jackson.
Arriving
at Silverstone it is Hampshire’s Collard, Surrey’s Onslow-Cole and
Warwickshire’s Jackson who will be most under pressure to perform if
they are to keep their fading title hopes alive. All are presently more
than 67 points adrift of leader Shedden with that then being the maximum
available when the cars take to the legendary Brands Hatch Grand Prix
circuit for the season finale on the weekend of 20/21 October.
Of
the four ahead, two wins for Scotsman Shedden last weekend at
Rockingham, also in Northamptonshire, have moved him into the
championship lead by three points from Worcestershire’s Neal. Shedden
has never won the BTCC before while Neal is looking to retain his crown
from last season – achieved when he defeated Shedden at Silverstone –
and make it four titles to his name.
For Oxford’s Plato, himself a double BTCC Champion, Silverstone is very much his home event as it is for Lichfield youngster Jordan
who, like Shedden and Neal, races a Honda Civic. All three Honda
drivers, though, are expecting to struggle around Silverstone’s
high-speed National circuit and Plato, in his MG6, will be hoping they
are right.
Plato
is currently 32 points behind Shedden with a maximum of 67 available
from Silverstone’s three races. What’s more his MG team-mate Andy Neate,
another local from nearby Aylesbury, will surely be out to aid Plato’s chances by stealing vital points away from his Honda rivals…
Silverstone’s
short lap and long, wide straights never fail to deliver plenty of
doorhandle-to-doorhandle entertainment for fans. Indeed the view from
Woodcote corner of cars slipstreaming and fanning out five abreast along
the Wellington Straight is one of the most evocative of the season.
As
ever ‘the home of British motor sport’, easily accessible from across
the Midlands just off the A43 dual carriageway between the M40 and M1
motorways, is making its big BTCC weekend hugely popular among audiences
both young and old. Adult tickets for race day (Sunday) start from just
£29 if booked in advance with admission for accompanied children aged
15 and under FREE all weekend. All admission includes
access to grandstands, the main central BTCC teams’ paddock and Sunday’s
specially organised autograph session with the star touring car
drivers.
To book in advance visit www.silverstone.co.uk or call the ticket hotline 0844 3750 740.
In
addition to the BTCC’s three penultimate races of 2012 which headline
the event a further 12 races for the Ginetta GT Supercup, Ginetta Junior
Championship, Porsche Carrera Cup, Renault Clio Cup and guesting
Formula Renault BARC categories are also in store during the weekend.
Rob Collard rides the curbs as he leads Tom Onslow-Cole to victory
Robert
Collard and, in front of his home crowd, Dave Newsham shared the wins
in today’s three Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship races at
Fife’s spectacular Knockhill circuit – attended by huge numbers of
people including Olympic cycling gold medal winner Sir Chris Hoy MBE.
Meanwhile the main title protagonists – Matt Neal, Gordon Shedden and
Jason Plato – all experienced a number of highs and lows. Nevertheless
reigning Champion Neal has increased his advantage at the top of the
table as the title race now heads into its final three rounds of 2012,
starting at Rockingham in Northamptonshire on Sunday 23 September.
Plato
started the day in pole position after setting the fastest time in
Saturday’s qualifying session only to then crash out of the opening race
after a tangle between his MG KX Momentum Racing MG6 and Aron Smith’s
Redstone Racing Ford Focus. This left the way clear for Collard and Tom
Onslow-Cole to finish first and second in their WSR-prepared eBay Motors
BMWs. Shedden took third in his Honda Yuasa Racing Team Civic while
team-mate Neal was a lowly seventh.
It was the same top three in the second race as reigning Champion Neal this time finished eighth. Plato was only 11th, his car struggling with turbo-related problems.
Inverness’s
Newsham, high in confidence after his maiden win at Snetterton a
fortnight earlier, then took victory in the third race in his Team ES
Racing.com Vauxhall Vectra. Jeff Smith followed in his Pirtek Racing
Honda Civic for the first podium result of his BTCC career as Neal took
third. Shedden and Plato, though, both retired.
As a result Neal leaves Scotland having slightly stretched his
advantage over Shedden to ten points at the top of the table.
Third-placed Plato has fallen 36 points adrift of Neal having gone into
Knockhill’s event just ten behind…
Hampshire racer Collard enthused: “It’s just been a fantastic day for
me and the whole eBay Motors team with a pair of 1-2 results and our
other car driven by Nick Foster also very strong. It’s a big ask but
another day like today at Rockingham and we could be right back in the
title hunt.”
And added Newsham: “I really didn’t believe a podium result let alone a
win would be possible here but I banged in some really fast laps at the
start of race three and that clinched it for me. I’ve had a new sponsor
on board this weekend and I’m chuffed to bits.”
Worcestershire’s
Neal appeared stunned to still be leading the standings. He commented:
“I have no idea how I am still in front. It’s been a horrid weekend for
me, but Gordon’s retirement in that third race plus a bad day for Jason
as well have saved my skin.”
Fife’s Shedden said: “This was meant to be one of our stronger circuits
and the next three, Rockingham, Silverstone and Brands Hatch require
good straight line speed which is where we are lacking. We might still
be in front but the truth is we are struggling.”
Oxford’s Plato had also expected more from Knockhill, particularly
after his pole position lap. The double Champion reflected: “It’s an
opportunity for us to take more points out of the Honda drivers and even
take the championship lead gone begging. We’ve clearly got the
performance – we’ve just had rotten luck but it’s certainly not over
yet.”
Notably Irishman Aron Smith celebrated his best result to date in the
BTCC with fourth in the first race. Similarly series returnee Paul
O’Neill gave the Speedworks Motorsport squad a best ever finish of
fourth in the second race in its Toyota Avensis.
Honda/Dynamics
and the Honda Yuasa Racing Team continue to lead the
Manufacturers/Constructors and HiQ Teams standings, as does Andrew
Jordan the Independents Drivers Championship. However, his Pirtek Racing
team has lost the lead in the Independent Teams Trophy table to eBay
Motors.
Elsewhere
a number of drivers were punished by officials for on-track
indiscretions today. Race 1: Aron Smith received three penalty points on
his competition licence and was fined £500 for an incident involving
Jason Plato; Gordon Shedden received two penalty points on his licence
plus an official reprimand for an incident involving Aron Smith; Daniel
Welch received three penalty points and was fined £500 for an incident
involving Jeff Smith. Race 2: Chris James received three penalty points
and was fined £500 for an incident involving Daniel Welch.
...And it's not what you might have thought it would be. One half of the Wheeler Dealers team joins up with Tom Onslow-Cole to transform, of all things, a Milk Float, into a racing car. And you get no prizes for guessing where they found that!
eBay Motors launches its Mechanics Challenge at Snetterton with British Touring Car Championship (BTCC) star Tom Onslow-Cole and TV motoring expert Edd China to highlight the wealth of automotive parts on the site.
What on earth are we going to do with this?
eBay
Motors challenges Tom and Edd to turn a milk float into a race car
using parts and accessories from eBay Motors, the UK’s leading online
automotive marketplace with more than 18 million listings and 250,000
cars and motorcycles for sale.
During
the next month Edd will work with the eBay Motors BTCC team engineers
in a challenge that will showcase their skills as top mechanics and the
huge range of parts and accessories available on eBay Motors. The
activity culminates in September with Tom behind the wheel in an
exciting final test.
BTCC
fans and motoring enthusiasts will vote on the parts and accessories
from eBay Motors that will be used to transform the milk float into a
race car. The finished car will be on display for fans at the final BTCC
round at Silverstone on the 7th October 2012.
Edd China, eBay Motors blogger and host of Wheeler Dealers,
commented: “This is a really tough challenge, but I am very excited to
be working with Tom and the guys from the eBay Motors BTCC team to build
this vehicle. The range of items available from eBay Motors will make
our job a lot easier, and we look forward to getting started on the
developments.”
Tom
Onslow-Cole, eBay Motors team driver, added: “I have never been
involved in anything like this before and can’t wait to get started.
Having driven the milk float around Snetterton it is clear that we have a
massive amount of work on our hands. We have got some great engineers
working on the car and I am eager to see what is in store for the final
challenge.”
This probably goes a bit slower than Tom's BMW.
The optional Edd attachment is likely to add a bit of drag too!
For exclusive videos, imagery and to see the latest vote statistics go to www.ebaymotorsbtcc.co.uk
This
is eBay’s third season involved in the 2012 Dunlop MSA British Touring
Car Championship (BTCC), although the first as title sponsor of the
team. Rob Collard, Nick Foster and Tom Onslow-Cole are the three drivers
in 2012, and the team is currently lying in first place in this
season’s Independent Team Championship. We caught up with Tom earlier in the year... Here's what he had to say
eBay Motors team heads to the north-west with an exciting fan experience The fourth round of this year’s Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship (BTCC) takes place at Oulton Park on Saturday and Sunday 9th and 10th June, and the eBay Motors team is looking to build on its early season form.
The team currently lies in third place in the Independents Championship and drivers Rob Collard, Nick Foster and Tom Onslow-Cole will aim to improve on one of the most popular rounds in the touring car calendar.
Both Rob Collard and Tom Onslow-Cole have a history of success at the circuit and they are keen to get their title chances back on track after a break of over a month since Thruxton. Hampshire-based driver Rob Collard commented: “I am really looking forward to getting back behind the wheel of the eBay Motors BMW after a slightly frustrating weekend last time out. There has been some good testing over the past weeks and hopefully the car is in great shape to compete at the front of the grid. Oulton Park is a circuit that we have done well at previously and I hope that continues.”
Dick Bennetts, Team Principal of eBay Motors, added: “We ran one of our turbo BMW’s on a four poster rig and learnt quite a lot, so then decided to verify the results with some testing at Silverstone with Colin Turkington. Working with the turbo engine has been an interesting process and we are looking to improve our performance now that we have got to know the car better. I am hopeful that our talented drivers will be able to guide the eBay Motors cars to podium finishes at Oulton Park.”
Fans at the Cheshire circuit should look out for the eBay Motors garage, an exciting experiential zone where visitors will have the opportunity to beat the drivers in the eBay BTCC simulator and win some great prizes.
Over the weekend the three eBay Motors cars will be running with Union Jack flags on the roof in honour of the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee. For more information and exclusive content about the eBay Motors team and its drivers visit www.ebaymotorsbtcc.co.uk
