Sport   Motorsport   Touring Cars

BTCC Oulton Park catch-up

By MJP Media | 5 June 2014

Ahead of this weekend's BTCC meeting at Oulton Park in Cheshire, we catch up with the recent news and developments from Britain's premier motor sport series.

Hunter Abbott in his AlcoSense Breathalysers Racing Audi A4

In a UK first, the Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship has introduced mandatory breath-testing on every day at every BTCC event to ensure that all competing drivers and senior championship officials are free from the effects of any alcohol in their system. As any amount of alcohol in the blood stream can affect a person's ability to drive and make decisions, a strict 'zero tolerance' limit will now be imposed by organisers TOCA to ensure the maximum levels of safety are maintained at all times. Any drivers or officials who fail the zero tolerance test will not be allowed to participate until such time as they pass the test. The teams and drivers will also undertake a new challenge at Oulton Park this weekend as the Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship switches to racing on the full International configuration of the Cheshire circuit for the first time since 1996.

It seems like the man to beat at Oulton Park will be championship leader Andrew Jordan in his Pirtek Racing Honda Civic. Jordan spent yesterday at Oulton Park recreating BTCC history as he put the ex-Jeff Allam 1994 Vauxhall Cavalier Super Tourer through its paces. This weekend sees huge enthusiasm surrounding the Super Touring Car Championship joining the TOCA bill with the old cars sure to prove a hit with the spectators and TV audiences.

The two Honda Civic Tourers, piloted by Matt Neal and Gordon Shedden, wade into the ever-intense BTCC battle well-armed having already scored two wins and a total of nine podiums so far this season. Last time out at Thruxton both Neal and Shedden visited the rostrum, with Neal taking second in race one while Shedden went even better with third in the opening race backed up by a second victory of the season in the following encounter. Along with Alain Menu, Neal is one of only two current drivers to have ever raced a BTCC car around the International Oulton Park layout and his experience could pay dividends as the cars stretch their legs over the longer ribbon of tarmac.

Andrew Jordan with the 1994 Vauxhall Cavalier Super Tourer

Rob Austin Racing have announced that James Weaver, one of Britain's top names in sports cars and also a former British Touring Car Championship runner-up, will take up the role of Chief Race Engineer at Oulton Park this coming weekend. Weaver became famous on the BBC's flagship sports show Grandstand 25 years ago for some heated battles with Prodrive BMW team-mate Frank Sytner which arguably cost him the BTCC crown in 1989. He then went on to a glittering career in sports cars with starring performances in the world-famous Le Mans 24 Hour race and in America where he won numerous high profile races and championships.

Having displayed impressive race pace at Brands Hatch, Donington Park and Thruxton, AMD Tuning with Inverness racer Dave Newsham will be seeking to pick up a third top ten finish of the year at the circuit where he has run strongly in the past. "We'd hoped to get a test in before Oulton Park but unfortunately we weren't able to, so there will be an element of testing in practice for us to try a few things out." Dave said. "However, we have been able to learn a huge amount in the first three rounds and we will be trying to build on that this weekend. It's key that we improve our performance in qualifying as our race pace is right up there and we have shown we can run with the guys at the front. We have to try and qualify higher up the grid and then stay out of trouble in the first two races and see if we can benefit from the reverse grid to try and make a push for the podium. If it rains, then I think we'd be in a great position as we seem to be particularly strong in the wet, but whatever the weather, this is a weekend I'm really looking forward to."

Matt Neal knows his way around the Oulton Park International circuit

The Airwaves Racing squad have put the break in the racing to good use, making further developments to the Ford Focus and expectations are running high with the team's sights firmly set on a return to the podium. The Motorbase-run squad put in a commanding performance with the Mountune-powered Ford Focus STs collecting five top ten finishes during the three races at Thruxton, ending on a high note with a stunning double podium from Mat Jackson and Fabrizio Giovanardi in the final race of the weekend. Giovanardi said "I want to try to win this weekend. We came close at Thruxton and we're more confident for this weekend for sure. The results at Thruxton helped, it showed that we can deliver a good result. The team have been busy during the break, working hard on the car and we expect a bit more power at Oulton."

It will be all action this weekend and we will bring you the news from the free practice and qualifying sessions on Saturday, followed by the three races on Sunday.

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