BTCC Rounds 1, 2 and 3 - Brands Hatch Indy - 5th May

The wait is almost over!

Possibly one of the most highly anticipated seasons for some time as the BTCC recovers from its near fatal blow of 2001..

anyway, 2009: 7 Manufacturers with 10 different car models participating full time, piloted by 21 drivers, its gonna be a great year.

Entry list (from www.touringcartimes.com)

#1 Fabrizio Giovanardi
VX Racing Vauxhall Vectra
#4 Colin Turkington
Team RAC BMW 320si E90
#5 Matt Neal
VX Racing Vauxhall Vectra
#9 Adam Jones
Cartridge World Carbon Zero Racing SEAT Leon
#10 Tom Chilton
Team Aon Ford Focus ST
#11 Robert Collard
Airwaves BMW BMW 320si
#12 Jonathan Adam
Airwaves BMW BMW 320si
#15 Martyn Bell
Sunshine.co.uk with Tech-Speed Motorsport Honda Integra
#17 Harry Vaulkhard
Tempus Sport Chevrolet Lacetti
#18 TBA
Tempus Sport Chevrolet Lacetti
#20 TBA
Team Aon Ford Focus ST
#27 Liam McMillan
Maxtreme SEAT Toledo
#28 Jason Hughes
KWR Sport MG ZS
#29 Paul O’Neill
Sunshine.co.uk with Tech-Speed Motorsport Honda Integra
#44 Stephen Jelley
Team RAC BMW 320si
#50 John George
TH Motorsport Racing with JAG Honda Integra
#52 Gordon Shedden
Team Dynamics Honda Civic
#55 Dave Pinkney
Team Dynamics Honda Civic
#63 Martin Johnson
Boulevard Team Racing Vauxhall Astra Coupe
#77 Andrew Jordan
VX Racing Vauxhall Vectra
#85 Dan Eaves
Cartridge World Carbon Zero Racing SEAT Leon

Changes to the Manufacturer rules mean that there are three 'manufacturer teams':

Vauxhall - 888/VX Racing
Ford - Arena/Team AON
Honda - Team Dynamics

Other interesting stuff includes Swedens Polestar Racing making a one off apearance with their Volvo C30 and Robert Dahlgren, and that one free seat at Tempus... Thomo? Plato?

Excelent coverage on ITV4 as ever, and Steve Rider will present (one of the main guys who brought the BTCC to the telly) the channels massive coverage (5 hours of live racing) including support races.

So, tips for season? Who are you supporting? and will you be at any of the races?

Givo is the main contender for the title, i can see him winning the championship IMO.

DISCUSS!

I really can't wait for this, i thought it was this weekend and I got my hopes up for it, I was disappointed

oofters... Aussie V8s start this week

Ive put the date up now lol

GORDON SHEDDEN FTW!

hehe, two Tempus slots available, if Thomo is one of them, then THOMO FTW.

if not, PAUL O'NEIL FTW

Airwaves cars showing some real pace at Brands! Im really rooting for Jonothan Adam this year, and would like to see Turkington do well too.

interresting first race! wont get to see the rest till later.. someone wants to listen to football on the radio...

Paul is already racing with Martyn Bell but has other commitments this weekend.
Come on Plato...never thought I'd say that!
The support races are proving fun too. Check out Breeze and Freke in the G50s....how to win with half a car

is RML eligible for manufacturers points since they built the car?

What have they done to the Dynamics cars with the Luminous Yellow Paint. Looks terrible, pink I could deal with but Deglow Yellow?! Just cause Brawn GP have it on their car doesn't mean everybody has to have it on their cars now.

Seen how many Porsches are running day glo yellow too
BGP have clearly started a trend hahaha!!

Hate to say it but well done Jason! What a save!!!!!

wow! Karma finaly gets him back after the Muller incident of 2004

wow, what a save!!! Great to see Plato out there.

anyone see the Brawn GP paint copy in the ginetta juniours?

WOW Plato that was one hell of a save i cannot wait for Thruxton now

oooh yeah! That Chevy is quick in a straight line, im sure we will see it featuring strongly at Thruxton.

Are the Tempus Chevy's 08 builds too?

http://www.touringcartimes.com/news.php?id=3330

!!!! YASSSS

very Aussie GP-esque

bit sad but rather inevitable

Well just watched that after recording the BTCC - was working last minute overtime - and I have decided that race 3 was my favourite BTCC race ever.

That was all down to the performance of Jason Plato. Outstanding. Even when Gordon Shedden was threatening, I found myself willing Plato to hold him off. I kept repeating that save just to see how he did it. I cheered when he retook P2 from Neal after losing it at Clearways - that Lacetti was fast in a straight line! And I applauded when he took second.

RML must return with him for the rest of the season. That was incredible racing.

Matt Neal. 3 podiums. 'Nuff said.

The Vectra is still incredible, despite the showing from the Beemers today - how good was it under braking!?

Rob Collard taking a win - he deserved that, especially after race 1.

Gio taking little away from the weekend. Luck wasn't with him, but there's still 27 races left. Still, good that everyones' (including my own) predictions of an easy third title weren't cemented today.

And lastly... Jason Plato. Incredible.