BTCC - Anthony Reid back for Team RAC

Anthony Reid at Brands Hatch 1998 - photo by Tonylanciabeta

As reported in the excellent Touring Car Times, the bete noire of the BTCC, Anthony Reid, is back racing this weekend at Silverstone for Team RAC.


Reid has not raced in the BTCC since 2004 but has been drafted in by Team RAC for the remainder of the season to support Colin Turkington's championship bid together with Stephen Jelley.

I have always been a fan of Reidy and welcome his return to the series.

He will no doubt ruffle a few feathers along the way and get the old women, Neal & Plato whinging! (just like the good old days).

Despite all the controversy that seems to follow him around, when all is said and done he is still a quality driver.

Reid has just returned from competing in a TC2000 endurance race in Buenos Aires where he finished second in a Honda Civic.

BTCC Croft - Turkington Takes Pole

Colin Turkington of Team RAC has taken pole position at Croft. Jason Plato qualified second on the grid with Turkington's team mate Stephen Jelley third. Jelley is certainly much improved this season compared to last year.

Jones, fourth, was the only non BMW/Chevrolet qualifier in the top six. The two Chevrolets of Mat Jackson and Harry Vaulkhard were fifth and sixth fastest respectively.

VXR team mates Jordan and Neal are seventh and eighth whilst current Champion Giovanardi is way back in thirteenth. Jordan is certainly holding his own against his vastly more experienced team mates.

The top ten is rounded out by James Thompson ninth and Rob Collard in tenth.

With a fair wind, this weekend could see Turkington take the lead in the driver's Championship.

BTCC - Colin Turkington to be Replaced at Team RAC?

Watch out Colin Turkington and Stephen Jelley!

L2F Junior has been honing his racecraft and we are pleased to report that the laps times have started to tumble. He is eyeing up a spot on the grid for BTCC 2024.

BTCC Oulton Park - Colin Turkington Takes Double Victory

Team RAC driver Colin Turkington took victories in both races one and two at a sunny Oulton Park today putting himself within two points of current BTCC Championship leader Matt Neal.

James Thompson continued his good run following on from Donington taking a lights to flag victory in race three.

In race one Turkington lead home Jason Plato in second whilst youngster Jonathan Adam of Team Motorbase continued to outshine his more experienced team mate Rob Collard taking the third step of the podium.

The highest placed Vauxhall in race one was driven by Fabrizio Giovanardi. The top six was rounded out by an improving Stephen Jelley in P5 and Adam Jones in P6.

In race two, Turkington was joined on the podium by Giovanardi in second and Plato in third. The Vauxhalls showed much better in race two. Matt Neal took fourth and Andrew Jordan sixth. Jonathan Adam had another strong result in fifth.

In race three Team Dynamic's James Thompson lead home the two Vauxhalls of Andrew Jordan and Matt Neal.

It seems to me that Andrew Jordan is mixing it very well with his more senior Vauxhall team mates despite the short period of time he has spent in the BTCC especially when compared to how Tom Chilton performed when he was in the same position a couple of years ago.

Rob Collard improved on his race one and two performances with a fourth place. Plato finished in fifth and Giovanardi in sixth

The next BTCC rounds (13-15) will be at Croft over the weekend of 13th/14th June.

BTCC 2009 Drivers' Championship (after Oulton Park rounds)

1 - Matt Neal - 111
2 - Colin Turkington - 109
3 - Fabrizio Giovanardi - 92
4 - Jason Plato - 87
5 - Rob Collard - 78
6 - James Thompson - 74
7 - Adam Jones - 51
8 - Andrew Jordan - 47
9 - Mat Jackson - 41
10 - Jonathan Adam - 41

BTCC: Thompson does the double in the wet at Donington

Despite rumours circulating beforehand that the circuit would not be ready in time, Donington Park was able to host rounds 7-9 of the BTCC over the weekend of the 16th/17th May.

James Thompson who has recently joined Team Dynamics had an excellent weekend with wins in the first two races and a sixth place finish in the third.

After winning race one, Thompson became the seventh different winner in as many races this season. A clear indication, as if one was needed, of how close the racing is in the BTCC.

Race one was heavily rain affected. The experienced Thompson was able to move into the lead after a slow start from young Andy Jordan who had inherited pole position from his VX Racing team mate Giovanardi. The Italian clocked the fastest time in Saturday qualifying but was dropped to the back of the grid due to a technical issue with his car.

Thompson managed to maintain the lead through to the end of the race and was followed home by Jordan (2nd), Neal (3rd) and Collard (4th).

There were very creditable performances from Harry Vaulkhard finishing in 5th and Jonathan Adam in 6th.

In race two, the rain abated and Thompson lead away from the start maintaining that position through to the chequered flag. The two Vauxhalls of Championship leader Neal and reigning champion Giovanardi finished second and third respectively.

Jason Plato in the Chevrolet Lacetti came in fourth, followed by Colin Turkington in the BMW and Plato's team mate Matt Jackson in sixth.

Race three started with another downpour but the track later dried. Rob Collard in the Team Airwaves BMW made a lightning start and opened up an early lead which he held through to the end of the race.

Turkington took second place with Plato in third - his first and only podium finish of the weekend. Matt Jackson took fourth spot followed by Giovanardi and Thompson in sixth, putting him in contention for the Championship even at this early stage of the season.

Next rounds - 10 to 12 - Oulton Park 30th/31st May

End to a busy month - Jenson wins in Bahrain / BTCC action at Thruxton

April came to a close with plenty of action both on and off track.

Jenson Button picked up his third win of the season at last weekend's Bahrain GP joined on the podium by German wunderkind Sebastian Vettel and Toyota's Jarno Trulli.

Lewis Hamilton in the much improved McLaren came in fourth - his season's best to date.

Meanwhile in the latest BTCC rounds at Thruxton, James Thompson made a welcome return to the series action with Team Dynamics sporting another of his decidedly dodgy hair dos!!

(Fortunately his driving makes up for it so we can forgive him)

The VX Racing team scored a 1-2-3 in the first race with Giovanardi leading home Matt Neal and young Andrew Jordan.

Colin Turkington took victory in race two after a closely fought battle with Giovanardi while Matt Jackson, debuting in an RML Chevrolet had an excellent win in race three.

Off track, McLaren received their expected rap across the knuckles - a suspended race ban. Ron Dennis's recent departure from the scene would appear to have been sufficient to appease the F1 hierarchy.

Today the FIA have announced their planned £ 40 million spending cap for the 2010 season which they hope will lead to up to an additional six cars joining the grid. Several teams including McLaren and Williams have already raised concerns.

No doubt this one will rumble on over the next few months!

Motorbase Almost Do A Double At Brands Hatch BTCC Opener

The BTCC season opened with rounds 1 to 3 at Brands Hatch on 5th April and did not disappoint.

I was able to attend without Mrs L2F and junior in tow for a change! (They were off enjoying themselves at a third birthday party - I think I know who got the best deal!)

The weather was fine - Spring sunshine but with the usual chill wind that we know to expect at Brands Hatch this time of year.

I arrived there nice and early having had no problems with traffic. It seemed to me that the car parks were less full than on previous visits. Could be a sign of the times. Inside the circuit there were definitely fewer trade stands and not many freebies being given out.

I am pleased to report that the Pitstopper breakfast in the Hailwood Restaurant is still as good as ever and worth the money at £ 6.50. Having refuelled I headed trackside to watch the first race.

Matt Neal made a very poor start from pole position and the BMW's of Colin Turkington and Rob Collard drove immediately through to the front of the pack.

At the same time, further down the field Jelley in his second year in the BTCC was the villain of the piece taking out both Shedden and Adam.

Following a couple of periods behind the safety car, the Vauxhalls of Neal and his team mate Giovanardi eventually managed to overhaul Turkington and Collard. The third Vauxhall driven by Andrew Jordan retired with a mechanical gremlin but he had driven very well in his first outing with the VX-R team. Something for his more senior team mates to bear in mind later in the season.

The race ended - Neal (1st), Giovanardi (2nd), Turkington (3rd).

Race 2 saw a well deserved victory for Rob Collard in his Motorbase Airwaves BMW after a hard fought battle with Team RAC's Colin Turkington. Turks had lead virtually the whole race after again overhauling Neal at the start only to lose the lead to Collard a couple of laps from the finish.

Matt Neal finished the race with another podium while Jelley redeemed himself somewhat for his earlier misdemeanors by finishing fourth - his best showing to date in the BTCC.

The race ended - Collard (1st), Turkington (2nd), Neal (3rd)

I have made little mention of Jason Plato so far. Having finished in tenth place in race two, Plato was lucky enough to find himself on pole position for race three having benefited from the reverse grid draw.

He was overtaken, following a heavy shunt to the rear of his Chevrolet Lacetti, by the second Airwaves BMW of BTCC rookie Jonathan Adam who had started from P2 on the grid.

Adam lead all the way to the chequered flag whilst Plato, Neal, Turkington and Shedden squabbled over second, third and fourth places.

Alas, the dream debut for Adam and the double for the Motorbase team was not to be. The stewards handed Adam a time penalty for the havey handed pass on Plato dropping him to second and passing the victory to Plato.

The race ended - Plato (1st), Adam (2nd), Neal (3rd).

Looking forward to the next rounds at Thruxton later this month. Will be interesting to see if Plato will be there and if Matt Neal can continue his form.

For details of the 2009 BTCC calendar please clicke here