Gareth Howell will replace Stuart Oliver in BTC Racing’s line-up in this weekend’s HiQ MSA British Touring Car Championship rounds at Thruxton (17-18 May) – ironically in the same SEAT Toledo he raced in 2007.
Howell last year completed half a season in the Toledo with the Motorbase outfit – but BTC has since acquired the Spanish cars and made the 27-year-old its reserve driver.
He had already been put on stand-by for Thruxton after regular driver Chris Stockton looked set to miss the event due to work commitments, but now it is Oliver who he will replace.
BTC is looking to build on a hugely encouraging debut with its Toledos at Donington ten days ago when Stockton achieved his and the team’s best-ever BTCC result with an eighth place finish - which turned into a front row position for race three’s reversed starting grid.
Howell, from Beckenham, Kent told BTCC.net: “Chris saw how well the Toledo went and soon changed his mind about Thruxton!
“I’ll actually be in my 2007 team-mate Matt Allison’s car which is identical to the one I raced so hopefully I’ll soon be able to blow the cobwebs away.
“Stuart can’t do this one, I’m back and it feels great but I’m not in it just to do well for myself – I’ve been working hard with BTC since the start of the season and the key goal has to be to build on the very promising showing at Donington.
“Bear in mind Chris effectively missed both practice sessions at Donington with a clutch problem but still bounced back and got an eighth. That is impressive for a privateer team with no previous running with the car.”
Last year, Howell briefly ran as high as fifth at Thruxton. He’s been keeping in his hand with outings in the Britcar and VdeV series, but says the BTCC – in which he’s won three races in the past – is his first priority.
“There’s nothing like the BTCC,” he added. “Whether or not I can get myself into a similar position at Thruxton this time around remains to be seen – the whole grid has moved forward and there are more competitive cars out there.
“Above all, I want to keep out of trouble and hopefully end up with a good starting position for race three… and then fight like hell!”
Source: www.btcc.net
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