F 5 o t All-star rnvasrono o Britain'sbrightest racing stars cross the SevernBridge this weekend,bringing racing'smost popularcircus to Pembrey.Jonathan Gill putsyou in the picture Top of today's bill is the all-starcast of the Mid-field battles (top, Bellm leods 7993 Auto TroderRACBritishTouring Car Flux, the two Renaults, the two Championship.This country'spremier race junior Toyotas et al) haue been serieshas alreadyprovided plenty of frantic close as those at the front . top classentertainment for tensof thousands where the winning ho,s been done of racegoers and millionsof BBC television by the Schintzerrun BMWs, under viewersalike. guidance (oboue) 'British' Charley l-amm's . And beinga true championship, . although at Snetterton (left) oll the BTCC doesn't just strut its stuff at guidance came to nought with a Silverstone and Brands Hatch - this start-line shunt (left, Soper, weekendthe touring car circusis performing Cleland and Hoy inspect damage) . here in Wales and at the end of the next . before neucomer Harry Nuttall month you'll find the Big Top pitched at (below) joined the circus Knockhill in Scotland. For newcomers,the Auto Trader RAC British Touring Car Championship is the current successstory of British motor sport. Record levelsof manufacturerinvolvement, a setof regulationswhich provideultra-close racing and a superb promotional package having combined to deliver thrilling racing which is now attractingcrowds which would do many premier league football clubs prouo. The bedrockon which the thrill-a-minute BTCC is built is a set of cleverly-engineered technical regulations.In simple terms these rulesstipulate that carsmust be saloonsover 4.2metreslongwith enginesupto2litres in capacity.This encouragesthe useof familiar family saloons (both front and rear-wheel drive) which has enormous appeal to recorded the team's best ever results wit motoring marketeers- hencethe vast array h.rro excellent second places at Brand of manufacturers now contestinq the Hatch: he's backed up by both vetera: championship.BMW. Ford.Mazda, Nittun, saloon car wizard Win Percy and TV sta Peugeot,Renault, Toyota and Vauxhallare Tiff Needell. Over the years the well know alreadyinvolved, while Alfa Romeo,Audi, Top Gear presenter has made several came, Mercedesand a host of othersare watchino appearances in the series but now has hi with keeninterest. paws on a Primera eGT for the rest of th Leading the way in 1993 is the crack season. SchnitzerBMW teamwhose star driver line- Mazda is represented too - Patricl up of Joachim Winkelhock and Steve Watts lines up in the goodJooking Xedos 6 Soper currently top the series points pronounced Cur-cee-dos, if you wer, standings.Soper started the seasonin fine wondering! The sweet sounding V6 machin, stylebut the fearlessGerman isn't aboutto has already caused 'Smokin' a stir or two . notabl capitulate. Jo' haswon threeolthe when it qualified on pole position for roun, last four racesand only trails his team-mate three at Snetterton. by a scant three points - a situation Touch wood, this weekend's field will b, Winkelhock will be keen to reverse this swelled by the arrival of two more six weekend.There are no teamorders at BMW cylinder challengers. Several months ag( so expect civil war and plenty of fireworks! Ford announced its intention to enter th, t Last year's Manufacturers'Champion BTCC fray and preparation specialist Andr I Vauxhali seems best-placedto challenge Rouse has been working overtime to read, dominant BMW. The Vauxhall Soort a pair of Mondeos for action. All being well Cavaliersof Jeff Allam and John Cleland these exciting Mondoes will make their racr I haveboth chasedthe 318ishard throuohout debutshere at Pembrey; Rousewillpilot one the first sevenraces and two fine se-cond Kiwi star Paul Radisich the other. place finishes underline the team's Aside from Messrs Soper an( determination. Winkelhock, the only other man to win i However.last time out. it wasthe blueand BTCC race in 1993 is reigning champior white Ecurie Ecosse Cavalier of David Tim Harvey. Having left BMW at the end o Leslie which spearheadedLuton's attack. Iast season,he now lines up alongside Swis While most of the front runners rely on star Alain Menu at the promising nev Yokohama tyres, Ecurie Ecosseraces on Renault equipe. Although the bright yellov Dunloprubber . and,at BrandsHatch, the cars are still midfield runners in dn Dunlopsseemed to havethe edge.Indeed, conditions. they go like Class 1 powerboat Leslie was leading the first of two races in the wet. Harvey's victory, which owed a lo stagedat the Kentishcircuit until forcedinto to Michelin's grippy grooved tyres, came a a spin by Winkelhock. a movewhich cost a soaking Donington Park back in April. the hard-chargingGerman an endorsement The Nissons haoe steadily Renault isn't France's only representative on his racinglicence. improued this year. Kieth Odor the Tricolore is also waved by Peugeo The new Toyota Carina E GTis of former (top) finished second qt Brsnds a whose 405 Mi16 has shown plenty o championWill Hoy and ex-grandprix man fortnight ago. In the TOCA promise without delivering much in the wa1 Julian Bailey havealso started to challenge Challenge Cup for Prioateers, Ian of silverware . yet! Robb Gravett, thi the mighty BMWs. Indeed Hoy, the lap Ashley (aboue) arriues in Wales the 1990 champion, heads the driving forcr recordholder here at Pembrey,also led at comfortable leader. For Peugeot which also includes Eugene O'Brien anr BrandsHatch but not when it counted. at (below), the long hard struggle is charismatic lan Flux who races a semi the chequeredflag. at lost bearing fruit, but not before works machine prepared by Roy Kennedr Nissanis anotherJapanese giant seeking early-season frustrations. Here, Racing. glory in the Auto Trader RAC British Flux pcsses Grauett's strqnded Two rising young chargers, namelr Touring Car Championship.Kieth Odor factory car, chased by O'Brien's James Kaye and Bobby Verdon-Roe battered one join forces at another semi-works set-up, tht Park Lake Toyota Junior Team, whosr distinctive green and white Carinas arr generally right in the thick of the midfiel< action. While these factory-backed teams battle i out for outright glory up front, severa enthusiastic privateers are also seekinl honours in the TOCA Challenge Cup - i special race within a race for drivers no receiving backing from a manufacturer. Former F1 driver lan Ashley currentlr heads the standings in his Vauxhall Cavalie but Matthew Neal (BMW), Ian Khar (Vauxhall)and lan Cantwell (Mazda 323F) are all chasing hard. Look out, too, for tht BMWs of David Pinkney, Alex Portmar and former Le Mans winner Andy Wallace ri The form book may point to anothe ? I BMW victory, but don't bet on it. Remembe 6 both Vauxhall and Toyota had their noses ir E front at Brands Hatch and the fine-handlin< o Nissans are sure to be on the pace too o Whoever eventually comes out on top, al d exhilarating race is guaranteed. Enjoyl AUTO TftfiPE,B RAC BRITISH TOURING CAR CHAIT{PIONSHIP round 8 No. Driver Tor,vn/Country Entrant Car 1 Tim Harvey Carterton RenaultDealer Racing Renault19 16v 1.995 2 WillHoy London Team SecuricorToyota Toyota Carina E GTi 7998 3 John Cleland Peebles VauxhallSport Vauxhall CavalierGSi 16v 1998 4 Jeff Allam Reigate VauxhallSport VauxhallCavalier GSi 16v 1.998 5 Andy Rouse Coventry Team Mondeo Ford Mondeo Si 7998 6 SteveSoper Monaco BMW MotorsportTeam BMW 318i r996 10 JamesKaye Alton Park Lane Toyota Junior Team Toyota Carina E GTi 2000 11 Andy Wallace Westcott Team Dynamics BMW 318is Coupe 2000 72 Dave Pinkney Harpenden PinkneyMotorsport BMW 318is Coupe 2000 13 Mathew Neal Stourbridge Team Dynamics BMW 318is Coupe 1998 14 Ian Flux Newport Pagnell AKR with Silkoleneat Hal{ords Peugeot405 Mil6 7998 15 Paul Radisich New Zealand Team Mondeo Ford Mondeo Si r998 76 lan Ashley Cambridge Sports PromotionAeam Maxted VauxhallCavalier GSi 16v 2000 77 Ian Khan London Driver VauxhallCavalier GSi 16v 2000 18 Gareth Howell Hatfield Driver Ford Sapphire Cosworth 2000 19 Alain Menu Switzerland RenaultDealer Racing Renault19 76v 7995 20 Bobby Verdon-Roe London Park Lane Toyota Junior Team Toyota Carina E GTi 2000 2I Julian Bailey Cobham Team SecuricorToyota Toyota Carina E GTi 7998 22 Joachim Winkelhock Germany BMW Motorsport Team BMW 318i r996 23 Kieth Odor Salisbury NissanCastrol Racing Team NissanPrimera eGT 2000 24 Win Percy Weymouth NissanCastrol Racing Team NissanPrimera eGT 2000 27 Alex Portman London Team Dynamics BMW 318is Coupe 1.998 32 Ian Cantwell Longfield AsquithAutosport Mazda323F 2000 34 Tiff Needell Petersfield NissanCastrol Racing Team NissanPrimera eGT 2000 45 Robb Gravett Maidenhead PeugeotTalbot Sport Peugeot405 Mil6 1998 46 EugeneO'Brien Towcester PeugeotTalbot Sport Peugeot405 Mil6 7998 66 Patrick Watts Hamptons MazdaRacing Team MazdaXedos 6 7998 78 Harry Nuttall London EcurieEcosse Vauxhall VauxhallCavalier GSi 16v 1997 79 David Leslie Carlisle EcurieEcosse Vauxhall VauxhallCavalier GSi 16v 1.997 / U anf IIIIIf tr[ Yj;i;+;::;.4r,?1,,,,,n,u.n \ trTITtrTtrTTTTTT 1st.......... ... 2nd. 3rd 4th 5th. 6th. 71h.............8th 91h.............101h............. 11th lzth. kmh =mto TFdder RACBritish TouringCar Championship drl' 4.15 \\"EATHER: Sunnl' ' track BULLETI}i 1O ISSLED: COMBINEDPRACTICE.4 & 9 RAC BRITISHTOURING CAR CHAMPIONSHIP ..FIRST -- --STCOHD.----OVIRALL FASTES] LAP--- Posfic. oRIvtR TIH! LAPS TII{I LADS TIH! LAPS KHH HPH I 79 DavlCLISLlt VAUXHALLC,AVA].IIR 0:59.78l5 l:0C.2ilc f:59.78 29 t1l.l0 87.68 2 3 John CLTLAXD VAUXHAI.LCAVALIER