21/6/03

Throughout the 2003 BTCC season, Dunlop, supplier of the official championship tyre, has a prize fund of 22 tyres to be allocated at its discretion to ‘recognise the contribution to the championship by teams or drivers whose efforts were not necessarily recognised in championship points’.

Dunlop has today announced the first Spirit of the Championship awards of the season:

Collard Racing: 2 tyres
“For valiant team efforts in rebuilding the car after an accident at Thruxton.”

Team Varta: 2 tyres
“For efforts in speedy rebuild following damage suffered during a Thruxton accident.”

Team Petronas Syntium Proton: 4 tyres
“For general perseverance and fortitude following repeated accident damage in recognition of team efforts.”

Barwell Motorsport: 2 tyres
“For efforts in preparing the car for the races at Mondello Park involving removing a gearbox from a car in England and flying to Dublin, completing fitting in the early hours of race day morning.”

Tony Gilhome of Dunlop Motorsport commented, “This is the first time that we have awarded from the Spirit of the Championship fund and our aim with the awards announced today is to highlight some of the efforts by the teams. This is our first year back as supplier to the BTCC and I am delighted by the standard of racing and team operation that we see. I applaud all of the teams and drivers and hope that the Spirit awards go some way to recognising team reactions to adverse situations.”

A further 12 tyres remain in the Dunlop prize fund to be allocated over the course of the second half of the season.