Thruxton testing round up - 20/02/04

An open test session at Thruxton today (Friday) gave a number of BTCC teams the chance to run on the track that will play host to the opening rounds of the 2004 championship. Present at the test, which was open to all saloon cars, were West Surrey Racing with Colin Turkington (MG ZS), GA Motorsports with Paul Wallace and Charlie Butler-Henderson (Vauxhall Astra Coupés) and Team Dynamics with Matt Neal and Gareth Howell (Honda Civic Type-Rs).

After competing in a number of races towards the end of last season with Team Dynamics, Gareth Howell was pleased to join the team again for today’s test: “It went very well. We only got very limited time on the track, with two 55-minute sessions. Matt [Neal] shook down my car for five laps at the start of the first session before I went out and just learned the car really. It is unbelievable compared to anything else I’ve driven around Thruxton. It handles excellently at high speed."

Asked about the forthcoming season, Howell was enthusiastic, despite being unable to confirm a full-time attack on the BTCC: “I got there this morning and both cars were in full livery with our names on the back. It was great. I don’t want to read too much in to it. It’s up to Steve [Neal] to decide as far as who drives is concerned, but it went very very well today. By the end of the second session I really felt at home in the car. I was comfortable with it and knew how it was going to respond. I’m grateful to Steve for giving me the chance to get out in the car, but we’ll just have to wait and see as far as this season is concerned though…”

A BTCC debutant in 2004, Charlie Butler-Henderson moves up to the series from the Clio Cup. Today provided him with the first chance to get behind the wheel of the Astra Coupé on the fast Thruxton circuit: “I had a really good day”, he commented. “Everything went really well. The car is amazing to drive – so much quicker than the Clio! I love the team and I’m getting on really well with them already, so that’s all good. I think we were slightly slower than Gareth in the Civic but for a first run here it was amazing. My best time was a 1:19.7 I think. I had a few scary moments out there and it was freezing cold, but it all in all it was wicked.”

As the grid for the 2004 season continues to unfold, the line-up is looking ever more impressive. Expect more news over the next few weeks in the run-up to the start of the season.