It’s true to say when it comes to the British
Touring Car Championship, you’d be a fool
to bet money on a clear winner before each race.
The BTCC is unpredictable, exciting and action-packed,
which was proven ten times over during the penultimate
race at Silverstone this weekend.
A huge and excitable crowd lined the pit straight
grandstands for each of the three BTCC races of
the day, creating an amazing electric atmosphere.
Girlracer Fiona Leggate in her Bio-Ethanol fuelled
Vauxhall Astra started her first race in 13th position,
but an unfortunate spin off pushed her back to last
place - although she did make up time when the safety
car came out due to Dan Eaves’ Honda Integra
ending up facing the wrong way at Brooklands. The
crowd not only went crazy for the race leaders during
this time, but also tough cookie Leggate who was
left battling it out with HPI Racing defender Ian
Curley for her original 13th position. There was
such a mega wild cheer and a standing ovation for
Leggate as she took Curley on the last lap. As Malcolm
Leggate said himself, everyone loves an underdog.
Me and Gail (MBR) joined forces and cased the pit
lane garages for suitable Girlracer top totty. Richard
‘Sex God’ Williams was looking mighty
fine in his branded clothes and of course, phhooaarr
racing suit, and we chatted to his down-to-earth
race manager Dave Older who is happy to hire out
Sex God for any future GR events. But sorry girlies,
I failed to talk to BTCC’s cold shower inducing
top totty as I was such a bundle of nerves that
I couldn’t even string a sentence together
whilst graced with his presence!
Now although both me and Gail were issued with
official media tabards to wear which made us look
like we were about to enter the Great North Run,
we certainly didn’t want to take the day too
seriously. Which is why we were a little bemused
that the Vauxhall pit garage had someone resembling
a bouncer blocking the entrance who was only allowing
Vauxhall VIPs with the correct dog-tag-pass-around-neck
into the area. Luckily Gail used her Girlracer/Vauxhall
Calibra ownership charm to win him round so she
could get a few quick shots of their Vauxhall Astras
and whip a few crisps and peanuts from the Muller/Turkington/Smith
appreciators buffet on her way out.
Malcolm Leggate was a star as always, allowing
us to hang out with his very busy Techspeed team
and watch them working on Fiona’s car. Just
before the start of BTCC race two, I followed Malcolm
onto the racing straight where the cars were lined
up on the grid and found myself completely star
struck, standing there with the crowd looking on
whilst I mingled with head-phoned race team members,
Vicki Butler Henderson reporting live for ITV and
enthusiastic radio presenters.
The second race quickly became Fiona’s best
race of the season so far where she zoomed up from
13th position to sixth place overall and a third
in class. The team were ecstatic climbing onto the
pit lane fence to cheer her on over the finishing
line. A scuffle during this race between Jason Plato
in his SEAT Toledo and Tom Chilton’s Honda
Civic Type-R meant an after race decision to exclude
Plato, rewarding his team mate Hines with first
position and Leggate with fifth overall.
A bad start on the BTCC final race of the day unfortunately
meant Leggate dropped down from fifth position to
13th with race competitors passing either side of
her on the pits straight. But she pushed hard throughout
the race, even after the tyre on Luke Hine's SEAT
Toledo exploded in front of her at Copse with back
bumper debris scattering everywhere. Leggate saw
out to the bitter end a second back grid fight with
HPI Racing’s Curley where she repeated her
performance of the first race and passed him on
the final lap.
Gareth Howell - who only rejoined BTCC racing very
recently after an absence - had a fantastic final
race in his independently entered Halfords Honda
Integra, going from 12th position to race leader
within only a few laps. 24-year-old Gareth ‘cutey’
Howell has definitely caught our eye that we have
now added him to our BTCC top totty hall of fame,
so watch out Richard ‘Sex God’ Williams,
you have a rival! Now this leaves us wondering whether
Howell’s team manager is also willing to hire
him out for after dinner speeches and dinner dates
with Girlracer members? We’re working on it
girlies! See you all at the BTCC finals at Brands
Hatch 2 October for more superb bumper-to-bumper
race action…and top totty spotting…
Sezza
