by rounds 28-29-30 brands hatch 21 september 2008 issue 11
DRIVER & MANUFACTURER
VX Racing, has successfully secured all three championship titles (Driver’s, Team’s and Manufacturer’s) at this weekends closing round of the 2008 HiQ MSA British Touring Car Championship (BTCC) at Brands Hatch. Having accumulated 119 race wins, and eight manufacturer titles since 1989, Vauxhall is now the most successful manufacturer of the modern era of BTCC. Fabrizio Giovanardi claimed his second consecutive BTCC driver’s title with VX Racing, finishing with an incredible 36 point lead ahead of his nearest rival. Former two-time BTCC Champion and team-mate Matt Neal finished with 185 points and fifth position in the Driver’s championship standings, while VX Racing rookie Tom Onslow-Cole finished hot on his heels in sixth position with a total of 170 points, marking the end of a strong season for the 21-year-old in his first season in a front wheel drive car. RACE ONE Round 28 saw Giovanardi claim his second driver’s championship title, as title rival Jason Plato was unable to close the points gap. An incident on
FABRIZIO’S day
lap two pushed Giovanardi wide, but race two, after an engine change following finishing in 14th overall, despite carrying 45 race one caused problems with his car and kg of success ballast, was enough to secure meant that he was unable to start. Mat Giovanardi his championship. Comments Jackson won the race. Giovanardi, “My third season with RACE THREE VX Racing has been fantastic, the team Giovanardi’s Vectra VXR was back up and have given me such support, and what running after his earlier engine problems, driver could ask for more. I can’t wait to get and he started from the 21st on the grid. stuck into the 2009 season now!” Matt Neal After fighting hard with the back of the field, became involved in a battle with both SEAT the newly crowned champion set a fastest Sport UK cars in the final stages, overtaking lap on lap 14 before getting stuck into a Turner on the final lap allowing Neal to battle with Plato, overtaking him on lap 17. claim sixth. Neal started from seventh and drove an Onslow-Cole managed to move up through aggressive race to finish eighth. the field from his 12th position grid start to 21-year-old Onslow-Cole started the finish in ninth. Mat Jackson won the race. final race of the day from pole position, RACE TWO and drove well to finish third. Comments Matt Neal claimed VX Racing’s first Onslow-Cole, “I knew this weekend would podium of the day in round 29, overtaking be difficult, with such a mixed bag of drivers Jason Plato on lap ten, Neal demonstrated out on track, but I had no idea it would give the Vauxhall Vectra VXR’s speed and us such unexpected results! I’m pleased to finished in a strong second place. Said Neal, have finished on the podium though.” Tom “This weekend has been a wonderful end Chilton won the race. to a successful season for us all, and it’s BTCC Drivers Championship been great fun along the way. The team 1 Fabrizio Giovanardi VAUXHALL Vectra vxr 262 have worked so hard for us, and Vauxhall 2 MAT JACKSON BMW 320si 226 3 JASON PLATO SEAT LEON TDi 223 and Fabrizio really deserve their titles.” 4 COLIN TURKINGTON BMW 320si 212 Onslow-Cole drove a clean race and 5 MATT NEAL VAuXHaLL VECTRA VXR 185 finished eighth. Giovanardi missed out on 10 TOM ONSLOW-COLE VAUXHALL VECTRA VXR 170
“My day has been incredible, one I have certainly waited all year for! I would sum it up and say that it was one of the happiest of my life, even though it was definitely a day of surprises! The entire weekend has produced weird, unexpected results and successes, but I think everybody had a good day today. And the sun shone, which was very nice!”
BTCC Manufacturers Championship
1 Vauxhall 2 SEAT
697 .....545
1 VX Racing 2 SEAT SPORT UK 3 TEAM HALFORDS
537 328 231
BTCC Team Championship
*Champions
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VAUXHALL WIN MULTIPLE CHAMPIONSHIP TITLES