Team RAC drivers Colin Turkington and Stephen Jelley fronted up to the media at the annual Rockingham Media Day yesterday (Thursday) as the 2009 HiQ MSA British Touring Car Championship season draws ever closer.
Team RAC drivers Colin Turkington and Stephen Jelley fronted up to the media at the annual Rockingham Media Day yesterday (Thursday) as the 2009 HiQ MSA British Touring Car Championship season draws ever closer.
Current independents champion Turkington was presented on stage by Ian Titchmarsh alongside rivals Fabrizio Giovanardi and Tom Chilton as well as BTCC series director Alan Gow.
Stephen Jelley, in his second season in the BTCC, conducted a series of interviews with media keen to hear his thoughts as he seeks to build on his remarkable qualifying session at Brands Hatch last September.
The media day afforded Team RAC the opportunity to unveil two separate media partnerships with Teletext and the Mirror.co.uk.
The hugely popular Teletext service - available via both digital and analogue television - will provide fans with a unique insight into the season of Colin Turkington, who will write previews ahead of each round and analyse every race.
Team RAC's partnership with the Mirror.co.uk will see the ever-expanding website publish the thoughts of both Turkington and team-mate Stephen Jelley throughout the season. In addition to interviews, the Mirror.co.uk will produce exclusive video content and feature the people who matter at Team RAC.
Hot laps were also exclusively provided by Team RAC's Jelley for key media ahead of the official afternoon testing session.
The afternoon testing session saw Colin Turkington and Stephen Jelley record impressive times, resulting in the Team RAC duo securing the fastest and third quickest efforts on the grid. Turkington set a best-lap of 1:23.609, while Jelley set a best time of 1:24.140 to wow the watching fans.
WSR Team Principal Dick Bennetts, said: "The Team RAC cars have been fast and reliable. Colin [Turkington] and Stephen [Jelley] performed excellently in the afternoon testing session to both finish in the top three. We were running to the minimum weight limit as we were keen to put on a show for the fans who gave up their time to support the BTCC.
"We head to Brands Hatch for another testing session on Tuesday to work on a set-up suitable for that track. We are in a good place at the moment and everything seems to be coming together for Team RAC at the perfect time."
Kerry Gazzard, RAC sponsorship and PR consultant, said: "Team RAC are delighted to welcome both Teletext and the Mirror Online on board for the 2009 season. Both media outlets are extremely popular with its audience and we hope they will bring our fans closer to the drivers and Team RAC in general.
"Last season's results were excellent and the team are confident of making a challenge for the overall title this season. With the season starting in a fortnight, Team RAC are well-set to start the season brightly."
To keep up-to-date with all the latest news from Team RAC log-on to teamrac.co.uk.
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For further information please contact:
Steve Stammers
Lexis Sport
0207 908 6439
Notes to editors:
About BTCC
The British Touring Car Championship (BTCC) was formed in 1958 and is Britain's most popular motor racing spectacle. Its race season comprises ten events at top circuits across the UK. It is contested by professional racing drivers in competition versions of every day road cars, giving it tremendous public appeal. Some 325,000 watch the BTCC trackside each year. www.btcc.net/
About RAC
With around seven million members, RAC is one of the UK's most progressive motoring organisations, providing services for both private and business motorists. Whether it's roadside assistance, vehicle inspections and checks, legal services or up-to-the-minute traffic and travel information - RAC is able to meet motorists' needs. RAC incorporates RAC Insurance.
RAC is committed to providing the very highest levels of service to its members and has been ranked first for customer service by JD Power and Associates' UK Roadside Assistance Study for the last three years.
RAC is part of Aviva, the world's fifth largest insurance group which operates in 27 countries.
RAC's news releases and a selection of images are available from the internet press centre at www.racnews.co.uk/.
About HiQ
HiQ (part of Goodyear Dunlop) became the BTCC's new title sponsor in 2008 in a new three-year agreement. It provides a fast-fit car care service at its 150 centres across the UK. In the next two years, that number will rise to 250 as HiQ embarks on revolutionising the fast-fit industry. It has already taken the lead by offering a unique online service www.hiqonline.co.uk/ for motorists to buy tyres and arrange a fitting appointment.