Team RAC today announced that veteran BTCC racer Anthony Reid will race a third WSR prepared BMW 320si alongside Colin Turkington and Stephen Jelley at the Silverstone rounds of the HiQ MSA British Touring Car Championship this weekend.
Team RAC today announced that veteran BTCC racer Anthony Reid will race a third WSR prepared BMW 320si alongside Colin Turkington and Stephen Jelley at the Silverstone rounds of the HiQ MSA British Touring Car Championship this weekend.
Reid returns to the WSR fold having raced for the Surrey-based outfit in the BTCC from 2001 until 2004. In that period, the Glasgow-born driver recorded six race wins, seven second place finishes and secured the Independent Driver’s title in 2004.
Reid also has recent touring car success under his belt, having finished second in last weekend’s Argentinean TC2000 race in Buenos Aires.
WSR Team principal Dick Bennetts said: “It’s great to have Anthony back and with all his experience I am sure he is going to be a great help to the team.
“Our hand has been forced by Vauxhall instituting team orders at Knockhill with Matt Neal and Andrew Jordan giving points and positions to Fabrizio (Giovanardi).
“There is nothing wrong in them doing that. In fact, it shows what good team players they both are. However, three against two isn’t a fair fight, so that is why we have brought in Anthony to assist Colin and Stephen.”
Bennetts added: “It is going to be tough for Anthony, never having driven the car before and having to carry maximum ballast (45kg), but we expect him to be quickly up to speed and right up there in the races.
“Finally, we would like to thank BMW for their support in making this late entry possible.”
Anthony Reid said: “Driving for Team RAC is a fantastic opportunity and one I just couldn’t turn down. It’s great to be re-united with the crew at WSR again and I already feel right at home. It is especially good for me having Colin as a team-mate again and I will be doing all I can to help him and Team RAC win the Championship.
“I am really looking forward to driving the BMW 320si too. It is an impressive race car. It has won a lot of races in the BTCC and WTCC and I hope I can add to that tally.
“It’s also going to be fun locking horns with fellow ‘old boys’ Jason Plato and Matt Neal. We have had some great battles over the years and no doubt we will have some more this weekend!
“I have been keeping my Touring Car skills honed by racing in the Argentinean Touring Car Championship – TC 2000 – over the last five years. I finished second two weeks ago in the Buenos Aires 200kms and won last year, beating Menu and Huff.”
Anthony Reid biography:
Born: 17 May 1957, Glasgow, Scotland
Lives: Oxford, England
Marital Status: Married
Website: www.anthonyreid.com
First drive: 30 tonne earth moving vehicle (Aged 11)
First competition drive: Formula Ford 1977
BTCC Race Wins: 15
Hobbies / interests outside of motorsport: Golf, water and snow skiing, travelling
Favourite food and drink: Japanese / Malt Whiskey
For the record: Anthony is patron for the "Racing for Children" charity, and has competed at Le Mans and in the Japanese Touring Car Championships during his career.
BTCC Career Highlights:
2004
British Touring Car Championship – WSR MG
Three wins
Independent Drivers Champion
2003
British Touring Car Championship – MG Sport & Racing (WSR)
Three wins
2002
British Touring Car Championship – MG Sport & Racing (WSR)
Fourth place, one win
2001
British Touring Car Championship – MG Sport & Racing
One win
2000
British Touring Car Championship – Prodrive Ford
Second place, two wins
1999
British Touring Car Championship – Prodrive Ford
1998
British Touring Car Championship – RML Nissan Primera
Second place, seven wins
1997
British Touring Car Championship – RML Nissan Primera
One win
-ends-
For further information please contact:
Nina Cresswell / James Knott
Team RAC Press Office
Lexis Sport
0207 908 6406 / 0207 908 6459
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, insurance, vehicle inspections and checks, legal services or up-to-the-minute traffic and travel information - RAC is able to meet motorists' needs.
RAC is committed to providing the very highest levels of service to its members and has been ranked first for customer service by J.D. Power and Associates' UK Roadside Assistance Study for the last three years and the top named service organisation in the July 2009 UK Customer Satisfaction Index from the Institute of Customer Service.
Aviva bought RAC in May 2005. The acquisition brings together RAC's powerful brand and customer base with the expertise and leading position in motor insurance of Aviva UK Insurance (formerly Norwich Union Insurance). Aviva is the UK's largest insurer with a market share of around 15%.
RAC is part of Aviva, the world's fifth largest insurance group which operates in 28 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.