BTC-T Vauxhall Astra Coupe
Encyclopedia
The Triple Eight Race Engineering Vauxhall Astra
Coupe was the first BTC Touring
car to be unveiled in late 2000. Work began on the car in the summer of that year and as a result, had a massive headstart on the rest of the field come the 2001 campaign. In the end, it was developed so much more than the other cars, that it managed to win 25 out of 26 races in 2001 (although the only non Vauxhall
win was a non-points scoring victory by Anthony Reid
for MG, so they picked up maximum points in every race).
In 2002, despite a full time MG attack and the addition of Honda
and Proton rivals, Vauxhall
won a clean sweep of the titles again. Likewise in 2003 and 2004 when the Astra was retired from works competition, but it still lived on for a couple more years in private hands.
In 2010
Martin Johnson
will run Chassis 8 for Boulevard Team Racing
in the BTCC
.
Vauxhall Astra
Astra is a model name which has been used by Vauxhall, the British subsidiary of General Motors , on their small family car ranges since 1979. Astras are technically essentially identical with similar vehicles offered by GM's German subsidiary Opel in most other European countries...
Coupe was the first BTC Touring
BTC Touring
In motor racing, BTC Touring was the set of new regulations for the British Touring Car Championship introduced in 2001 BTCC, after the demise of the Supertouring category....
car to be unveiled in late 2000. Work began on the car in the summer of that year and as a result, had a massive headstart on the rest of the field come the 2001 campaign. In the end, it was developed so much more than the other cars, that it managed to win 25 out of 26 races in 2001 (although the only non Vauxhall
Vauxhall Motors
Vauxhall Motors is a British automotive company owned by General Motors and headquartered in Luton. It was founded in 1857 as a pump and marine engine manufacturer, began manufacturing cars in 1903 and was acquired by GM in 1925. It has been the second-largest selling car brand in the UK for...
win was a non-points scoring victory by Anthony Reid
Anthony Reid
Anthony Reid is a British auto racing driver, born on 17 May 1957 in Glasgow, Scotland. Although Scottish he now lives in England.-Formula cars:...
for MG, so they picked up maximum points in every race).
In 2002, despite a full time MG attack and the addition of Honda
Honda
is a Japanese public multinational corporation primarily known as a manufacturer of automobiles and motorcycles.Honda has been the world's largest motorcycle manufacturer since 1959, as well as the world's largest manufacturer of internal combustion engines measured by volume, producing more than...
and Proton rivals, Vauxhall
Vauxhall Motors
Vauxhall Motors is a British automotive company owned by General Motors and headquartered in Luton. It was founded in 1857 as a pump and marine engine manufacturer, began manufacturing cars in 1903 and was acquired by GM in 1925. It has been the second-largest selling car brand in the UK for...
won a clean sweep of the titles again. Likewise in 2003 and 2004 when the Astra was retired from works competition, but it still lived on for a couple more years in private hands.
In 2010
2010 British Touring Car Championship season
The 2010 Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship season was the 53rd British Touring Car Championship season. It began at Thruxton Circuit on April 4 and finished after 30 races over ten events at Brands Hatch on October 10....
Martin Johnson
Martin Johnson (racing driver)
Martin Johnson is a British auto racing driver. He is currently competing in the British Touring Car Championship for Boulevard Team Racing. Johnson lives in Alford, Lincolnshire.-Career:...
will run Chassis 8 for Boulevard Team Racing
Martin Johnson (racing driver)
Martin Johnson is a British auto racing driver. He is currently competing in the British Touring Car Championship for Boulevard Team Racing. Johnson lives in Alford, Lincolnshire.-Career:...
in the BTCC
British Touring Car Championship
The British Touring Car Championship is a touring car racing series held each year in the United Kingdom. The Championship was established in 1958 as the British Saloon Car Championship and has run to various rules over the years – "production cars", then FIA Group 1 or 2 in the late 1960s...
.
Chassis 1
- 2001 - Phil BennettPhil BennettPhillip Bennett was a Welsh international rugby union fly half from 1969 to 1978. His flair and range of tricks, including his famous sidestep and swerve, meant he was a firm favourite with crowds.-Rugby career:...
/Andy PriaulxAndy PriaulxAndrew Graham Priaulx, MBE is a British racing driver from Guernsey. He is a European Touring Car Championship champion, three times World Touring Car Championship champion and the only FIA Touring Car champion to win an International level championship for four consecutive years...
/James ThompsonJames Thompson (racing driver)James Thompson is a British auto racing driver and commentator for Eurosport's motorsport coverage. He has twice been champion of the British Touring Car Championship , and was third in the 2007 World Touring Car Championship.-Racing career:He started racing in the BTCC in a privately-entered...
| Bennett: Rounds 1-18, Priaulx Rounds 19-20, Thompson: Rounds 21-26 - 2002 - Matt NealMatt NealMatthew Neal is a British motor racing driver. He won the British Touring Car Championship in 2005, 2006 and 2011. He has also won a European Touring Car Championship race. He is 6' 6" tall, making him almost entirely unable to race single-seaters...
- 2003 - Gavin PyperGavin PyperGavin Pyper is a British motor racing driver, currently contesting the Renault Clio Cup in the UK, for Mardi Gras Motorsport.-Racing career:...
/Carl BreezeCarl BreezeCarl Breeze is a British auto racing driver, born 7 July 1979. He is not to be confused with Hyla Breese, another racer with British Touring Car Championship experience. His racing heroes include Ayrton Senna, Nelson Piquet and Valentino Rossi....
| Pyper: Rounds 1-10, Breeze: Rounds 11-20 - 2004 - Paul WallacePaul Wallace (racing driver)Paul Wallace is a British auto racing driver. He is best known for his efforts as an independent driver in the British Touring Car Championship.-Racing career:...
/Stefan HodgettsStefan HodgettsStefan Hodgetts is a British auto racing driver, best known for driving a part season in the British Touring Car Championship. His father Chris was twice champion of the BTCC.-Racing career:...
| Wallace: Rounds 1-12, Hodgetts: Rounds 13-18 - 2005/06 - BritcarBritcarBritcar is an Endurance Motor Racing series formed in 1997, as a result of a discussion in a Nürburgring bar between Willie Moore and James Tucker. Folklore has it that James Tucker and John Veness formed the organizing European Endurance & Racing Club with a £10 note found on the ground...
- 2007 - Encke Sport
Chassis 2
- 2001 - James ThompsonJames Thompson (racing driver)James Thompson is a British auto racing driver and commentator for Eurosport's motorsport coverage. He has twice been champion of the British Touring Car Championship , and was third in the 2007 World Touring Car Championship.-Racing career:He started racing in the BTCC in a privately-entered...
/Phil BennettPhil BennettPhillip Bennett was a Welsh international rugby union fly half from 1969 to 1978. His flair and range of tricks, including his famous sidestep and swerve, meant he was a firm favourite with crowds.-Rugby career:...
| Thompson: Rounds 1-20, Bennett: Rounds 21-26 - 2002 - Paul O'NeillPaul O'Neill (racing driver)Paul O'Neill is a auto racing driver from Widnes of Irish parentage, and the half-brother of 'Sporty Spice' Mel C.-Career:...
- 2003 - Tommy RustadTommy RustadTommy Rustad is a Norwegian auto racing driver. He currently drives in the Swedish Touring Car Championship. Tommy is the son of former wellknown Norwegian racer Ola Rustad.-Early Years:...
- Swedish Touring Car ChampionshipSwedish Touring Car ChampionshipSwedish Touring Car Championship was a touring car racing series based in Sweden, but also with rounds in Norway. They began operating in 1996, heavily influenced by the British Touring Car Championship and the success of BTCC racing on Swedish television...
Chassis 3
- 2001/02 - Yvan MullerYvan MullerYvan Muller is a French auto racing driver most noted for success in touring car racing. He is a two-time and the reigning World Touring Car Champion.-Single-seaters:...
- 2003 - Gareth HowellGareth HowellGareth Howell is a Welsh auto racing driver. He competed sporadically in the British Touring Car Championship from 2000 to 2008....
/Paul WallacePaul Wallace (racing driver)Paul Wallace is a British auto racing driver. He is best known for his efforts as an independent driver in the British Touring Car Championship.-Racing career:...
| Howell: Rounds 7-8, Wallace: Rounds 9-20 - 2004 - Charlie Butler-HendersonCharlie Butler-HendersonCharlie Butler-Henderson is a British auto racing driver who now works as a racing instructor and presenter. He is part of a family which are strongly involved with motorsport...
/Gavin SmithGavin Smith (racing driver)Gavin Smith is a racing driver from Dublin, born on September 15, 1977. He won Ireland's Fiat Punto championship in 1998, winning 12 times, before trying single-seaters for the next year. In 2000 he was in British Formula Renault, before moving up to the Scholarship class of Formula 3.However, it...
| Butler-Henderson: Rounds 1-12/16-18, Smith: Rounds 13-15 - 2005/06 - BritcarBritcarBritcar is an Endurance Motor Racing series formed in 1997, as a result of a discussion in a Nürburgring bar between Willie Moore and James Tucker. Folklore has it that James Tucker and John Veness formed the organizing European Endurance & Racing Club with a £10 note found on the ground...
- 2007 - Encke Sport
Chassis 4
- 2001 - Jason PlatoJason PlatoTimothy Jason Plato is a British racing car driver currently competing in the BTCC for Silverline Chevrolet. He is a two time BTCC champion having previously won the series in 2001 when driving for Vauxhall and 2010 for Silverline Chevrolet. He has finished in the top 3 in the championship 8 times...
/Two Seater | Plato: Rounds 1-2 - 2002/03 - Two Seater
- 2004 - Michael BentwoodMichael BentwoodMichael Bentwood is a British auto racing driver. After starting racing in Karting, he entered the 1994 Formula First Winter Series, finishing the season in tenth. In 1995 he finished fifth in the Formula Vauxhall Junior Winter Series...
- 2005 - Andy NeateAndy NeateAndrew Neate is a British racing driver, who has driven in several different series throughout his career.-Racing career:...
- 2005 onwards - Unused, owned by Daniels MotorsportDaniels MotorsportDaniels Motorsport is a United Kingdom based motorsport team run by Pete Daniels best known for their involvement in Ford Fiesta racing series. They also own a Vauxhall Astra touring car which they ran for Andy Neate in the final weekend of the 2005 British Touring Car Championship season...
Chassis 5
- 2001 - Jason PlatoJason PlatoTimothy Jason Plato is a British racing car driver currently competing in the BTCC for Silverline Chevrolet. He is a two time BTCC champion having previously won the series in 2001 when driving for Vauxhall and 2010 for Silverline Chevrolet. He has finished in the top 3 in the championship 8 times...
| Rounds 3-26 - 2002/03 - James ThompsonJames Thompson (racing driver)James Thompson is a British auto racing driver and commentator for Eurosport's motorsport coverage. He has twice been champion of the British Touring Car Championship , and was third in the 2007 World Touring Car Championship.-Racing career:He started racing in the BTCC in a privately-entered...
- 2004/05 - Tommy RustadTommy RustadTommy Rustad is a Norwegian auto racing driver. He currently drives in the Swedish Touring Car Championship. Tommy is the son of former wellknown Norwegian racer Ola Rustad.-Early Years:...
- Swedish Touring Car ChampionshipSwedish Touring Car ChampionshipSwedish Touring Car Championship was a touring car racing series based in Sweden, but also with rounds in Norway. They began operating in 1996, heavily influenced by the British Touring Car Championship and the success of BTCC racing on Swedish television... - 2006 onwards - Unused, owned by Opel Team Sweden
Chassis 6
- 2001 - Unused
- 2002 - Tom ChiltonTom ChiltonThomas James Chilton is a British auto racing driver. He has spent most of his career competing in the BTCC; he is a former factory Vauxhall and Honda driver. For 2011 he is driving an NGTC-spec Ford Focus for Team Aon...
- 2003 - Gareth HowellGareth HowellGareth Howell is a Welsh auto racing driver. He competed sporadically in the British Touring Car Championship from 2000 to 2008....
| Rounds 13-20 - 2004 onwards - Unused, owned by Grahame Chilton
Chassis 7
- 2002 - Aaron SlightAaron SlightAaron Tony Slight is a former professional motorcycle road racer who has recently dabbled in car racing and now fronts the AA Torque Show....
- 2003/04 Rob CollardRob CollardRobert Collard is an auto racing driver from Hampshire, best known for racing in the British Touring Car Championship, winning two races in a West Surrey Racing MG, and claiming the Independent's Cup title in 2003...
- 2005/06 Mark Proctor
- 2007 onwards - Sold to Sweden
Chassis 8
- 2002 - Unused
- 2003/04 - Yvan MullerYvan MullerYvan Muller is a French auto racing driver most noted for success in touring car racing. He is a two-time and the reigning World Touring Car Champion.-Single-seaters:...
- 2005 - Erkut KizilirmakErkut KizilirmakErkut Kızılırmak is an auto racing driver from Turkey. He started racing in rallying in 1992 and switched to touring cars in 2002, at the age of 32. In 2005 he won the Turkish Touring Car Championship, in a Vauxhall Astra Coupé formerly raced by Yvan Muller in the BTCC...
- Turkish Touring Car Championship - 2006 - Unused, owned by Arkas Racing
- 2007 - Erkut KizilirmakErkut KizilirmakErkut Kızılırmak is an auto racing driver from Turkey. He started racing in rallying in 1992 and switched to touring cars in 2002, at the age of 32. In 2005 he won the Turkish Touring Car Championship, in a Vauxhall Astra Coupé formerly raced by Yvan Muller in the BTCC...
| (Was entered for Finals Day but Engine problems stopped this) - 2009/10 - Martin JohnsonMartin Johnson (racing driver)Martin Johnson is a British auto racing driver. He is currently competing in the British Touring Car Championship for Boulevard Team Racing. Johnson lives in Alford, Lincolnshire.-Career:...
- 2011 - Phoenix Racing, UAE Touring Cars
Chassis 9
- 2003 - Paul O'NeillPaul O'Neill (racing driver)Paul O'Neill is a auto racing driver from Widnes of Irish parentage, and the half-brother of 'Sporty Spice' Mel C.-Career:...
- 2004 - Luke HinesLuke HinesLuke Hines is a British auto racing driver, he is the son of former karting champion and Zip Kart founder/owner Martin Hines. After a small amount of open wheel racing in Formula Ford, Luke entered the Production Class of the BTCC in 2003, with the Barwell Motorsport team. He was the class...
- 2005 - Fiona LeggateFiona LeggateFiona Leggate is a British auto racing driver, born on 28 May 1980 in Lincolnshire.Leggate had been interested in motorsport since her childhood, influenced by her father Malcolm Leggate who had a 19-year career in saloon car racing....
| Rounds 13-30 - 2006 - Fiona LeggateFiona LeggateFiona Leggate is a British auto racing driver, born on 28 May 1980 in Lincolnshire.Leggate had been interested in motorsport since her childhood, influenced by her father Malcolm Leggate who had a 19-year career in saloon car racing....
/Paul O'NeillPaul O'Neill (racing driver)Paul O'Neill is a auto racing driver from Widnes of Irish parentage, and the half-brother of 'Sporty Spice' Mel C.-Career:...
| Leggate: Rounds 1-15/19-21, O'Neill: Rounds 25-30 - 2007 - Unused, owned by Thurlby Motors Currently for sale.
Chassis 10
- 2003 - Unused
- 2004 - James ThompsonJames Thompson (racing driver)James Thompson is a British auto racing driver and commentator for Eurosport's motorsport coverage. He has twice been champion of the British Touring Car Championship , and was third in the 2007 World Touring Car Championship.-Racing career:He started racing in the BTCC in a privately-entered...
| Rounds 1-21 - 2005 - Car converted to simulator after accident damage at Knockhill in 2004
Chassis 11
- 2004 - James ThompsonJames Thompson (racing driver)James Thompson is a British auto racing driver and commentator for Eurosport's motorsport coverage. He has twice been champion of the British Touring Car Championship , and was third in the 2007 World Touring Car Championship.-Racing career:He started racing in the BTCC in a privately-entered...
| Rounds 22-30 - 2005 onwards - Unused