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Gavin Smith (racing driver)
Encyclopedia
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 (using year old cars) of Formula 3.
However, it has been in touring cars that Gavin has raced since 2003. He had 2 seasons in the SEAT Cupra Championship
, winning 4 races and coming 5th overall in 2004. By this time he had already made his BTCC
debut in a one-off at Mondello Park
, and he tested a VX Racing Vauxhall Astra
in early 2005. After impressing the team he earned a drive in their third car, which the team openly admitted is awarded to the best driver who can bring enough money to fund it themselves, rather than necessarily the best available driver.
Gavin was 10th overall in 2005, although the fact that he was retained for 2006, while Colin Turkington
was fired after finishing 5th, tells its own story. However, he did show signs of improvement late in the season: up until round 9 his best qualifyings were a pair of 4ths, and his best race result was a 5th place, whereas in the last 2 meetings he scored a 2nd and a 3rd, as well as qualifying 2nd in the last round.
In 2006
, Smith improved to 8th overall, but lost his drive for 2007
when VX Racing downsized to a two-car team due to the pressures of preparing new-specification Vauxhall Vectras. With 3 rounds of the 2007 season to go, it was announced that Smith would join GR Asia in alongside Adam Jones
, driving a 2007 spec SEAT León.
His younger brother, Árón, is also a racing driver and made his BTCC début in 2011
for the Triple Eight
team, which previously competed under the VX Racing name.
Auto racing
Auto racing is a motorsport involving the racing of cars for competition. It is one of the world's most watched televised sports.-The beginning of racing:...
from Dublin, born on September 15, 1977. He won Ireland
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
's Fiat Punto
Fiat Punto
The Fiat Punto is a supermini produced by the Italian manufacturer, Fiat, since 1993.-1st generation :Internally codenamed Project 176, the Punto was announced in September 1993 and launched in late 1993 as a replacement for the ageing Fiat Uno. The Fiat Punto was voted European Car of the Year...
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 (using year old cars) of Formula 3.
SEAT Cupra Championship
The SEAT Cupra Championship was a one make series that ran for six years between 2003 and 2008, the last five of which ran as a support package to the British Touring Car Championship. The series will not continue for 2009, due to SEAT UK ending its racing activities...
, winning 4 races and coming 5th overall in 2004. By this time he had already made his 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...
debut in a one-off at Mondello Park
Mondello Park
Mondello Park is Ireland's only international motorsport venue located in Caragh, County Kildare off the R409 regional road. It is owned by Martin Birrane, and in the past hosted the Irish round of the British Superbike Championship, Pickup Truck Racing and international GT and rallycross events...
, and he tested a VX Racing Vauxhall Astra
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...
in early 2005. After impressing the team he earned a drive in their third car, which the team openly admitted is awarded to the best driver who can bring enough money to fund it themselves, rather than necessarily the best available driver.
Gavin was 10th overall in 2005, although the fact that he was retained for 2006, while Colin Turkington
Colin Turkington
Colin Henry Turkington is a Northern Irish auto racing driver. His most notable success to date was becoming 2009 British Touring Car Champion driving for Team RAC. Most recently he has competed in the 2010 World Touring Car Championship driving a BMW 320si for West Surrey Racing...
was fired after finishing 5th, tells its own story. However, he did show signs of improvement late in the season: up until round 9 his best qualifyings were a pair of 4ths, and his best race result was a 5th place, whereas in the last 2 meetings he scored a 2nd and a 3rd, as well as qualifying 2nd in the last round.
In 2006
2006 British Touring Car Championship season
The 2006 Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship season was the 49th British Touring Car Championship season. As in 2005, there were ten racing weekends at nine different circuits; each round comprising three races, making a thirty round competition in total.-Changes for 2006:-Teams and...
, Smith improved to 8th overall, but lost his drive for 2007
2007 British Touring Car Championship season
The 2007 Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship season was the 50th British Touring Car Championship season. It was won by Fabrizio Giovanardi with 10 race wins and 17 podiums...
when VX Racing downsized to a two-car team due to the pressures of preparing new-specification Vauxhall Vectras. With 3 rounds of the 2007 season to go, it was announced that Smith would join GR Asia in alongside Adam Jones
Adam Jones (racing driver)
Adam Jones is an English auto racing driver.-Early career:He competed successfully in Formula 3 and Formula Renault in France, before switching to GT racing...
, driving a 2007 spec SEAT León.
His younger brother, Árón, is also a racing driver and made his BTCC début in 2011
2011 British Touring Car Championship season
The 2011 Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship is a multi-event motor racing championship for sedan based touring car racing cars held across England and Scotland...
for the Triple Eight
Triple 8 Race Engineering
Triple Eight Race Engineering is an auto racing team formed in 1996 to design, build and race Vauxhalls on behalf of the General Motors brand in the British Touring Car Championship . A close working alliance has developed during a decade of success and Triple Eight is now Vauxhall's technical...
team, which previously competed under the VX Racing name.