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John George (racing driver)
Encyclopedia
John George is a Cornish
mobile phone entrepreneur and race car driver currently driving in the British Touring Car Championship
.
, an independent mobile phone retailer. He has been active in the UK mobile phone industry since its early days. He also competed successfully in pistol shooting before it was banned in the UK. He is married to Sue, and has a daughter Kailey and son Kevin, plus grand daughters Katelyn, Holly and grandson Leam. He is teetotal and lives in Guernsey
.
John is also a keen aviator and currently owns Perranporth airfield
in Cornwall as well as flying most days in his Cessna Citation Mustang light jet based in Guernsey and also holding an American ATP jet rating.
George made his British Touring Car Championship
debut in 2004, his entry for Mardi Gras was notable as the first car to use Liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) fuel. He drove both a Honda Civic Type-R and a Peugeot 406
during the season. A 2005 ride for Vic Lee Racing
fell through when Lee was jailed for drug-dealing.
In 2007 he returned to the BTCC claiming the TH Motorsport
team's first ever BTCC points, with a top finish of 8th, and two pole starts in the reverse grid format, driving an ex-Matt Neal
Honda Integra
for the TH Motorsport
team.
The Integra was becoming outdated by 2008, and with only one point, George finished 21st in the 2008 championship. His season ended with a spectacular crash during the final round at Brands Hatch
. George was battling with Darren Turner
as they approached Surtees for the first time. Turner made contact with the rear of George's Integra and it cannoned off into the barriers which launched the car into a series of rolls, before landing on its side. He suffered bruising but no broken bones, but spent 2 nights in hospital as a precaution.
He struggled in the 2009 season, finishing 25th in the championship for TH Motorsport.
He has moved to the Tech-Speed Motorsport
team for 2010 and finished 13th in the Independent championship in what he has described as his most competitive season alongside team-mate Paul O'Neill
. His best result was a ninth place at the opening race at Thruxton
, however the team and George both expressed hopes that they would be back out for 2011 and realise a potential for more points-scoring finishes.
He is coached by John Pratt, who has previously worked with Andy Priaulx
.
Cornwall
Cornwall is a unitary authority and ceremonial county of England, within the United Kingdom. It is bordered to the north and west by the Celtic Sea, to the south by the English Channel, and to the east by the county of Devon, over the River Tamar. Cornwall has a population of , and covers an area of...
mobile phone entrepreneur and race car driver currently driving in the British Touring Car Championship
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...
.
Personal
George was head of JAG CommunicationsJAG Communications
JAG Communications was Britain's third largest independent mobile phone retailer. It was formed in 1989 in Cornwall by owner John George and the company's first 'store' was a disused 1920s railway carriage in the back garden of George's house at Par....
, an independent mobile phone retailer. He has been active in the UK mobile phone industry since its early days. He also competed successfully in pistol shooting before it was banned in the UK. He is married to Sue, and has a daughter Kailey and son Kevin, plus grand daughters Katelyn, Holly and grandson Leam. He is teetotal and lives in Guernsey
Guernsey
Guernsey, officially the Bailiwick of Guernsey is a British Crown dependency in the English Channel off the coast of Normandy.The Bailiwick, as a governing entity, embraces not only all 10 parishes on the Island of Guernsey, but also the islands of Herm, Jethou, Burhou, and Lihou and their islet...
.
John is also a keen aviator and currently owns Perranporth airfield
Perranporth Airfield
Perranporth Airfield airfield is located southwest of Perranporth and southwest of Newquay, Cornwall, England, United Kingdom. It is a former World War II Royal Air Force fighter station....
in Cornwall as well as flying most days in his Cessna Citation Mustang light jet based in Guernsey and also holding an American ATP jet rating.
Early racing
He raced in the Elf Clio Renaultsport UK Cup for Mardi Gras in 2002 and 2003, without much success. He also did some EERC Endurance races for them in 2003/2004 winning the saloon car class. He also did Britcar in 2005 winning his class in the Britcar/Silverstone 24hr and coming 2nd in 2006.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 2004, his entry for Mardi Gras was notable as the first car to use Liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) fuel. He drove both a Honda Civic Type-R and a Peugeot 406
Peugeot 406
The Peugeot 406 was a large family car made by the French automaker Peugeot from 1995 to 2004. Available in saloon, estate and coupé bodystyles with a choice of petrol or turbodiesel engines, the 406 replaced the Peugeot 405 in Peugeot's lineup, and was itself replaced by the Peugeot 407...
during the season. A 2005 ride for Vic Lee Racing
Vic Lee Racing
Vic Lee Racing formerly Vic Lee Motorsport was a UK auto racing team, most famous for running BMWs and Peugeots in the British Touring Car Championship, and most infamous for the drug-related convictions of its owner Vic Lee....
fell through when Lee was jailed for drug-dealing.
In 2007 he returned to the BTCC claiming the TH Motorsport
TH Motorsport
TH Motorsport is a British motorsports team based in Watford. It was founded in 1997 by Trevor Humphrey. Initially entering in various one make national series and Rally events, the team is best known for competing in the British Touring Car Championship and Britcar Championship.-Proton Satria GTI...
team's first ever BTCC points, with a top finish of 8th, and two pole starts in the reverse grid format, driving an ex-Matt Neal
Matt Neal
Matthew 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...
Honda Integra
Honda Integra
The Honda Integra is a compact luxury performance coupe made by Honda during the years 1985 to 2006. The sporty front wheel drive car is able to house five passengers with a two door hatch or four door sedan available.The Integra was on Car and Driver magazine's annual Ten Best list six times, in...
for the TH Motorsport
TH Motorsport
TH Motorsport is a British motorsports team based in Watford. It was founded in 1997 by Trevor Humphrey. Initially entering in various one make national series and Rally events, the team is best known for competing in the British Touring Car Championship and Britcar Championship.-Proton Satria GTI...
team.
The Integra was becoming outdated by 2008, and with only one point, George finished 21st in the 2008 championship. His season ended with a spectacular crash during the final round at Brands Hatch
Brands Hatch
Brands Hatch is a motor racing circuit near West Kingsdown in Kent, England. First used as a dirt track motorcycle circuit on farmland, it hosted 12 runnings of the British Grand Prix between 1964 and 1986 and currently holds many British and international racing events...
. George was battling with Darren Turner
Darren Turner
Darren Turner is an English racing driver. He was McLaren Autosport BRDC Young Driver of the Year in 1996. He is a former test driver for the McLaren Formula One team, but has raced primarily in touring cars and sportscars since 2000. He spent 2 years in the DTM for Keke Rosberg's...
as they approached Surtees for the first time. Turner made contact with the rear of George's Integra and it cannoned off into the barriers which launched the car into a series of rolls, before landing on its side. He suffered bruising but no broken bones, but spent 2 nights in hospital as a precaution.
He struggled in the 2009 season, finishing 25th in the championship for TH Motorsport.
He has moved to the Tech-Speed Motorsport
Tech-Speed Motorsport
Tech-Speed Motorsport is a British auto racing team founded in 1984 by Marvin Humphries who enter cars in series such as the British Touring Car Championship and various historic race categories. For 2009 the team will run two former Team Eurotech Honda Integras in the BTCC for Martyn Bell and Paul...
team for 2010 and finished 13th in the Independent championship in what he has described as his most competitive season alongside team-mate Paul O'Neill
Paul 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:...
. His best result was a ninth place at the opening race at Thruxton
Thruxton Circuit
Thruxton Circuit is a motor racing circuit located near the village of Thruxton in Hampshire, England which is used to host a number of motorsport events including British Touring Cars and Formula 3 racing....
, however the team and George both expressed hopes that they would be back out for 2011 and realise a potential for more points-scoring finishes.
He is coached by John Pratt, who has previously worked with Andy Priaulx
Andy Priaulx
Andrew 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...
.