Allison back at Snetterton.... kinda

Previous reports indicated Matt would be back at Robertshaw for his home race. However, it appears he's switching to Clios for the remainder of the season instead. Meanwhile the team claims there's "serious interest" in the vacant drive, and hope to put a young driver in for three of the last four meetings (presumably not Knockhill then).

Clyde Valley/Carbon Zero Racing 3rd car?

The team have yet to pick up their actual racecars, but there's already talk of a third machine for the Scottish squad:

The team plans to run two Seat Leon Cupra racecars on bio fuel and, if funding can be secured, introduce a third car with an engine which will run on bio-methane - a waste gas more harmful than CO2 but when burnt releases near zero CO2.

http://www.eemsonline.co.uk/news/20-06-08_2

Andy Priaulx MBE

Well done Andy. And about time too.

Miid-season break rumours

It's a six week gap between BTCC meetings, due to some some overpaid continental types kicking an inflated pig bladder around a field for an hour and a half every other evening. Still, there's some news and/or made-up stuff to keep BTCC fans occupied for a while...

• Clyde Valley Racing actually announce entry. And it look s like it's for real!
  
• Robertshaw Racing have their two Lacetti's up for sale at the end of the season
  
• They also have Taylor's Integra for sale, but also "for hire race-by-race for the remaining rounds of 2008".
  
• Rumours of BSB racer Paul Bird's plans to enter BTCC resurface again
  
• Rumours of John Batchelor's return later this season, threads relating to which have been deleted from 10/10ths...
  

Clyde Valley Racing for real

After all their "hype" (which was, to be fair, just a lot a sponsor proposal material available for all to see on the interweb hyped up by numerous rumourmongers on the forums) Clyde Valley Racing (aka Cartridge World Carbon Zero Racing) look set to go in 2009.

According to Dan Eaves, both he and title sponsor Cartridge World have a two year deal in place, and press releases suggest the team will collect their SEAT Leons in December '08 and January '09. (This suggests they have agreements in place to purchase ex-WTCC cars, as they finish their season in late November). Second driver will be India's "premier racing driver" [sic] Phiroze Bilimoria (occasional GT racer, was due to partner Boardman at Edenbridge in the 2003 BTCC season).

BTCC feature on Top Gear

The new series of Top Gear will include a feature by Richard Hammond on "a birthday tribute to Touring Cars". Presumably this will be in honour of the BTCC's 50 years. The new series of Top Gear is expected to start on June 22.