Misc

On this page I try and capture a bit of the behind the scenes flavour at the BTCC, well as best you can.

The pit lane isn't just a place to spot drivers, though no-one seems to have spotted Vicki Butler-Henderson here (who presents the BTCC on TV). Vicki seems genuinely very interested in all the BTCC drivers and you'll see her talking to them hours after the cameras and the race cars have stopped rolling. The Audi and the air ambulance show the safety standards at work in the BTCC (neither needed on this occasion thankfully). Without the sponsors it won't happen, and there is what they are aiming for (see below too).

The TOCA meetings are mostly, but not all about the BTCC. Here is ex-BTCC racer Tom Boardman who drove in 2004 in the Seats. The Clios must be almost unique in having a pace car more powerful than the cars it is "safety car" for. Formula BMW was a massive undertaking, and very professional. The Clios themselves were as colourful as ever. At Donnington flights were suspended out of East Midlands for an air display by an RAF Tornado F3, impressive stuff.

Now some people get cynical and ask how interested can these drivers be in winning race X of 30 at some little circuit in the UK, blah-blah-blah. Well they do care, you can see it in their podium celebrations for a start. It's not the first time on the podium for any of these guys...

The racing in 2004 was as hard as ever in the BTCC, of course!