Team Shredded Wheat Racing with Gallagher returns to its home circuit this coming weekend for the 2019 Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship season finale at Brands Hatch (October 12/13).
Although out of the running for the championship title, the Wrotham-based outfit is eager to sign off the season in fine style as it also reaches the end of its three-year partnership with Shredded Wheat.
With the Motorbase Performance workshop less than five minutes away in nearby Wrotham, Brands Hatch is a firm favourite of the squad. The team has celebrated more wins at its local circuit than at any other track over the years, and always attracts fantastic local support.
Reigate-racer Tom Chilton took his maiden win of the season on the Indy layout in the season opener back in April, and is looking to end a challenging year for the Motorbase-run squad on a high note on the iconic GP circuit.
Ollie Jackson is also hopeful of a happy ending to his Motorbase return after a successful season. Also racing at his home circuit, the Surrey-man took his maiden Independent win earlier this year, and is keen for a rostrum return in front of his home crowd.
โWeโre looking forward to ending the season on a high at our home track;โ commented Team Manager Oly Collins. โWe always love coming to Brands Hatch. Itโs a fantastic venue to open and close the BTCC.
โWe started our campaign at Brands in April with Tom on the top step of the podium. Since then, 2019 hasnโt quite gone to plan as a season-long challenge, despite the pace weโve shown at times.
โOnce again we may see weather commanding the weekend which always makes things a little trickier for the team behind the scenes, but thatโs the same for all of us.
โIt will be a shame to run in the Shredded Wheat colours for one last time, but weโve been proud to represent such a huge brand in the BTCC.โ
#3 Tom Chilton:
โIโm really excited to get back to our local track for the team and myself.
โLast year I had fantastic memories from having such an incredible team and teammates behind me to help us clinch 3rd place overall and 2nd in the Independents Championship. We went into Brands GP last year with a lot of success ballast and qualified what felt like near the back, but I was next to Turkington and Ingram. The ballast is a killer around the hilly GP circuit more than most. But with the help of my teammates, I carved through the field from the back to 9th. Then went on to take 6th and just missed out on the podium by tenths.
โWe always go well at Brands and Iโm hoping to end on a high for everybody. We are 3rd in the Indy standings and top 10 in the main championship, but I want better so will never give up.โ
#48 Ollie Jackson:
โI canโt believe weโre already here at the last round. Itโs been a challenging season with some big highs and lows. The aim is to end on another high and really go for it this weekend. Itโs my favourite track of the season, not to mention my local and Iโve had some great weekends here in the past.
โWeโre also trying something very different with the set-up. Hopefully, it will unlock some more pace from the car. Weโre expecting to be competitive, but if we get it right, we can steal some last-minute glory.โ
Rounds 28, 29 and 30 of the 2019 Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship take places on the Brands Hatch GP Circuit on October 12/13. Live coverage of Sundayโs (October 13) events will be shown on ITV4, ITV4HV and via the ITVhub from 10.30 โ 18.15; with itv.com/btcc featuring live timing and streaming of Saturdayโs (October 12) qualifying session from 15.00.