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Gavin Smith joins Vauxhall

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Ireland’s Gavin Smith, a former team-mate of Formula One super star Kimi Raikkonen, will race for reigning champion manufacturer Vauxhall’s team VX Racing in the 2005 Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship.

Smith has been a title challenger in the BTCC’s supporting SEAT Cupra series for the past two seasons. Before that, he competed in British Formula Three and, in 2000, another of the BTCC’s support championships, Formula Renault, when he drove in the same team as then future F1 star Raikkonen.

Last year, Smith raced made his BTCC debut when the championship raced at his home circuit, Mondello Park. This week, the Rathfarnham-based driver joined Vauxhall’s VX Racing squad and new team-mates Yvan Muller and Colin Turkington at the Magny-Cours circuit in France to get his first taste of the manufacturer’s all-new Astra Sport Hatch.

Smith said: “Signing for Vauxhall is the highlight of my career so far. When you’re looking at various options you always aim high, but you can’t get much higher than driving for Vauxhall in the BTCC, and I will be giving it my all to challenge for championship points along with Colin and Yvan. I had a productive test this week, and have learnt lots about the performance of the car and the team dynamic. I hope to be on the pace right from the start of the season.”

Stuart Harris, VXR Brand Manager, Vauxhall Motors added: “After four years with the Astra Coupe, it’s exciting to have some new challenges and fresh blood in the team. We have a new driver and a new car, so it’s the start of a new era at VX Racing. Gavin is a talented driver and we hope he and the VX Racing Astra Sport Hatch will develop together to bring more success in 2005.”