Rolls specialist Jim Pocklington in BTCC

Rolls Royce repair specialist Jim Pocklington will make his debut in the Dunlop MSA British Touring car Championship in 2007 in a BMW 320i.

Pocklington’s move into Britain’s biggest motor racing series, renowned for its high-speed bumper-to-bumper action, is in major contrast to his day job – Jim runs a body repair centre, specialising in classic cars and which houses the UK’s biggest fleet of Rolls Royces!

But the 43-year-old from Brentwood, Essex says the BTCC’s decision to switch to the FIA Super 2000 technical regulations has enabled him to make a childhood dream come true.

He’s spent the past several years racing classic BTCC cars, such as an ex-1997 Anthony Reid Nissan Primera and ex-1996 Frank Biela Audi A4 in the Dutch Supercar series. He also owns Vauxhall’s first two-litre BTCC car, a Cavalier, raced by former champion John Cleland in 1990.

“The advent of S2000 made up my mind,” Pocklington told BTCC.net. “Having driven those cars I can see how difficult it must have been to compete as a privateer against the manufacturers in past years.

“But S2000 makes it more of a level playing field. It makes entering the BTCC and doing reasonably well much more realistic.

“I’ve been a motor sport enthusiast ever since I was a small boy and the BTCC was always top of my tree. I’m well aware of the level of competition on the grid, but I had to take the chance.”

Pocklington has confirmed he’ll contest the BTCC in the ex-Edenbridge Racing/Justin Keen BMW from 2004, taking the number of the German marque’s cars on the grid so far to five. Martyn Bell will drive an identical Geoff Steel Racing-prepared car, while Team RAC will field a pair of latest-spec BMW 320si models in addition to the lone version of Jacksons Motorsport.