Photo: PSP

2009 BTCC Calendar announced

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The full official 2009 calendar has been released for the HiQ MSA British Touring Car Championship! As with previous seasons the calendar includes 10 race weekends and although the dates were released earlier this month all venues have now been confirmed. The season kicks off in style at the iconic Kent circuit, Brands Hatch and as with the 2008 season it will also stage the grand finale at Brands Hatch using the full Grand Prix circuit.

Britain’s popular touring car championship will use top circuits across the country, with 9 circuits in all from Brands Hatch in southern England to Knockhill in Scotland.

All circuits from the 2008 calendar are featured, with Brands Hatch in Kent, Thruxton in Hants, Donington Park in Leicestershire near Derby, Oulton Park in Cheshire, Croft in North Yorkshire, Snetterton in Norfolk, Knockhill in Fife, Silverstone in Northants and Rockingham also in Northants.

The 2009 season kicks off the first weekend in April at Brands Hatch with the usual summer break running form mid June to the beginning of August. August has no fewer than 3 weekends of action and the season will end again at Brands Hatch in the first weekend of October.

Alan Gow, HiQ MSA British Touring Car Championship Series Director had the following to say on btcc.net:
“As is now traditional, our 10 meeting calendar travels the length and breadth of the country from Knockhill in Scotland to Thruxton in the South of England. As ever, fans in the Midlands are well catered for with rounds at Donington Park, Silverstone and Rockingham while visits to Oulton Park in the North West, Croft in the North East and Snetterton in Norfolk are well-established favourites with spectators, teams, drivers and sponsors.”

“I’m particularly pleased to confirm that next year’s BTCC title decider will definitely be held on the world-famous Brands Hatch Grand Prix circuit – already it promises to be a fitting finale for what is certain to be yet another season of unpredictable, dramatic and exhilarating competition.”

“With so much of the UK’s motor sport activities planned around the BTCC calendar, Gow also underlined the importance of announcing these 2009 BTCC dates as early as possible. “By confirming our dates and venues in July, other major motor sport organisers now can plan their own events and avoid too many clashes with the BTCC – or at least be aware of where and when the BTCC will be headlining at venues close to them.”

The races for 2009 are as follows:
Rounds 1-3 – 4 to 5 April – Brands Hatch
Rounds 4-6 – 25 to 26 April – Thruxton
Rounds 7-9 – 16 to 17 May – Donington Park
Rounds 10-12 – 30 to 31 May – Oulton Park
Rounds 13-15 – 13 to 14 June – Croft
Rounds 16-18 – 01 to 02 August – Snetterton
Rounds 19-21 – 15 to 16 August – Knockhill
Rounds 22-24 – 29 to 30 August – Silverstone
Rounds 25-27 – 19 to 20 September – Rockingham
Rounds 28-30 – 03 to 04 October – Brands Hatch