Photo: Arkas Racing

Kizilirmak changes to older Vauxhall

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Erkut Kizilirmak will get another car for the British Touring Car Championship finale at Brands Hatch. The 39 year old Turkish driver will change to an older Vauxhall Astra Coupé, the very chassis that Yvan Muller raced to second in the 2004 championship.
“It’s a bit different and it will also give the BTCC fans a rare chance to see the car, which Yvan raced brilliantly in 2004, back on track at Brands Hatch,” said Kizilirmak to Autosport.

“The race between Yvan and Jason Plato that year at Brands Hatch is very famous and it’s responsible for getting me hooked on the BTCC!”

“With the car being in Turkey we’ve never really had the opportunity to run it in the UK before so I’m really looking forward to this – it realises a long-held dream of mine and will be a fantastic end to the season for me.”

Kizilirmak will not be back for the BTCC 2009. He will take a year off, instead running the Astra in his domestic series and plans to return to BTCC in 2010.

“I have taken the decision to take a year away from the BTCC at the end of the current season due to my business commitments and the demands on my time back in Turkey.”