Photo: PSP Images

Stars get ready for Autosport show

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British racing fans get the chance to escape indoors from the cold and snow this weekend with the Autosport International show. And touring car fans shouldn’t be disappointed, with at least one major unveiling due to take place during the course of the four-day show at Birmingham’s NEC, which kicks off tomorrow (Thursday).

After glimpses via Twitter, fans will get their first chance to see the new livery on Jordan’s Pirtek run Vauxhall Vectra on Thursday morning when it is unveiled to the watching world, while West Surrey Racing have promised to reveal a mysterious ‘new’ car on the show’s main stage this Thursday.

The weekend will also see a number of BTCC drivers appearing on the Dunlop stand, where both Colin Turkington’s championship winning BMW and Jason Plato’s Chevrolet Lacetti will be on display. Both drivers will also be talking to visitor from the stand; with Turkington currently scheduled to appear on Thursday at 14.00 and on Sunday at 11.00 and 13.30 while Plato is due to appear at noon on Friday and Sunday.

Much of the BTCC grid, including Matt Neal, James Nash, Martin Johnson, Jordan and Adam Jones will also be appearing on the Dunlop standing during both days at the weekend, giving fans the chance for autographs and a quick chat with their heroes, with the addition of the popular Johnny Herbert to Sunday’s line-up sure to be a crowd puller.

Elsewhere BTCC rookie Matt Hamilton will be on the Joe Tandy Racing Academy stand (#7340) on Friday and will also be at the show on Saturday. The youngster appears on the Dunlop stand on both days, at 15.00 on Friday, alongside Harry Vaulkhard, and 13.00 on Saturday, the show’s first public day, with Jones and Gordon Shedden.

Many BTCC fans are also sure to want to catch up with two of the series’ newest teams, Forster Motorsport and AmD Technik. The former occupy stand 6760, while Essex based AmD will be in the Piston Heads section of the show on stand 19630 over the weekend, with their new S2000-spec VW Golf.

WTCC fans needn’t feel left out either, with triple World Champion Andy Priaulx appearing at the show on Saturday, while fresh from testing with Chevrolet in Spain, Rob Huff will also be at the NEC.

There are also two interesting opportunities for fans wishing to get an inside look at the world of touring car racing. Vaulkhard is offering up a passenger ride in a two-seat Chevrolet to those setting fastest times in his simulator on Saturday and Sunday, while Stephen Jelley will be launching his ‘Scoop of Jelley’ sponsorship scheme whereby fans can put their own messages on his 2010 car.

Many of the touring car drivers will also be taking part in David Brabham’s charity karting race on Friday, in aid of Malaria No More UK. Among those taking on celebrities, journalists and drivers from a range of disciplines will be Priaulx, Hamilton, Neal, Jordan, Shedden, O’Neill, Fiona Leggate, Paul Di Resta, Jonathan Adam, Rob Collard and Tom Onslow-Cole, while a trio of former Audi touring car drivers in Alan McNish, Peter Terting and former Italian champion Emanuele Pirro.

For those more interested in machines over men, there promises to be an excellent selection of touring cars on display with Johnny Herbert’s Honda Civic joining those cars already mentioned, taking pride of place on the Rimstock stand while Jim Clark’s 1966 Oulton Park Gold Cup winning Lotus Cortina will be sharing space with some iconic racers on stand 2220 in Hall 20.

For reports, quotes and photos from the show, keep visiting TouringCarTimes throughout the weekend.