BTC Norlin in Honda Civic switch
The BTC Norlin Racing team has revealed that it will switch cars for the 2018 BTCC season after agreeing a deal with Team Dynamics to acquire two Honda Civic Type-Rs.
The team joined the grid last season with a pair of Chevrolet Cruzes for Dave Newsham and Chris Smiley, with Newsham taking the team’s first podium at Silverstone en-route to 14th in the championship and Smiley taking a career best seventh as he finished the year 21st.
Hopes are now high of a strong season ahead with the new package, with the first target being to regularly challenge for podium finishes.
“The move highlights the ambitions of the BTC Norlin Racing team to continue to invest in the BTCC series and to progress to become a regular fixture on the podium,” team boss Bert Taylor said. “We wish to extend special thanks to Honda and Barry Plowman, Steve Neal and Matt Neal from Team Dynamics who gave us this unique opportunity to acquire world-class manufacturer’s machinery.”
“The Honda Civic Type R has been at the front of the grid with Gordon Shedden and Matt Neal on a consistent basis,” team co-owner Richard Irwin added. “Norlin strives to challenge for the independent title in the coming seasons and therefore the switch was important to try and achieve this.”
Norlin Hotels and Central Fusion will continue to sponsor the cars in 2018 along with a number of new sponsors that will be announced in the coming weeks.
Both Smiley and Newsham are widely expected to return behind the wheel, although no deal has yet to be struck with either driver and talks remain ongoing with other interested parties.