NEW CIRCUIT NEW CARS UNVEILED AT AUTOSPORT SHOW
14 January 2007 - Autosport International Show 2007

Britain will get a new type of international motor sport event this year, it was revealed at the Autosport International show in the NEC.

The world’s top enduro drivers will join special motor bike and quad riders in the Baja Wales 2007.

Plans for the new specialist off-road event were outlined as the Dakar Rally runs in North Africa which inspired a European version of the tough competition.

The first qualifying British round will be held from 17-19 August in Mid Wales and it will count for points with other rounds taking place in Italy, Spain and Portugal.
Centred on the Royal Welsh Showground and with stages in local forests, it uses tracks normally impassable by rally cars.

Event organiser Chris Tomley said, “We held an observed event last year and it attracted 20 international competitors and a large number of national entrants and it was very successful so we expect many more this year.

“We still have a lot of work to do but we will be giving out more details as the event progresses.”

The biggest investment in a UK racing circuit will also be completed this year.

The privately owned Angelsey Racing Circuit is half way through a £4.2M expansion to more than double the maximum lap to 2.1 miles and widen it to 12 metres, and it should be completed by May.

The show was also the public debut of Gwyndaf Evans and Huw Lewis, of North Wales, who won last year’s Mitsubishi Group N Lancer series for seats in this year’s works UK cars in the Mitsubishi Ralliart Evolution Challenge.

Gwyndaf said, “I’m delighted to be back as a works driver. I really didn’t think it would happen again, but the Evolution Challenge has given me that chance.

“I am raring to go and intend to make the most of my season with Mitsubishi. Make no mistake, I would really love to be British Champion again.”

Gwyndaf was UK Group N champion in 1988, 1990 and 1993.

For the circuits, Jaguar’s XKR Coupé appeared in a new guise at the NEC.
Buckingham-based Apex Motorsport, under the direction of Richard Lloyd, has developed the stunning XKR model for use in the FIA GT3 European Championship.

It was shown revealed in the ‘flesh’ for the first time to the world’s motorsport media and racing fans.

Lloyd and Apex have enjoyed huge racing success in the past, most recently with Bentley with whom they won the 2003 24 Hours of Le Mans. “It was obvious to us that the Jaguar name was missing from the list of GT3 contenders,” said Lloyd.
SEAT used the show to announce its driver line-up for its BTCC team will be Darren Turner and Jason Plato.

Motorsport fans could get up close and personal with two racing Leons: the Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Leon, and the new-for-2007 SEAT Cupra Championship car.

The BTCC car is the 2007 version of the racer that enabled SEAT to win the Manufacturers’ Trophy last year. Following a year’s worth of valuable experience with the vehicle, SEAT hopes to repeat the performance this season.

The SEAT Cupra Championship, now into its fifth year, is one of the UK’s most important one-make series, with the largest prize fund in UK motorsport. For the past four years it has featured a fleet of original Leon Cupras, and this will be the first year it will also star the new car.

Another big draw on the stand was the new generation Leon Cupra road car, which previously made its world debut at the British Motor Show.

It goes on sale 1 March and is the most powerful production SEAT to date, with 240 PS, for £19,595.

Also among the fast road cars at the event was the £29,995 Subaru Impreza RB320, named after the popular British Rally Champion Richard Burns, who died last year, and which is being used to promote his health charity.

Just 320 examples of the 320PS specially painted and equipped car will be built in a final run of the current Impreza series and the first owners will attend a launch and drive-away at Prodrive’s Warwick HQ in March.

Legendary Grand Prix team-mates of the 50s Sir Stirling Moss and Tony Brooks will be reunited with a Vanwall from Tom Wheatcroft’s Donington Collection in a special event at GPlive, which is gearing-up to be a weekend extravaganza of Grand Prix action at Donington Park, near Derby, from 18-20 May 2007.

By ROBIN ROBERTS

From Miles Better News Agency

www.autosport-international.com

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