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Bell Aims To Build On Knockhill Display |
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Saturday, 16 September 2006 |
BMW ace excited ahead of Brands Hatch return
On the back of his best weekend to date in the Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship at Knockhill, Barrow-upon-Humber racer Martyn Bell is looking to lay his Brands Hatch demons to rest in the penultimate round of the season next weekend [24 September].
Martyn made his debut in the BTCC at the Kent circuit back in April after a number of successful seasons in the Kumho BMW Championship, but it wasn’t the easiest of weekends for the Geoff Steel Racing driver – with a tenth place finish he admits was ‘lucky’ proving to be the highlight of the meeting.
However much has changed since then as Martyn and the team have
acclimatised to both the BTCC and the ex-Schnitzer BMW 320i, with an
eighth place finish in the second race in Scotland earlier this month
being the best finish recorded so far.
The tight and twisty Brands Hatch Indy circuit is one that shouldn’t
suit the rear-wheel drive BMW - but the same could have been said for
Knockhill - and with that in mind, Martyn is full of optimism heading
into the ninth round of the year.
“I’m really up for the return to Brands Hatch and that is something
I’ve never ever said before!” Martyn says. “After our performance at
Knockhill, the confidence has been given another boost and there is no
reason why we can’t have another good weekend at Brands. It’s a circuit
that has never been one of favourites and where I haven’t always gone
well, but we’ll be looking to put that right this time around. It’s
also going to be interesting to look at the data we collected back in
April and see how we have improved.
“We knew at the start of the year that it would take us time to get to
grips with the BTCC but we know that we are getting there, it’s just
sods law that the season is now coming towards a close! The car is
working so well, my confidence is continuing to grow and we are looking
for more solid results from the weekend.”
Martyn also welcomed the addition of three new teams for the Brands
Hatch meeting, which means at least 25 cars will line-up on the grid
for the three races.
“It’s great that there are going to be more cars on the grid and it
shows exactly why we decided to join British Touring Cars at the start
of the year,” he said. “Hopefully there’ll be some good clean racing
and a bit less of the ‘wacky racers’ that there has been in recent
meetings!”
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Last Updated ( Thursday, 14 December 2006 )
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