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Chilton Aiming To Close Down Leaders At Croft |
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Tuesday, 22 May 2007 |
Tom Chilton says he needs three stellar results at the Croft circuit on Sunday 3 June if he’s to keep title rivals Jason Plato and Fabrizio Giovanardi in his sights in the vital middle stages of this year’s Dunlop British Touring Car Championship season.
Chilton will arrive at the North Yorkshire circuit having enjoyed his best start to a BTCC season – he currently lies third in the standings, but is 30 points behind Vauxhall team-mate Giovanardi who in turn trails Plato by another nine.
Both drivers have won four times so far while Chilton is still seeking
his first victory of 2007. He is also wary that reigning champion Matt
Neal is only two points behind him and knows that strong results in all
three rounds at Croft are of great importance to his title aspirations.
The 22-year-old from Reigate, Surrey, said: “I really need to pull
something out of the bag at Croft. I don’t want Jason and Fabrizio
getting much further away as we get into what is a critical stage of
the season.
“I was a bit confused leaving Thruxton last time out because my car had
been as good as Fabrizio’s over the first few laps but then just seemed
to lose a bit of performance.
“But I’ve got a new chassis coming for Croft. If it gives me that last little drop of performance then I’ll be on fire.”
Chilton says that Croft’s BTCC meeting is one of the best on the
calendar in terms of atmosphere among the watching fans. Indeed, with
Britain’s premier motor racing series making just one visit each year
to the North-East, the event annually draws a bumper crowd.
Chilton added: “When you’re racing you’re 100 per cent focused on the
track and the cars around you, but at Croft you realise just how many
people are watching when you’re on the way to the grid or on the
slowing down lap.
“The banking around the first few corners is absolutely packed out and
you start to hear the air horns and pick out banners. It’s always a
really passionate crowd at Croft. Every driver gets a buzz from it.
“Croft is also a great touring car circuit and the lay-out means
there’s always a lot of side-by-side action. I think the fans will be
in for some great action.
“My aim is to score as many points as possible, but I’ve had seconds
and thirds and now I want a win. I was strong at Croft last year and
had pole position until the final seconds of qualifying. I’d love to
put that right this year and then lead all the way to the finish.”
Tickets to see the BTCC in action at Croft on 3 June cost £25 on the
gate or they can be booked on Croft’s website www.croftcircuit.co.uk or
by telephone: 01325 721815. Admission for children aged 15 and under is
FREE.
Prices include free access to the BTCC paddock and the hugely popular
Pit Lane Walkabout when the public, including children, is invited into
the Croft pit lane to meet the drivers for autographs and give-aways.
The timetable includes ten races in total: the latest three BTCC rounds
plus another seven races from the supporting BMW, Porsche, Renault and
SEAT championships.
For more information about the BTCC, including latest news and photos,
visit the championship’s official website http://www.btcc.net/.
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