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Barrow-upon-Humber racer Martyn Bell can today confirm that he is to join
forces with fellow Independent driver Erkut Kizilirmak in a two-car assault on
the 50th anniversary season of the HiQ MSA British Touring Car
Championship.
Martyn, who has spent the past two seasons campaigning
an ex-World Touring Car Championship BMW 320i E46, will join Erkut’s Arkas
Racing team for the new season with the pair running a brace of BTC-spec
Vauxhall Astra Sport Hatches
The
move to Arkas Racing – run by leading outfit Tech-Speed – will see Martyn run
with a team-mate for the first time since making his BTCC debut at the start of
2006 as two of the most popular Independent runners in the series team up for
the new campaign.
“I
was approached back at Snetterton last year by Erkut and he said we needed to
get together and see if we could progress in the championship,” Martyn
explained. “My initial plan had been to switch to the new BMW E90 for this
season, which would have been a good route to take. However, I fancy a change
and with the Astra I can go to front-wheel drive.
“If
you want the truth, I’ve never raced front-wheel drive in anger, but the
transition isn’t something I think will be a big issue. We just need a couple of
rounds to find out feet and then work with Erkut to bring each other
on.”
While
TechSpeed will prepare the car, Martyn’s own enthusiastic team will run the
Astra Sport Hatch on race weekends with assistance from an engineer from Triple
Eight, the team responsible for Vauxhall’s works BTCC
effort.
As
for his aims for the season ahead, Martyn said he was keen to forge a strong
relationship with Erkut to try and secure the best possible result in the
championship standings.
“It
would be nice to climb up the teams’ championship and if we can work well as
team-mates, then there is nothing to say that we can’t both be fighting for
places in the top ten on a regular basis,” he said. “The car is fast enough and
while it isn’t used by the factory team anymore, the set-up we can get out of it
will gel well for the Independent side of things.”
Martyn also took time to thank his sponsors for their
support in putting together the deal for the new
season.
“I’d
really like to thank Sunshine.co.uk, Quayside, Truck Links, The Grimsby Insitute
of Further and Higher Education, DFDS, ASD Steel and the rest of my backers for
their continued support,” he added. “Without them, I wouldn’t have been able to
put together this deal for the new season and I wouldn’t be taking up my place
on the grid. Sponsors can be so hard to come by in motorsport so it is great
that so many of my supporters want to commit to the BTCC
again.”
Brian
Ashwood, technical director with Arkas, was quick to welcome Bell into the
team.
“We’re delighted Martyn has chosen to join Arkas
Racing,” he said. “Our chief aim ahead of the new season was to attract a second
driver to the team and with two years of touring car experience under his belt,
Martyn is an ideal team-mate for Erkut to learn
from.
“We’re all confident our second season in the BTCC will
be successful and, as always, a lot of fun. Having achieved a couple of overall
top ten race results last year, I think we can rightfully hope for more top ten
finishes from both Erkut and Martyn during 2008.”
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