Old Rivalries Renewed: BTCC Season 1 Preview

First posted on 25th August 2014 at Apex Online Racing

The highly anticipated BTCC season begins in earnest this Thursday with the FWDs expected to perform well

AOR is not afraid to step into the unknown. The governing body of league racing that is designed based on the self-proclaimed idea of close, clean racing has gone through a huge transition of uncertainty and change over the past year but has ultimately come out of it alive and, most importantly, still functioning with it's values intact. The tin-top category has not been down the smoothest route either. The BTCC represents another journey of discovery but - unlike it's RUF and Ferrari predecessors - looks to be one that is spectacular, hard-fought and (most importantly) in line with the AOR philosophy.

The standout appeal of the RUF Supercup was that the car was affordable to run and open to all in a spec class that was all about the driver making the difference. This worked to an extent but an unappealing field spread made this an unattractive venture. The Ferrari Challenge very much produced the same outcome, but possibly alienated even more competitors with the handling deficiencies that the street tyres provided (albeit providing some spectacular sideways action for the watching audience). Something had to change.

The BTCC brings in the best of touring car racing; six different manufacturers are providing chassis of varying characteristics and performances which is a proposition that has drivers and fans alike excited. Not only because there are many stories to tell such as intra-team battles and car performance controversy each week, but because it brings back one of the factors that has been missed in previous racing championships - unpredictability.

FWD vs RWD

The representation of so many manufacturers is a testament to the belief that no matter what car you are driving, you will be competitive. Audi, BMW, Ford, Honda, Renault and Vauxhall have all made entries this season and car performance will be the key headline maker this season as the stewards look to fine tune any flaws or indeed any advantages for the future.

This season is practically an eight-event test session in some ways and there will be teething problems along the way for everybody involved. As in any potential successful touring car championship however, a decent proportion of the grid will be driving rear wheel driven cars. One of the advantages of the rear wheel drive has already been eradicated completely with the removal of standing starts although that won't bother BMW and Audi too much - the 1M and the S3 appear to at the top of the speed traps and will surely be big hitters at some of the lower downforce configurations.

The front wheel drives will be easier to drive however and won't be afraid to lock horns, with the thought of close racing and early lap knocks maybe getting a bit too close for comfort for the RWD entries.

An intense title fight ahead

In terms of quality, one thing that AOR won't need to worry about is the roster of drivers participating this season. There boasts a huge array of talent behind the wheel this season and, after having a quick scan through the driver list, any one of seven or eight drivers could win a race this season easily. The new format allows this - with the grids expected to be more jumbled up from race 2 onwards than in previous formats, an opportunity could be thrown anybody's way and they will be further aided by the shorter race distances. Expect many pleasant surprises this season.

Ultimately though it will be down to speed, and qualifying still matters. Expect the usual quartet of xII robo IIx, x Shuffle, Kptk92 and McPhilen to be up there with oV xS4Mx Vo now on the brink of a major breakthrough following a sterling Ferrari Challenge campaign. Race 1 will often set the scene for the Championship battle this season and right now it is simply too close to call who will take the top honour come season's end. The top four Ferrari Challenge runners will all race for different teams this season although xII robo IIx will arguably have a team mate who has been a proven front runner and that may play to his advantage when push comes to shove in the closing weeks and points need to be taken off of his rivals.

xII robo IIx will go into this season as the Ferrari Challenge Champion against a near-identical grid to the one he won his title against. He may have benefited from unreliability from his closest competitors last time out but his speed is undeniable. x Shuffle probably has the outright speed but will need to be at the top of his game, with the Astra looking to trump the Civic on the straights. Expect the Road Atlanta event to be his defining event. Kptk92 will have his events too but has generally been inconsistent and not delivered a perfect campaign so far. He has made a safe choice with the Ford but could well struggle in the mixed-grid races. McPhilen has come of age in recent seasons and found his speed but needs to deliver it when it matters most in qualifying to set him up for bigger results on a more consistent basis. However the new format may play into his hands as qualifying well does not mean the end of the world anymore.

Expect these four to be the key title protagonists in what is expected to be a hard fought slog to the end.

Intra-team rivalry

The top of the standings may be where the key focus will be, but there will be many fascinating rivalries within the teams as they look to take their personal battles to the top of the Manufacturers Standings.

Audi
2015 Audi S3 Sedan - RickeeyC & wilDtub
From the outside at this moment in time, the Audi team looks to be made up of a driver that was 100% committed to driving for them, and one that has simply fallen into a seat after every other team tied up their deals and shut up shop early.

wilDtub was spotted at the test session in the Audi on a frequent basis and something has clearly clicked between driver and machine. Possibly the unluckiest man in the Ferrari Challenge series will be hoping that the tides have turned for him in a car that is probably very similar to the Ferrari in some aspects.

RickeeyC, on the other hand, is the only driver not to have shown his hand yet but he may well not have expected to be driving the Audi package for the coming season, which has demonstrated erratic handling at times but a very fast top speed.

Therefore it is very difficult to judge how this duel will end up. Audi will undoubtedly play the underdog role this season in a car that will be very difficult to pass and that could mean whoever holds on to the big results in the reverse races will have the lion's share of the points. Audi hope this rivalry will ignite and take them to shock results this season.

BMW
2011 BMW 1 M Series Coupe - Alehud42 & I RickyTan I
A veteran of touring cars is up against a completely unknown entity this season. Alehud42 has previous knowledge of a BMW touring car and therefore should have the edge at the start. His speed has gradually improved as the seasons have progressed and the BMW should mean that he is a difficult car to pass. He didn't feature at the test session so there was no chance to gauge him against his new team-mate but expect solid performances and perhaps the odd opportunity for race victories in the reverse grid races.

Rookie I RickyTan I landed a drive in the eleventh hour and has already expressed his elation at getting a seat so quickly. He has rightly kept his expectations in check but he has a fine and experienced team-mate to measure himself against. He made some great progress in testing but will need to polish up on his race craft to ensure he survives some brutal encounters in the midfield, especially with a car that will swap ends a lot easier than most of those around him.

Ford
2013 Ford Focus ST - Kptk92 & Relezy
Ford boast two drivers this season with big campaigns ahead of them. Kptk92 and Relezy have both had their run ins (sometimes into each other) in previous championships but will need to work together to achieve big points this season.

Kptk92 is expected to be up there fighting for the title but will need to cut out the costly mistakes that have hampered previous bids in championships gone by. On his day he can be the benchmark but a car lacking in speed or getting pushed about could be enough to trigger the red mist. He must play the long game this season and keep his head up.

Relezy on the other hand faces a defining season. His results in the Ferrari Challenge were improving steadily and that bodes well for the BTCC in a car that should be a more pleasurable experience to drive. First he must improve his lap times in qualifying, and then the results will come. He found himself in some decent positions in the Ferrari Challenge but did not capitalise on them - this is something that will happen more frequently in the BTCC format and Ford will pin their hopes on him to learning from past experience to take home valuable points in what looks like a very tight Manufacturers battle.

Honda
2007 Honda Civic Type-R - x Shuffle & oV xB4RDx Vo
Honda surely must fancy their chances in the Drivers Championship but two very contrasting seasons for their driver's in the Ferrari Challenge will mean they could face an uphill climb in the Manufacturers Championship. x Shuffle finished near the summit of the Ferrari standings, with oV xB4RDx Vo languishing down the order 2 points from the bottom.

Honda's stomping ground at Road Atlanta hosts the fifth event of the season and that will surely be the defining moment of the season. If x Shuffle is in a position of power by that stage then the title will surely be a formality. What he does in the opening half of the season is crucial - he has all of the ingredients to take a stranglehold of this Championship and he rarely shows a weakness. A few uncharacteristic errors in the Ferrari Challenge will be quickly resolved, and a trouble-free run in terms of reliability is all he will need. Expect him to be challenging for pole positions and setting fastest laps. It will take a monumental effort for him to be toppled this season.

oV xB4RDx Vo on the other hand rarely represented last season and did not feature at the test session. He will surely be under a huge baptism of fire in the intra-team battle, but he can use his team-mate as a benchmark for improvement and that will be key as the season progresses and Honda may find itself in the mix for top honours.

Renault
2010 Renault Megane RS 250 - McPhilen & FisiFan91
There is a well balanced line up at Renault with the potential to go on and produce good things this season. McPhilen will surely lead the Renault charge and getting top results in qualifying and the first race will surely be at the top of his wishlist. His race performances have generally been inconsistent and often unlucky in the past - the expected tighter field spread will surely teach him a harsh lesson if he falls off guard this season. This is a defining season for McPhilen.

His team-mate FisiFan91 however has not at all been comfortable in tin tops but a podium in the final race of the Ferrari Challenge must surely keep him optimistic of an improved turn in fortunes in the touring cars. The speed has quite clearly been proven in the past and he needs to explore what he can do to pick up the top results once again. The Megane will provide him with a strong and reliable base to build upon and hopefully by season's end he will be sniffing the tail end of the frontrunners.

Vauxhall
2012 Vauxhall Astra VXR - xII robo IIx & oV xS4Mx Vo
Vauxhall enter the season as the team to beat with regular frontrunners xII robo IIx and oV xS4Mx Vo taking the reins of the Astra VXR. xII robo IIx enters the season as one of the favourites following Ferrari success and will be incredibly tough to beat. He is almost notorious for storming through the field in the reverse grid races in a matter of moments and this will be a key strength of his once again in the title race. He is always up there in qualifying too - he will be a tough adversary to beat.

His team-mate made an important step in the Ferrari Challenge. oV xS4Mx Vo learned the lessons from the RUF Supercup and converted that into podium finishes and stunning qualifying performances, especially towards the latter stages. His pace has improved with every race event and will be one of the drivers to watch this season as he looks to take the fight to the top four. With the Astra at his disposal, he could well spring a few surprises at the front too.

AUTOSPORT predicts..

The x Shuffle/Kptk92 rivalry will reignite following a stuttering squabble in the Ferrari Challenge. xII robo IIx and McPhilen will be right there to pick up any pieces though. Expect McPhilen to capitalise on his practice pace and secure at least one pole position this time out. oV xS4Mx Vo will continue to surprise and could well score some victories. Also keep an eye out in the reverse grid races, as the midfield runners compete for victories too. And expect Troggy to try and make some attempt of a comeback as the season progresses.

1. x Shuffle
2. Kptk92
3. xII robo IIx
4. McPhilen
5. oV xS4Mx Vo
6. Alehud42
7. FisiFan91
8. RickeeyC
9. wilDtub
10. I RickyTan I
11. Relezy
12. oV xB4RDx Vo

Ford announce Kptk92 for Season 1

First posted on 22nd August 2014 at Apex Online Racing

One half of the Ford team has been confirmed with the Kptk92/Motorbase combination

Ford have announced that Kptk92 will race with the Motorbase team in the upcoming BTCC season.

It follows a lengthy period of speculation for both team and driver, with the Focus ST proving popular amongst many of the drivers in the recent test session. It fits one of the many pieces of the jigsaw into place, with many teams expecting to confirm their situations before the season begins next week at Catalunya.

Kptk92 was delighted with the announcement: "There were not many cars out there to choose from for me (in the test session). The Focus is a great handling car and I hope to achieve much success with the team this season."

The Championship looks set to be an epic both on the driver's and the team's battles, with Kptk92's main rivals all electing to race in different cars, and Kptk92 suggested that this would be to the benefit of the sport.

"We'll be going to circuits of varying characteristics and everyone is going to have to reassess their targets every week," he explained. "Some cars will have the upper hand at one circuits, but could then be stuck in the midfield at the next one. Whichever car has the most consistent package all season will reap huge rewards and I think I've made the right choice. The drivers will really need to make the difference when things get tough.

"I can't wait to get going."

The first five rounds at the Circuit de Catalunya begin next Thursday, with Ford expecting to confirm their second driver imminently.

BTCC Season 1 Announced

First posted on 16th August 2014 at Apex Online Racing

Above: The BTCC has been added to an already impressive list of Championships at AOR

AOR has officially unveiled the British Touring Car Championship, with hopes growing that this won't just be a one season wonder.

The announcement follows the dissolving of the Ferrari Challenge series - which followed on from the RUF Supercup - with the hope that the affordable handling from the multiple cars available to choose from will make this a regular staple on the AOR calendar.

Expect familiar faces to return from the Ferrari Challenge - season Champion xII robo IIx headlines the confirmed driver line-up which already displays an impressive list of talent glistening with touring car experience, who will contest a revised format to benefit the racing and equalise the field.

With six manufacturers confirmed for the BTCC there will be a huge scramble for places, with many drivers and manufacturers expected to announce their intentions in the coming weeks. The first and only test session is anticipated to take place next week, allowing the drivers ample opportunity to find a team for them.

AUTOSPORT says

This is the start of a new era for the BTCC and for AOR, with the organisers confident of a successful format that is here to stay. There will surely be many talking points throughout the season and the upcoming test is the first chance for drivers to familiarise themselves with the machinery. The test will also give the officials a chance to fine tune the setups of the cars before they are homologated, which will surely be a key talking point, not least amongst the drivers that are racing them.

But what the test ultimately will demonstrate is who the key players will be this season. Expect many of the Ferrari Challenge frontrunners to be up to speed relatively quickly, with xII robo IIx and x Shuffle surely the favourites before a wheel is even turned, but the hope of the organisers is that the field spread will get tighter and by season's end the grid will be separated within tenths of each other rather than seconds.

Kptk92 keen to maintain momentum

First posted on 11th September 2013 at Legends Racing League

Kptk92 en route to his third victory at Infineon and his fourth of the season as Volkswagen prepare to challenge SEAT

Kptk92 has challenged his Volkswagen team to continue to build on its recent form and take the fight to SEAT and Dodge in the Manufacturers Standings as the Championship story continues at Catalunya.

Volkswagen have taken more points than any other Manufacturer in the past two events (141) which has closed the gap to Dodge, who currently hold 2nd position. The upturn in form began when Kptk92 guided his Scirocco to his first victory of the season at Mugello, who then went on to give his campaign a shot in the arm at Infineon with a pole position and three victories. And Kptk92 believes that the good form can continue at circuits which he feels the Scirocco will excel at.

"At the start of the season we were nowhere," explained the defending Champion, "We couldn't pass anyone at Sebring in a line and Suzuka was a nightmare as soon as qualifying began which set us back, where we expected to be a lot more competitive. The turning point was at Mugello when we actually expected to struggle but the car was working so well there, which gives us a lot of confidence going forward when we visit some more handling circuits. We maximised our performance at Infineon and we're hoping we'll have a quick car at Catalunya and Tsukuba.

"I think these next few events will be crucial to determine where we will stand in the Manufacturers Standings, because it will be tough at circuits where there are longer straights."

Kptk92 says that he is anticipating a difficult time at Nurburgring and Twin Ring Motegi, which both feature some of the longest straights on the BTCC calendar, and that his hopes of defending his title for the first time will very much depend on what he can do in the build-up to these events.

"It's true that I'm not expecting much at these two events, we have one of the slowest cars in the speed traps so it will difficult to win in the future. Which is why we need to consistently win or take points off of x Shuffle in the next two or three events. I don't want to make this Championship easy for him to win, but if we don't cut into his lead significantly by Nurburgring then it may be too late."

Kptk92 took 12 points out of x Shuffle's Championship lead at Infineon, and the gap now stands at 28 points.

Kptk92 to lead VW S8 Championship bid

First posted on 13th August 2013 at Legends Racing League
 

The Scirocco R had an average debut season as it looks to challenge for top honours

The future of Kptk92 has been resolved, with Volkswagen declaring that they have signed the defending Champion on a season-long basis.

It is a surprise to many within the paddock, with Alfa Romeo and Ford looking the most likely candidates to secure a signature. But a last-gasp approach by Volkswagen, whose future in the BTCC looked in doubt as it struggled to find a driver, has secured the services of one of the Championship contenders.

Kptk92 was spotted testing for a variety of teams during the official test day, including Volkswagen, and a statement was published at the conclusion of the test: "Volkswagen Motorsport can confirm that it has reached a deal to secure the services of one of the top drivers in the BTCC. We are very happy to announce that Kptk92 has chosen to defend his BTCC title in the VW Scirocco. Volkswagen boasts a proud and rich history and we hope that this new partnership will contribute another page to our story."

A statement by Kptk92 was published shortly afterwards confirming the news: "I'm very proud to have signed for Volkswagen Motorsport today. I have been offered a great opportunity to prove the car's abilities as well as putting mine to the ultimate test. My aim is to bring this car and this team to the very front and I look forward to what the new season has in store for us."

The news follows a very average season by the Scirocco team, as they were unable to consistently challenge for victories. They claimed just one victory with dI Atticus Ib, whereas Championship regular o0o JAM1E o0o was one of the few drivers on the grid to not score a single victory.
 
Golf and Scirocco outfits combine

Volkswagen have released an additional statement to announce that their Golf and Scirocco teams will merge in an effort to save costs.

"Volkswagen Motorsport remains committed to being an example of effective cost-cutting and maintaining competitiveness. Today we announce that our two BTCC teams will merge and that we will field two different models on the grid - our Scirocco with Kptk92 and our Golf, which has been a popular and iconic BTCC car, which will be driven by kaliber1985. With this decision, Volkswagen believes that it will be a threat in both Championships."

Volkswagen ran two Sciroccos and two Golfs last season, but under the regulations of the Championship, teams that entered the Manufacturers Championship were only eligible to field two cars at one time, which led to two Volkswagen outfits being formed. The Scirocco team emerged as the victor in the Manufacturers battle, but Golf driver xII robo IIx narrowly led both Sciroccos in the Drivers Championship.

AUTOSPORT says

Today's news has come as a great shock in some ways, but not in others.

The merging of it's two teams indicates that Volkswagen might have been preparing to bow out of the Championship, but it has given itself the best possible chance of survival with the signing of the BTCC Champion.

Kptk92 has taken on an enormous task with this shock signing. He remains as confident as ever of being up at the front end but he must be wary of the past. The Scirocco endured a difficult debut season and was way off of Volkswagen's expectations, even with one of the strongest driver line-ups last season in rival o0o JAM1E o0o, who isn't unfamiliar with winning, and dI Atticus Ib.

The car's lack of top speed was one of it's key deficiencies and testing has shown that this problem has not been solved.

A massive shift in the driver line-ups looks set to also conspire against Volkswagen, with five time Champion x Shuffle back to reignite his affair with SEAT, o0o JAM1E o0o moving to defending Manufacturers Champions BMW and xII robo IIx bailing out of the Golf. Kptk92's first task will be to ensure that he doesn't lose sight of the leaders, and if he can turn his Scirocco into a force to be reckoned with at the front.

Kptk92 admits options are open

First posted on 7th August 2013 at Legends Racing League

The Championship winning partnership of Kptk92 and BMW appears to be coming to an end.

Season 7 Champion Kptk92 has confirmed that his short term future is unknown and has revealed that he is considering all offers that have been submitted to him.

It is the first time that news has filtered from the Kptk92 camp, and it is understood that BMW are looking at alternatives to replace the defending Champion.

Speaking to ITV4, Kptk92 said: "I've achieved my goal with BMW in winning the Championship and proved that it is a car capable of winning titles. I'm looking around to see if there are any new projects that I can help with.. I'm not sure where I will be at the start of the season."

External sources reported last week that Kptk92, who also won the title with SEAT in Season 5 and moved to Renault the season after, was spotted at the Alfa Romeo headquarters for initial discussions as the outfit looks to make a BTCC comeback. Ford and Peugeot have also expressed an interest but stopped short of confirming that they had approached the driver.

Kptk92 to defend title with Renault

First posted on 9th August 2012 at Legends Racing League

Kptk92 was behind the wheel of the Megane at Tsukuba testing and was setting front running times immediately

BTCC Season 5 Champion Kptk92 has confirmed that he will attempt to defend his title with Renault.

The move comes as a surprise to most within the paddock, as SEAT appeared the most likely to retain their driver who brought them the Driver's Title for the first time in three seasons and also participated in the first pre-season test at Sedona with them, but the switch was finalised quickly with both parties agreeing terms within hours.

The announcement was made moments after the final pre-season test at Tsukuba had concluded, where Kptk92 got his first taste of the squad's season 6 challenger, the Megane. In the paddock after the test, Kptk92 said: "Renault are a race winning team in this series and they know what it takes to win again. They've never been able to sustain a full challenge for the title even though it's apparent that the car has been quick. I want to make this car a regular front runner, the team deserve their chance of success and I'm looking forward to seeing what the partnership between myself and the team can produce."

The partnership got off to a perfect start at Tsukuba, with the Renault scoring 4 victories in 5 races and the team will now be full of confidence when the season kicks off next week at Road Atlanta.

Renault are the first of two teams to announce a driver addition to their team, as Volvo also confirmed that they would be retaining oHoncho for the forthcoming season. It is widely expected that Ford will make a move to bring oO Troggy Oo back after a disappointing season with Chevrolet but it remains to be seen where title protagonists x Shuffle and o0o JAM1E o0o will end up.

Kptk92 announces BMW u-turn for Season 4

First posted on 7th June 2012 at Legends Racing League

 BMW look to take back the ALMS Titles from x Shuffle and Ferrari by retaining double Champion Kptk92

BMW has confirmed that they have signed a season-long contract with Kptk92 after the former ALMS Champion considered a number of offers from rival teams.

It means that the Kptk92-BMW partnership will enter their fourth consecutive season together as they aim to bounce back from a disappointing Season 3 campaign, finishing some way off of Ferrari's x Shuffle.

BMW Motorsport Director Jens Marquardt could not hide his delight at the retaining of his first driver: "When you think of the LRL ALMS, the first image that comes up into every fan's mind is the now-iconic image of the Kptk92 and BMW combination. We couldn't picture taking on a season without him - his experience in driving and delivering strong and consistent results is second to none and BMW Motorsport is looking forward to working towards future success."

BMW refused to give details on who their second driver could be, saying that "We have every confidence in being able to deliver a fierce and competitive driver line-up so we can assault this upcoming campaign in the best possible way."

Kptk92 holds first talks with Porsche

First posted on 1st June 2012 at Legends Racing League

Porsche make a return to the ALMS grid for the first time in two seasons as they look for their driver line-up.

BBC Sport understands that Porsche have had contact with Kptk92 over becoming part of their driver line-up for Season 4 of the ALMS GT series.

The talks follow a season of disappointment for Kptk92 as he struggled in the BMW and saw his rival x Shuffle claim the ALMS series by a healthy 32 point margin. The two-time Champion's contract with the BMW team runs out during this off-season as negotiations have stalled over Kptk92's criticisms of the M3 GT2's characteristics. He was quoted at Road Atlanta as saying: "The car hasn't been performing like I've wanted it to, I haven't felt at all comfortable with the chassis for a few events now and I don't expect the problems will be resolved for this one too." Despite such vocal criticisms, he doubled his win tally for the season with two wins out of three as he starred at Road Atlanta, and such a performance hasn't gone unnoticed as Kptk92 holds the key to the driver market with many teams willing to offer a drive.

And for now it looks like Porsche have first blood, with representatives of the German outfit making a personal visit to the BMW motorhome during the Road Atlanta event to offer Kptk92 a future with the team. But for now nothing concrete has been set.

"We wished a deal could have been struck immediately but for now we are only at the first stage of negotiations," said Wolfgang Porsche, chairman of the company. "We've given Kptk92 our assurances that we will have a suitable car to take on the Championship in Season 4. Now, it's down to him on what he wants to do, it seems like he might be holding out for a better deal elsewhere but what we've given him is a fantastic opportunity to be a part of a team who is seeking to recreate ALMS GT history and become a race-winning Manufacturer again."

Last week the BBC reported that Kptk92 wasn't sure if he was going to continue in the ALMS but with so many teams wanting his signature, it could be difficult for the former Champion to say no. But whether he stays with BMW, goes to Porsche or makes a surprise move elsewhere remains to be seen.

Kptk92 proud of title win

First posted on 12th July 2012 at Legends Racing League

Newly crowned Champion Kptk92 does battle with four time Champion x Shuffle in the setting sun at Hockenheim

Kptk92 couldn't hide his delight after capturing the British Touring Car Championship crown at Hockenheim last night.

The SEAT driver secured the title at the fifth attempt after a mechanical failure on o0o JAM1E o0o's Honda condemned him to sitting out of the event. It now means that there is no longer only one winner of the BTCC - x Shuffle had previously dominated the previous four seasons.

But an epic showdown between Champions, old and new, was one of the many highlights from an enthralling meeting at Hockenheim National which, despite playing host to the lowest attended grid of the season, still had plenty of action and drama.

"It was a fantastic evening of racing, probably some of the best this season," said Kptk92. "It's a shame what happened to Jamie and Christian (who also suffered a similar issue) but also a shame that we had a smaller grid than usual, because imagine what the racing would have been like with a full grid! The car was really strong today and ending the season with a win and the title caps off a perfect season."

When asked if the title win was soured by the disappearance of his rivals over the course of the season, Kptk92 replied: "Not at all. I've had a great season-long fight in the standings with Jamie and we didn't luck into the title at all. We were competitive in almost every single event so you can't say that it was just down to turning up to every event because we had genuine pace and were scoring some great points. Jordan switched cars halfway through the season and even if you combined his Vauxhall points with his Ford points he would have come 2nd in the standings. It's a massive lift for myself to earn this Championship with such a competitive line-up so no I won't see this title victory in any other way."

Kptk92 wary of "outside threats"

First posted on 13th June 2012 at Legends Racing League

SEAT and Kptk92 return to Sebring International after enjoying a strong test session there in the off-season

Kptk92 believes that the winner of the Season 5 Championship will be the one who deals best with the "outside threats" on the grid.

The Championship leader was referring to the resurgence of Volvo, who recovered from two poor showings at Mazda Laguna Seca and Twin Ring Motegi to take four wins out of five events at Circuit de Catalunya with VVV Shifty and oHoncho, and the strong showing of four-time Champion x Shuffle in his first event after his switch to the Ford Focus.

While it is still mathematically possible for everyone to win the Championship, realistically it is a two horse race between former team-mates Kptk92 and o0o JAM1E o0o, with the nearest Volvo of Shifty trailing second place by 87 points and the Championship lead by 105 points. But Kptk92 says it won't change his approach to the second half of the season.

When asked what he could do for the rest of the season, Kptk92 replied: "We achieved the maximum we could from every situation last week (at Catalunya) and when you look at Honda you could say that maybe they didn't have the best event, so now we have a nice little gap which hopefully we can continue to build in the coming races. But it's not just about beating o0o JAM1E o0o - we have various outside threats on the grid, Volvo had a very strong event last week so we cannot rule them out, they have a very strong race car and have had two pole positions but more importantly they get off the line very well too so usually we spend most races trying to overtake them. Also x Shuffle is back in with a shout of victories at every race in the Ford so we need to be very cautious we don't make mistakes against these guys and lose valuable points. The priority is to beat Jamie and so far, so good." I hope if I have a bad race then everyone else will be there to take points away from Jamie.

"Coming back to this specific event, we had a great test in the off-season but Volvo looked very competitive as well. It's a reasonable run down to the first corner so we'll just try our best to adjust to whatever situation follows after turn one. Fortunately there's lots of straights which should help our car a little bit against the Hondas and Fords. We need to target consistent podiums - we mustn't forget that Road Atlanta is next and Honda will be extremely quick, so we need to win as many points and races as possible at Sebring."

Kptk92 adamant consistency will pay off

First posted on 24th May 2012 at Legends Racing League

Kptk92 took one win in an exciting reverse grid race but had to play second fiddle to Championship rival o0o JAM1E o0o

Kptk92 believes that continuing his impressive consistency in race results will eventually yield the overall points lead in the Championship.

The BTCC Title race was blown wide open as the SEAT driver maintained his pressure on Championship leader and former team-mate o0o JAM1E o0o throughout the event at Mazda Laguna Seca, with both drivers showing incredible consistency as they built a large margin over the rest of the field in the standings.

o0o JAM1E o0o was the third driver in three events to take four wins out of five races in one night after narrowly taking pole position by 0.016 seconds, while Kptk92's worst finish was 3rd place in Race 5 after an epic duel with Volvo's oHoncho. The leading Championship duo's excellent nights were in stark contrast to defending four-time Champion x Shuffle, who did not feature on the podium in any of the five races after being crashed into at the very first turn of the evening. The Vauxhall driver also hit more bad luck as he was collected by a rejoining RivaLCF in the reverse grid race while he was ahead of his Championship rivals.

When asked about his night, Kptk92 replied: "It went very well, we were always there fighting up the front, it's just that Jamie was always there as well. In the end it was really down to qualifying, most of the races were decided into turn 1 where he was able to just hang on to the inside and there was nothing I could really do about that. We didn't let him run away with a big lead in the standings so we can be satisfied with the job we've done. But we'll take the great points we have achieved today. We pulled a great gap (40 points) to x Shuffle today so now we'll focus on clawing back some points and I'll be targeting a repeat performance - if not, slightly better - at Motegi next week."

Kptk92 may be second in the Drivers Championship, but his SEAT team retook the lead of the Manufacturers Championship as Volvo missed the presence of VVV Shifty.

Kptk92 revels in "fantastic" event

First posted on 10th May 2012 at Legends Racing League

The sun rose on the Championship and a new era for Team SEAT and Kptk92 at Infineon Raceway on Wednesday

Kptk92 hailed his SEAT team for bouncing back from a devastating start to the day to take 4 wins out of 5 in the opening BTCC event at Infineon Raceway.

The race day started off with a massive low as SEAT's leading driver o0o JAM1E o0o shocked the paddock by announcing a last-gasp switch to Honda Racing and SEAT was left scrambling to find a replacement while preparing race at the same time. But any feeling of disappointment was replaced with elation as Kptk92 took up the lead driver role with style, winning all but the reverse grid race. It leaves Kptk92 with a healthy Championship lead and SEAT sitting on top of the Manufacturers Championship.

The new Championship leader couldn't contain his delight. "I think the past 12 hours alone have been a massive rollercoaster for the team, let alone the preparation and effort that has gone in during the testing period to get to where we are right now. It's an incredible feeling to give the team the perfect remedy for Jamie's departure and hopefully I've sent a message to Jamie himself that he's made a big mistake to leave this team. In Race 1 I was incredibly fortunate with a collision between the leaders on the final corner to gift me the win but you need to be in the right place at the right time and I was, luckily. That just set me up for the rest of the night, the car had phenomenal speed throughout the night and that made it easier to hold off the guys behind."

And not even two collisions with his new team-mate roryb3 in race 3 dampened Kptk92's spirits. "Obviously you don't want to crash into your team-mate ever but both times we got away with it really. The first incident I was trying to back out as I knew I was going to struggle for room but there was nothing I could do when Rory tapped the brake, we were so close that I couldn't avoid contact. On the final corner me and Jordan (x Shuffle) were battling for position and I saw Rory turning in and once again I tried to back out but there was nothing I could do again. It didn't help that he braked massively early but he didn't lose any positions over it so the team will be happy. But I'm not going to dwell on it for too long, these things can happen and when the rest of the day has been fantastic I guess I could get away with something like that for once."

Asked whether he could maintain the Championship lead, Kptk92 replied: "Well I've set myself up nicely now for the rest of the campaign and the car is in the mix for victories again so we have to be thankful for that. Everyone is going to be a lot closer at Sunset Peninsula next week so qualifying high will be very important. The Chevrolet and the Vauxhalls will probably be the ones to watch out for, Troggy has a great track record at Sunset in the past and Jordan will probably want to get back in the hunt as early as possible so it's going to be very competitive. I'm not expecting a repeat result like today for the rest of the season, it was just a one-off."


 

Kptk92 targets early consistency

First posted on 3rd May 2012 at Legends Racing League

Kptk92 wants to lead the SEAT challenge from the very front after strong test results at Sebring

 








Kptk92 says he is targeting a strong and consistent start to the season as Team SEAT led the rest of the field at the final test session at Sebring.

Despite some concerns about the new race format - containing only one reverse grid - would make the field more spread out, the competition promised to be tough immediately with a breathtaking qualifying session which culminated with reigning Champion x Shuffle taking a convincing pole position in the end, although at one stage the top 6 were within two tenths of each other. The racing remained intense throughout the test, with battles up and down the field, but Kptk92 was the biggest winner of the test, taking 3 wins out of 5 and looking to continue from where he left off at the end of Season 4.

"The new format will definitely suit us as a team a lot more this season," claimed Kptk92. "Wins are definitely capable once again this season. The car has had some slight modifications to comply with new regulations but I still have a fantastic chassis underneath me and this test underlines what a great job we've done during the off-season period.

"Now we look for a strong start to the season. A poor start is what cost me a real shot at the Championship last time around so we really need to hit the ground running and continue the pace all season long. I didn't get a win until the third event of the Championship last season and by then there was quite a gap to the top 2. Qualifying up high will be massively important so I hope I won't have to wait as long this time around to get some wins."

A last-gasp surge in the latter stages of the season wasn't enough to beat his SEAT team-mate o0o JAM1E o0o, who will start his 4th season as a SEAT driver this campaign. Kptk92 acknowledged that he was looking to establish some power of his own within the team.

"SEAT is o0o JAM1E o0o's team, there's no question about that. But hopefully I gave the team something to think about in the last three events last season. Now, it's a clean slate, we're both on 0 points and I'll be working hard on my side of the garage to try and get one back on him."

The first event of the Season 5 calendar is at Infineon Raceway on Wednesday 9th May.

Kptk92 admits future is unclear

First posted on 30th May 2012 at Legends Racing League

Will Kptk92 leave BMW - or even the ALMS - with a bang at Road Atlanta?

Kptk92 has revealed that his ALMS future next season is unclear and says that he is yet to sign a contract extension with BMW Motorsport.

A relatively uncompetitive season - taking only two wins and 50 points behind the Championship leader with one event to go at Road Atlanta - combined with a series of errors has left Kptk92 wondering whether he can recapture the form he and BMW had in their title winning two seasons in Season 1 and 2.

Kptk92 said to the media on Wednesday: "It's great to be here in Road Atlanta where it's now the final event of the season. It's been a very tough season, one which I'd very much like to leave behind. There was far too many misjudgements this season, I can't really pick one in particular because each were just as disastrous in that we let Jordan (x Shuffle) get away with a big lead in the Championship. The car hasn't been performing like I've wanted it to, I haven't felt at all comfortable with the chassis for a few events now and I don't expect the problems will be resolved for this one too.

"I don't know what will happen after the season has finished," Kptk92 replied to questions about his future with BMW, "I'm sure myself and the team will sit down next week and discuss the future. I've been with this team for so long but the car is not what it once was for me. Nothing has been signed yet, I will see if I seriously want to stay in this series before anything happens."

His words have sparked a frenzy of speculation as the ALMS silly season well and truly took off. The news that Porsche could be making a return could tempt the double ALMS Champion but other teams could also be preparing for a sudden change in Kptk92's mind. The announcement that Lamborghini is to be banned from the series from next season means that oHoncho and oO Troggy Oo will also be on the market as teams begin to plan their Season 4 driver line-ups.

Kptk92 urges BMW ALMS Title push

First posted on 5th April 2012 at Legends Racing League

BMW's M3 GT2 starred at Le Mans de la Sarthe, propelling Kptk92 to second in the overall standings

Team BMW's strategy to begin their Championship charge at Le Mans has gone according to plan, claims Kptk92, as the defending Champions took full advantage of the event's unique scoring system to jump up to second in the Drivers and Manufacturers Championship.

Kptk92 led the BMW counter-attack at the Circuit de la Sarthe, taking his and the team's first win of the campaign in race 1, before picking up two strong second places in the following races behind Championship leader x Shuffle. And even though the Ferrari driver pulled further clear in the standings to take a commanding lead, Kptk92 insists his team will not give up.

"We expected the car to come strong here and we targeted three wins this week," Kptk92 said after the event. "We're disappointed that we only achieved a third of our objectives but coming second in both of the other races is just about as good as we could have got. It looked like we were going to push hard for the Race 3 win but it's a very demanding circuit and I made a few big mistakes to let x Shuffle get away when it looked like we could have had the lead.

"But it's a big improvement when you compare it against our other race performances so far this season. I'm happy with the work we have done. I just want to thank everybody back at the factory for all of their hard work and I urge them to keep pushing, they've put us back up there and now we want to go beyond the rest of the field."

The team's strong showing with their lead driver was reinforced with an impressive 4th place in Race 2 for iWiP3OuTzz x, who was leading the race in the early stages.

BMW Motorsport Director and Team Principal Jens Marquardt was pleased with his team's fightback. "The car has proven to be a bit more of a handful this season than in previous seasons and we've been working hard with both of our drivers to improve our overall performance. Kptk92 has concluded an intensive development programme with our first victory of the season, while iWiP3OuTzz x continues to improve as his understanding of the car increases."

Meanwhile, Kptk92 looked ahead to how the rest of the season could pan out: "It's an exciting time for us now, the car should be strong at the majority of the circuits that we visit next. Road America should suit our car very well and I have fond memories of the racing at Infineon last season so hopefully I can repeat a similar result there. I'm relishing the challenge and so is the team."

Kptk92 focuses on Le Mans event

First posted on 22nd March 2012 at Legends Racing League

Reigning double ALMS GT Champion Kptk92 has yet to take a win so far after 6 races complete

Kptk92 has admitted that BMW are unlikely to make any major ground up at Laguna Seca this week as the ALMS returns for the third event of the Championship on Thursday night.

The defending Champion is enduring his worst start to an ALMS season in his Career so far and says that other teams have caught up and overtaken his BMW team in the development race.

The Champion has been pessimistic about his opening to the campaign and doesn't expect more improvements this week. "It's been a pretty tough start to the season already where I've been caught up in accidents but generally we've been there or thereabouts on pace. We needed to perform straightaway, which we haven't, especially since Sebring and Indianapolis have some straights that suit our car. Now we're at Laguna Seca and still only 5th in the standings. Laguna is narrow and not many long straights and it's going to favour the Ferraris and oO Troggy Oo a lot, so I'm not expecting to be defending a leading position this week."

But Kptk92 hasn't ruled out a dramatic comeback near the halfway stage of the season, where the ALMS paddock will return to Le Mans with the prospect of double points up for grabs and longer races, giving him and his team-mate iWiP3OuTzz x the perfect opportunity to score some major points.

"The car was very competitive at Le Mans last season so already we have one eye on making sure we perform there and getting three victories. The race distances are nearly double than what they were last season so the team are already preparing for an assault on the Championship in two weeks time. But for now we need to make sure we limit the damage this week at Laguna."

Kptk92 downbeat over Sebring performance

First posted on 23rd February 2012 at Legends Racing League

Kptk92, the double ALMS Champion (left) suffered a heavy crash with rival x Shuffle (right) in race three

 








Kptk92 conceded that the defence of his title is going to be more difficult than last season after finishing the race event fifth in the overall Championship.

The defending Champion qualified 2nd and then finished 3rd, 2nd and 5th in the first three races of the new ALMS season but was in the spotlight with some thrilling battles with former team-mate o0o JAM1E o0o.

He and the new Ferrari driver had two lengthy battles in races 1 and 3 with the two giving each other just enough room to get by without contact. Kptk92 also suffered a run-in with the other Ferrari driver, x Shuffle, as the two were involved in a racing incident that resulted in the BMW shunting heavily into the wall.

"It wasn't an event to remember today," said Kptk92. "Fortunately there's still a long way to go. The Championship looks very difficult to retain if we continue the form we showed tonight, fifth in the standings isn't where we want to be and the guys back at the factory will be pushing hard to make the car quicker over the next few weeks."

On racing with o0o JAM1E o0o, Kptk92 responded: "There's a lot of mutual respect between the both of us, we've known each other for a long time and we really do know each other's driving styles. His car was a little bit faster out of the corners than ours today, but we're going to look at the circuits on the calendar where our car will be more competitive and try to take maximum points in every situation."

BMW attacks rivals over changes

First posted on 17th February 2012 at Legends Racing League

BMW will defend their titles with the same M3 GT2 model for Season 3 but has had to negate it's performance

BMW Motorsport Director Jens Marquardt has accused his team's ALMS rivals of seeking to significantly decrease their car's performance.

Mr Marquardt was speaking at Mazda Laguna Seca where the outfit were shaking down their Season 3 defender, the BMW M3 GT2. Protests from the ALMS paddock last season has led to the governing body to intervene in the off-season and restrict some of the M3 GT2's performance for equalization purposes.

"The off-season is the opportunity for all teams to put on and try out major updates on their cars, but instead we have now been paralyzed in our development programme," said Mr Marquardt. "Because we have done such a good job it seems that others could not keep up. We are of course upset by the governing body's intervention but it is also testament to our strong work ethic back at the factory who delivered such a fantastic car last season. I have no doubt that, despite being cut off in some areas of the car, we still have a race winner ready to fight for the Championship."

BMW have also been hit hard by more of the new Season 3 regulations, with the series now only allowing teams to run two cars per race in a bid to save costs. The team ran as many as four cars last season, including double Champion Kptk92 who had a sensational campaign last season, winning the Championship by 45 points.

When asked about the new car and how it had been changed by the regulations, Kptk92 replied: "The team have done a super job recovering some of the time that we have lost. We've lost a bit of downforce and our straight line speed is a little bit weaker so the car is definitely not going to be as competitive as it was last season plus the other teams appear to have come up with some really top cars in the off-season, but I'm pleased with the progress we've made so far."

BMW have retained the defending Champion for the upcoming season, who will be joined by iWiP3OuTzz x - who had a relatively quiet rookie season, taking just one podium at the blue riband event at Le Mans for the Ford team.

SEAT begin Season 5 plans

First posted on 13th April 2012 at Legends Racing League

 Kptk92 and o0o JAM1E o0o ended the Championship season in great form, leaving Laguna Seca as the best points scorers

Despite ending the season without the Drivers Championship, Team SEAT have said that they know where to improve next season already as they look to emulate their season 2 triumph.

SEAT drivers o0o JAM1E o0o and Kptk92 gave their rivals something to think about during the off-season by sharing two 1-2 finishes in the final two races of the season and taking a 1-2 in the overall Event Standings at the end of the Laguna Seca event.

SEAT Sport released a statement on Friday morning: "Firstly, we'd like to congratulate x Shuffle on yet another BTCC triumph. We've been lucky enough to work with him in the past and be a part of the success and hopefully we will have our time next season.

"Even as this season closes, preparations for the next season have begun. There are a number of factors to look at during the off-season - driver contracts will be renegotiated during this period as we hope to maintain the strongest team-mate partnership in BTCC that has contributed to our Manufacturers Title this season. Also, we will be looking at ways to improve our challenger so we will hit the ground running once again."

The SEAT team attracted critics over their approach to the Drivers Championship, with opinions divided over whether it was right for the team to let their drivers battle each other rather than help one particular driver mount a serious challenge at Laguna Seca. Critics argued that Kptk92 was realistically out of the Championship chase before the event started and ultimately took crucial points off o0o JAM1E o0o throughout the event.

In response to the critics, SEAT Sport said: "All season we have been open in how our drivers approach racing each other. We are very proud of both of the efforts of our drivers - particularly o0o JAM1E o0o at the start of the campaign and Kptk92 as the season neared it's conclusion.

"We went into the Mazda Laguna Seca event knowing the Drivers Championship was distant for both drivers, but not impossible for either of them. In the end we cut into the Championship lead with both drivers at Laguna Seca, and our lowest placed driver came within 19 points of the Championship - which, when looking at the standings in past Championships - is the closest margin in BTCC history."

Read the full SEAT Statement here

Kptk92: We have nothing to lose

First posted on 11th April 2012 at Legends Racing League

Kptk92 wants to draw a line under a disappointing campaign and has shown his intent, going fastest in early practice

Kptk92 is looking to take full advantage his current form tonight as he targets a top 2 finish in the Event Standings at Laguna Seca to end his season on a high.

Despite consistently being in the mix this season, Kptk92 has had to take a backseat to Championship rivals x Shuffle and o0o JAM1E o0o - who have been in the top 2 in the Championship since the end of the first event of the season. But even though it's looked like a two-horse race for the title this season, Kptk92 trails his team-mate o0o JAM1E o0o by only 8 points. It's been an impressive turnaround when the gap between the two drivers was as high as 34 points at one stage in the season.

And while o0o JAM1E o0o looks ahead to one final showdown with his main Championship rival, Kptk92 said he will be looking to capitalise on any mistakes from his rivals as he looks to gain team supremacy for the first time since he first joined the SEAT outfit at the start of the season and possibly spring a Championship surprise by pushing x Shuffle hard.

Kptk92 said: "I came away from Hockenheim last week in pretty good shape. I took the most amount of points of anybody in the Event Standings and it was a pretty strong performance. Halfway through the event I was ahead of my team-mate in the Championship Standings so maybe if I didn't know my position halfway through I could have put a bit more focus into the individual races rather than trying to defend my new position from o0o JAM1E o0o. Still, to be 8 points off with one event to go, it doesn't look as bad as it has done so I'm looking to put in one great final shift and get ahead."

Experts within the BTCC paddock have pointed out this week that crucially Kptk92 hasn't dominated the win and podium statistics like his two rivals above him. While Kptk92 has delivered 27 podiums including 7 wins, his team-mate has scored the most podiums of the Championship trio with 33 podiums including 7 wins. However, both have failed to take 14 wins like x Shuffle has, who has visited the podium 31 times.

And Kptk92 knows where to improve for next season: "Well, it's easy to see after looking at those statistics where the problem is. When things have gone wrong for us, BMW have always been there to fully capitalise and they've got the quality to do that on a consistent basis. Our side of the garage have learned that a lot this season and we've been playing catch-up all season to still be in mathematically with a chance of the Championship. It's a long shot but it's still possible. We'd rather be in first but you could argue we're in a good position because we have the least amount of pressure - we have nothing to lose."

The gap between Kptk92 and x Shuffle is 32 points, with 105 points on offer in the final event of the season at Mazda Laguna Seca. The SEAT driver leads the timesheets in early practice by 0.025 seconds from the Championship leader.

Kptk92 admits defeat in Title race

First posted on 29th March 2012 at Legends Racing League

The SEAT team put in a strong showing at Nurburgring, but Kptk92 lost more ground on the Championship leaders

Team SEAT driver Kptk92 has admitted that winning the BTCC Title this season is "near impossible" and is looking ahead to building momentum ahead of a new title challenge next season.

While Kptk92 showed impressive form and a series of fastest laps to take home, he failed to make an impression on Championship leader x Shuffle and team-mate o0o JAM1E o0o, who cut the gap to the top after taking the most points of the event.

"It was a good event for me this week," said Kptk92 on Wednesday night. "I made some good moves, got a win and the car also proved very quick. People weren't taking as many points off of each other as I thought they might have but we'll take 4th overall on the night, it's just a shame we weren't as consistent earlier in the season. The title looks near impossible now so we'll concentrate on winning the Manufacturers Title and if the team can help o0o JAM1E o0o go for gold then we'll see what we can do."

When asked if he would give o0o JAM1E o0o the win should both cars run first and second, Kptk92 replied: "If we are first and second in a race then that means we're both beating x Shuffle. I still want to win races and the target is still to beat my team-mate in every race left this season. Hopefully we're both always ahead of the BMWs so we don't need to worry about letting people by."

Part two of the German double-header takes place next week at the Hockenheimring where SEAT will looking to wrap up the Manufacturers title.

Overall Points from Rounds 50-56:
1. o0o JAM1E o0o (SEAT) - 72 pts
2. dI Atticus Ib (Renault) - 70 pts
3. x Shuffle (BMW) - 64 pts
4. Kptk92 (SEAT) - 63 pts
5. VVV Shifty (Honda) - 54 pts
6. oO Troggy Oo (Ford) - 42 pts
7. That Flukey Guy (Volvo) - 36 pts
8. rjsnake (Audi) - 24 pts
9. iNEON RAGE (Honda) - 20 pts
10. Alehud42 (BMW) - 17 pts

Kptk92 relishing Silverstone challenge

First posted on 20th March 2012 at Legends Racing League

Kptk92 has currently set the fastest time in practice for the upcoming event at Silverstone

Team SEAT driver Kptk92 is excited by his car's potential and prospects at this week's BTCC event at Silverstone.

The Championship hopeful enters this week's schedule a full 29 points behind Championship leader and Triple BTCC Champion x Shuffle but has shown encouraging form in recent weeks, taking more points than his two closest rivals in the last two events at Catalunya and Road Atlanta. His team-mate o0o JAM1E o0o remains in second place, with a 23 point deficit to overturn with a month of racing remaining.

When asked about his ambitions for the races at the Northamptonshire circuit, Kptk92 replied: "It's been a very difficult job so far to keep up with the two guys up front but now I need to start my own trend and get myself back into contention for the Championship and there's no better circuit in my view than Silverstone to get back into the fight. We've got a strong package that will suit this track a lot so I'm hoping to get a big share of the spoils."

And despite his team-mate losing the Championship lead, Kptk92 expects o0o JAM1E o0o to come back fighting. "He's had a bit of bad luck in recent races, just like I've had the short straw a few times earlier in the season too. He's a great driver and I'm sure he's going to be back to his best soon.

"But we can't rule out the rest of the field. The practice times right now look very close, the circuit is pretty simple in it's layout so we're going to see cars being very very close, maybe within hundredths rather than tenths this time around. Hopefully we have the upper hand slightly, which we seem to have at this stage, but we'll see."

Kptk92's two former teams have connected this week, as Pirtek Racing make a return to the BTCC grid by striking a deal with Honda Racing to use one of their Civic challengers. iNEON RAGE remains behind the wheel in the re-branded car in what will be his third livery change. When asked about his memories of driving for the outfit, Kptk92 said: "The guys at Pirtek are fantastic to work with and iNEON RAGE is definitely going to feel right at home working with them too. They're always punching above their weight and when we had some great moments with the Astra for the two seasons that I was with them. The livery isn't too bad either! They're going to be right in the action straight away so our team will make sure to keep an eye on them immediately."

Kptk92 hopeful of more victories

First posted on 5th March 2012 at Legends Racing League

Kptk92 puts his SEAT Leon challenger through it's paces in Monday Practice

Kptk92 remains optimistic that he has the right equipment in place to sustain a bid for the Championship but concedes he needs to act fast to make up lost ground.

The man currently holding third in the standings and propping up the back of the key title runners endured a miserable event at Mugello after being involved in collisions and being unable to capitalise on the few overtaking opportunities that the Club circuit produced. However, the Brit showed flashes of his ultimate pace by taking a dominant win in the third race of the Mugello schedule.

"The pace is there, it's just that traffic has been a big issue so far this season," Kptk92 said on Monday morning. "It's the way the reverse grid works though. Clearly we're doing a good job because we're starting at the back a lot of the time but so are Jamie and Jordan. I guess it's just down to luck a lot of the time when the field is bunched up and where you come out at the other side of a collision or a race-defining incident. Last week I pulled the short straw quite a few times and as a result we lost a lot of positions that were nearly impossible to claw back due to how difficult it was to make an overtake."

When asked if a more aggressive approach was needed on race starts to bring himself closer to the summit of the standings, the SEAT driver replied: "I think the approach we have to the starts is good enough, you have to pick the inside or the outside and unfortunately you can only see where the dice fall. The aggression is there when needed but a lot of the time it's easier to let others be aggressive with each other and we can take advantage of that."

Looking ahead to the week ahead, Kptk92 was cautiously optimistic: "The team struggled here last season but it's a different day, anything can happen and we have a car capable of holding it's own against any car on any circuit. I'm confident the car will be okay here."

Kptk92 plays down low-key start

First posted on 16th Feburary 2012 at Legends Racing League

Kptk92 set the second fastest lap in practice but couldn't convert his pace into a win at Infineon

BTCC Championship hopeful Kptk92 has played down suggestions that he could be in for a disappointing season.

Kptk92 is one of only one of a small group of drivers who has yet to take a victory this season but he says that now is not the time to worry about it and that it hasn't changed his approach to his campaign.

"In one way, yes, I'm a bit disappointing that I haven't taken a win yet," he said in the post-race paddock. "But fortunately the wins have been shared out quite evenly amongst people so everybody is taking points off of each other. I'm pleased with where I am in the standings considering. I'm still third in the Championship so I'm definitely not ruling myself out of the title fight at such an early stage in the season."

Kptk92 is third in a group of three who have created a solid gap from the rest of the field, which include his team-mate o0o JAM1E o0o and current defending Triple Champion x Shuffle, who saw his lead cut from 23 to 14 points after a night of ups and downs.

SEAT claimed it's first victory of the season with o0o JAM1E o0o leading the way by taking back to back wins in races 4 and 5 at Infineon Raceway on Wednesday. A consistent showing from the duo ensured that SEAT jumped ahead of rivals BMW in the battle for the Manufacturers title.

The BTCC circus moves across the Pacific to Japan next week where rounds 15-21 will take place at Twin Ring Motegi. When asked about what he was aiming to achieve at the next event, Kptk92 said: "to win."

Kptk92: SEAT can win Championships

First posted on 29th January 2012 at Legends Racing League

SEAT will continue their BTCC offensive with their 2010 Leon CUPRA R challenger

SEAT driver Kptk92 is confident that his team can hit the ground running when the season kicks off at Sunset Peninsula.

Kptk92, who has drove for Vauxhall and Honda in the past, believes that he has now found the right combination of driver line-up and car to help him stake his claim for the BTCC title, which has been held for the past three seasons by new BMW recruit x Shuffle.

"I'm very confident that the car is a race winner from the off," Kptk92 said. "My new team-mate won the most races last season in this car which is good news. Not much has changed and why should it? The SEAT has consistently always been up there fighting for podiums and victories and I'm excited to see what I can do to continue the legacy."

Kptk92 was speaking at the Season 4 driver line-up announcement at SEAT HQ, where the outfit announced that they would also retain first driver o0o JAM1E o0o for the upcoming season.

"o0o JAM1E o0o had an up and down season last time out," read the statement from SEAT. "We're excited about his potential and to win the most races out of any driver in Season 3 is no easy achievement. We're confident that we have the talent in our cars to push each other to greater heights."

Kptk92 finished a distant third in Season 3, with his Honda team missing out on the Manufacturers title following the departure of FisiFan91 towards the end of the season. Manufacturers Champions Ford have announced that race winner oO Troggy Oo will be paired up with rookie BTCC Streaky F1.

The new season kicks off on Wednesday 8th February at the popular Sunset Peninsula circuit.

2 Years Later.. Still Alive

It's been a long time since I've wrote anything meaningful on here! I still try and write creatively here and then but never really put serious time into it. Mainly I write articles for my online racing league for fun!

Rather than creating a new blog I'm going to start putting all of my previous work on here so it's all in one place just in case, you know, the BBC come calling. I like to think of it as my journalistic CV :)