Pickup Drivers Welcome Silverstone Oval Proposal
14 April 2006
Details of a proposed half mile banked oval at Silverstone have been
unanimously welcomed by drivers in the Pickup Truck Racing Championship.
Reigning champion Nic Grindrod (Selly Oak) was one of the first to react
to the news and said: “We were already looking forward to our
title defence and then, bang! something even bigger to look forward
to. It would really put Pickup Truck Racing on the map. When we’re
in the paddock the fans tell me that it’s the best racing going.
Another big oval will only add to what we already have.”
2003 Champion Steve Dance (Reading) was at Brands Hatch over the weekend
conducting a shakedown session in readiness for the new campaign. As
well as being pleased to be back on circuit after the long break, Steve
was thrilled at the prospect of the half mile oval: "It'll be absolutely
fantastic," said Dance. "I've been racing a long while but
news like that certainly keeps you motivated. It'll be very good for
the UK oval racing scene."
Dave Briggs (Bournemouth) was also testing at Brands and he too was
very upbeat about the news: "Yes, it will be very positive for
our racing. I very much look forward to racing there. Here we are at
Brands Hatch today - the Silverstone name has the same prestige - a
calendar with both those names as well as Rockingham will have a great
appeal to drivers as well as potential sponsors."
Kelly-Jayne Wells (Tunbridge Wells), fourth in last year’s Oval
Championship, was equally ebullient: “I’ll be there for
sure. With twelve degree banking it will be superb. We’ll all
be hanging onto our seats and I guess so will the fans!”
This year’s Championship gets underway at Rockingham in Sunday
7th May with the Pickups headlining the Thunder Sunday event with two
fifty mile races.
The final 2006 calendar is now complete with the announcement that the
final round will take place at Brands Hatch on 4th and 5th November.
“Brands Hatch provides a superb natural amphitheatre for any form
of motor racing,” said Pickup Truck Racing boss Sonny Howard.
“If our season finales over the last few years are anything to
go by then ‘firework day’ could have a new meaning after
November 5th 2006.”
Sonny was referring to the last three years where the title has only
been decided at the chequered flag on the last race of the season. “Nobody
remembers who came second, it’s all about winning. This year we’ve
got what is the strongest entry we’ve ever had including five
former championship winners. 2006 is definitely the race of champions.”
PickupTrucksRacing
See series calendar for Pickup
Truck Racing Championship 2006
