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<body> <Table Width="550" border="0" style="border-collapse: collapse" cellpadding="0"><TR><TD Width="35"><IMG SRC="//www.totalmotorsport.com/images/spacer.gif" WIDTH="35" HEIGHT="1"></td><td> <CENTER><Table border="0" width="100%"> <TR><TD width="100%" align="center"><B><FONT FACE="Tahoma" SIZE="5">BTCC</FONT></B></TD></TR> <TR><TD width="100%" align="left"><B><FONT FACE="Tahoma" SIZE="2">15/03/2004</FONT></B></TD></TR> <TR><TD width="100%" align="center"><B><FONT FACE="Tahoma" SIZE="4">New Team Joins The Battle </FONT></B></TD></TR> <TR><TD width="100%" align="center"><B><FONT FACE="Tahoma" SIZE="3">VX Racing Junior Signs Up</FONT></B></TD></TR> <TR><TD width="100%" align="center"><FONT FACE="Tahoma" SIZE="1">  </FONT></TD></TR> <TR><TD width="100%" align="left"><FONT FACE="Tahoma" SIZE="2"><B>New Team Joins The Battle For The British Touring Car Championship</B> <BR> <BR> VX Racing Junior, a brand new race team has announced it will join the fight for the 2004 MSA Green Flag British Touring Car Championship. <BR> <BR> The team, backed by triple BTCC champion manufacturer Vauxhall, and run by Leamington Spa-based Tech Speed Motorsport, will see Michael Bentwood piloting the VX Racing Junior Vauxhall Astra Coupé. <BR> <BR> Graduating from the 2003 BTCC production class, Bentwood now finds himself in an enviable position; he will be competing in a car with a proven race-winning pedigree, supported by Vauxhall, and has the prospect of challenging the established and highly successful VX Racing. <BR> <BR> "This is a great opportunity for me," Bentwood explains. "It is a real privilege to be associated with Vauxhall and the class-leading Astra Coupé. This Donington test is my first chance to get behind the wheel of my Astra, put in as many laps as possible and try some different set-ups, and once the season starts I’ll be giving it everything I’ve got to challenge for championship points. One of the major differences for me this year will be driving a front wheel drive car, after competing in a rear wheel drive car in 2003, so I’ll be looking to prove my ability with this configuration. My aim for this season is to be up there taking the fight to the VX Racing drivers.”<BR> <BR> Stuart Harris, Manager, Media and Motorsport, Vauxhall Motors, adds, “The formation of the VX Racing Junior team is another demonstration of Vauxhall’s commitment to supporting young drivers. We want to help develop the talent of the future through our motorsport programme and VX Racing Junior provides the perfect opportunity for that. Michael did well last season but now has a tough test ahead of him. He has got a competitive car and we’ll be keeping a close eye on him this year.”<BR> <BR> Bentwood, 26, began his motor racing career aged 15 in karting, after progressing through Formula Vauxhall, British Formula 3 and European F3000, he competed in the BTCC production class for the first time in 2003. Bentwood secured third place in the BTCC production class drivers’ championship, with his team Edenbridge Racing, taking third place in the BTCC production class team championship.<BR> <BR> </FONT></TD></TR> </TABLE><BR> </CENTER> <BR><CENTER><font size="1" color="#808080" face="Tahoma">Copyright ©2000-©2023 TotalMotorSport</font></CENTER> </td> </tr> </table> </body>