AmD Tuning.com has announced that James Kaye will join the team for the 2013 British Touring Car Championship, racing the teams’ VW Golf.
He heads into the 2013 campaign with 280 race starts to him name and a best race result of third, which he secured at the wheel of the Synchro Motorsport Honda Civic at Oulton Park in 2006.
Kaye, who last raced in the BTCC in 2010, entered the final two race weekends in a WRC Developments with Barwell Honda Integra and securing a best result of 9th in the opening race at Donington Park.
“Its a few years since I last competed in the BTCC, but I’m delighted to have the chance to make a return this season,” explains Kaye, the 2002 Independents Champion.
“I’ve known Shaun for quite a few years now and it’s great that we have been able to do a deal that will see me in the Volkswagen this season.
“We know that we won’t be running at the front of the field against the NGTC cars with the rules as they are for this season, but I think we have a good package amongst the Jack Sears Trophy runners and even though I’ve not been on the grid for a while, I’m confident we’ll quickly be up to speed and right in contention for honours amongst the S2000 cars.”
Shaun Hollamby, AmD Tuning.com Team Principal is pleased to have secured Kaye for the 2013 campaign and is confident of a strong challenge in the Jack Sears Trophy – which has been announced by the series organisers to reward those drivers competing in S2000 machinery.
“It’s fantastic to have James on board for this season,” Hollamby said. “He is a hugely experienced driver when it comes to the BTCC and our aim for the year ahead is to see him challenge for the Jack Sears Trophy and also to battle for top ten finishes, as we have achieved in the past two years.
“While we have made no secret of our plans to work towards running an NGTC car, we always said we would love to continue our relationship with the Golf if the chance arose and it’s good that we’ve be able to do a deal with James to have the car on track again this season.
“I have no doubt it will be a strong contender amongst the S2000 cars and is more than capable of taking the Jack Sears Trophy. With an experienced driver like James behind the wheel, that has to be our goal.”
Having announced that the team will introduce an NGTC Vauxhall Astra for the second half of the 2013 campaign, Hollamby also confirmed that the team could run a second S2000 car if the right driver can be found, as well as an additional programme in the British GT Championship.
“As a team we are always looking to grow, and over the winter we have spoken to a number of drivers about running cars in the British GT Championship,” Hollamby said. “Those talks are ongoing, but we are certainly keen to speak to people who are looking to be on the grid both this season and in 2014 as we look to expand our motorsport activities.”
The team have a deal on the table to run one of the ex-Motorbase Performance Ford Focus.
“If the right person comes along, we could run the Ford this season as part of a two-car BTCC programme,” Hollamby concluded, “and we’d be keen to speak to anyone who is interested in getting on the grid this season about what we can offer.”