Shaun Hollamby’s AMD Tuning outfit will run an NGTC Ford Focus in the 2014 British Touring Car Championship, having been granted one of TOCA’s BTCC Licenses.
A BTCC regular since joining the series in 2010, next season will mark the first time that the squad has run NGTC machinery in the championship, having previously raced with an s2000 Volkswagen Golf. After considering a new build for the 2014 season, the team has now acquired one of fellow BTCC outfit Motorbase’s Focus’.
Team Boss Hollamby, who drove for the squad after it’s initial inception and at the series finale at Brands Hatch in October, was delighted to announce the news.
“Obviously it is fantastic for us to have been granted a licence for 2014 and beyond,” said Hollamby. “The fact that the series organisers have selected us to receive a TBL is a great compliment and shows that we have done a good job in recent seasons.
“Knowing we have an entry for the next three seasons has allowed us to make the investment in an NGTC car and we have high hopes for the 2014 campaign.”
Hollamby hoped that the move would allow his team to move up the grid and challenge for regular points finishes and push for a maiden podium in the series, with Mat Jackson and Aron Smith accumulating eight rostrum finishes collectively for Motorbase in 2013.
“We evaluated the various options that were available to us when it came to running an NGTC car, but it had to be a car that was a fit with our core business,” Hollamby continued. “We do a lot of work on Ford models and [team boss] David Bartrum at Motorbase is someone I have known for more than 25 years, so it made perfect sense for us on all levels to do a deal to run a Focus next year.
“The car is a proven race winner in the series and having served our apprenticeship in the last four years with our little Golf, the time has come to make the move up to the next level. To do that, we know we need the right package and that is exactly what we are getting with the Ford.”
The new deal has already attracted the squad more attention, with a contract already in place for a leading BTCC driver to pilot the Focus. The team now hopes to take delivery of the car before Christmas and the upcoming pre-season tests, before announcing its driver at the Autosport International Show in January.