Sam Tordoff and Rob Collard’s West Surrey Racing cars will compete under the Team JCT600 with GardX banner after the squad announced its new title sponsor for the 2015 British Touring Car Championship season.
Having lost the backing of eBay Motors at the end of the 2014 season despite the team clinching four crowns – including a second drivers’ crown for Colin Turkington – the new partnership was announced today (Monday 23 March), 24 hours before the series’ annual media day at Donington Park.
The team will campaign three BMWs once again this season, with three-time World Touring Car Champion Andy Priaulx racing with backing from personal sponsors alongside the two JCT600 with GardX cars of Tordoff and Collard.
West Surrey Racing Team Principal Dick Bennetts was delighted to have the pair of sponsors on board and hoped that the backing would play its part in helping the team to achieve similar successes to last season.
“We have enjoyed a number of successful seasons in the BTCC, none more so than in 2014, and we’re looking to build on that success with both JCT600 and GardX,” he said. “The two brands, along with BMW and WSR, are industry leaders in their respective fields and we believe it’s a perfect match for 2015 and beyond.”
Both JCT600 – a motor sales company run by the Tordoff family – and GardX have backed Tordoff for a number of years, and saw the chance to step up as title sponsor for one of the championship’s leading teams as a recipe for success.
“JCT600 has a long and successful history in both Motor Retail and motorport,” said JCT600 Chief Executive John Tordoff. “For us the two go ‘hand in hand’. Our joint sponsorship of the West Surrey Racing British Touring Car Team for 2015 gives us a great platform to increase our exposure as a BMW Retailer whilst also being associated with a highly respected, race and championship winning team. Just like JCT600, WSR like to win! We couldn’t have put this deal together without the support of GardX and we are all looking forward to the season ahead.”
“We are absolutely delighted to be sponsoring WSR for the 2015 season,” said GardX Managing Director Victor Coutin. “We have been proudly sponsoring Sam Tordoff since 2010, and to be able to continue this as now a headline sponsor for his and Rob Collard’s forthcoming BTCC season is a privilege, as is the association with a winning team such as WSR.”