Dave Newsham has secured a full-time return to the British Touring Car Championship for 2017 after signing to race a Chevrolet Cruze for the returning BTC Norlin Racing outfit.
The Scot will race alongside team-mate Chris Smiley in the returning team, which have secured backing from the Northern Irish hotels company.
The Inverness racer will therefore continue to compete at the wheel of the race car he used in 2015 and for two meetings in 2016, when he made one-off appearances at Knockhill and Rockingham.
“To have been selected for this drive is unreal for me,” said Newsham. “The team has some very solid foundations and there is a real desire to win from all parties. This will be the first time I will go into a season with a car that I know, so I am full of optimism.
“There are some great people assembled at the team, including my engineer Steve Brady. The elements are there for us to take some real steps forward in terms of performance.
“We will get some pre-season testing done too, and there are areas of the car that we can develop from my time driving it in 2016. I know I have got to go out there and perform – the pressure is on, but I am ready for the challenge.
“I am very grateful to Bert Taylor and the guys at Norlin for the chance to get back on the grid. I am going to do my very best to justify their faith in me.”
Team Principal Bert Taylor admitted that Newsham was at the top of their wish list with his proven race-winning credentials.
“It was important for us to get a driver with race-winning experience,” said Taylor. “Dave was at the very top of the list of drivers we wanted. When we started putting this deal together, we knew he would be the perfect fit.
“Dave showed how good he is when he stepped into the car for a couple of rounds last season and was challenging for the top six straightaway. That is the class that he has. We have a testing programme mapped out and we can’t wait to get to work.”
BTC Norlin Racing plan to begin a testing programme for Newsham and Smiley shortly after Christmas.
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