Stephen Jelley will return to the British Touring Car Championship after a seven-year absence in 2017, racing a Ford Focus for Team Parker Racing.
Jelley previously competed in the BTCC for two seasons in 2008 and 2009, when he was at the wheel of a WSR-run Team RAC BMW.
In his second season Jelley notably took two race victories at rockingham, after a difficult first year in 2008.
Since then the 34-year-old has spent time competing in the Porsche Carrera Cup GB and GT racing. Jelley has a previous relationship with Team Parker, having raced for the outfit in the Porsche Cup and finished fifth overall in 2016.
“It was always my aim to come back to the BTCC,” said Jelley. “I didn’t want to leave, but the finances weren’t there.
“Team Parker Racing can have a long future in this category and I want a long future here too, so we are looking to build together. I haven’t raced a front-wheel-drive car before so there will be a big test programme ahead of the season to get me up to speed.
“As for my aims, I will wait to see where we are after the opening sessions before we can make a realistic assessment. We are just going to focus on our own performance first and foremost.”
Jelley’s return comes in effectively a straight swap with the outgoing Alex Martin, as previously reported by TouringCars.Net, who moves to the team’s Porsche Carrera Cup campaign.
Team boss Stuart Parker is pleased to be able to welcome Jelley to the outfit’s BTCC seat, where he will race the same Ford Focus as used by Martin in 2016.
“We are thrilled to have Stephen with us,” said Parker. “He has driven for the team for four seasons in the Porsche Carrera Cup in his career and he is part of the fixtures and fittings at the squad.
“We have had two great years with Alex, who was learning all the time. Stephen is a proven race winner at this level and, although he will be getting to grips with front-wheel-drive for the first time, he can help us move forward.
“If we can be challenging inside the top ten, and then who knows what can happen with the reverse-grid draw. This will be an exciting year for us.”