Motorbase Performance has completed its repair of Rory Butcher’s heavily damaged Ford Focus ST, which crashed out of the final race at Silverstone when he rolled the car following contact.
Butcher was pitched backwards into the barriers after contact with Matt Neal in the final race of the day, with his Ford then rolling after a heavy rear-first impact with the armco.
Although Butcher escaped unscathed, his car was significantly damaged, losing several wheels and suffering extensive shell damage.
The shell was sent to Custom Cages for repair work as soon as Motorbase could get the car there, and since then has been undergoing extensive repairs in the less than two-week-turnaround before Croft.
The Kent-based team has now completed its repairs of the car, with a day to spare ahead of the event.
“Everybody saw the accident, and the most important part was that Rory walked away. The work that the guys in the team and at Custom Cages do was put to a massive test in such a high-speed incident,” said Team Manager Oly Collins.
“Two of the guys and David [Bartrum, Team Principal] came back straight away on Sunday night and got back here about half eight or nine, and they set about stripping the car because it had to go back to Custom Cages to see what they could salvage.
“They finished that about half 12, 1 O’clock on the Sunday night, went home and had a few hours kip. Then they came in to do the rest of it, whilst David took it up to Custom Cages to get it on the way to the rebuild.
“David’s been up there on a daily basis helping the, checking on them and making sure everything’s OK. He wants to get involved and see what’s going on, so it’s been a pretty intense week for them.
“On Monday [5 October] David went to pick the car up and then on Tuesday morning the guys were able to start the prep for it.
“There was a small amount of fabrication work to do, some fixings that we had to do for some bits and bobs that go inside the car, and then a full respray. It’s basically the best part of a new shell.
“There won’t be a shakedown for the car – shakedown will be free practice one.”