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BTCC Celebrates Support Charity Karting Event

18 October 1999

The stars of the Auto Trader British Touring Car Championship will be
joined by a host of celebrities for the first BTCC Charity Karting
Challenge on Saturday November 13th in Birmingham. The event, which will
raise money for the Leukaemia Research Fund, will be held at the Cannon
Raceway, West Bromwich, before the annual TOCA Awards Dinner which takes
place that evening.

Leading manufacturers in the UK’s premier motorsport series, Ford, Honda,
Nissan and Vauxhall as well as Independent champions Team Dynamics, will
be joined by crack outfits entered by championship sponsors Auto Trader
and Michelin. Series organiser TOCA will also field a strong challenge,
although Chief Executive Alan Gow is keeping his cards close to his chest
regarding final driver selection.

Each four person team will feature at least one BTCC driver, who will be
joined by selected guests, as well as by international celebrities from a
variety of sports. Among the star names already confirmed are ex-England
football striker Luther Blisset, World Superbike ace Aaron Slight and
Britain’s World Powerboat champion Steve Curtis. 

Other celebrities are pencilled in from the world of showbusiness to
ensure that the inaugural BTCC Charity Karting Challenge attracts a high
level of media interest as it raises valuable revenue for the Leukaemia
Research Fund.

“This is an excellent example of what the world of sport and entertainment
can do for a worthwhile cause,” says Alan Gow. “The BTCC is the UK’s top
motorsport series and regularly attracts over 30,000 spectators to the
races. It is a great reflection of the people involved in the championship
that they are prepared to give up their time to support this event and use
their influential position to give something back. It is bound to become
ultra-competitive with so many stars around, but I’m sure it will be a
great event.”