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BTCC Stars Support Charity Karting Event

16 November 1999

The stars of the Auto Trader British Touring Car Championship turned out
in force this afternoon (Saturday) to support the inaugural BTCC Charity
Karting Challenge. The event, organised to raise funds for the Leukaemia
Research Fund, took place at the Cannon Raceway, Coseley, West Midlands in
advance of the Annual TOCA Awards Dinner held nearby this evening.

Nissan’s all conquering 1999 driver pairing of David Leslie and Laurent
Aiello were reunited for the event, although BTCC champion Aiello did not
participate in the action. Honda’s James Thompson and Peter Kox both took
to the track as did Ford’s Scottish star Anthony Reid. Vauxhall took the
opportunity to parade their 3-car driver line-up for next season, when
resident Frenchman Yvan Muller will be joined by charging Brit Jason Plato
and Belgium’s Vincent Radermecker.

Joining the BTCC stars were racing drivers Tim Sugden and Kelvin Burt
celebrities from the world of sport, among them former champion jockey
Richard Dunwoody, World Superbike ace Aaron Slight and Middlesex cricket
young guns Jamie Hewitt and Owais Shah. Sean Scott (DI Deakin from ‘The
Bill’) also joined the fun.

As would be expected of such a competitive field, the action on the track
was fast and furious and at times as physical as a regular BTCC event. The
semi-finals brought a host of driver warnings before a 15-lap, 8 kart
final. Tim Sugden made full use of pole position to build up an
unassailable advantage while the others scrapped for podium placings.
Jason Plato held off a spirited challenge from Kelvin Burt to claim second
place, although Burt had the pleasure of recording the fastest lap of the
day.

Sugden, who was driving for the Michelin squad alongside Mark Carbery, Jim
Marriott and Autosport journalist Andrew Golby, also claimed the team
award and Michelin have vowed to return next year to defend the crown.