With the highly anticipated Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship just around the corner, I have rounded up the tin top rookies so you know who to keep your eye on at Brands Hatch this weekend.
Simon Belcher makes his BTCC debut with Handy Motorsport in a Speedworks prepared Toyota Avensis. Belcher made his Renault Clio Cup debut during the 2011 season and won the Masters Cup with Handy Motorsport in both the 2012 and 2013 season.
Aiden Moffat made his debut at the end of last year – making history as the youngest ever driver to take the reins of a BTCC car. Moffat returns to the grid this year in his first full season in a Laser Tools Racing Chevrolet Cruze.
Glynn Geddie is well known across the BTCC support package. Having originally started his motorsport career in Minis, he had success in the Porsche Carrera Cup Championship in both Pro-Am 2 and Pro-Am 1 in 2008 and 2009 respectively. Following on from this, Geddie had success in both British GT and the Dutch Supercup Championship – and will make his BTCC debut alongside United Autosports for the 2014 season.
Jack Clarke’s foray into the tin top world strays from his previous motor racing experience. Clarke has had success in single seaters, including two top five championship finishes in the Formula Palmer Audi Championship. He has also had outings in ELMS/WEC and also the NASCAR K&N Pro Series. Jack makes his debut in 2014 with Crabbies Racing in a Motorbase prepared Ford Focus ST.
Hunter Abbott is another new face to the grid in 2014.Abbott’s motor racing experience lies in the British GT Championship, where he worked alongside team mate Rob Austin in 2008 and 2009. He will make his BTCC debut this weekend in the second Audi A4 under the Alcosense Breathalysers Racing banner.
Ginetta superstar Tom Ingram makes his much anticipated step up to touring cars with Speedworks Motorsport. Having shone in each Ginetta support series – Junior, G50 Cup and GT Supercup – Ingram’s 2014 BTCC debut is long awaited following a test in the Pirtek Racing Vauxhall of Andrew Jordan after winning the Ginetta Junior Championship back in 2010.
Last but certainly not least is British Formula 3 Champion Marc Hynes who makes his BTCC debut with Triple Eight Racing in the Clubcard Fuel Save MG. 90s racing star Hynes has worked recently as a mentor to the current F1 World Championship drivers.
Two familiar drivers to the touring car paddock are also making this return to the grid in 2014. 
Chris Stockton’s first BTCC experience was at the end of 2006 and 2007, where he ran a BTC Racing Lexus before running a Seat in 2007. Stockton returned to the series in 2012 driving for Thorney Motorsport before illness forced him to take a back seat. BTC Racing spent the entirety of 2013 preparing for their full return this year.
Martin Depper also makes a welcome return to the series, supporting current champion Andrew Jordan in a Pirtek Racing Honda Civic. Depper’s first appearance was in 2010 where he drove with Forster Motorsport with recent success in 2012 in the Volkswagen Racing Cup.
You can follow all the latest BTCC news and information on Twitter by following @nikki_btcc and @girlracercouk By Nikki Thompson , photos by Marc Waller
