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85-637: Knockhill Racing Circuit is a motor racing circuit in Fife , Scotland. It opened in September 1974 and is Scotland's national motorsport centre. The circuit is in the countryside about 6-mile (9.7 km) north of Dunfermline . It is the only FIA -approved circuit in Scotland. The circuit opened in September 1974. It was created by joining service roads to a nearby disused mineral railway, closed in 1951, which had served Lethans Colliery. The first car race

170-418: A Liquified petroleum gas powered Super 2000 Honda Civic Type-R (which was subsequently replaced by a more competitive BTC-Touring Peugeot 406 Coupé , still LPG powered), and in 2005 Tech-Speed Motorsport converted an ex-works Vauxhall Astra Coupé to run on bio-ethanol fuel. In the middle of 2006, Kartworld's owner-driver Jason Hughes converted his 4-cylinder MG ZS to run on Bio-Ethanol, soon followed by

255-480: A 30-minute qualifying session which determines the starting order for the first race on the Sunday, the fastest driver lining up in pole position . Each race typically consists of between 16 and 25 laps, depending on the length of the circuit. A race may be extended by three laps if three or more laps have been run behind a safety car. The grid for race two is based on the finishing order of race one. For race three,

340-552: A Sunday night show called Motorsport UK , featuring many of the supporting races. From 2008, the races were screened live on ITV4, along with the support races. The series is screened in other countries. In Australia, Fox Sports Australia have been covering the BTCC championship since 2000. From 2009 the ITV coverage has screened on ONE HD . Speed TV screened several seasons in the USA over

425-410: A different point from the finish line. Whilst the start line is roughly in the middle of the pit straight, the finish line is slightly to the west, towards the final corner), first involves passing over the crest, which marks the highest point of the circuit. The circuit then levels out and passes under the pedestrian bridge before a short braking zone preceding the first of the nine corners, Duffus Dip ,

510-433: A distance of eight miles. It was won by the locomotive of Isaac Watt Boulton , one of six he said he had run over the years, perhaps driven by his 22-year-old son, James W. The race was against Daniel Adamson's carriage, likely the one made for Mr. Schmidt and perhaps driven by Mr. Schmidt himself. The reports do not indicate who was driving, since both were violating the red-flag law then fully in force. Boulton's carriage

595-492: A draw takes place to decide at which place the grid is 'reversed'. This means drivers finishing race two in positions 6th through 12th could take pole position for race 3 depending on the outcome of the draw. For example, if ball number 7 is drawn, the driver finishing in 7th position in race two starts on pole, 6th place starts in second place, 5th place starts in third etc. Drivers finishing in 8th place and beyond would start race three in their finishing order for race two. The draw

680-490: A fast, blind apexed downhill right-hand corner widely regarded as one of the most challenging corners in the United Kingdom. At the foot of this decline is a quick left-hand corner named Leslie's , followed swiftly by a tricky braking zone, owing to vehicles possibly still being unsettled from the levelling out of the track through Leslie's, for the next corner, a ninety-degree right-hand bend named McIntyre's . After

765-457: A front splitter or a rear wing which were allowed from 1995 after Alfa Romeo caused controversy a year earlier, when they entered the 155 fitted with a rear wing – an item that was delivered with the road-going version of the 155, however unfitted in its boot. Audi joined the BTCC in 1996 with its four-wheel drive A4 Quattro, and went on to take that year's title. The continuously high number of manufacturer-backed teams meant rapid development on

850-593: A high-speed test, car handling manoeuvres can be tested such as precision drifting , donuts, handbrake turns, reversing and so on. Other disciplines of automobile sport include: The international motorcycle sport governing body recognised by the International Olympic Committee is the Fédération Internationale de Motocyclisme (FIM). Disciplines include: The international powerboating governing body recognised by

935-591: A hill, at private and closed roadways where higher speeds and distances can be reached than at an autotesting course for example. Time attack are terms used by series that run sprints at racing circuits where competitors try to set the quickest lap time rather than racing head-to-head with others. Time trials are run by the Sports Car Club of America , amongst others. Rallysprints are mainly sanctioned and held in continental Europe. Ultimately, they are similar to other time trial sprints but originate from

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1020-452: A race is between competitors running head-to-head, in its International Sporting Code, the FIA defines racing as two or more cars competing on the same course simultaneously. Circuit racing takes place on sealed-surface courses at permanent autodromes or on temporary street circuits . Competitors race over a set number of laps of the circuit with the winner being the first to finish, or for

1105-704: A rally driving experience in modified Ford Fiestas , the skid pan for a skid-control driving experience in a number of different cars, and the offroad course using a Jeep Wrangler . The circuit offers motorsport taster days for people with disabilities, as well as a driving experience for those too young to legally drive on the public roads using Ford Fiestas . The circuit was the location for Kaiser Chiefs ' "Hole in My Soul" music video, part of their Stay Together album, and appears in several video games, including Project CARS 2 , Colin McRae: Dirt and some of

1190-464: A sealed surface such as asphalt or concrete. Notable off-road races on open terrain include the Baja 1000 desert race, organised by SCORE International . The FIA authorise Extreme E , an electric off-road series whose organisers have announced a hydrogen fuel series, Extreme H, to begin in 2025. Examples of off-road racing disciplines and series include: Drag racing is an acceleration contest from

1275-493: A set length of time with the winner having completed the highest number of laps, with others classified subsequently. Circuit racing replaced point-to-point (city-to-city) racing early in the history of motorsport, for both spectator appeal and as safety concerns brought in regulation of the sport, forcing organisers to use closed, marshalled and policed circuits on closed public roads. Aspendale Racecourse in Australia in 1906

1360-506: A show on Motors TV . The circuit has on-site parking for 3,000 cars located in the areas south of Taylor's hairpin, Hislop's, Clark's and the Chicane. Knockhill offers a range of motorsport facilities. In addition to the main circuit it has a concrete rally stage to the south of the hairpin, a 500-metre long karting circuit located east of the main paddock area, a skid pan to the east of the karting circuit and an offroad course located to

1445-494: A small jet-aircraft accident at Farnborough . In 2012 the circuit restarted racing and track days in the anti-clockwise direction. It gained a licence for motorbikes and cars to compete in both directions, the first racing circuit to achieve that in the UK in modern times. As of December 2021 the circuit has an FIA grade 3 licence, the only circuit in Scotland issued with a licence by the FIA at this time. The circuit has three layouts,

1530-399: A standing start along a short and straight course. Vehicles of various types can compete, usually between two vehicles. Winners can be the first to finish of competing pairs or by setting the fastest time, and competitions may have heats and/or series of runs. Kart racing is a form of circuit racing using very small and low vehicles not considered as automobiles known as go-karts. It is one of

1615-652: Is a touring car racing series held each year in the United Kingdom , currently organised and administered by TOCA . It was established in 1958 as the British Saloon Car Championship and was renamed as the British Touring Car Championship for the 1987 season . The championship, currently running Next Generation Touring Car regulations, has been run to various national and international regulations over

1700-487: Is a 101/102 RON and 89/90 MON unleaded gasoline with approximately 2% oxygen content that meets the FIA 'Appendix J' gasoline specification. The following regulations have been applied to the championship: Being a national championship, the British Touring Car Championship has visited circuits throughout the United Kingdom over its long history. Currently the series visits eight different tracks in England and Scotland over

1785-453: Is a form of motorsport where drivers intentionally lose rolling traction in corners through oversteering but maintain momentum with effective throttle control, clutch use and corrective steering. In competition a panel of judges award marks on artistry and car control through the corner or series of corners. Competitions often feature pairs of cars driving together where a lead car and a chase car go head-to-head, with only one car going through to

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1870-516: Is aired on ITV4 . ITV has a one-hour highlights programme on the Monday night following the race. Live timing for the BTCC and its support races, as well as testing, is provided by Timing Solutions Ltd from their website . This service allows you to follow free practice and qualifying as well as race day action via a timing screen from your computer or mobile phone. Currently, five championships are awarded per season. The overall driver's championship

1955-434: Is called a series, and a grouping of competitions often forms the basis of a championship , cup or trophy . Not all nations have a sporting authority affiliated with the FIA, some disciplines may not fall within the FIA's remit of control, or organisations may choose to ignore the claim of the authority of others. Examples include banger racing and stock car racing in the United Kingdom which are claimed by both

2040-560: Is normally conducted by a celebrity or VIP, live on TV. For 2014, this was changed so that the driver who finished Race 2 in 10th position made the draw. Fabrizio Giovanardi has twice managed to put himself on pole position by drawing out number 10. Before 2006, the driver finishing in 10th place in race two took pole position for race three. This initiated deliberate race 'fixing', whereby some drivers attempted to finished in 10th place during race two to gain pole position in race three. This "reverse grid" rule polarised opinion: some fans enjoy

2125-506: Is the driver gaining the most points overall throughout the season. Since 1992, the Independents driver championship has also been awarded to the leading non-manufacturer-backed driver. There are also awards for the best overall team, leading manufacturer and, since 2005, the top independent team. Previous championship titles were awarded to the leading "Production" (or "Class B") driver and team between 2000 and 2003. The Jack Sears Trophy

2210-673: The International Olympic Committee is the Union Internationale Motonautique (UIM). The organisation's origins date back to 1922. The international air sports governing body recognised by the International Olympic Committee is the Fédération Aéronautique Internationale (FAI). The FAI also governs non-powered air sport such as gliding and ballooning, however its motorised sports include: British Touring Car Championship The Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship

2295-694: The United States , dirt track racing became popular. After World War II , the Grand Prix circuit became more formally organised. In the United States, stock car racing and drag racing became firmly established. The Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA), formed in 1904, is the oldest and most prominent international governing body. It claims to be the sole international motor sporting authority for automobiles and other land vehicles with four or more wheels, whilst acknowledging

2380-596: The West Surrey Racing cars of championship contender Colin Turkington and Rob Collard , and for the final event at Silverstone, Richard Marsh converted his Peugeot 307 to run on bio-ethanol fuel. Only Hughes continued on this fuel in 2007 and 2008. The regulations also permitted cars to run on diesel; attempted first in the 2007 season by Rick Kerry in a BMW 120d E87 run by Team AFM Racing. In 2008 SEAT Sport UK entered two Turbo Diesel Power SEAT Leons –

2465-404: The 1.300 mi (2.092 km) International layout with 9 corners, the 1.000 mi (1.609 km) National layout with 10 corners and the 0.300 mi (0.483 km) tri-oval. On all layouts the circuit is 10 m (33 ft) wide and has a total elevation change of 37 m (121 ft). A lap of Knockhill, beginning at the start line (which unusually for a motor-racing circuit is at

2550-469: The 60th anniversary year in 2018, any driver who had yet to take an overall podium was eligible to contest the Jack Sears Trophy. The BTCC has had several championship sponsors over the years. The BTCC features entries with the backing, funding and technical support of a motor manufacturer. This may be a motor racing team running cars on behalf of the manufacturer or cars being run directly by

2635-631: The ASNs must be obtained to organise events using their rules, and their licenses must be held by participants. Not all ASNs function in the same manner, some are private companies such as Motorsport UK, some are supported by the state such as France's FFSA, or in the case of the US's ACCUS, a council of sanctioning bodies is the national representative at FIA meetings. ASNs, their affiliated clubs or independent commercial promotors organise motorsport events which often include competitions . A collective of events

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2720-511: The BBC's F1 coverage in 2012 and David Addison replaced Toby Moody for the 2013 season. In 2006 the ITV coverage included highlights from the first and second race of the day and live coverage of the third and final race. This returned in the second half of 2007, after the first five meetings had been on ITV3 (a digital channel with fewer viewers), with a half-hour late-night highlights show. ITV also has

2805-555: The BTCC released details of its Next Generation Touring Car (NGTC) specification, to be introduced from 2011. The introduction of these new technical regulations were designed to dramatically reduce the design, build and running costs of the cars and engines as well as reducing the potential for significant performance disparities between cars. The NGTC specification also aimed to cut costs by reducing reliance on WTCC / S2000 equipment, due to increasing costs/complexity and concerns as to its future sustainability and direction. Currently,

2890-628: The Carrera Cup has held two races at each BTCC meeting. Finally, the Renault Clio Cup UK allows aspiring touring car drivers to showcase their talent in this single make series, utilising Clio Renaultsport 200 cars. The championship awards three different titles for drivers. Along with the overall drivers' championship, younger rookie drivers can chase points for the Graduate Cup and older gentlemen drivers can seek points for

2975-639: The Oshkosh and the Green Bay (the machines were referred to by their town of origin). This is examined and illustrated in detail in The Great Race of 1878 by Richard Backus, Farm Collector, May/June 2004. In 1894, the French newspaper Le Petit Journal organised a contest for horseless carriages featuring a run from Paris to Rouen. This is widely accepted as the world's first motorsport event, and

3060-642: The Oval Racing Council and the National Stock car Association, despite the claim by the FIA affiliated ASN, Motorsport UK , to be the "governing body of all four-wheel motorsport in the UK". SCORE International , National Auto Sport Association and National Off-Road Racing Association of the United States are also not members of the FIA affiliation system but may work with members for international matters. Although English dictionaries do not unanimously agree and singularly define that

3145-507: The UK for the 2015 season . Known as F4 British Championship from 2016 , the championship uses Mygale carbon-fibre monocoque chassis and a Ford 1.6L EcoBoost engine as used in the more modern Formula Ford cars. The Ginetta GT Supercup is a GT style, multi class championship. The main class is the G55 class, utilising Ginetta's G55 car. The second class, known as the G50 class, utilises

3230-414: The approach to the finish line, with cars behind forced to take evasive action to avoid collecting slower cars ahead. These factors contributed the rule change for the 2006 season . Points are awarded to the top fifteen drivers in each race as follows: Points are awarded to the top ten drivers in each race as follows: The BBC screened highlights of every race from 1988 to 2001. The F1 commentator at

3315-412: The authority of the Fédération Internationale de Motocyclisme (FIM) over vehicles with one to three wheels, which FIM calls motorcycle sport. FIM and FIA are both recognised as international sports federations by the International Olympic Committee . Within the FIA's structure, each affiliated National Sporting Authority ( ASN ) is recognised as the sole authority in their nation. Permission of

3400-519: The cars and courses used in special stage rallying with the elements of navigation and itinerary removed, and not necessarily requiring a co-driver to call pacenotes . Rallying involves driving to a set itinerary, following a prescribed route and arriving and departing at control points at set times with penalties applied for diverging from the route or arriving late and early. Rallies nearly always involve routes on open roads, closed special stages are used on some rallies where competitors drive against

3485-457: The cars and quickly growing costs to compete which caused several manufacturers to withdraw from the championship until the 2000 season, when only Ford, Honda and Vauxhall remained in the championship. To this day, the 'super touring era' during the 1990s is still looked at as the most successful period of the BTCC. The high number of manufacturer-backed teams provided very close competition, close and hard-fought racing on track and many spectators at

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3570-644: The cars used are a mix of 2.0 L saloons (sedans) such as the BMW 3-Series and Infiniti Q50, and hatchback cars such as the Honda Civic, Toyota Corolla and Ford Focus, based on models from a variety of manufacturers, using NGTC regulations. S2000 cars continued running in the Jack Sears Trophy until the 2014 season. BTCC teams are a mixture of manufacturer entries (currently BMW and Toyota ) and independent teams such as BTC Racing , and Motorbase Performance . In 2010, following Vauxhall's decision to pull out of

3655-621: The championship at almost every round, along with several smaller championships supporting one or two events. All the support championships are either Single Make Championships or Formula racing . After previously supported the BTCC in the late 1990s and then in 2013 and 2014 , the British Formula Ford Championship announced that it was folding to become the MSA Formula , the FIA 's Formula 4 championship in

3740-609: The championship with run two races at all BTCC weekends. Out of all the current support series, the Porsche Carrera Cup GB is the longest serving support championship. Drivers compete in identical Porsche 911 GT3 Cup (Type 997) cars which produce 450 bhp. The three tier championship splits drivers according to their racing experience. Professional drivers compete in the Pro class, with semi-professional and amateur drivers racing in either Pro-Am1 or Pro-Am2. From 2013,

3825-516: The character of a particular competition, series or championship. Groups of these are often categorised informally, such as by vehicle type, surface type or propulsion method. Examples of categories within a discipline are formula racing , touring car racing , sports car racing , etc. The first prearranged match race of two self-powered road vehicles over a prescribed route occurred in the north west of England at 4:30 A.M. on August 30, 1867, between Ashton-under-Lyne and Old Trafford, Manchester ,

3910-436: The circuits. In order to reduce the costs to compete in the championship, the organisers introduced new regulations for the 2001 season. The BTC Touring regulations cut costs dramatically but both manufacturer and spectator interest was low. The Super 2000 rules were adopted for the 2007 season . The 2000s saw cheaper cars than the later Supertouring era, with fewer factory teams and fewer international drivers. In 2009,

3995-699: The clock, the winner having the shortest, lowest average or total time. Hillclimbing events often include classes of competition for various categories and ages of vehicle and so may be incorporated into car shows or festivals of motoring such as the Goodwood Festival of Speed . Hill climb courses can be short at less than 1 mile, or several miles long such as the 12.42 mile Pikes Peak course in Colorado , USA. Sprints are governed by national FIA member ASNs in United Kingdom, Ireland and Australia, amongst other places. They are held on courses that do not climb

4080-519: The clock. The classification of these rallies are determined by summing the times set with the fastest crews being victorious, as found in the World Rally Championship . This method is often called rally racing or stage rallying informally, whilst rallies that do not include special stages are distinctly regularity rallies . Rallies that include routes that cover terrain off-road are also known as rally raid or cross-country rallies,

4165-416: The cost of entry more affordable. To further keep costs in check, the BTCC uses a single tyre supplier, with Goodyear Tire and Rubber Company the current supplier of rubber to all the teams. The following compounds are used: Hard, Medium, Soft and Wet. The rules previously allowed for a variety of different fuels in a bid to encourage more efficient cars. In 2004 Mardi Gras Motorsport independently entered

4250-405: The course of ten meetings. These tracks are: Brands Hatch (Indy Layout), Donington Park , Thruxton (the fastest track ever visited by the BTCC, with an average speed of 111.31 mph, set by Andrew Jordan during qualifying in 2014), Oulton Park , Croft , Snetterton , Knockhill , and Silverstone (National and International layouts), with a return to Brands Hatch (GP Layout) at the end of

4335-478: The deal ended in 2002 with the promoters seeking infrastructure upgrades. Knockhill made improvements and the touring car series returned to Knockhill in 2004 with ITV televising the event live. The British Formula Three Championship and British GT Championship returned to Knockhill in May 2005. In 2008 Knockhill named a corner Leslie's Bend in honour of the racing-car driver David Leslie shortly after his death in

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4420-432: The drivers and teams championships between 2001 and 2004. Neal and Dynamics were also victorious in 2006, before Vauxhall won the 2007 title with Italian Fabrizio Giovanardi . Team Dynamics also achieved the first overall independents race win in the 'Supertouring' era when Neal won a round of the 1999 BTCC at Donington Park, earning the team prize-money of £250,000. As a result of Matt Neal 's championship victories, and

4505-407: The exit of McIntyre's there is a short straight leading to the next corner, a shallow right-hand corner named Butcher's . After this the track dips downward (reaching the lowest point of the circuit) before rising fairly steeply towards another very challenging corner. The Chicane is a challenge because the second, right-hand part of the corner is completely blind and drivers do not see the apex of

4590-493: The fact that Team Dynamics were designing and building their own S2000 Honda Civic Type R (with unofficial support from Honda ), they were no longer entered into the Independents category, and were classed as neither an "independent" or "works" team until the 2009 season, when the Manufacturers championship was renamed Manufacturers/Constructors Championship to allow both Team Aon and Team Dynamics to compete with at

4675-497: The factory. Below is a timeline of manufacturer/constructor entries from the beginning of the 2-litre era. Each BTCC race meeting, the crowds are kept further entertained by the appearance of high-profile supporting championships, known as the TOCA Support Package , from the manufacturers Ford , Ginetta , Porsche and Renault . The TOCA Support Package consists of five main support championships, which support

4760-414: The first diesel powered manufacturer entered cars. At the start of the 2010 season, it was announced that Team AON racing had converted both of their Ford Focus ST cars to run on LPG. In 2024, Daryl DeLeon ran his Cupra Leon on 100% sustainable fuel for the final two meetings. Such fuels were introduced full-time for the 2025 Season. Under current NGTC regulations, all entrants use Carless HiperFlo 300 which

4845-1049: The games in the TOCA series. It appeared on television in Episode 7 of Series 8 of the British motoring programme Top Gear and the first episode of Idris Elba: No Limits . The track also appeared in The Grand Tour presents: Lochdown , where the track is featured in a series of time trials performed by the presenters. As of July 2024, the fastest official race lap records at the Knockhill Circuit are listed as: Motor racing Different manifestations of motorsport with their own objectives and specific rules are called disciplines. Examples include circuit racing , rallying and trials . Governing bodies, also called sanctioning bodies, often have general rules for each discipline, but allow supplementary rules to define

4930-439: The general form of time trials and sprints. Hillclimbing is the most widely known form of time-trial due to its status as the only time trial or sprint form to have international FIA championships and endorsement. Its origins begin near the start of motorsport, particularly with the trials held that tested the capabilities of early automobiles to tackle uphill gradients. Contestants complete an uphill course individually and against

5015-447: The general rule of participants completing a course individually with the intention of setting the shortest time or highest average speed. This form of motorsport can be recreational or when competitive, rules may vary slightly such as whether to include the total time of several runs, the best time set, or the average pace of multiple courses to classify competitors. Qualifying sessions for circuit races and special stages in rallying take

5100-460: The gravel on the outside of the corner. Fairly quickly following this is a corner now named Hislop's but previously named Railway , with reference to the fact that it is this section of the track that runs along the location of the old railway line. This corner is a left-handed kink taken at relatively high speeds. Then comes the second-longest straight of the circuit, also named Railway, where vehicles often slipstream one another in preparation for

5185-525: The heaviest braking zone, belonging to the ninth and final corner. Taylor's is a hairpin corner that is one of the tightest found anywhere in the UK. It has an uphill apex, is arguably the best overtaking point of the circuit and was previously known as the Real Radio Hairpin for sponsorship reasons. Leaving Taylor's vehicles accelerate hard on the partly uphill pit straight towards the finish line. The circuit hosts different events throughout

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5270-538: The manufacturer teams when they update their chassis. With the introduction of the NGTC rules, all cars share a number of common components provided through a contract with RML Group . This has allowed many independent teams to enter without the need for manufacturer support, and negating the need to source ex-works cars. Teams can install an engine from their marque's broad 'family' of cars, or opt to lease an engine from TOCA, built by Swindon Engines which also helps to make

5355-582: The most famous example being the Dakar Rally . In the United States, the National Off-Road Racing Association (NORRA) was founded in 1967 along with the Baja 1000 . Since the 1990s, this race has been organised by SCORE International whilst NORRA's events have closer followed the FIA regulations and standards for cross country rallies, although the association has no affiliation to ACCUS , the US's FIA member. Drifting

5440-494: The next heat or winning the competition. Autocross has multiple general meanings based on country of use. Also known as Autocross in US and Canada and Autoslalom in Continental Europe, these similar disciplines are held in the United Kingdom, Ireland, Australia and New Zealand. They involve precise car control, usually but not always against the clock on very short and compact temporary courses. Rather than being

5525-476: The north of the main circuit. There is also another offroading course in the main circuit's infield, which is now used for Rallycross events following its re-profiling in 2019. The main circuit offers track-driving experiences using a choice of Ferrari F430 , Aston Martin Vantage , Legend race car, Honda Civic Type Rs and Audi -powered, Van Diemen single-seater formula cars. The rally stage can be used for

5610-484: The older and less powerful Ginetta G50 . Most weekends in 2013 see three Supercup races with a few rounds hosting only two races. Ginetta also run a championship on the support package that caters for up and coming young talent in the form of the Ginetta Junior Championship . These 14- to 17-year-olds race in identical Ginetta G40J cars with strict regulations which help keep costs down. In 2013,

5695-416: The races live, including some support races, both in the UK and across Europe. In 2007 Setanta Sports showed all the races live, including the support races; this ceased when the entire day's coverage moved to ITV4 . The current coverage consists of Saturday's Qualifying Sessions and support races live on ITVX . Sunday coverage starts an hour before Race 1 and finishes after Race 3. All of Sunday's Coverage

5780-649: The season. In the past, the BTCC has visited Mondello Park in Ireland and Pembrey in Wales. A street race around the city of Birmingham known as the Birmingham Superprix , was held in 1989 and 1990 . Aintree , Crystal Palace , Goodwood , Ingliston , Mallory Park and Rockingham have also hosted rounds in the past. On the Saturday of a race weekend there are two practice sessions followed by

5865-461: The second part until after they have turned in and it is this combined with the presence of a sausage kerb on the inside of the track to deter corner cutting that results in vehicles often going through the chicane on two wheels (and occasionally off the ground completely). After a run down the short back straight comes the next corner, Clark's , a blind uphill right hander, frequently the scene of vehicles getting onto two wheels and/or running wide into

5950-538: The series, there were two new works teams, : Chevrolet , run by RML ; and Honda , run by Team Dynamics . In 2005 , Team Dynamics became the first independent outfit to win the BTCC drivers and team championships; Matt Neal won the overall and independent drivers contests in his Team Dynamics Honda Integra. This included finishing all 30 championship races that year, something no other driver had achieved before and only equalled by Adam Morgan some 10 years later in 2015. This ended Vauxhall's run of 4 victories in

6035-495: The spectacle afforded by having unlikely drivers on pole position while faster ones have to battle through the field; others feel it detracts from the purity of the racing. For example, some drivers might decide to slow down and let others pass them, thereby improving their own starting position for the "reverse grid" race, which is contrary to the spirit of motor racing – which is to try to come first in every race. It also led to some safety concerns as drivers would slow dramatically on

6120-527: The sports regulated by FIA (under the name of CIK), permitting licensed competition racing for anyone from the age of 8 onward. It is generally accepted as the most economical form of motorsport available on four wheels. As a free-time activity, it can be performed by almost anybody, and as karting circuits can be indoors and not take as much space as other forms of motorsport, it can be accessible to retail consumers without much qualification or training. Non-racing speed competitions have various names but all carry

6205-536: The time the sole works entry of Vauxhall . As of the 2014 British Touring Car Championship , all cars are built to the same regulations: There are strict limits to the modifications which can be made to the cars, which are intended to reduce the cost of running a competitive team, which had become prohibitive in the final years of the Super Touring rules. These cost reductions saw a rise in independent entries – teams or individuals entering cars purchased from

6290-485: The time, Murray Walker , commentated. From 1997, some races were screened live with Charlie Cox joining Murray Walker. After 1997 the commentary team was Charlie Cox and John Watson with Murray Walker dedicating his time to Formula 1. In the UK, ITV covered the series from 2002, with commentary from Ben Edwards and former champion Tim Harvey , with Toby Moody replacing Edwards after he replaced Martin Brundle on

6375-517: The title for the spectators – for example, in the 1980s Chris Hodgetts won two overall titles in a small Toyota Corolla prepared by Hughes Of Beaconsfield, at that time a Mercedes-Benz/Toyota main dealer when most of the race wins were going to much larger cars; and while the Ford Sierra Cosworth RS500s were dominating at the front of the field, Frank Sytner took a title in a Class B BMW M3 and John Cleland's first title

6460-486: The winter, but this ended when the network became Fox Sports 1 in 2013. BTCC returned to the air in the US with the 2015 season, being aired on CBS Sports Network in condensed, one-hour packages like those aired on Speed. Unlike Speed's offering as the series being winter programming filling the void after the American racing season, CBSSN airs events a week or so after their actual running. Motors TV used to show all

6545-755: The year, with the main points usually being the annual rounds of the British Touring Car Championship and British Superbike Championship . There are also lesser events such as the monthly meetings of the Scottish Motor Racing Club, Knockhill Motor Sports Club and Super Lap Scotland and regular trackdays for cars and bikes. Some events are exclusive to the circuit, such as legend racing and the Scottish Formula Ford Championship races. Highlights of these events are televised as part of

6630-467: The years including FIA Group 2 , FIA Group 5 , FIA Group 1 , FIA Group A , FIA Super Touring and FIA Super 2000 . A lower-key Group N class for production cars ran from 2000 until 2003. The championship was initially run with a mix of classes, divided according to engine capacity, racing simultaneously. This often meant that a driver who chose the right class could win the overall championship without any chance of overall race wins, thereby devaluing

6715-661: Was developed from a scrapped John Bridge Adams light-rail vehicle. These were solid fired steam carriages. This event and the details of the vehicles are recorded in the contemporary press, The Engineer , and in Fletcher's books. The Wisconsin legislature passed an act in 1875 offering a substantial purse for the first US motor race, which was run on July 16, 1878, over a 200-mile course from Green Bay to Appleton, Oshkosh, Waupon, Watertown, Fort Atkinson and Janesville, then turning north and ending in Madison. Only two actually competed:

6800-522: Was held on 18 May 1975. Between 1974 and 1983 the circuit had several owners, who helped to steadily develop the circuit's facilities and attractions. Derek Butcher became the owner in 1984 and since then Knockhill has been developed to a point where it is able to host rounds of most of the major British car and motorbike championships. The circuit hosted a round of the British Touring Car Championships for twelve years until

6885-454: Was introduced for the 2013 season and was awarded to the highest scoring driver competing in S2000 machinery. For 2014, with S2000 cars no longer eligible to compete, it was awarded to the drive that had made up the most places from their grid position throughout the season. From the 2015 season the Jack Sears Trophy has been awarded to the highest placed rookie driver at the end of the season. For

6970-495: Was once again dominated by the Ford Sierra Cosworth RS500, however from 1991 they became the only cars eligible to compete. The new one-class system was popular with manufacturers from the beginning with six manufacturer supported teams from BMW , Ford , Mitsubishi , Nissan , Toyota and Vauxhall entered in the championship. During the first seasons, the cars were not fitted with aerodynamic aids such as

7055-483: Was the first purpose-built motor racing track in the world. After which, permanent autodromes popularly replaced circuits on public roads. In North America, the term road racing is used to describe racing and courses that have origins in racing on public highways; distinguished from oval racing , which has origins at purpose-built speedways using concrete or wooden boards . Off-road racing can take place on open terrain with no set path, or on circuits that do not have

7140-645: Was the first to involve what would become known as automobiles. On 28 November 1895, the Chicago Times-Herald race , running from Chicago to Evanston and back, a distance of sixty miles, was held. This is believed to be the first motorsport event in the United States of America. In 1900, the Gordon Bennett Cup was established. Motorsport was a demonstration event at the 1900 Summer Olympics . Following World War I , European countries organised Grand Prix races over closed courses. In

7225-495: Was won in a small Class C Vauxhall Astra . In 1990, the BTCC introduced a class for cars with an engine displacement up to 2.0 litres which would later be adopted by the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile and become the Super Touring regulations that were used in various championships in Europe and around the world. In their first year, these cars were run alongside a second class which continued to allow larger engines and

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