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Short news from early 1989 Autosports
5 January 1989
GM Dealer Sport annouces a BTCC programme with a Dave Cook prepared Vauxhall Astra GTE 16V for former GMDS Thunder Saloon driver John Cleland.
Gerrit van Kouwen rumoured for the JQF/Fina Ford Sierra RS500 Cosworth, but the team not responding to contact.
12 January 1989
(missing)
19 January 1989
Andy Rouse propose the formation of a BTCC entrants association to further the prospects of the series. Val Adaway will take on the administrational side of things. As a part of the new formation an exclusive BTCC test day on March 19th has been organised at Donington Park.
Ian Forrest announces his BTCC programme in an ex-Prodrive BMW M3 thas has been fully rebuild. Sponsorship is to come from Novaphone, Douglas Park, Drambuie and ANC and Forrest will give up his day job in order to give his racing full attention. In addition he will defend his Scottish Special Saloon title in the Drambuie-Imp and fielding a Davrian for Bob Jamieson, whose sponsorship has been vital for the BTCC effort (Drambuie?)
Champion spark plugs has announced a bonus programme including the BTCC.
Chris Hodgetts stays put at Brooklyn Motorsport running the same Ford Sierra RS500 Cosworth being build for the late 1988 races. A Terry Hoyle engine will be powering the car when testing begins next month.
John Maguire Racing will definitely run BMW Dealers Godfrey Hall (Birmingham) and John Clark (?) in this years BTCC, possibly adding a third car depending on sponsorship.
26 January 1989
Des O'Dell of Peugeot Talbot Sport has announced that Mike Jordan will contest the BTCC in a Peugeot 309 GTI prepared by Barford Motorsport of Warwick, with components and technical support of PTS.
Mike Smith and Robb Gravett will be joined by 1988 Prodrive BTCC-manager Malcolm Swetnam on the board of the newly started Trakstar team. Swetnam will be responsible for the running of the team as well as the team manager role at races. With Dick Johnson Racing nearing completion of both cars at his Queensland, Australia work shop, Gravett will shortly depard for down under to shake down test the cars in early February. Meanwhile Smith will have to wait until February 6th to be given the get-go on his driving, still undergoing physio from his helicopter crash.
Quantum, the UK Volkswagen spare parts unit, will part sponsor four entries in this years Class C: Andrew Jeffrey, John Morris, Alan Minshaw and a TBA from GTI Engineering.
Ford will again be supplying 3-door Sierra shells for Group A and N.
2 February 1989
GTI Engineering has not taken a decision on weather to contest Group A or Production Saloon in 1989, but it might be with Richard Lloyd himself behind the wheel.
9 February 1989
Jerry Mahony has lapped Thruxton close to Andy Rouse's lap record with a 1m21s. As in 1988 Mahony will race a Roger Dowson prepared RS500 backed by Arquati, Evans Halshaw Ford, Shell and Dunlop using Andy Rouse engines.
John Llewellyn will be racing the BMW M3 Frank Sytner secured his 1988 title with at the Silverstone finals. The car is to be prepared by Roy Kennedy of Burke Ratcliffe Motorsport and run under the Ronic Sport banner. Sponsor will be Johnstons of Chichester.
16 February 1989
Karl Jones has retained Duckhams as sponsor of the Asquith Autosport RS500 he raced in 1988, but is likely to exchange the previous Avon tyres for something else.
23 February 1989
While Trakstar is about to move into their new Long Crendon, Buckinghamshire, location Robb Gravett has been to Australia to test the two newly acquired Dick Johnson cars. Cars expected to be flown to Britain within the next 10 days, while DJR engineer Neal Lowe has completed set-up of the first engine in Britain. David Mountain of Mountune will look after the engines through the season.
2 March 1989
Labatt's has announced a two year deal sponsoring Laurence Bristow and Tim Harvey in the BTCC, racing a pair of Andy Rouse prepared Ford Sierra RS500 Cosworth.
Tomas Mezera rumoured to drive the Trident Maserati Biturbo.
9 March 1989
Listerine will sponsor both Graham Goode and Mike Newman in this years season in a pair of RS500s.
The expected deal betwin Gerrit van Kouwen and JQF Engineering/FINA is annouced.
Mark Rennison has bought an RS500 but will have to sell off his rallycross Ford RS200E to finance his season.
Plans of a new 2.0 litre one class saloon car class to replace the current Group A.
Fina once again to back the Tourist Trophy at Silverstone.
16 March 1989
Terry Drury Racing will race three Ford Sierra RS500 Cosworths in 1989 for Mike O'Brien (ex-Tim Harvey car), Robin Donovan and David Pinkney.
Sean Walker will race a customer Graham Goode Racing RS500 in 1989.
The BTCC committee has voted for rolling starts on Friday March 10 as a more spectacular and safer procedure of starting the races.
Trident Motor Sport and Tomas Mezera has signed a deal for 1989 running the previous Maserati Biturbo in the colours of Campari, Link-Sedan, Nokia-Mobira and Ideal Homes. Power expected to be 460 bhp for races while qualifying should see 2.2 boost and 500 bhp!
The Birmingham round has been made official.
James Kaye will race the Alan Minshaw BMW M3 in class B, while Minshaw himself will see action in the class C VW Golf GTI 16V.
Five Star Racing has been announced. This is the collective effort of Geoff Kimber-Smith and Barbara Cowell, running the Kimber-Smith Toyota Corolla in class D of the BTCC and a BMW M3 for Cowell in Production Saloons.
The two car Kaliber Andy Rouse team has been prestented, with Rouse himself and Guy Edwards continuing as drivers.
The bonus point for fastest lap will for 1989 only be granted if at least four starters appear in class. Previously only two had to start for the exstra point to be given.
23 March 1989 (missing)
30 March 1989 (missing)
As the season had started by then, news will be reported along the results.
Jesper
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