Chilton chosen as Arena return to BTCC

Eurosport - Thu, 27 Nov 14:09:00 2008

Tom Chilton will be head driver of Arena Motorsport as they return to the British Touring Car Championship in 2009, running between one and three Ford Focus STs.

MOTORSPORTS 2007 BTCC Tom Chilton Vauxhall - 0

The team will be an independent entry. Team principal Mike Earle, who has worked with Chilton in the series previously, said he was the ideal lead driver.

"We have selected Tom as the driver to lead this programme due to his suitability from both an on-track and off-track perspective," he said.

"As a driver he has a proven track record and we are very excited to be re-united with him after the successes we enjoyed together in 2004 and 2005.

"Out of the car Tom has a unique appeal to our commercial partners and provides excellent PR opportunities for the programme.

"Everyone at Arena is looking forward to the challenges ahead and we are aiming to return to the winning ways we enjoyed in the BTCC in the past."

Chilton raced for Team Dynamics in 2008, finishing a disappointing 10th - although he was victorious Brands Hatch on the final weekend.

Jonathan Symcox / Eurosport

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  1. BTCC history is littered with nice guys who don't amount to anything and I'm afraid that Chilton is heading towards being the latest... I'm not being negative, just realistic. He'll probably make one hell of a GT racer though and good on him, but I'm not sure that racing in the BTCC for Arena in a Ford Focus is really a good career move....Hope he proves me wrong though.

    From Colin, on Sat 29 Nov 9:24AM

  2. lots of negatives here. I saw him race once - didnt win but fought like hell and he is young. Out of the car he really is a charming personality and willing to join in and talk with people without being cocky or bigheaded. I think with the right car and with more experience he could be the Valantino Rossi is what I really meant - and still do, especially with that hair, lol

    From not printable, on Fri 28 Nov 8:06AM

  3. The Valentino Rossi of BTCC?

    To be that he would have to be a top flight racer, have the respect of all his fellow racers, an army of adoring fans, A win record that has rewritten the record books and have all the manufacturers baying for him to work for them.

    All Tom has is a lacklustre record and the habit of blaming everything but himself when things go wrong, and for him to have to go to an independent rather than having a manufacturers team suggests his habit for blaming his team has finally got the better of his ego.

    From wolfy, on Thu 27 Nov 1:19PM

  4. 'Bout time Ford came back,make a change from that boring Vectra driving italian.

    From ANDREW G, on Thu 27 Nov 12:58PM

  5. Except that he hasn't won anything in the top flight....and that Rossi is the greatest rider in all of history and Chilton would hardly count as the greatest hairstyle in the BTCC.......actually, his hair is quite fetching...

    From Colin, on Thu 27 Nov 12:21PM

  6. The Valantino Rossi of BTCC - very good to see him back with Arena - good luck - pity about the car, oh well lets see if he can run the wheels off it

    From not printable, on Thu 27 Nov 10:53AM
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