Touring cars get Cart slot

British touring cars will race at Brands Hatch in May

The British Touring Car Championship has landed a major coup for by arranging to support a leg of the Champ Car World Series.

The BTCC will race at Brands Hatch on May Bank Holiday weekend ahead of the London Super Prix, which sees Champ Cars returning to the Kent track for the first time in over 20 years.

Brands gets Cart race

BTCC boss Richard West hopes the double-header will attract a huge crowd and help the Championshup reach a wider audience.

He said: "This has been an important week for the BTCC, reinforcing the stature of the series in the motorsport calendar.

Reorganised

"Hosting the second round at Brands Hatch prior to the UK Cart race will increase the growing popularity of BTCC and open it up to new audiences."

The BTCC calendar has been reorganised to fit in with the Champ Car series.

Brands Hatch will now host the second round of the season with the Thruxton event moved back to later in the year.

The touring cars will also visit the Rockingham circuit in Northamptonshire for the first time on 13 July.

The BTCC will use the infield circuit at Rockingham, whose oval hosted Champ Cars in 2001 and 2002 before cash worries forced it to pull out of a planned race this year.