Why I am so excited for BTCC to be back!

I got into the BTCC properly when I was around 17/18. Since then I can honestly say it has changed my life for the better. So I decided to write this point about why I am so excited for the BTCC to return. Some of you may even share some of the same reasons. 

Reason 1: It gives me something to look forward to. With BTCC we are always on countdown to the next race weekend. We also get 3 BTCC races per weekend and all the support races TOCA offer so there will always be excitement and rarely an empty track! Nothing else can brighten your monday than realising its race week. 

Reason 2: Lots of different tracks to explore. BTCC go to 8 different tracks across the UK. If you are down for long road trips then you can go to every race if you wanted! This year I was planning on going to all races apart from Croft and Knockhill but in the future I would really like to go every race weekend for a whole season. Because the tracks are widespread across the UK then it shouldn't be too hard to find a race weekend not too far from home if you just wanted to go for the day.

Reason 3: Very reasonable price for what you get. By this I mean the actual tickets are normally around the £35 mark (I know can be track dependent) for a weekend ticket and that's practice, qualifying and lots and lots of races. I tend to use Saturday to explore different views from the track and work out where the best spot will be on Sunday! Okay the food/drink stands aren't cheap but you can always bring your own picnic, drink and snacks along (although I always recommend the Churro stand at Brands Hatch). 

Reason 4: Up close and personal to teams and drivers. The paddock is always open to fans (apart from Brands Hatch for safety reasons) so you can walk behind the garage, try see whats going on. Might even catch some drivers who are normally more than happy to stop for a chat and/or a picture. From my own experiences they are all lovely, not just the drivers. For example, one of the BTC Racing guys let me have a go at trying to get the dirt of the tyres, not as easy as it looks! Another member of BTC Racing let me stand on a wet marked tyre when watching the race from the garage because I was too small to see the screen. Laser Tools Racing and Team HARD are also teams I have had such good experiences with, will always make sure I pop buy to say hello! Of course with restrictions due to COVID-19, paddock etc will be closed off to spectators but its something to look forward to when situation improves. 

Reason 5: You can make new friends. You never know where you will make new friends, whether its from camping near them and socialising at the campsite or asking to borrow something or just standing next to them and cheering for the same driver or team. Every fan has a story and are normally more than happy to share and you never know, it may change your whole weekend and could end up having an experience you may not have had otherwise. 

Reason 6: My life would be a lot more boring without it. I love the feeling of arriving at the race track, I always find it so exciting, you never know what the weekend has in store for you! It could be a good weekend for your favourite team or driver or the worst but either way in general it is always a memorable weekend. The premise of the qualifying and racing is always the same but the results can be so varied and people really do surprise you some weekends (Stephen Jelley first win comes to mind). It's never predictable, never the same, sometimes so unpredictable and that's why I love it. 

Personally, when I am at a track, I am always so happy and it almost gives me a feeling of being at home. That's how I know BTCC is so incredibly important to me and I am so grateful it is in my life and I wouldn't have it any other way. 

I am extremely excited to be able to use my season pass this weekend to attend BTCC at Donington. Let me know if you are attending or if you're going to watch from the comfort of your own home!