BTC Racing has announced that 2007 Delphi British Truck Racing Champion Stuart Oliver will complete its driver line-up for the 50th anniversary season of the HiQ MSA British Touring Car Championship.
Oliver, who has won seven British titles in all and was European champion in 2004, will switch to the BTCC in a move described by the team as the best thing to happen to BTC in its short history'.
"Stuart's decision to join our young team speaks volumes for the effort the whole team put in last year," team boss Bert Taylor said. "It just goes to show that all our hard work has finally paid off and that the pedigree of our drivers should deliver the results that we as a team are striving to achieve.
"The whole team is really excited about this year and can't wait for the season to begin."
Team manager Colin Hewett was also quick to welcome the experienced racer into the team.
"In Stuart we have a driver who has not only raced with the best but has become a driver at the very top of his sport, he said. "We believe that Stuart will become a very important part of our team not only in the racing department but also in the development part of our programme.
"He is looking forward to the development of non-works cars and will use the experience he has from his truck racing to assist the team."
Switching to the two-litre Lexus IS200 will be a world away from the MAN TG-A weighing more than five tons and developing over 1000hp that he raced last year, but Oliver said he was ready for the challenge.
"It is a great opportunity to be involved in the team that has great potential going forward in the BTCC," he said. "I am looking forward to working alongside Chris and the established team and hope that my experience in the British and European Truck Racing Championships will bring some development opportunities for the team."
