A new decade, a new BTCC. The last 10 years have seen the end of the Super Touring Era, with a new era starting in 2001, the BTC Spec era, and then a switch to the FIA's S-2000 era for 2007 onwards. 2009 saw the announcement of a new set of regulations for 2011, the new NGTC (Next Generation Touring Car) regulations.
The last 10 years have also seen records broken and history made, in 2005 Dan Eaves became the first driver to win 3 races in a day at Thruxton, superstars made, while 2009 saw four previous or current Champions on the grid. The last 10 years also saw some of the hardest racing ever, but it was fair, hard racing.
But what about the drivers, those who make the fans come and support them? Without them, there would be no BTCC. Who is the fans favourite from the last 10 years?
Overall, 44 different drivers received at least 1 vote, a testament to how strong the series has been over the last decade.
Just outside the points in the TCF BTCC Fans Top 10 Drivers race saw Rob Collard in 12th and Tom Onslow-Cole who took 11th overall…
So who finished the race to be the fans Number 1 inside the top 10?
10th place is hard man Anthony Reid. Reid, who returned to the series for the final 3 race weekends in 2009, collected 14 votes. Reid joined the BTCC in 1997, in the Nissan before moving to Ford in 1999. 2000 saw him finish runner up to Alain Menu, before he joined WSR in 2001 to help develop up their MGZS. Reid came closest to winning the title with them in 2004, and took the independents crown that year. He also won the one off BTCC Masters race. At the end of the year, WSR couldn't find the funds to keep him and Reid left. Team RAC brought him back for a popular series return at Silverstone alongside Colin Turkington and Stephen Jelley.