Touring car veteran Anthony Reid is set to make a comeback with his former team West Surrey Racing for the rest of the British Touring Car Championship season.
Reid had previously driven for West Surrey Racing when it was the works MG outfit, and the 52 year old will now race the team’s current car, the BMW 320si.
“Driving for this team is a fantastic opportunity and one I just couldn’t turn down,” said the 15-time BTCC race-winner.
“It’s great being re-united with the crew at WSR again and I already feel right at home. It’s especially good for me having Colin as a team-mate again and I’ll be doing all I can to help him and the team to win the Championship.”
“It’s also going to be fun locking horns with fellow ‘old boys’ [Jason] Plato and [Matt] Neal; we’ve had some great battles over the years and no doubt we’ll have more this weekend.”
Team leader Colin Turkington is leading the Drivers Championship after the last round at Knockhill, and Reid has been recruited to help Turkington defend his championship lead from his main rival, reigning champion Fabrizio Giovannardi.
Dick Bennets, WSR team boss said “Three against two isn’t a fair fight, so that’s why we’ve brought in Anthony to assist Colin and Stephen [Jelley].”
“Our hand’s been forced by Vauxhall instituting team orders at Knockhill with Matt Neal and Andrew Jordan giving positions and points to Fabrizio. There’s nothing wrong in them doing that; in fact it shows what good team-players they both are.”
Talking about Reid’s chances of success at the next race at Silverstone, Bennets said “It’s going to be tough for him, never having driven the car before and having to carry maximum ballast of 45kg (as a late entry penalty), but we expect him to be quickly up to speed and right up there in the races.”
This news comes only days after former Formula 1 Grand Prix winner Johnny Herbert announced he would be racing for Team Dynamics in place of James Thompson, due to clashing commitments in other series.
“It will be a challenge, I have no doubt about that,” Herbert said. “Guys like Fabrizio Giovanardi and Jason Plato just have so much experience in touring cars, but I’m very much looking forward to it.”
