BTCCMINI Challenge

MINI Challenge champion Gornall set for BTCC debut with Trade Price Cars Racing

2 Mins read
Trade Price Cars Racing

Reigning MINI Challenge champion James Gornall will complete the driver line-up for Trade Price Cars Racing for the 2020 British Touring Car Championship Season, it has been revealed.

Gornall will be making his debut in the championship and will form part of a new look driver line-up alongside the recently announced Bobby Thompson. The 35-year old from Bedford carries with him a wealth of experience including a title win in the British GT Championship in 2008 as well as a class win in the Silverstone 24 Hours with Beechdean Motorsport and from there he took a break but returned to the BMW Compact Cup.

He finished second in the standings in 2015 and went one away the following year before joining the MINI Challenge which he won in his first full season in 2019 which saw him test in BTCC for the first time with Motorbase in the Ford Focus RS. He will now switch to another new car in the Audi S3 when the season kicks off in March.

Gornall spoke about joining the team and said that the MINI Challenge was mainly to secure a drive in the championship and that his test only increased his desire further to seek a spot on the grid.

“When I decided to enter the MINI Challenge last season, it was with the aim of learning the skills required to move into British Touring Cars in the future, as I’d never raced in front wheel drive before. The test I did in the Focus as a reward for winning the title only increased my desire to join the grid, as I felt comfortable straightaway and knew that I would be able to do myself justice.

“I’ve known Dan for a few years from our time racing against each other in the Compact Cup, and we had a chat about his plans for the touring cars with the Audis twelve months ago at the Autosport Show. I’ve kept a keen interest in how things have been going since then, and it’s great that I’m now going to be part of the team for my debut season in the BTCC.

“As a driver you always want to win races and if you don’t go into a new season feeling you can win, then you won’t do. The team has shown that it can fight for victories and that has to be my target in 2020; to fight for silverware and to challenge for both the Independents’ title and the Jack Sears Trophy.

“I’m looking forward to working alongside Bobby and think we can have a lot of fun during the season ahead. A huge thanks to Dan and the team for making this deal happen, and I can’t wait to get started.”

Avatar photo
283 posts

About author
Head British Touring Car Championship (BTCC) writer for The Checkered Flag - passionate about Motorsport from a young age, also writes predominately about Darts, Tennis and Basketball for other publications full time.
Articles
Related posts
BTCC

Ash Sutton regains BTCC Drivers' Championship with rampant race one win at Brands Hatch

2 Mins read
Imperious Ash Sutton took the BTCC Drivers’ title for a fourth time in the first race at Brands Hatch GP finishing off an incredible season.
BTCC

Turkington tops Silverstone reverse grid race with 150th race win for BMW

2 Mins read
Four-time BTCC champion, Colin Turkington may be all but out of the BTCC Drivers’ Championship hunt, but concluded Silverstone with a milestone…
BTCC

Sutton seals mind blowing Silverstone win from 23rd on the grid

2 Mins read
Ash Sutton is at it again in a drive that may have just sealed another BTCC Drivers’ Championship for the imperious NAPA…