sunshine, Tech-Speed bosses aiming high

Brown, owner of online holiday company sunshine, saw his dreams of owning a BTCC race team come true in 2009 when he acquired the ex-Eurotech Honda Integras and entrusted preparation firm Tech-Speed to run them for Paul O’Neill and Martyn Bell.

Ex-factory Vauxhall team driver O’Neill in particular provided some outstanding results, including a drive to third outright at Snetterton. The fans' favourite has just pledged his commitment to the team for 2010 which is sure to further increase the sunshine.co.uk/Tech-Speed name’s profile among the tens of thousands of public at each BTCC event.

Brown told btcc.net: “I’m just as excited as when things fell into place at the start of last season, only this time we can all go into the first round with a lot more experience. We didn’t get the cars until the end of February last year, whereas this time around we’ll have had the winter break to work on them and prepare.

“We were the underogs last year and that’s always attractive to fans. They want to see some giant-killing acts. But maybe last year people were simply thinking ‘oh, they’re just having a bit of fun’ and that’s all.

“I like to think we took that one step further – an underdog that started nipping at the big boys’ ankles. This year I think we need to start taking a bite or two at their knees!”

For Humphries, a win under his Tech-Speed team’s own name would be just desserts after almost two decades in the BTCC. Once a mechanic with the Shadow and ATS Formula 1 teams, Humphries’ first taste as a BTCC team principal came in the early Nineties when he ran BMW M3s for Nick Baird, Sean Walker and Karl Jones.

It’s with O’Neill that he’s since built up a close relationship, however, having run cars for him in MGFs, the BTCC’s old Production class and also as his team-manager with Vauxhall’s factory satellite Egg:sport team in 2002. That third place last year equalled the team’s previous best and now Humphries is eager to go at least one step higher on the podium.

He added: “We could always see at Vauxhall Paul’s potential – it was just a case of giving him the environment in which to thrive. He’s definitely fully committed to the job in hand. He’s training and running all the time and putting as much effort into the programme as is humanly possible.

“Of course it’d be nice to steal a win and Paul certainly has got what it takes to win. If we were to get a first win and it was with him then it would be pretty special.”

Humphries also confirmed the team is currently in talks with a second driver and that it has capacity to run a third Integra. He said: “With Paul on-board, we’ve of course got a driver who can offer a lot of experience and tuition. He’d be a perfect team-mate from that point of view.”