Liam Griffin will re-join Motorbase Performance for the 2013 Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship competing in the Kent-based squad’s S2000 Ford Focus ST for the Jack Sears Trophy.
Griffin first joined the BTCC grid with Motorbase in 2011 after previously competing in the Porsche Carrera Cup and VW Cup. Following a challenging 2012 season that saw the Addison Lee boss miss a number of rounds, the 39 year old is set to return to the BTCC grid racing against other Super 2000 models for the new Jack Sears Trophy title.
Motorbase Team boss David Bartrum said: “I’m delighted that Liam has decided to come back and have another crack at the BTCC. Last season was very frustrating for him through no fault of his own and I think it felt like unfinished business for him. Liam’s selfless act of stepping down for part of the season helped pave the way for the success of the NGTC project, so we’re very happy to have him back in the Motorbase fold again this year.
“The Jack Sears Trophy offers the perfect opportunity for Liam to compete with his peers and it has the potential to offer up some fantastic racing for the spectators. The S2000 Focus has a strong proven track record, and we have a lot of data on the car that Liam will be able to draw from.”
2013 marks Griffin’s fifth season with the Motorbase squad and the Addison Lee boss readily admits that he found it hard stepping away from the team and the BTCC; “I actually announced my retirement from the BTCC at the end of 2012. It wasn’t the best season for me to be honest, but, having had a little time over the winter break and with the announcement of the Jack Sears Trophy I found it hard to see myself racing anywhere else!
“The BTCC is such a great Championship to be a part of. The whole spectacle of it from the fans and atmosphere to the racing just draws you in and it’s an absolute privilege to be able to be a part of it.
“I’m realistic in my hopes for the 2013, I’m never going to be competing on the same level as the likes of Mat Jackson and Matt Neal but I do think that I’m capable of mixing it up in the middle of the pack and the Jack Sears Trophy offers up something for those of us further down the grid to focus on. Let’s be honest, my BTCC Trophy cabinet’s never going to be full, but at least I’ll have a good shot at one this year!”
Motorbase recently announced Mat Jackson and Aron Smith’s return to the BTCC squad for its 2013 campaign, with the duo running in-house built Next Generation Touring Car (NGTC) Ford Focus ST’s.
The 2013 BTCC season gets underway at the Kent-based squad’s local Brands Hatch track on the weekend of 30/31 March.