BTR History
BTR preparations were established in 1982 by owner Tim Ashton. They pledged to offer design, build and maintenance for both rally and production vehicle based race cars. Prior to BTR Tim Ashton had previously worked with UK dealer Opel team.BTR have been involved in many different events and projects since they established these are:
1985 a technical liaison with General Motors, Opel Motorsport in Germany to assist with their 1986 Paris Dakar programme. Tim was assistant to the Opel Team Technical Director with special responsibility for UK sourced parts including brakes, transmissions and engines. The programme took 5 months and required the design and build of 3 bespoke GpS Opel Kadett 4x4 vehicles. Both cars finished the event at the first attempt.
1986 After the successful co-operation the previous year, another technical liaison with Opel Germany followed. Tim was made Opel's representative co-ordinating design, development and manufacturing works between Reynard, the chassis manufacturer, and Swindon Racing Engines and others that resulted in the creation of the Formula Opel/Vauxhall Lotus UK and European, race series suppliers for the single seated race series which still runs today.
1988 BTR started a limited, GM National Team program with Opel Team Sweden.
1989 BTR supplied all technical requirements for Opel Team Sweden's one car entry to their national rally series. Driver Mats Jonsson finished second overall
1990-5 BTR supplied vehicles, technicians and all technical support requirements for Opel Team Belgium. During the period Opel Team Belgium finished second overall in the 1990 and 1991 championships with BTR built and prepared Opel Kadett GpA cars, 4th overall in 1992 with a two wheel drive BTR Calibra GpA car and then won the 1993 F2 World Championship with Bruno Thiry in several BTR built Astra GpA cars. Other highlights included second overall on the Ivory Coast Rally and overall wins on several International events.
1996&7 BTR supplied all technical requirements of the Russian Gazprom rally team. Winning the 1996 European F2 rally championship and second overall on the Cyprus Rally to Armin Schwarz in a Toyota Celica were the highlights in Astra GpA cars. Tim was seconded to associate company Motor Sport Developments (MSD) to act as their project engineer, developing a new GpA rally car for the Lada company in Russia. Based on a GM supplied engine and fitted with X-Trac 6 speed sequential gearbox.
1997, A new association with Opel Team Turkey saw BTR preparing GpA and N cars for rallying, racing and hill climbing.
1998. BTR developed and supplied two Vectra 2.0l race cars for Opel Motor Sport Turkey to win one of two championships entered. The Turkish International rally series was also contested. Tim was again seconded to MSD for a short period, developing a 270bhp Kit version of Lada's 2110 model GpA rally car. The car scored several overall wins during the 1999 season in the Russian national Championship competing against European supplied 4 wheel drive GpA opposition and has since won the Russian Championship several times.
1999. A further secondment to Motor Sport Developments saw Tim working as Technical Director charged with redesigning and developing Hyundai's existing Coupe F2 rally car and early Accent WRC specification work. During the year, Gavin Cox, BTR's workshop manager, created a kit for Opel Motor Sport Turkey to enable them to build 10 Vectra 2.0L race cars locally. The series expanded to 16 cars for the 2000 season. BTR expanded from its now traditional GM customer base and developed a relationship with Mitsubishi products, running several Mitsubishi Evolution model GpN cars
Year 2000 expanded preparing cars for events in both the UK and Europe running both Mitsubishi and GM based vehicles.
2001. Foot and mouth disease struck, the UK, 90% of Motor Sport events and all UK championships were cancelled. This made us reconsider our operational targets. BTR made the logical step of offering Repair and Service facilities to owners of Mitsubishi vehicles. The depth of product knowledge developed through the Motor Sport preparation side of the business could be put to good use
2002. BTR dispensed with all the remaining GM parts stock and committed entirely to the Mitsubishi Evo and FTO products. 3 new E6 and 3 E7 rally cars have been built during the season. New Evo 7 Lancer GpN cars were built for the 2002 British Touring Car Championship winning driver James Thompson, Irelands up and coming Roy White as well as the experienced "Vodka Kick" driver Steve Perez
2003. Steve Perez, the MD of "Vodka Kick" had a good development season in his Evo 7 and purchased a Ford Focus 2003 specification WRC car. BTR were pleased to be asked to continue to support him and his Focus for the 2004 season.
Graham Coffey moved from his BTR built and prepared Evo 6 to a new E7, and finished a superb second overall in the British Tarmac Rally Championship, rounding the year off with a trip to Norway. Graham will continue into a fourth season of BTR support during 2004. We were also pleased to support Geoff Underhill and many others during the season.
2004, Tony Arnsby has moved to BTR to have event and preparation support during the season. Tony will have BTR build him a new Evo 8 MRGpN to use from the mid season point onwards as soon as homologation allows.
2005, Steve Perez acquired an extremely rare 1974 Lancia Stratos which we continue to develop and maintain at BTR. Steve uses the Stratos on RAC events and is a favourite amongst Rally fans.
2006, BTR built a new Evo 9 Group N car for leading Romanian driver and Rally Preparation Company owner Alexandru Pitigoi, Better known by his nickname “Dodo” he used the car during his 2006 and 07 Championship campaigns. He had success in Cluj and Lasi Rally with two podium finishes.
2007, John Lloyd finished in sixth place during the Bulldog Rally to give him an overall finish of 5th place in the MSA Gravel Rally Championship making him the winner of his class and the winner of the old stagers award.
2008, Roy and Sean Walker bought a new S2000 machine from car the MG designers and builders MSD (Motor Sports Developments). BTR were retained to run the car, unfortunately regular engine issues have forced the project to be put on ice while the engine builders resolve the head gasket reliability. We look forward to getting the car out again in the near future
2009, Steve Perez finishes off a fantastic season with BTR finishing 3rd overall in the East African Safari Rally Classic, 2009 also saw Steve Perez finishing 12th overall at Rally GB which was a career best. Andrew Barnes and John Lloyd also gained a podium finish at the Tempest Rally finishing 2nd and 3rd respectively.