EX-BTCC man Lines plans new Touring Car Trophy series

Tin-top racer Stewart Lines is behind a new initiative which he is aiming to introduce for 2019 for different groups of touring cars.

Lines, who raced in the British Touring Car Championship for two-anda-half seasons and runs the Volkswagen Racing Cup, wants to group together different types of saloon and run them under the Touring Car Trophy banner.

Lines is aiming to include older-specification British touring cars, the NGTC cars fitted with the original GPRM components. There will also be a division for TCR cars, and one for the SEAT Supercopa Mk2 cars.

“I know there are a lot of cars out there, and there have been lots of expressions of interest already,” said Lines. “Everyone in saloon racing in the UK wants to get into the BTCC, but not everyone has the budget to do so. This will give them an opportunity, and it will also be a place for younger drivers to learn about tin-top racing.”

The series will run over eight meetings, with two 30-minute races at each venue. Coverage of the events will be on Channel 4.

“We will mix the calendar up a bit,” said Lines. “It will run alongside the VW Racing Cup and we will have some rounds alongside British GT, and some will be at other events.”

Lines will use the permit that he has from the VAG Trophy, which his Maximum Motorsport group decided not to run this season.