Halfords returns to the BTCC

Halfords returns with Team Halfords Yuasa Racing for the 2016 British Touring Car Championship season, with the team ready to defend its driver and manufacturer titles with Gordon Shedden, Matt Neal and new signing Andy Neate.

Halfords will be back on the BTCC grid after a seven-year absence, as co-title sponsor of last year’s championship winning team, which now competes as Halfords Yuasa Racing. Scotsman Gordon Shedden will return to defend his drivers’ championship title after an exhilarating 2015 season, with team-mate and three-time champion Matt Neal entering his 26th year in the UK’s premier motorsport category.

The team also expands to three cars for the first time since 2006, with the experienced Andy Neate joining the squad.

Halfords sponsored Team Dynamics’ motorsport programme for five years from 2004 to 2008, with Matt Neal winning the first two championships of his BTCC career behind the wheel of the famous Honda Integra Type R, also becoming the first independent driver to win the overall drivers’ championship in the British Touring Car Championship’s history.

Gordon Shedden joined the Halfords and Team Dynamics family in 2006, taking four wins and helping Team Halfords to its second consecutive teams’ championship title in his debut season.

Paul Tomlinson, Motoring Expert at Halfords:

“It’s fantastic to bring the Halfords and Halfords Autocentre brands back into the country’s biggest motorsport championship. We’re looking forward to laying down the gauntlet this season and bringing orange and black back to the grid with Team Dynamics, as well as our partner Yuasa Batteries, to defend the driver and manufacturer titles.”

Andrew Taylor, Managing Director of Yuasa Battery Sales (UK):

“We’ve had an amazing journey so far in the British Touring Car Championship with Matt, Gordon and the Honda Yuasa Racing Team, and now we look forward to working with Halfords to defend our championship with the team in 2016. Our sponsorship of the team now enters a new era, and one that we’re very excited about.”

Richard Tait-Harris, Commercial Director, Team Dynamics:

“Having worked with Halfords for five years in the past and winning two championships with Matt, we look forward to a long and successful future together. We’re also excited to be continuing our fantastic relationship with Yuasa Batteries and to the challenge of retaining our title as champions of the BTCC this year.”

The first glimpse of the new livery of the team’s Honda Civic Type R’s will be at the BTCC 2016 Season Launch event (media day) at Donington Park, Leicestershire, on March 22nd.

Notes to editors:

Halfords Ltd. is the UK's leading retailer of motoring and cycling products and a leading independent operator in garage servicing and auto repair. Halfords Autocentres provide car service, repair and MOTs to retail and fleet customers throughout the UK, providing customers with an unrivalled value and service offer from a trusted brand, delivering dealership quality service at more affordable garage prices.

Yuasa are one of the world’s largest global manufacturers of Lead-Acid and Lithium-ion (Li-ion) batteries. For over 30 years, Yuasa Battery Europe Ltd. have been Europe’s leading battery supplier and the number one choice for quality, performance and reliability, with Yuasa Battery Sales (UK) Ltd. operating out of Swindon, supplying European markets with high quality batteries and accessories.

The British Touring Car Championship (BTCC) was formed in 1958 and is Britain's most popular motor racing spectacle. Its race season comprises ten events at top circuits across the UK. It is contested by professional racing drivers in competition versions of every day road cars, giving it tremendous public appeal. Some 378,000 watch the BTCC trackside each year. It also receives widespread UK TV exposure on the ITV network with all ten race events broadcast live on ITV4, ITV4 HD and www.itv.com.