Musical Race Seats - who has come and gone this season

It's time for more change! So many faces have been and gone this year, it's getting hard to keep up with it all. Here's the low down, as far as I've been able to keep up anyway.

This season it was Andy Neate who began the annual Driver Shuffle, leaving the Halfords Yuasa outfit after just one race weekend and the team out of pocket with a loaned TBL they could not use and a brand new car left in the garage.

Daniel Lloyd then arrived in time for Thruxton with Eurotech and did very well racing at the front of the pack until a sponsor backed out and he was forced to bow out after Croft.

Chris Smiley completed half a season with RCIB Insurance before also falling foul of sponsorship problems and having to bow out, but he has potential to be back another season if he keeps Tony Gilham (Team Hard) on side while he races in another series with them.

Michael Caine stepped up to replace Chris in the RCIB car, but managed only Snetterton and Race 1 of Knockhill before losing feeling in feet and feeling the pain of an old and evidently lingering back injury. Until he is medically fit to race again he will not be back.

Kelvin Fletcher did what we all thought was a one weekend bow out at Knockhill while awaiting the birth of his child (what is it with touring car drivers and Knockhill due dates? that's 3 now in the last two years!) but as said baby has not yet arrived there is now word that he will also miss Rockingham. (sorry about the photo, I couldn't resist)

Dave Newsham made a return from the world of British Rally Cross to race the PowerMaxed car left vacant by Kelvin and he obviously loved every second. He has now announced that he is jumping back into the car for Rockingham. (the fact he has also stepped out of Rally Cross does nothing to allay suspicions of something being amiss with our favourite Emmerdale tractor driver).

Similarly, old regular Tony Gilham is jumping back behind the wheel to replace Michael Caine (let's hope that's the last driver change RCIB have to endure this season, but if the Boss sniffs enough cash he may give up the seat for the last couple of rounds, we'll have to wait and see).
















We still have three more rounds to go.
Do you think we'll make it to the end without anymore driver changes?




Special Addendum:

I have just been made aware of a death within the Motorbase Team.
Long standing Team Member & old friend of David Bartrum, "Big Nev" Neville Down, has passed away.
I would like to extend my condolences to his family, friends and everyone within the team.