WIRRAL Globe sponsored Touring Car racing driver Paula Cook and the D.C. Cook team have, sadly, decided to pull out of the championship with BTCC coming to Oulton Park in Cheshire over the weekend September, 11 to 12.

At the time of writing, we are just negotiating a deal to go racing with the top Honda works team of James Thompson /Peter Kox in West Surrey/Esso Ultron racing team. Thompson was third in the championship amd Kox in seventh place after Round 20, Honda was runner up in manufacturers and team championships.

Once the ink has dried on the deal, we hope to offer again a VIP day for two at BTCC, Oulton Park, with a chance to meet Thompson and Kox and tour the pits on race day!

There should be runner up prizes such as Esso atlasses and CDs but the top Touring Car prize is the one to go for, so don't miss next week's Globe for details.

Touring Cars is tough, action packed and expensive, particularly for independents like Paula Cook. We are sorry that Paula, only woman in the BTCC, has decided to pull out, for the latter reason as she was always there in the thick of the battle. Those who saw her at Oulton will remember she crashed after giving no quarter to the men. We will miss petit Paula, who was big on guts and hope to see her in other motor sport events next season. Meanwhile, the international rally scene heads for I.o.M for the Manx on September 9 to 11, then it is the Network Q, the final round. We will be setting the scene, particularly regarding the Vauxhall Astra team with its Wirral connection.

Converted for the new archive on 13 March 2001. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.