Beechdean AMR team gear up for this weekend's Crowdstrike Spa 24 Hours race

Beechdean AMR came close to winning the race, that celebrated its centenary last year, in their most recent participation, and have decided to return to the Ardennes for another attack on the world's largest and most important race for GT3 specification cars in the world. The race has attracted an entry of seventy-five cars for the season's showcase race.

Wearing the number 100, the Beechdean AMR Sides Ice Cream-supported Aston Martin Vantage GT3 Evo will be driven during the event by Beechdean team principal Andrew Howard, US-based racer Anthony McIntosh and Aston Martin factory-supported drivers Valentin Hasse-Clot and Ross Gunn.

Gunn's return to the Beechdean squad is seen as a major boost, the Princes Risborough-based racer having scored much success with the team previously. An integral part of the Aston Martin Racing team, Gunn also represents the marque in The Heart of Racing line-up that fields the V12-powered Aston Martin Valkyrie in IMSA Sportscar Championship races in the United States and the FIA World Endurance Championship.

Gunn raced the Aston Martin Valkyrie in the IMSA WeatherTech Spor tscar Championship at Watkins Glen last weekend, and prior to that in France at the 24 Hours of Le Mans.

Speaking this week, Gunn said, "It is great to be back with Andrew [Howard] and Beechdean AMR for the Spa 24 Hours this year. This race is huge and is the biggest GT3 event in the world, its always very special and now I have another big race to focus on in June. It's been a busy few weeks!"

An Aston Martin Vantage car won the race last year, and hopes are high for another success for the British marque at Spa that first tasted victory in the race during 1948 when St. John Horsfall and Leslie Johnson were triumphant with a 2-litre Speed Model.

The Beechdean AMR team have remained at the Belgian track for this week's event, having participated in a round of the British GT Championship at the track last weekend. Andrew Howard and Tom Wood finished fifth in a three-hour contest, the only overseas British GT contest of the season. The duo are now placed twelfth overall in the championship's points standings.Howard said, "Racing at Spa is something all GT drivers want to do. The whole team performed so well on Sunday to

help us finish fifth overall, and winners of the Silver-Am class. I really hope that we can continue this form during the week as we prepare for the 24 Hours that actually starts on Saturday afternoon."

The Vale-based Steller Motorsport team will also be at Spa-Francorchamps to contest their maiden Spa 24 Hours. The former British GT4 class champions, will field a Chevrolet Corvette Z06 GT3.R in the contest, with Matisse Lismont, Daniel Ali, Lorcan Hanafin and GT3 debutant, Olivier Hart set to drive.

The team have made a switch to the GT World Challenge this year from the Automobile Club de l'Ouest sanctioned Le Mans Cup, and have shown well so far in races this year. Track action for Spa 24 Hours racers started yesterday (Tuesday) with a test session for Bronze-rated drivers, with the race's Parade to Spa town centre for all competitors taking place this evening.

Further test and qualifying sessions feature for the rest of the week, with the big race starting at 4.30pm (3.30pm UK time) on Saturday afternoon.

The Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship season continued at Cheshire's Oulton Park on Sunday, with Vale-based racer, Tom Ingram, in the thick of the action. Driving a Hyundai for Team Vertu, Ingram scored victory in the day's opening race on Sunday, before finishing fourth in the two remaining races. Ingram is placed second in the Drivers' Standings, ten points behind championship leader, Ash Sutton (Ford), with the next event taking place at Croft at the beginning of August.