Paul O'Neill will drive the Thurlby Motors Tech-Speed Astra Coupé in the two remaining Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship events at Brands Hatch and Silverstone, a total of six races, with continued support for the team from EEMS, the Energy Efficient Motorsport initiative.
 
Paul, age 26, from Widnes, has considerable touring car experience and has been acting as race engineer this year with the Tech-Speed team. In 2001's BTCC he drove a Tech-Speed Peugeot 306 to three podium finishes and two poles. In 2002 he was team mate to Matt Neal in the Egg-sponsored Vauxhall and in 2003 he was a works Vauxhall driver, with wins both years.
 
Paul was diagnosed with diabetes and has made great efforts to improve his fitness and to progress in the business as a race engineer. This year he has also been a guest driver in UK Porsche Carrera Cup and Ginettas.
 
Chris Roberts of Thurlby Motors is delighted: “We're pleased to find someone of this calibre who can bring sponsorship to complete the season and to help us fulfil our objectives. We're looking forward to the last two rounds, we're really excited about it.” At the final meeting, a special edition Thurlby 888 Astra TDCi will be presented to the winner of a season-long competition.
 
Tech-Speed will continue to trial the EEMS fuel flow meter as part of a technical study into fuel equivalence for different fuels. The car runs on E85, a biofuel blend of 85% bio-ethanol and 15% petrol, and has been fast through the speed traps at many meetings this season.
 
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For more information contact Janice Minton, tel 01787 880820,
mobile 07803 050266  Email janice.minton@eemsonline.co.uk

See more information on www.eemsonline.co.uk

Download high resolution photographs of the car from Jakobebrey.com/fionaleggate
Copyright free for editorial purposes only - please credit Jakob Ebrey

EDITOR'S NOTES

See facts about bio-ethanol on the EEMS website www.eemsonline.co.uk

Energy Efficient Motorsport (EEMS) is one of five programmes sponsored by Motorsport Development UK to sustain and develop the UK's world-leading motorsport sector with programme funding from the DTI and four regional development agencies.

EEMS seeks to encourage the development of alternative fuels and powertrain technologies and put energy efficiency at the heart of modern motorsport - without comprising the sporting spectacle. There is a widely held belief that energy efficiency and green technology are not compatible with exciting motorsport. This is simply not the case - in fact the UK motorsport industry stands to benefit by adopting EEMS concepts and taking a leading global role.

EEMS is working with championship rule makers on energy efficiency and the regulation of alternative fuels in motorsport, to encourage their wider use. EEMS has offered all BTCC teams fuel metering technology, developed by Ricardo and Pi Research. This will allow for fuel equivalency standards and, ultimately, for power to be regulated by energy flow rather than rev limits or air restrictors.