John Clelland gets “air” in his Vauxhaul during a 1993 British Touring Car race.
Legends Speak

My “Touring” History

SportsCarDigest

My interest in touring cars goes back to the ’60s when I watched the likes of Jim Clark in a Lotus Cortina. That was a fantastic spectacle you will never get again…that is, Schumacher in a touring car race on the same weekend as a Grand Prix, which is what Clark used to do. Those things don’t happen any longer.

My association with touring cars was part of growing up and then I found that I’m involved in it, and it has taken me around the world. I have raced in different countries in different championships, on the edges of the German Touring Car series, the Australian series…the V-8 series, quite a lot of touring car series. I think the British series, in the mid-90s, used to be the one in which everyone aspired to be involved. Even the Australians who have the strongest series in the world outside of America, where there are 40 odd cars and any of 20 drivers who could win…they wanted to come and join in the BTCC.

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Steve Natale has been playing with cars ever since he was old enough to first hold a matchbox car in his hand. A lifelong enthusiast of anything old with an engine in it or wheels on it, Steve has been active in the hobby for over 35 years. Currently he owns a successful marketing company with his wife Mary, is an automotive photographer, blogger and writer for several automotive magazines and regular contributor to various automotive websites. Steve has attended vintage car events and visited car museums and collections around the world.
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