In-Front Motorsport has become the latest new team to officially unveil its plans to enter the Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship in 2006. The family-run team has confirmed it will enter an Alfa Romeo 156 for successful VW Cup racer Mark Smith, aged 40. His father John Smith runs the small but professional Hednesford-based squad.

They becomes the fourth new team in recent weeks to announce plans to progress into Britain’s most famous and popular motor racing championship as the Eurotech and Motorbase Performance outfits have both confirmed that each will enter the series with the Honda Integra, while Geoff Steel Racing has now acquired one of the BMW E46 racers that won last year’s FIA World Touring Car Championship title.

In-Front is currently putting the finishing touches to its Alfa Romeo, built by Birmingham based PT Motorsport, which is run by Les Wilson. The Alfa will be almost identical to those seen competing in last year’s WTCC and is built around a shell from the Italian manufacturer’s official team N-Technology.

John Smith commented this week: “It is going to be a learning process for all of us, but we have been in motor racing for 15 years and have varied experience. We realise that we are a small team compared to others in the BTCC. Mark decided that he wanted test his metal against the BTCC boys, many of whom he has competed against in previous years. It will be interesting to see how we progress throughout the season.”

Of note is the fact the Alfa will become the fourth different make of car on the BTCC grid built to the FIA’s Super 2000 technical regulations – in 2007, only cars complying to ‘Super2000’ specification will be able to fight for the title.

Other Super2000 cars confirmed for the 2006 BTCC include SEAT Sport UK’s new Leon racers which will be piloted by Jason Plato, last year's Alfa Romeo factory driver James Thompson, and Darren Turner, Geoff Steel Racing’s BMW for Martin Bell, plus SpeedEquipe’s Lexus, the driver of which is still to be announced.