Rising Irish star Eoin Murray is making his Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship debut at Croft in North Yorkshire this weekend driving an N.technology-built, "Super Touring" 2000-specification Alfa Romeo 156, a car he won as his prize for lifting last year’s European Alfa Challenge title in an Alfa 147 GTA Cup.

Murray’s entry is being overseen by Mike Thompson’s Quest Racing team and means a second Alfa 156 on the grid, alongside Mark Smith’s In-Front Motorsport example. However the team’s build-up to Croft suffered a devastating setback earlier this week with the death of team manager Ian Blackman in a motorcycling accident. Team principal Mike Thompson told BTCC.net: “Ian’s death is of course a massive setback. No-one’s irreplaceable but Ian was Ian. He was so good with new drivers and would have been fantastic help for Eoin. But Eoin is a very good driver, as he’s proved. He just needs to get through that learning curve. Croft’s not the easiest place to learn, but he’s had strong results there in the past.

“The decision to continue wasn’t that difficult – first of all, it’s important we go ahead at Croft because Eoin needs to see we can do it. Another consideration was that we all felt Ian would have wanted us to continue. Technically, the basics will still be the same. I also hope this is the start of a long-term spell for Quest in the BTCC.”

Dubliner Murray, aged 23, has strong knowledge of the UK circuits, having been a title protagonist in the BTCC’s supporting Renault Clio Cup in 2002 and 2003. Murray, testing his Alfa 156 earlier this month at Snetterton, said: “I’m not expecting any great things at Croft – it’ll almost be like a test for us. Everything, the team, me, the car... we’re all new to each other so need to find out how we all work together in a race environment. Plus my car will have the maximum ballast for starting the season late.
 

“But by the time we get to Donington Park two weeks later, some of that weight will be off and I’d expect us to start moving forwards. It’s going to be very difficult to compete with the big independent teams but if we can be up with the likes of James Kaye, Mike Jordan or Dave Pinkney I’d be very happy. The exposure the BTCC gets and seeing how much more exposure Irish drivers get by being part of it made it a logical choice. Racing in the championship is definitely my longer-term plan.”

On-track action at Croft, which is the fifth round of the 2006 British Touring Car Championship, got underway earlier this morning with a 40-minute free practice session (09.30-10.10) and in the searing summer heat the former 2005 FIA WTCC factory Alfa Romeo pilot James Thompson set the fastest time in North Yorkshire. Thompson was already underneath his own race lap record as he topped the times with a 1m25.604s lap in his SEAT Leon. However there was a minor drama for the Harrogate driver – his car’s engine sprung an oil leak and it appears likely that the motor will need to be changed.

Murray in the Quest Racing Alfa 156, was immediately hugely impressive – as he posted the third fastest overall time through the first speed trap and ended up 14th out of the 20 runners. A second free practice session will take place later this morning (11.50-12.30) before the qualifying session is held this afternoon (15.30-16.00). Tomorrow's programme sees three 15-lap BTCC races starting at 12.01, 14.45 and 16.50 respectively.