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The biggest stars and cars from all forms of four and two wheeled racing
joined the record 85,000 fans, trade members and media at the greatest
motorsport show in the world – Autosport International which took place at
Birmingham’s NEC last weekend (January 13/14).

Formula One drivers Jenson Button, Juan Pablo Montoya, Kimi Raikkonen and
Pedro de la Rosa were joined by Murray Walker, F1 test drivers Tomas
Scheckter, Darren Manning and Anthony Davidson and a whole host of other F1
stars including BAR’s Adrian Reynard, Jaguar’s Bobby Rahal, Professor Sid
Watkins, Niki Lauda and the ITV crew of Louise Goodman, Jim Rosenthal and
Tony Jardine.

From rallying top British stars Colin McRae, Richard Burns and Alister McRae
were joined by leading British championship drivers Mark Higgins, Bryan
Thomas, Mats Andersson and Claire Mole.  From motorcycle racing Carl
Fogarty, John Reynolds, Chris Walker, Neil Hodgson, Sean Emmett, James
Whitham, Jamie Robinson and Steve Curtis all took part in a variety of
activities including car races and a wheel-change-challenge.

A whole host of cars featured on the record 618 static exhibition stands
including F1 cars from McLaren, Williams, Sauber, Jaguar, Jordan, Benetton,
and BAR. 

While Rockingham Motor Speedway, launching the first ever UK round
of ChampCars in September, featured a Rockingham liveried car on its stand.
Others included a Penske Honda of Gil de Ferran and a Reynard Ford of Max
Papis.

Major launches included the innovative Arrows AX3 3-seater passenger F1 car,
Bentley displayed a model of its 2001 Le Mans Challenger, Prodrive displayed
its 2001 World Rally contender, Peugeot unveiled its stunning BTCC 406 Coupe
and Ford, Proton and Peugeot all announced driver line-ups for the 2001
season.  Barber Dodge announced that the series is to become the official
feeder championship to ChampCars.

Top names from outside motorsport also paid a visit to Autosport
International.  Olympic gold medallists, Matthew Pinsent, James Cracknell
and Diane Modell and former Liverpool and Scotland striker Kenny Dalglish
and Roger Cooke (Cooke Report) attended while top female pop group Atomic
Kitten performed on the Autosport Stage.

Legendary rally stars Markku Alen and Stig Blomqvist joined rallycross
drivers Per Eklund and Dermot Carnegie to thrill the massive audience in the
British Eurosport Thunderdrome for the five performances held on each of the
two public days.  A one-off Reliant Robin celebrity race with motorcycle
riders Neil Hodgson, Chris Walker, John Reynolds, Sean Emmett, James
Robinson, Steve Curtis and former Grand Prix rider and team manager Rob
McElnea entertained the 4000 visitors in the trade performance on Friday
afternoon.

Sauber’s new F1 signing Kimi Raikkonen had a baptism of fire when he was
challenged to a wheel change challenge by four times World Superbike
Champion Carl Fogarty, which the two-wheeled star won.  Fifty competition
winners were entertained by the anecdotes of the legendary Murray Walker and
Montoya, Raikkonen and Button took part in a public question and answer
session on the Autosport Central Stage.

An hour-long programme based around the show will be transmitted next
Saturday on LWT.  The programme will feature interviews with all the top
stars, race and rally action from the British Eurosport Thunderdrome, and
details of major launches and announcements from the leading exhibitors.
(Check listings for times of local broadcasts).

Autosport International 2001 was deemed by the public and media visitors to
be the best ever, with the extra halls and widening of the aisles assisting
all visitors in their bid to see the highlights of this unique event.
Preparations are already underway by organisers Haymarket Exhibitions Ltd
for the 2002 event which will take place at the NEC on January 10-13.

Arrows F1 Team launched  it’s all new passenger car, AX3 - part of the Arrows F1 Xperience programme 

The revolutionary AX3 car was unvieled on the Autosport Central Stage,

Until recently, only the elite few drivers have been able to experience the awesome thrill, speed and power of a current generation Formula One car. During 2000, Arrows Formula One team has been one of only two teams able to make this dream become a reality to selected media and celebrities, by offering the opportunity to experience the excitement of the world’s ultimate racing cars at first hand, with its Arrows 2 –Seater car.

For 2001, Arrows has taken the passenger car concept and technology into a new dimension, and now presents the AX3.

AX3 is the inspiration of Arrows Team Owner and Principal, Tom Walkinshaw, who commented, “The AX3 has been designed to give a truer experience than ever before, of what a Formula One driver sees and feels from the cockpit. A lot has been written about the acceleration, g-forces and braking capabilities of these racing cars, but we are now furthering the opportunity to give people an appreciation of what it’s really like”. 

Goodyear’s strong links with motor racing were very much in evidence on the Goodyear stand. Taking centre-stage was the new ICENI from Trident Sportscars Ltd.
A stunning and innovative two-seater model, Trident plans to produce five cars a week from its Norfolk factory – all shod with Goodyear’s flagship high performance tyre, the Eagle F1 EMT 

Goodyear is to be the sole tyre supplier for a major new motor sport to the UK – ASCAR – Anglo-American Stock Car Racing.

Based on the stadium style NASCAR racing, popular with American race fans for the past 25 years, the new nine-race series is scheduled to begin later this year at Britain’s first purpose-built banked oval track in Rockingham, Northants.

The tyre company’s communications manager Ron Pike said: "We’re delighted to be a part of what promises to be one of the most spectacular motor sports to hit the UK in years.

"British motor racing fans have been hooked on this American sport thanks to exposure on Sky TV. Now, they’ll have a chance to see it in the flesh with their very own version."