Alan J. Gow
Encyclopedia
Alan James Gow is currently the Series Director and Administrator of the British Touring Car Championship
(BTCC), Chairman of MSA
(The Motor Sports Association) and President of the FIA Touring Car Commission. He was born in Melbourne, Australia and lives in Surrey, England.
A lifelong entrant and competitor in Australian motorsport, who had business interests in Melbourne-based car dealerships and commercial property developments. Also a Partner/Managing Director/Team Principal of Peter Brock
's famous Australian racing team, Gow was one of the founders of TEGA - the Australian Touring Car Entrants Group who are the administrators of, and own the rights to, the V8 Supercar
Championship. He emigrated to the UK in 1990 and formed TOCA
Limited. TOCA then purchased the rights to the BTCC in 1991 and proceeded to turn the championship into the largest of its type in the world and one of the most widely watched motorsport series around the globe TOCA/BTCC
In 2000 Gow sold TOCA to American company Octagon Motorsport (part of the US NASDAQ listed Interpublic group) and took a "sabbatical" from managing both TOCA and the BTCC. He retained and licensed the use of the TOCA name for interactive video gaming, thus the TOCA Touring Car series
has firmly established itself as one of the biggest selling and most popular games of its type in the world.
In 2003 Octagon relinquished their ownership of TOCA and their control of the BTCC. A new company (BARC TOCA Ltd) was formed to take over and manage the championship. Gow was appointed Managing Director of the new company and returned to once again take charge and rebuild the championship, after it had floundered under the control of the previous management.
In January 2006 he was appointed Chairman of the MSA
(The Motor Sports Association), the governing body of UK motorsport. In December 2010 he was appointed President of the FIA Touring Car Commission, which oversees touring car racing on a global basis for the worldwide governing body of motorsport. He is also the Chairman of International Motorsports Ltd (IMS), the organisers of the British Grand Prix
and Rally GB
(a round of the World Rally Championship
). Gow is also a main Board Director of the prestigious Royal Automobile Club
, a committee member of the Motorsport Industry Association http://www.the-mia.com, the manager of champion Australian racing driver James Courtney
and has varied business interests in both the USA (motorsports) and Australia (agriculture).
British Touring Car Championship
The British Touring Car Championship is a touring car racing series held each year in the United Kingdom. The Championship was established in 1958 as the British Saloon Car Championship and has run to various rules over the years – "production cars", then FIA Group 1 or 2 in the late 1960s...
(BTCC), Chairman of MSA
Motor Sports Association
The Motor Sports Association , is the official governing body of motorsport in the United Kingdom.-Responsibilities:...
(The Motor Sports Association) and President of the FIA Touring Car Commission. He was born in Melbourne, Australia and lives in Surrey, England.
A lifelong entrant and competitor in Australian motorsport, who had business interests in Melbourne-based car dealerships and commercial property developments. Also a Partner/Managing Director/Team Principal of Peter Brock
Peter Brock
Peter Geoffrey Brock, AM otherwise known as "Peter Perfect", "The King of the Mountain" or simply as "Brocky" was one of Australia's best-known and most successful motor racing drivers. Brock was most often associated with Holden for almost 40 years, although he raced vehicles of other...
's famous Australian racing team, Gow was one of the founders of TEGA - the Australian Touring Car Entrants Group who are the administrators of, and own the rights to, the V8 Supercar
V8 Supercar
V8 Supercars is a touring car racing category based in Australia and run as an International Series under Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile regulations...
Championship. He emigrated to the UK in 1990 and formed TOCA
TOCA
ToCA are the organisers and administrators of the BTCC and the supporting series of the BTCC. The BTCC is the UK's biggest motor racing championship and one of the world's most highly respected motor racing series ....
Limited. TOCA then purchased the rights to the BTCC in 1991 and proceeded to turn the championship into the largest of its type in the world and one of the most widely watched motorsport series around the globe TOCA/BTCC
In 2000 Gow sold TOCA to American company Octagon Motorsport (part of the US NASDAQ listed Interpublic group) and took a "sabbatical" from managing both TOCA and the BTCC. He retained and licensed the use of the TOCA name for interactive video gaming, thus the TOCA Touring Car series
TOCA Touring Car series
TOCA is a racing video game series developed and published by Codemasters, initially focusing specifically on Touring car racing but more recently expanding to cover a wide variety of motorsport...
has firmly established itself as one of the biggest selling and most popular games of its type in the world.
In 2003 Octagon relinquished their ownership of TOCA and their control of the BTCC. A new company (BARC TOCA Ltd) was formed to take over and manage the championship. Gow was appointed Managing Director of the new company and returned to once again take charge and rebuild the championship, after it had floundered under the control of the previous management.
In January 2006 he was appointed Chairman of the MSA
Motor Sports Association
The Motor Sports Association , is the official governing body of motorsport in the United Kingdom.-Responsibilities:...
(The Motor Sports Association), the governing body of UK motorsport. In December 2010 he was appointed President of the FIA Touring Car Commission, which oversees touring car racing on a global basis for the worldwide governing body of motorsport. He is also the Chairman of International Motorsports Ltd (IMS), the organisers of the British Grand Prix
British Grand Prix
The British Grand Prix is a race in the calendar of the FIA Formula One World Championship. It is currently held at the Silverstone Circuit near the village of Silverstone in Northamptonshire...
and Rally GB
Rally GB
Wales Rally GB is the largest and most high profile motor rally in the United Kingdom. It is a round of the FIA World Rally Championship and was formerly a round of the MSA British Rally Championship and is based in and around the city of Cardiff in Wales...
(a round of the World Rally Championship
World Rally Championship
The World Rally Championship is a rallying series organised by the FIA, culminating with a champion driver and manufacturer. The driver's world championship and manufacturer's world championship are separate championships, but based on the same point system. The series currently consists of 13...
). Gow is also a main Board Director of the prestigious Royal Automobile Club
Royal Automobile Club
The Royal Automobile Club is a private club and is not to be confused with RAC plc, a motorists' organisation, which it formerly owned.It has two club houses, one in London at 89-91 Pall Mall, and the other in the countryside at Woodcote Park, Surrey, next to the City of London Freemen's School...
, a committee member of the Motorsport Industry Association http://www.the-mia.com, the manager of champion Australian racing driver James Courtney
James Courtney
James Courtney is an Australian racing driver who competes in the V8 Supercar Championship. He is the current Australian Touring Car Champion after winning the 2010 title for Dick Johnson Racing....
and has varied business interests in both the USA (motorsports) and Australia (agriculture).