Gareth Howell
Encyclopedia
Gareth Howell is a Welsh
auto racing
driver. He competed sporadically in the British Touring Car Championship
from 2000 to 2008.
He drove his first kart aged 4 and began his racing career aged 8. He is a former British karting champion and finished 8th in the World Finals in 1995 from 35th on the grid setting fastest lap on the way. During his karting career he raced alongside Jenson Button
, Dan Wheldon
, Anthony Davidson
and Gary Paffett
.
At the age of 10, he told a TV programme that he wanted to race in the BTCC (not mentioning Formula One
, which is a bigger draw for most star-struck youngsters).
At age 16 he graduated to the Fiesta si Championship and in 1998 moved up to the BTCC supporting Ford Credit Fiesta Championship. In 1998 he became the youngest race winner in the 20 year history of the Championship aged just 18. He made occasional appearances in the 2000 season
for GR Motorsport in a Ford Focus, running in the Production class, which was known as Class B at the time. 2001
was his first full season, being part of a four-car GR Motorsport entry into the Production Class. He finished fifth overall in his class, having taken a race win in round 16 of the series at Snetterton.
In 2002
he graduated to the main division of the championship, driving an MG ZS
for Team Atomic Kitten run by established touring car outfit West Surrey Racing
joined by fellow debutant Colin Turkington
.
Despite outperforming and outscoring Turkington, at the end of the season he was dropped from the MG program because of funding, and found himself without a full-time drive for the 2003 season
. He managed to secure a number of outings during the year, including at Silverstone as team-mate to Gavin Pyper
at GA Motorsport, piloting a Vauxhall Astra Coupé. He completed the final 4 two-race rounds of the championship for Team Dynamics
, also in a Vauxhall, scoring 2 Independent's Cup wins.
He was planned to race for Dynamics in 2004, but after Vic Lee
's team closed, Dan Eaves
and his Halfords sponsorship replaced him. Howell sat out the 2004 and much of the 2005 seasons due to a lack of finance. Keen to remain with the team, he held Dan's pitboard for most of 2004.
He finally made his series return at Knockhill for Team Dynamics towards the end of 2005. He drove the team's third Honda Integra DC05
in three race weekends alongside the team's existing drivers Matt Neal
and Eaves, setting pole position and taking his debut BTCC win at Silverstone, where he also set fastest lap (and holds the lap record on the National Circuit. He had hoped to continue for Team Dynamics into 2006, but because of lack of funding he instead only raced in the final four rounds of the season.
At the final meeting of 2006 on the Silverstone National Circuit, Howell qualified on pole, effectively going unpunished for wrecking Adam Jones
' Lexus
(as the penalty points he was awarded expired at the end of the season) and won the first race, before battling through the field in the third race for another victory.
For 2007, Howell wanted a full-time drive. He signed to drive a SEAT Toledo
for Motorbase Performance
, scoring the team's best result in finishing 5th in a 3 year old car. He left the team mid-season, explaining that "It’s a vicious circle. We needed to develop the car through testing to get further towards the front and out of the midfield melee, but we came back from each round with so much damage that then took all the time between races to repair. We'd then go out and experience the same problem all over again."
He started 2008 without a drive, but joined BTC Racing as their test and reserve driver early in the season. He races at Thruxton
and Oulton Park
in place of regular driver Stuart Oliver
, in the same SEAT as he drove in 2007, however he scored no points and was eliminated from both meetings before the final races.
Since 2008, Howell has been working with Lipscomb Abarth and racing an Abarth 500.
On Saturday 3 April 2008 at Oulton Park, Howell won the first ever Zing Trofeo Abarth 500 GB with a gap of 2.693 seconds.
Wales
Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...
auto racing
Auto racing
Auto racing is a motorsport involving the racing of cars for competition. It is one of the world's most watched televised sports.-The beginning of racing:...
driver. He competed sporadically in the British Touring Car Championship
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...
from 2000 to 2008.
He drove his first kart aged 4 and began his racing career aged 8. He is a former British karting champion and finished 8th in the World Finals in 1995 from 35th on the grid setting fastest lap on the way. During his karting career he raced alongside Jenson Button
Jenson Button
Jenson Alexander Lyons Button MBE is a British Formula One driver currently signed to McLaren. He was the 2009 World Drivers' Champion.Button began karting at the age of eight and achieved early success, before progressing to car racing in the British Formula Ford Championship and the British...
, Dan Wheldon
Dan Wheldon
Daniel Clive "Dan" Wheldon was a British racing driver from England. He was the 2005 Indy Racing League IndyCar Series champion, and winner of the Indianapolis 500 in both 2005 and 2011...
, Anthony Davidson
Anthony Davidson
Anthony Denis Davidson is a British former Formula One racing driver from England, born in Hemel Hempstead, Hertfordshire. He has raced for Minardi, Super Aguri and been a test and/or reserve driver for the British American Racing, Honda and Brawn GP teams...
and Gary Paffett
Gary Paffett
Gary Paffett is a British racing driver in the Deutsche Tourenwagen Masters. He is also a test driver for the McLaren Formula One team. Paffett progressed through the ranks of karting and junior formulae in the United Kingdom, winning the McLaren Autosport BRDC Award in 1999...
.
At the age of 10, he told a TV programme that he wanted to race in the BTCC (not mentioning Formula One
Formula One
Formula One, also known as Formula 1 or F1 and referred to officially as the FIA Formula One World Championship, is the highest class of single seater auto racing sanctioned by the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile . The "formula" designation in the name refers to a set of rules with which...
, which is a bigger draw for most star-struck youngsters).
At age 16 he graduated to the Fiesta si Championship and in 1998 moved up to the BTCC supporting Ford Credit Fiesta Championship. In 1998 he became the youngest race winner in the 20 year history of the Championship aged just 18. He made occasional appearances in the 2000 season
2000 British Touring Car Championship season
The 2000 Auto Trader RAC British Touring Car Championship season was the 43rd British Touring Car Championship season and marked the final year for Super Touring specification cars in the championship.-Changes for 2000:...
for GR Motorsport in a Ford Focus, running in the Production class, which was known as Class B at the time. 2001
2001 British Touring Car Championship season
The 2001 theAA.com MSA British Touring Car Championship season was the 44th British Touring Car Championship season and marked the beginning of a new era of lower-cost rules and regulations for the series.-Changes for 2001:...
was his first full season, being part of a four-car GR Motorsport entry into the Production Class. He finished fifth overall in his class, having taken a race win in round 16 of the series at Snetterton.
In 2002
2002 British Touring Car Championship season
The 2002 Green Flag MSA British Touring Car Championship season was the 45th British Touring Car Championship season.-Teams and drivers:...
he graduated to the main division of the championship, driving an MG ZS
MG ZS
The MG ZS is a sports family car. The ZS is essentially a badge engineered Rover 45 . The 45 in turn is a facelifted version of the Rover 400 which was launched in hatchback form in 1995 and saloon form in 1996. The Rover 400 had much in common with the Honda Civic of 1995-1999...
for Team Atomic Kitten run by established touring car outfit West Surrey Racing
West Surrey Racing
Founded in 1981, West Surrey Racing is a UK-based motorsport team run by New Zealander Dick Bennetts. He is responsible for masterminding the careers of such names as Ayrton Senna, Mika Häkkinen, Jonathan Palmer, Rubens Barrichello, Maurício Gugelmin and Eddie Irvine with his involvement in F3 and...
joined by fellow debutant Colin Turkington
Colin Turkington
Colin Henry Turkington is a Northern Irish auto racing driver. His most notable success to date was becoming 2009 British Touring Car Champion driving for Team RAC. Most recently he has competed in the 2010 World Touring Car Championship driving a BMW 320si for West Surrey Racing...
.
Despite outperforming and outscoring Turkington, at the end of the season he was dropped from the MG program because of funding, and found himself without a full-time drive for the 2003 season
2003 British Touring Car Championship season
The 2003 Green Flag MSA British Touring Car Championship season was the 46th British Touring Car Championship season.-Changes for 2003:-Teams and drivers:For 2003 all three main manufacturers in the premier Touring class ran three cars...
. He managed to secure a number of outings during the year, including at Silverstone as team-mate to Gavin Pyper
Gavin Pyper
Gavin Pyper is a British motor racing driver, currently contesting the Renault Clio Cup in the UK, for Mardi Gras Motorsport.-Racing career:...
at GA Motorsport, piloting a Vauxhall Astra Coupé. He completed the final 4 two-race rounds of the championship for Team Dynamics
Team Dynamics
Team Dynamics is a UK-based motor-racing team based in Pershore, Worcestershire; best known for their successes as an independent squad in the British Touring Car Championship, including winning the Overall Drivers title in 2005 and 2006 with Matt Neal...
, also in a Vauxhall, scoring 2 Independent's Cup wins.
Vic Lee Racing
Vic Lee Racing formerly Vic Lee Motorsport was a UK auto racing team, most famous for running BMWs and Peugeots in the British Touring Car Championship, and most infamous for the drug-related convictions of its owner Vic Lee....
's team closed, Dan Eaves
Dan Eaves
Dan Eaves is a British auto racing driver.- Career :He started racing karts in 1990 before switching to cars in 1994. He raced in the National Saloon Cup in 1999 and 2000, finishing 4th in the series both times with a Bowman Motorsport Peugeot 306...
and his Halfords sponsorship replaced him. Howell sat out the 2004 and much of the 2005 seasons due to a lack of finance. Keen to remain with the team, he held Dan's pitboard for most of 2004.
He finally made his series return at Knockhill for Team Dynamics towards the end of 2005. He drove the team's third Honda Integra DC05
Honda Integra
The Honda Integra is a compact luxury performance coupe made by Honda during the years 1985 to 2006. The sporty front wheel drive car is able to house five passengers with a two door hatch or four door sedan available.The Integra was on Car and Driver magazine's annual Ten Best list six times, in...
in three race weekends alongside the team's existing drivers Matt Neal
Matt Neal
Matthew Neal is a British motor racing driver. He won the British Touring Car Championship in 2005, 2006 and 2011. He has also won a European Touring Car Championship race. He is 6' 6" tall, making him almost entirely unable to race single-seaters...
and Eaves, setting pole position and taking his debut BTCC win at Silverstone, where he also set fastest lap (and holds the lap record on the National Circuit. He had hoped to continue for Team Dynamics into 2006, but because of lack of funding he instead only raced in the final four rounds of the season.
At the final meeting of 2006 on the Silverstone National Circuit, Howell qualified on pole, effectively going unpunished for wrecking Adam Jones
Adam Jones (racing driver)
Adam Jones is an English auto racing driver.-Early career:He competed successfully in Formula 3 and Formula Renault in France, before switching to GT racing...
' Lexus
Lexus
is the luxury vehicle division of Japanese automaker Toyota Motor Corporation. First introduced in 1989 in the United States, Lexus is now sold globally and has become Japan's largest-selling make of premium cars. The Lexus marque is marketed in over 70 countries and territories worldwide, and has...
(as the penalty points he was awarded expired at the end of the season) and won the first race, before battling through the field in the third race for another victory.
For 2007, Howell wanted a full-time drive. He signed to drive a SEAT Toledo
SEAT Toledo
The second generation Toledo was introduced in 1998 and made its debut at the 1998 Paris Motor Show as a four-door notchback sedan. It was more rounded than the previous first generation shape and had a much more fluid design, although both were products of Giorgetto Giugiaro's Italdesign studio...
for Motorbase Performance
Motorbase Performance
Motorbase Performance is an English motor racing team, founded in 2004 by former Production Saloon racer Dave Bartrum. They are best known for their British Touring Car Championship campaigns, which produced a first overall podium at the Snetterton meeting in 2008.-Porsche Carrera Cup Great...
, scoring the team's best result in finishing 5th in a 3 year old car. He left the team mid-season, explaining that "It’s a vicious circle. We needed to develop the car through testing to get further towards the front and out of the midfield melee, but we came back from each round with so much damage that then took all the time between races to repair. We'd then go out and experience the same problem all over again."
He started 2008 without a drive, but joined BTC Racing as their test and reserve driver early in the season. He races at Thruxton
Thruxton Circuit
Thruxton Circuit is a motor racing circuit located near the village of Thruxton in Hampshire, England which is used to host a number of motorsport events including British Touring Cars and Formula 3 racing....
and Oulton Park
Oulton Park
Oulton Park Circuit is a motor racing track in the small village of Little Budworth, Cheshire, England. It is about from Winsford, from Chester city centre, from Northwich and from Warrington with a nearby rail connection along the Mid-Cheshire Line. It occupies much of the area which was...
in place of regular driver Stuart Oliver
Stuart Oliver (racing driver)
Stuart Oliver is a British auto racing driver, who races in Truck Racing, where he has won many titles. He drives a MAN TGA D26 in both the British Truck Racing Championship and the FIA European Truck Championship, for Team Oliver Racing.-Truck Racing:He first entered the British Championship in...
, in the same SEAT as he drove in 2007, however he scored no points and was eliminated from both meetings before the final races.
Since 2008, Howell has been working with Lipscomb Abarth and racing an Abarth 500.
On Saturday 3 April 2008 at Oulton Park, Howell won the first ever Zing Trofeo Abarth 500 GB with a gap of 2.693 seconds.
