B-Quik Racing Co. Ltd. TM (“B-Quik Racing”) is pleased to announce the drivers and racing programme for “Tier 2” of the “B-Quik Junior Programme” this season after just kicking off the year with a productive test session at Bira Circuit, which also saw an evolved technical support package being phased in.
The B-Quik Junior Programme is an ambitious and unique initiative that gives technical staff from B-Quik Co. Ltd. TM (“B-Quik”) the opportunity to apply to join the team either as a junior racing driver or junior technician. It’s about developing skills and knowledge in the highly competitive arena of motorsport that will benefit staff in the company as they go forward with their careers.
The finalists of “Season 1” of the B-Quik Junior Programme “Driver Selection Process”, Narin Naeosathon and Sathaporn Veerachue, will team up together in our #26 Dodge Challenger in “TA2 Thailand” this year. Last year Narin contested the inaugural season of TA2 Thailand while Sathaporn was nominated as the reserve driver. For the series’ second season it will move to a 1-hour race format with mandatory driver change pitstops and that fits perfectly for our programme as it means these two young drivers can share our Challenger.
TA2 Thailand’s racecars feature a ‘spec’ spaceframe chassis with multiple body styles that are equipped with identical 6.2-litre GM V8 engines (producing 525 hp) to keep performance level and costs in check. With 2-way suspension, MoTeC ECU, sequential transmission and many other features it adds up to a pukka racecar that challenges both drivers and teams to unlock its potential. As such it provides a suitable platform for the “Tier 2” of our Junior Programme for the drivers stepping up from “Tier 1” where they make their first step in motorsport behind the wheel of our roster of Honda Brio and Toyota Vios racecars.
The “TA2 Thailand Championship 2019” will take at Malaysia’s Sepang Circuit as well as Thailand’s Chang International Circuit in Buriram (twice), Bira Circuit in Pattaya and the Bangsaen Street Circuit, Chonburi, providing a perfect mix of tracks as Sepang and Buriram are both high speed and flowing world class F1/MotoGP-level circuits, Bira is an historic, tight, twisty and narrow challenge, while Bangsaen is one of the most dramatic street circuits in the arena of motorsport.
As part of our programme of new upgrades for 2019 we will partner in TA2 Thailand with Innovation Motorsport, which will provide additional technical and driver support services for our #26 Challenger. Included in this strategy will be our support for Innovation’s #55 Ford Mustang with Junior Programme technicians joining the team to receive training and to support this car, which will be driven by Mike Freeman along with a team mate to be nominated.
The two cars (#26 Challenger & #55 Mustang) will be entered in TA2 Thailand this season as “Innovation B-Quik Racing” which means that as well as forming the core of our Junior Programme our young drivers and technicians will have the extra motivation to be part of a serious challenge for the prestigious “TA2 Thailand Teams’ Championship” title.
B-Quik Racing is supported by B-Quik, Michelin, Mobil 1, Bendix, Yuasa, NGK, Liqui Moly, STI and WAC Car Detailing.
Henk Kiks (Managing Director, B-Quik Racing): “We’re satisfied with the two stage ‘ladder’ put in place for our Junior Programme last year after we chose TA2 Thailand to form a progressive step from the Brio and Vios cars, so it’s logical that we should build on that for this year and with the series moving to 1-hour races that’s an extra bonus. We’re pleased to partner with Innovation Motorsport to put in place this expanded programme in the TA2 series for 2019, their reputation speaks for itself, and I think they are a very good and capable fit to provide a robust support platform for our young drivers and technicians. We expect positive results this year that build on the start we made in TA2 during 2018.”
Narin Naeosathon (#26 Dodge Challenger): “I’m looking forward to racing in the new season. This year I’ll race with the Dodge and share the car with Sathaporn who has been my team mate since we race in Super Eco. The official test at Bira was good. Although I have experience from the Camaro last year, I think the Dodge is different from the Camaro so I have to learn more. Also, we have to race in a 1-hour format now so it’s very challenging for everyone. I hope we can do well and get good results this year.”
Sathaporn Veerachue (#26 Dodge Challenger): “I’m very pleased to join TA2 for a full season this year. It’s been a long time since I first tested the Camaro in Buriram, almost exactly a year, so I’m very excited and I felt a bit pressure during the official TA2 test at Bira. The support team gave me good advice that helped me get to know the car. The Dodge is big, powerful and very fast so I have to learn to handle and acclimatise to the car. I’m also very happy to hear that I’ll share the car with Narin this year. We have been working together as driver and technician so I think we will be good team mates. I’d like to thank you B-Quik Racing for this opportunity and I will really try my best this year.”
