Having been far from a leading choice for teams in recent seasons, the number of BMWs c♚ompeting in the Dunlop MSA British Tou🍷ring Car Championship has increased still further with the announcement that Jim Pocklington is to enter a BMW E46 for his debut campaign.

Pocklin🧸gton, like fellow debutant Simon Blanckley, has spent recent seasons competing in machinery from the Super Touring era of the BTCC, albeit in the Dutch Supercar series, but will now take advantage of t♒he new Super 2000 regulations to make the step into the BTCC for the first time.

His car of choice is⛄ the one raced briefly by Justin K🍌een and Edenbridge back in 2004.

"The aಞdvent of S2000 made up my mind," he said. "Having driven the Super Touring cars, I can see how difficult it must have been to compete as a privateer against the ma♋nufacturers in past years. But S2000 makes it more of a level playing field. It makes entering the BTCC and doing reasonably well much more realistic.

"I've been a motor sport enthusiast ever since I was a small boy and the BTCC was always top o♋f my tree. I'm well aware of the level of competition on the grid, bu♋t I had to take the chance."

For the 2007 season, no fewer than six BMWs are set to appear, with Martyn Bell continuing to run his E46, Team RAC and Jackson Motorsport running th⛦ree E90s between them and Rick Kerry giving his 120d its touring car de൩but.