Having been far from a leading choice for teams in recent seasons, the number of BMWs competing in the Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship has increased ꦆst🍌ill further with the announcement that Jim Pocklington is to enter a BMW E46 for his debut campaign.

Pocklington, like fellow debutant Simon Blanckley, has spent recent seasons competing in machinery from the Super To🎃uring era of the BTCC, albeit in the Dutch Supercar series, but will now take advantage of the new Super 2000 regulations to make the step into the BTCC for the first time.

His car of choice ꦓis the one raced briefly by Justin Keen and Edenbridge back in 2004.

"The advent of S2000 made up my mind," he said. "Having driven the Super Touring ca♕rs, I can see how difficult it must have been to compete as a privateer against the manufacturers 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 𓄧small boy and the BTCC was always top of my tree. I'm well aware of the level of competition on the grid, but I had to take the chan𒆙ce."

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 three E90s between them and Rick Kerry giving his 120d its touring car debut.