Former race winner Luke Hines will make a surprise return to the Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Champ꧅ionship in place of the suspended Glynn Geddie at Unit☂ed Autosports.

The 32-year-old competed in the BTCC between 2003 and 2005, picking up three race wins during tenures with the factory Vauxhall and SEAT teams, before forg💮ing a successful career in GT💝 competition thereafter.

Now Hines will return to BTCC competition for the final two events at Silverstone and Brands Hatch, where he will driꦰve the Toyota Avensis alongside Jame🔯s Cole.

"I'm thrilled to be returning to the BTCC. I would like to say a huge thank you to United Autosports for this fantastic opportunity. I raced in the championship previously between 2003 to 2005 taken podiums and wins and I can't wait to get my hands on the ca🌃r. I'm not just going to make up the numbers, I'm excited and I have a lot of unfinished business 🤪in the BTCC."

Re𓆉placing Geddie, who was suspended by the team pending an investigatio♚n for a drink-driving allegation, Hines' arrival has been welcomed by United Autosports' Richard Dean

"I know Luke very well and ܫI am a big fan having run him in Formula Ford and in the Panoz GT2 car. Luke helped my old Team JLR to score a one-two-three podium clean sweep in the big grid, 30+ car Formula Ford days.

"Luke also finished second in the BGT championship with ꦯTom Kimber-Smith when we ran the Panoz in GT2 back in 2006. He is a winner and will add the front wheel drive experience we are looki🐓ng for with our BTCC programme."