NationMaster - Encyclopedia: Martyn Bell

Martyn Bell is an auto racing driver synonymous with racing BMW rear-wheel-drive cars in his native Britain. For 2006 hecompeted in the British Touring Car Championship (BTCC) in a 320i, in a team owned and run by Geoff Steel, himself a one-time BTCC racer. With only 16 employees the team is smaller than many rivals. Image File history File links Broom_icon. ... This image has been released into the public domain by the copyright holder, its copyright has expired, or it is ineligible for copyright. ... The 2007 British Touring Car Championship season will be the 50th British Touring Car Championship (BTCC) season. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_England_(bordered). ... The BMW 3 Series is an entry-level luxury car / compact executive car manufactured by the German automaker BMW since May 1975. ... The 2006 Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship season will be the 49th British Touring Car Championship (BTCC) season. ... Racing cars redirects here. ... The world-wide recognized term, BMW, abbreviated for Bayerische Motoren Werke or in English Bavarian Motor Works, is an independent German company and manufacturer of automobiles and motorcycles. ... The current BTCC logo The British Touring Car Championship is a series of races for saloon cars which is held each year in the United Kingdom and Ireland. ...

Personal

Martyn is primarily a family man, married with two children and the Proprietor of Martyn Bell Motor Engineers Limited in Barrow upon Humber, some 15 miles from Grimsby in North Lincolnshire. His Motor Racing career can be seen in detail in his own words at History but over the last 9 years MBR have won 3 Class Championship’s in BMW’s and one overall title. All in cars built and developed by MBR and Geoff Steel Racing.

Martyn is a popular figure who always has time for his fans. He works hard for his Sponsors, taking the BMW to events and exhibitions all over the UK and Europe. When not racing he is involved in his local community supporting many local events. Martyn has trained as a Motor Sport Marshall and can sometimes be found at Cadwell Park Circuit putting something back into the Sport. He is an accomplished public speaker.

Racing History

2007: BTCC. Team Allaboutproperty.com/Geoff Steel Racing/Martyn Bell Racing. (BMW 320i E46) The world-wide recognized term, BMW, abbreviated for Bayerische Motoren Werke or in English Bavarian Motor Works, is an independent German company and manufacturer of automobiles and motorcycles. ...

2005: Kumho BMW Championship - 2nd in class, 4th overall (BMW M3 E46). The BMW M3 is a sporty version of the popular compact BMW 3-Series automobile, made by BMW M. M3 models have been derived from the E30, E36 and E46 models. ...

1999-01: BMW Championship - triple class Champion (BMW M3 E36 and BMW 325i Sport E30).

In Martyn's words

"I started my racing career on 4 wheels in 1996, after 15 years at the sharp end of Moto Cross.

I had to quit moto cross after my doctor told me one more operation on my right knee and I’d probably never walk unaided again and I had to resigned myself to a life of swing ball and lemonade at the weekends instead of racing bikes up and down the country.

But for me life without racing was just not an option so I took myself off to the Willinghams Scrap Yard in Hull and bought a wrecked E30 325 sport BMW. I spent all my spare time converting and rebuilding it and eventually I managed to get 1 race in the BMW Plus Four series at Silverstone. I actually qualified quite well in the wet but was punted off mid race at Coppice, but that was it for me, I was off and running.

In 1997 I finished 4th in Class C, which for my first full season wasn’t too bad. I fought my way to 2nd Place in Class C’ in 1998 but had my first class win in 1999. Along with racing in 1999 my team and I built our first E36 which we raced to win class A’ in 2000 and with quite a few modifications, also won Class A’ in 2001.

Looking for a new challenge on the engineering side of things, my team decided to build an M3 E46 race car, at the time there were, to best of my knowledge, no other racing E46’s anywhere in the UK or Europe.

We finally managed to track down the right shell and after a tough season on the track in the E36 (finished 2nd in Class A’) we started testing the E46, and it was a pig. It would go round corners like the E36 but wouldn’t accelerate out of the bends, I just couldn’t do a thing with it, and 2003 was a wash out.

We were nowhere, until we found the problem, which was to unfold. Firstly the ECU had to have some major changes, which was done by BMW, and I had to alter my driving style, helped by Geoff Steel. We won the final 3 races of the season and scraped our way to 4th overall.

But 2004 was a different story. We only tested once before the start of the season which was enough, I knew the car was on it. We scored maximum points in 11 out the 13 rounds and won the overall championship in what was now the Kumho BMW series. That was, I have to say, a fantastic year, and the team were just brilliant, which as a driver is so important. But as with everything in racing the high’s of 2004 had to be followed by the low’s of 2005.

If it could go wrong it did. In 2005 I had more shunts & knocks than in the previous 8 years combined. We did however manage 4 wins from the season and a second place in class, and now we are in the BTCC and what a challenge this is going to be, but with the help of Geoff Steel Racing we might surprise a few people here and there. In motor racing you just never know what is possible. "

Car Specification

The Team

GSR - For 30 years Geoff Steel, as Geoff Steel Racing and G.G. Steel, have built, prepared and provided trackside support for many race, track and rally cars.

Currently concentrating on BTCC, EERC and Dutch Supercup they can also offer track days using many of their current race cars.

MBR - Martyn Bell Racing started in 1996, working out of a small garage in Barrow-Upon-Humber, North Lincolnshire. Over the last 9 years MBR have won 3 Class Championship’s in BMW’s and one over all title. All in cars built and developed by MBR and Geoff Steel Racing.

Rachael Bell - MBR Team Manager Geoff Steel Race - Team Principal Mick Wilkinson - MBR Team Principal

Trivia

The team is not the first to use a BMW E46 320i in the BTCC, as Edenbridge Racing unsuccessfully attempted to run one for Justin Keen in 2004.

The car Martyn uses is the same one as used by Dirk Muller at Macau's WTCC round at the end of 2005, and has become a hugely successful car in the World Touring Car Championship (WTCC). WTCC redirects here. ...

In 2007, Martyn will not be alone with his BMW. Jim Pocklington will run the ex-Edenbridge car, Mat Jackson will run Andy Priaulx's E90 320si from 2006, Team RAC will campaign a pair of E90's for Colin Turkington and Tom Onslow-Cole, and Rick Kerry (himself a former Kumho BMW Champion) will run a 120 d, the first diesel BTCC car. Mat Jackson is a racing driver from Henley-in-Arden, England, born 10th June 1981. ... Andrew Priaulx (born Guernsey, 8 August 1976) is a racing driver. ... History WSR Headquarters in Sunbury-on-Thames, England Founded in 1981, West Surrey Racing is run by New Zealander Dick Bennetts. ... Colin Turkington is an auto racing driver from Newry in Northern Ireland, born on 21st March 1982. ... Tom Onslow-Cole is an English racing driver. ... Rick Kerry is a British motor racing driver from Ipswich, United Kingdom. ... Rudolf Christian Karl Diesel (1858-1913), inventor of the diesel engine. ... The British Touring Car Championship is a series of races for saloon cars which is held each year in the United Kingdom. ...

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