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Chris Hodgetts

{{short description|British racing driver (born 1950)}}

{{Cleanup bare URLs|date=September 2022}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=May 2015}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2022}}

{{Infobox racing driver

| name = Chris Hodgetts

| image = Chris Hodgetts 1985 ford Escort.JPG

| image_size =

| caption = Chris Hodgetts' 1985 British Saloon Car Championship Ford Escort RS1600

| nationality = {{flagicon|GBR}} British

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1950|12|6|df=y}}

| birth_place = Tanworth-in-Arden, Warwickshire, England

| death_date =

| death_place =

| retired =

| related to =

| last series = British Saloon / Touring Car Championship

| years active = 1980–1990

| teams = Chris Hodgetts Motorsport
MIL Motorsport
Brooklyn Motorsport
Team Toyota GB
Demon Tweeks
JQF Engineering
Vauxhall
Hawaiian Tropic

| starts = 100

| wins = 3 (36 in class)

| poles = 1 (30 in class)

| fastest laps = 6 (31 in class)

| best finish = 1st

| year = 1986, 1987

| prev series =

| prev series years =

| titles = List of BTCC champions
BSCC - Class B
BSCC - Class C
BTCC - Class D

| title years = 1986, 1987
1980, 1981
1985, 1986
1987

| awards =

| award years =

}}

Christopher Leonard Hodgetts (born 6 December 1950 in Tanworth-in-Arden, Warwickshire) is a British former racing driver. He began his racing career in 1979, driving in the Clubman Class A championship.{{Cite web |url=http://www.historicracing.com/driver_az.cfm?type=drivers_alpha&tStartRow=1&AlphaIndex=H&driverID=1694 |title=Chris Hodgetts |access-date=29 September 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160516195215/http://www.historicracing.com/driver_az.cfm?type=drivers_alpha&tStartRow=1&AlphaIndex=H&driverID=1694 |archive-date=16 May 2016 |url-status=dead }}

BTCC career

Hodgetts debuted in the British Touring Car Championship in 1980. His first overall podium place came in 1981 when he came second. He was consistent in the top five after that, mostly driving for the works Toyota team. He came fourth in 1983, fifth in 1984, second in 1985, before winning the series in 1986 and 1987 at the wheel of a Group C Toyota CorollaAE86.{{Cite web|url=http://www.speedhunters.com/2008/09/car_spotlight_gt_gt_chms_toyota_corolla_ae86_touring_car/|title=Car Spotlight>> 'CHMS' Ae86 BTCC Touring Car|date=September 2008}} The 1988 season was not a success. The new Group A Toyota Supra needed a lot of development and only a handful of good results were gained.{{Cite web|url=https://www.flickr.com/photos/trackside/8350773376|title=Chris Hodgetts - Toyota Supra Turbo - Silverstone BTCC - 5th June 1988|date=5 June 1988}} His last race in the BTCC was in 1990. That season he drove for the works Vauxhall team, helping to develop the new Vauxhall Cavalier. Towards the end of the year he switched to a Ford Sierra, before calling time on his BTCC career. During the 1989 season, Hodgetts was driving for Brooklyn in an iconic red Ford Sierra RS500.

After the BTCC

Besides racing in touring cars, Hodgetts also found success in sports car racing. He shared the BRDC C2 Championship with Tim Harvey in 1989 before retiring and won the TVR Tuscan Challenge in 1990.{{Cite web |url=http://www.historicracing.com/driver_az.cfm?type=drivers_alpha&tStartRow=1&AlphaIndex=H&driverID=1694 |title=Chris Hodgetts |access-date=29 September 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160516195215/http://www.historicracing.com/driver_az.cfm?type=drivers_alpha&tStartRow=1&AlphaIndex=H&driverID=1694 |archive-date=16 May 2016 |url-status=dead }} The 1994 season saw Chris in the Rover Turbo Challenge.http://www.dlg.speedfreaks.org/archive/1994/1994.html He also drove in the World Sportscar Championship on occasion and had seven starts in the 24 Hours of Le Mans, representing team such as Mazdaspeed, Courage Compétition and Spice Engineering. He had a best finish of 7th place overall in the classic 24 hour race.{{Cite web |url=http://www.historicracing.com/driver_az.cfm?type=drivers_alpha&tStartRow=1&AlphaIndex=H&driverID=1694 |title=Chris Hodgetts |access-date=29 September 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160516195215/http://www.historicracing.com/driver_az.cfm?type=drivers_alpha&tStartRow=1&AlphaIndex=H&driverID=1694 |archive-date=16 May 2016 |url-status=dead }} In 1995 he won the GT2 title in the British GT Championship, driving a Marcos LM600. He retired after 1998, when he drove a Lola in the ISRS.{{Cite news|url=http://blog.toyota.co.uk/team-toyota-gb-driver-profile-chris-hodgetts|title=Welcome to the new-look Toyota UK Magazine|newspaper=Toyota |date=19 September 2012 }}

Hodgetts now works for Racing Team & Drivers as a driver instructor. His son Stefan raced in the BTCC in 2004.{{Cite web|url=http://media.toyota.co.uk/2012/08/chris-hodgetts-and-son-stefan-to-race-toyota-gt86/|title=News and Content for Media|date=2 November 2023 }}

Racing record

=Complete British Saloon / Touring Car Championship results=

(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position – 1980–1990 in class) (Races in italics indicate fastest lap – 1 point awarded ?–1989 in class)

class="wikitable" style="text-align:center; font-size:85%"

! Year

! Team

! Car

! Class

! 1

! 2

! 3

! 4

! 5

! 6

! 7

! 8

! 9

! 10

! 11

! 12

! 13

! DC

! Pts

! Class

1980

! Hughes of Beaconsfield

! Toyota Celica GT

! {{Tooltip|B|Class B}}

|style="background:#FFDF9F;"| MAL
3†

|style="background:#FFFFBF;"| OUL
1†

|style="background:#DFFFDF;"| THR
?

|style="background:#FFFFBF;"| SIL
9

|style="background:#FFFFBF;"| SIL
7

|style="background:#000000; color:white"| BRH
DSQ

| MAL

| BRH

|style="background:#EFCFFF;"| THR
Ret

|style="background:#DFDFDF;"| SIL
?

|

|

|

! 6th

! 45

|style="background:#FFFFBF;"| 1st

1981

! Hughes of Beaconsfield

! Toyota Celica GT

! {{Tooltip|B|Class B}}

|style="background:#EFCFFF;"| MAL
Ret†

|style="background:#EFCFFF;"| SIL
Ret

|style="background:#FFFFBF;"| OUL
1†

|style="background:#FFFFBF;"| THR
11

|style="background:#DFFFDF;"| BRH
8†

|style="background:#FFFFBF;"| SIL
12

|style="background:#FFFFBF;"| SIL
?

|style="background:#FFFFBF;"| DON
1†

|style="background:#FFFFBF;"| BRH
8

|style="background:#DFFFDF;"| THR
?

|style="background:#DFDFDF;"| SIL
7

|

|

|style="background:#DFDFDF;"| 2nd

|style="background:#DFDFDF;"| 74

|style="background:#FFFFBF;"| 1st

1982

! Chris Hodgetts

! Toyota Corolla GT

! {{Tooltip|B|Class B}}

| SIL

| MAL

| OUL

| THR

| THR

| SIL

|style="background:#EFCFFF;"| DON
Ret

|style="background:#EFCFFF;"| BRH
Ret

| DON

| BRH

| SIL

|

|

! NC

! 0

! NC

1983

! Brooklyn Motorsport

! Ford Escort RS1600i

! {{Tooltip|C|Class C}}

|style="background:#CFCFFF;"| SIL
13

|style="background:#DFFFDF;"| OUL
14

|style="background:#DFFFDF;"| THR
13

|style="background:#EFCFFF;"| BRH
Ret

|style="background:#DFFFDF;"| THR
12

|style="background:#FFFFBF;"| SIL
7

|style="background:#EFCFFF;"| DON
Ret

|style="background:#FFDF9F;"| SIL
13

|style="background:#DFDFDF;"| DON
9

|style="background:#FFFFBF;"| BRH
11

|style="background:#FFFFBF;"| SIL
10

|

|

|style="background:#FFDF9F;"| 3rd

|style="background:#FFDF9F;"| 43

|style="background:#DFDFDF;"| 2nd

1984

! Brooklyn Motorsport

! Ford Escort RS1600i

! {{Tooltip|C|Class C}}

|style="background:#FFFFBF;"| DON
10

|style="background:#DFDFDF;"| SIL
11

|style="background:#DFDFDF;"| OUL
11

|style="background:#EFCFFF;"| THR
Ret

|style="background:#EFCFFF;"| THR
Ret

|style="background:#DFDFDF;"| SIL
?

|style="background:#FFDF9F;"| SNE
13

|style="background:#FFFFBF;"| BRH
11

|style="background:#EFCFFF;"| BRH
Ret

|style="background:#DFFFDF;"| DON
16

|style="background:#EFCFFF;"| SIL
Ret

|

|

! 5th

! 45

|style="background:#DFDFDF;"| 2nd

1985

! Brooklyn Motorsport / ECS

! Ford Escort RS1600i

! {{Tooltip|C|Class C}}

|style="background:#DFDFDF;"| SIL
10

|style="background:#DFDFDF;"| OUL
9

|style="background:#FFDF9F;"| THR
9

|style="background:#FFFFBF;"| DON
10

|style="background:#FFFFBF;"| THR
7

|style="background:#FFDF9F;"| SIL
13

|style="background:#FFFFBF;"| DON
14

|style="background:#FFFFBF;"| SIL
13

|style="background:#FFFFBF;"| SNE
10

|style="background:#FFFFBF;"| BRH
13

|style="background:#FFFFBF;"| BRH
10

|style="background:#FFFFFF;"| SIL
DNS

|

|style="background:#DFDFDF;"| 2nd

|style="background:#DFDFDF;"| 77

|style="background:#FFFFBF;"| 1st

1986

! Team Toyota GB/Duckhams

! Toyota Corolla GT

! {{Tooltip|C|Class C}}

|style="background:#FFFFBF;"| SIL
9

|style="background:#FFFFBF;"| THR
4

|style="background:#FFFFBF;"| SIL
7

|style="background:#FFFFBF;"| DON
4

|style="background:#FFFFBF;"| BRH
12

|style="background:#FFFFBF;"| SNE
7

|style="background:#DFDFDF;"| BRH
5

|style="background:#FFFFBF;"| DON
7

|style="background:#FFFFBF;"| SIL
8

|

|

|

|

|style="background:#FFFFBF;"| 1st

|style="background:#FFFFBF;"| 85

|style="background:#FFFFBF;"| 1st

1987

! Chris Hodgetts Motor Sport

! Toyota Corolla

! {{Tooltip|D|Class D}}

|style="background:#FFFFBF;"| SIL
8

|style="background:#FFFFBF;"| OUL
8

|style="background:#FFFFBF;"| THR
5

|style="background:#DFDFDF;"| THR
11

|style="background:#FFFFBF;"| SIL
9

|style="background:#FFFFBF;"| SIL
12

|style="background:#FFFFBF;"| BRH
7

|style="background:#FFFFBF;"| SNE
7

|style="background:#FFFFBF;"| DON
9

|style="background:#FFFFBF;"| OUL
3/5‡

|style="background:#FFFFBF;"| DON
8

| SIL

|

|style="background:#FFFFBF;"| 1st

|style="background:#FFFFBF;"| 84

|style="background:#FFFFBF;"| 1st

rowspan=3| 1988

! MIL Motorsport

! Toyota Supra Turbo

!rowspan=2| {{Tooltip|A|Class A}}

|style="background:#DFFFDF;"| SIL
8

|style="background:#EFCFFF;"| OUL
Ret

| THR

|style="background:#EFCFFF;"| DON
Ret

|style="background:#CFCFFF;"| THR
12

|style="background:#EFCFFF;"| SIL
Ret

| SIL

| BRH

|

|

|

|

|

!rowspan=2| 33rd

!rowspan=2| 7

!rowspan=2| 13th

Brooklyn Motorsport

! Ford Sierra RS500

|

|

|

|

|

|

|

|

|

|style="background:#CFCFFF;"| BRH
7

|style="background:#FFFFFF;"| BIR
C

|style="background:#FFDF9F;"| DON
3

|style="background:#EFCFFF;"| SIL
Ret

Demon Tweeks

! BMW M3

! {{Tooltip|B|Class B}}

|

|

|

|

|

|

|

|

|style="background:#EFCFFF;"| SNE
Ret

|

|

|

|

! NC

! 0

! NC

rowspan=2| 1989

! Brooklyn Motorsport

!rowspan=2| Ford Sierra RS500

!rowspan=2| {{Tooltip|A|Class A}}

|style="background:#CFCFFF;"| OUL
8

|style="background:#DFFFDF;"| SIL
6

|style="background:#EFCFFF;"| THR
Ret

|style="background:#FFCFCF;"| DON
DNQ

|style="background:#EFCFFF;"| THR
Ret

|style="background:#CFCFFF;"| SIL
7

|style="background:#CFCFFF;"| SIL
8

| BRH

| SNE

| BRH

|style="background:#DFFFDF;"| BIR
4

|style="background:#CFCFFF;"| DON
11

|

!rowspan=2| 40th

!rowspan=2| 6

!rowspan=2| 14th

JQF Engineering

|

|

|

|

|

|

|

|

|

|

|

|

|style="background:#DFFFDF;"| SIL
5

rowspan=2| 1990

! Vauxhall Motorsport

! Vauxhall Cavalier

!rowspan=2| {{Tooltip|B|Class B}}

| OUL

|style="background:#EFCFFF;"| DON
Ret‡

| THR

| SIL

|style="background:#DFFFDF;"| OUL
15

|style="background:#DFFFDF;"| SIL
12

|style="background:#EFCFFF;"| BRH
Ret

|style="background:#DFFFDF;"| SNE
11

| BRH

|style="background:#FFDF9F;"| BIR
8

| DON

|

|

!rowspan=2| 16th

!rowspan=2| 46

!rowspan=2| 9th

Hawaiian Tropic

! Ford Sierra Sapphire

|

|

|

|

|

|

|

|

|

|

|

|style="background:#FFDF9F;"| THR
7

|style="background:#DFFFDF;"| SIL
13

† Events with 2 races staged for the different classes.

‡ Endurance driver.

References

{{Reflist}}

  • {{usurped|1=[https://web.archive.org/web/20061013185009/http://www.btcc-racing.com/drivers/hodgettsc.asp Chris Hodgetts at btcc-racing.com]}}

External links

  • [https://web.archive.org/web/20100407093121/http://www.chrishodgetts.net/ Official website]

{{s-start}}

{{s-sports}}

{{succession box|title=British Touring Car Champion |before=Andy Rouse|after=Frank Sytner|years=1986–1987}}

{{s-end}}

{{BTCC champions}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Hodgetts, Chris}}

Category:1950 births

Category:Living people

Category:British Touring Car Championship drivers

Category:British Touring Car Championship Champions

Category:British Formula 3000 Championship drivers

Category:24 Hours of Le Mans drivers

Category:People from Tanworth-in-Arden

Category:British GT Championship drivers

Category:World Sportscar Championship drivers

Category:24 Hours of Spa drivers

Category:Britcar 24-hour drivers