Drive is on for Dave Newsham to raise funds ahead of next season
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DAVE Newsham is targeting a podium finish at Brands Hatch this weekend in what he fears could be his British Touring Cars Championship (BTCC) swansong.
The Inverness driver will compete in the season’s final three races at the Kent circuit today and tomorrow, hoping that his luck will turn around following mechanical trouble which has seen him complete only two of his last six races.
Despite the difficulties, he still sees great potential in his Power Maxed Racing team but admitted looming financial pressures could put an end to his time in the BTCC.
"Ideally I would love to stay with the team next season, hit the ground running and put ourselves in a better position," he said. "But it looks like I will have to bring a whole heap of money in and it’s looking doubtful I will be able to find that.
"It is hard going these days and companies with the kind of sponsorship budgets they had a few years ago are now few and far between. You never know what’s around the corner but it is getting harder and harder."
Newsham has enjoyed mixed fortunes in his fifth season in the BTCC. A fourth-placed finish in the opening race at Silverstone last time out was his best result of the season but the joy turned to frustration after a pair of retirements in the next two races.
After 27 races complete out of 30, Newsham sits in 16th place in the driver standings with 82 points, with Power Maxed Racing in seventh place in the team standings.
"I want to carry on the form of that first race and get on to the podium, that would be a great way to finish off," he said. "The season has been a little bit disappointing, our position doesn’t reflect the pace we have got. Finishing two out of the last six races would be poor by anyone’s standards and that has been the disappointment."
But whether Newsham will be back competing in 2016 remains unclear and he faces a make-or-break winter where he will be focused on attracting investment to allow him to continue.
He added: "It has been this way the past few years, you learn the cars and set up, get used to everybody but then by the end of the season something happens and you have to start again.
"I’ll be working flat out over the winter to attract more sponsorship and get back on the grid but if not, I’ve had a good run. It would be a real shame but hopefully it will work out."
