HARROGATE-BASED former British Touring Car Championship driver John Bintcliffe is switching to ASCAR, the American oval-style racing series.

His Bintcliffe Sport team is to have a crack at the European version of the sport when the 18-race series kicks off on May 5 at the Rockingham, near Corby, Northamptonshire.

Bintcliffe, a double British touring champion said: "The popularity of this type of racing in America is proof of its success and we are supporting it with a major investment in time, money and effort."

Bintcliffe Sport will run three 170mph American racing saloons in the Channel 4-televised championship and will be based at Boroughbridge.

Updated: 10:46 Saturday, February 16, 2002