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Back in his younger days (yes he was young once), Martyn kicked off his career riding trial bikes after his father purchased a machine for the young Bellie to enter in local competitions. Odd awards followed but the racer in Martyn meant he was more suited to what was then better known as scrambling, so the switch to motocross followed. Various local trophies were secured while Martyn also did the occasional British Championship event before one fall too many forced him to call it a day on his two wheeled aspirations.A chance meeting at a seminar sowed the seeds for a move into car racing and, deciding he didn’t fancy spending his weekends towing a caravan around the country and drinking orange squash, Martyn settled on an entry into the BMW Four Plus championship (which would later be known as the Kumho BMW series). His first car, a BMW 325 Sport, was actually rescued from a scrap yard in Hull before being fixed up in the garage at home ready for a debut race at Silverstone. In wet conditions, Martyn qualified well and although he was shoved off the circuit before the finish, the bug had bitten – and there was no turning back.
Working on the car, Martyn got in touch with local BMW specialist – and one time BTCC racer – Geoff Steel and so started a relationship that spawned multiple championships with cars including a home built BMW E36 and an E46. Proving to be an ideal place to learn his trade, with exciting racing alongside a field of racers that Martyn admits are a great bunch of guys, the decision was taken to move on from the Kumho series to other things – although initially the BTCC wasn’t where Martyn intended to be. Instead it was the Porsche Carrera Cup where Martyn considered racing in 2006 as the championship welcomed the new Porsche 997 into the fold. However, the change in model meant that interest in the series was high and cars hard to come by, so when a potential sponsor mentioned the BTCC, the plans suddenly changed. A seminar held by series director Alan Gow at the home of the BAR Formula One team towards the end of 2005 had shown Martyn and other potential touring car entrants, that big budgets weren’t necessarily required to launch an assault on the BTCC. Martyn was then put in touch with leading BMW outfit Schnitzer, a team that had taken the BTCC title in 1993 with ‘Smokin’ Jo Winkelhock and now campaigns cars in the WTCC, and a relationship was struck that saw Martyn acquire the very car that carried Dirk Muller to second place in the 2005 World Touring Car standings behind Briton Andy Priaulx.
Entering the BTCC under the Geoff Steel Racing banner was a big step for team and driver, with Martyn using the ‘well-known’ saying of ‘try chewing a few prawns before you announce to the world that you are going to devour a big lobster’ to sum up how the team approached its maiden campaign.
The BTCC was a world away of anything that had gone before - never mind being on the same page, this was a different book. With a small budget that Geoff and the teams were ‘bloody marvellous’ to work with and that wife Rachael somehow made fit, it was a season of highs and lows. From scoring a point at the first meeting at Brands Hatch to a disastrous trip to Ireland where the BMW clearly wasn’t at home on the tight and twisty circuit and was well off the pace, the team worked hard throughout the season to iron out the problems it encountered.High points during the season came at Oulton Park, where an early banker lap looked like giving Martyn a surprise pole position when rain fell during qualifying before SEAT pair Jason Plato and James Thompson edged him off the front row, and also at Knockhill, where the BMW scored points on two occasions – including a seasons best finish of eighth place. Having found an issue in the suspension after the penultimate round at Brands Hatch that had hampered him during the season, Martyn ended the year at Silverstone with a car he can work with and which he is confident he can make steps forward with in 2007. Of course, Martyn would be nowhere without the team behind him, a team that has already gained a reputation as one of the most friendly and welcoming in the BTCC paddock.
After two seasons with his BMW 320i, the 2008 season sees him move to Arkas Racing, taking with him a new sponsor in the shape of Sunshine.co.uk to drive an ex-works Astra Sport Hatch alongside Erkut Kizilirmak. Ironically, it was a deal first talked about on the same weekend Martyn sent Erkut into the cornfield at Snetterton last year. It's a funny old world.... A new season, a new sponsor, a new team and a new car - all change from 2007!
Having moved to Arkas Racing, Martyn has had his first run in the Astra at Snetterton, albeit in rather cold conditions, followed by long test at Rockingham Media Day and another at Brands Hatch. He is now anticipating an exciting season ahead in 2008
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