Team Bristol Street Motors Helps BTCC Race Fan Make Unique Proposal

Team Bristol Street Motors Helps BTCC Race Fan Make Unique Proposal

One British Touring Car Championship fan enjoyed a weekend to remember at Silverstone when his long-term partner used one of the competing cars to propose marriage, all thanks to Bristol Street Motors.

The award-winning automotive retailer ran a special competition ahead of the penultimate meeting of the 2024 season that offered a lucky fan the opportunity to have a message of their choice featured on the car of BTCC title contender Tom Ingram.

Claire Megson from Huddersfield was the lucky winner, who elected to use the header on the rear of the Team BRISTOL STREET MOTORS Hyundai i30 Fastback N to pop the question to partner Darren Bullas.

He headed for Silverstone believing that Claire had won a weekend at the circuit with the chance to enjoy a tour of the team garage, so was shocked when Ingram unveiled the message on his car reading ‘MR D.B WILL YOU MARRY ME?’

Having accepted the proposal, Darren and his new fiance were treated to a VIP experience at the circuit courtesy of Bristol Street Motors and its racing partner EXCELR8.

The pair were invited to watch a race from the Silverstone commentary box before heading out onto the grid to get up close to the BTCC car and see their message before Ingram did battle on track.

Darren was also given the honour of handing out the trophies after an action-packed encounter for the Vertu MINI CHALLENGE Trophy, before the pair returned to the BTCC grid ahead of the final race to be interviewed live on ITV4 about the proposal by pitlane reporter Louise Goodman.

Claire said: “When I first saw the competition, I knew exactly what message to put on the car as we are huge fans of the BTCC and it seemed to be the perfect way to pop the question. I was always confident that Darren would say yes, and the whole day was better than I ever imagined it would be.

“Bristol Street Motors went above and beyond to make us feel special and the opportunities we were given were absolutely amazing, from going in the commentary box to seeing Darren up on the podium handing out some trophies. As for being interviewed on the grid, my phone went crazy with messages from people who had seen us suddenly pop up on their screens at home!

“I can’t thank everyone at Team BRISTOL STREET MOTORS enough for what they have done, and it’s a day we’ll never forget.”

Darren said: “As far as I knew, Claire had won a chance to enjoy hospitality for race day and to go into the Team BRISTOL STREET MOTORS garage to look around the car, so when Tom Ingram peeled off the stickers to reveal the message, I couldn’t believe what was happening.

"It was a pretty emotional moment and very surreal, as I don’t think there are many people who can say they have been proposed to in the pitlane at Silverstone! We’ve always been huge fans of the BTCC, and of motorsport in general, but I don’t think there will ever be a day at a race track that is going to match this one.”

The proposal would prove to be a good luck charm for Ingram, who went on to win two of the three races at Silverstone to ensure he will head into the final weekend of the season at Brands Hatch tied at the top of the standings in his quest to secure a second championship title.