So with Triple 8 confirming that Marc Hynes will be driving a third MG6 next season, it looks like they are pulling out all the stops to take the teams and manufacturer's titles from Honda, who have been back to back winners of the titles for the last 4 years.
Ian Harrison's team last won the titles back in 2009, ironically when they had current Honda driver Matt Neal in the team alongside Fabrizio Giovanardi and newly crowned BTCC champ Andy Jordan. They are currently the only team on the grid who have confirmed a three car assault on the championship next year, with Honda looking likely to field only two cars with the new Civic Tourers for Neal and Shedden.
The question is though, are they good enough to end Honda's dominance? Well to start, they still have Jason Plato behind the wheel of one of the KX backed MG's, with the second yet to be confirmed. Any BTCC fan knows exactly what Jason Plato is capable of in almost any car, and is always #1 driver at any team. He will be leading the charge straight away. It's not certain what qualities Hynes will bring to the series, but I'm sure he will be just as eager to be up the front end of the grid as soon as. Depending on who will be driving the second KX MG could decide whether Triple 8 will be serious title challengers or not.
As well as driver choice, reliability will play a huge factor of Triple 8's title challenge. Since the NGTC project was launched for the team in 2012, there have been a number of issues with the cars, ranging from punctures to boost failures to fires. Last season though, the MG's did seem to be more reliable, so providing the cars are set up correctly for the majority of 2014, then they could be consistent front runners next season.
It is also a big advantage for them that the current holders of the manufacturers and teams titles, Honda, have switched to a brand new car for next year. It may be another Honda Civic, but with it being the Tourer model, then the Team Dynamics boys will have to alter the setups due to the different shape of the car, and it may take them a number of rounds before the team get the cars set up just right in order to run at the front of the pack. Again, reliability will play an issue there for Honda, as they don't know for certain how reliable the new cars will be.
It'll be interesting to watch next season, but one thing is for sure; there will be a much closer fight for the teams and manufacturers titles than ever before.
