Arena Motorsport

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Arena Motorsport is a UK-based motor racing team founded by Mike Earle best known for racing in the BTCC. Their first season was in 1999, running a year-old Renault Laguna for Russell Spence and later for 1991 champion Will Hoy. The team disappeared from the series for a while, but in 2001 approached Honda about running a Honda Civic on an independent basis. Honda was so impressed at the proposal that they gave the team full manufacturer support, and it entered in 2002 with promising dirvers Alan Morrison and Andy Priaulx. There was some initial success, and in 2003 Matt Neal finished 3rd in the standings for them, at which point Honda reduced their support, leaving the team to run a single car for the well-funded Tom Chilton. Although the car is now outdated compared to the Honda Integra raced by Neal's Team Dynamics, Chilton took 3 wins in the 2005 season. The car didn't enter in 2006, with the Civic being sold to Fast-tec motorsport who ran Mark Protor in the championship ( although Arena helped Fas-tec get to grips with the car).