THE touring cars will be coming to Thruxton only once next summer after a decision by the Hampshire circuit to forego its traditional August Bank Holiday meeting.

It's a major disappointment for Southern motorsport followers but the decision was a voluntary one by Thruxton to help ease a congested calendar for the 2000 season.

A statement from the Auto Trader Championship press office read: "Since a provisional calendar of 28 rounds was announced in July, TOCA (the championship organisers) have recognised the concerns of teams and manufacturers about the burden of an extra event and additional back-to-back weekends.

"To assist in resolving the issue Thruxton have graciously agreed to forego one of their traditional two meetings in 2000 to allow TOCA to reduce the schedule."

Thruxton will still stage their May Bank Holiday meeting on April 30 and May 1 featuring rounds five and six of the Auto Trader-backed Touring Car Championship.

The programme for 2000 was originally extended by two rounds to take in a new meeting at Mondello Park in Ireland on August 12 and 13.

"Ideally we would not have dropped an event to make way for the introduction of Mondello Park," explained TOCA chief executive Alan Gow, "but we had to take on board the teams' concern and I am extremely grateful to Dennis Carter, the BARC and Thruxton Circuit for making such a magnanimous gesture."

After the huge success of this summer's inaugural night meeting at Snetterton, the Norfolk circuit are to stage a repeat on July 8 next year and Silverstone are getting in on the act, too, for their end-of-season meeting on September 18.

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