After a successful 2000 BTCC season, having won the driver's championship for Class B,[2]Vic Lee Racing signed a deal with Peugeot to run in the BTC Touring-class for the 2001 BTCC season.[3] VLR built 3 406 Coupes, and hired Dan Eaves, Steve Soper and Matt Neal as their drivers,[4] but sponsorship issues led to releasing Neal after the first round,[5] being replaced by ex-motorcycle racer Aaron Slight in several rounds.[6] Neal would go on to be critical of the Peugeot effort.[7] The campaign was unsuccessful, with the best results being a trio of 3rd places from Soper at Mondello Park (he was 4th on the road with Production Class winner James Kaye finishing 2nd) and Eaves, at Oulton Park[8] and the last round of the season, held at the Brands Hatch Indy circuit.[9] The car's large size limited its agility and made it less competitive than its rivals.[7]
2002 season
After the poor performances in 2001, Peugeot withdraw their works support, choosing instead to focus on their more successful World Rally Championship campaign.[10] The team, in 2002, now renamed Team Halfords after gaining sponsorship from Halfords,[11] continued racing with the 406. Eaves stayed with the team, while 1992 championTim Harvey and Carl Breeze joined the team. A second unsuccessful season followed; with the best result being a second place from Eaves in the opening round at Brands Hatch.[12] Harvey added a 2nd podium with 3rd in race 2 at the second Brands Hatch meeting. Despite the lack of overall competitiveness, Dan Eaves and Tim Harvey finished the season 1st and 3rd respectively in the Independents Cup.[13] For 2003, the team switched to the Sergio Rinland designed Peugeot 307, with the hope of gaining more competitiveness.[14]
2004 season
The 406 Coupes remained unused in 2003, but halfway through the 2004 season, Mardi Gras Motorsport decided to replace their LPG-powered, Super 2000-specification Honda Civic with a 406 Coupe.[15] The car proved barely more successful than its predecessor - finishing no higher than a 12th place at Knockhill in the 4 rounds it entered.[16] The car did not reappear for the 2005 season.
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