The long summer break is over and works Honda British Touring Car Championship driver Tom Chilton is raring to get back into action.

Tom’s Arena motorsport team have been busy honing the package of the Civic Type-R during the quiet period and although Tom has only given the revised car the briefest of shakedowns at Goodwood this week, he is optimistic that it could make the second half of the season even more successful than the first.

"Arena has had a lot of time to have a look at everything on the car and they have done their best to improve it," he said.

Tom believes the combined effect of the changes will give him the opportunity to fight for podium finishes and race wins on a regular basis.

"This is now the strongest package we have had. In the past we’ve concentrated on setting the car up for races, but now we’ve got it sorted for qualifying. We need to be on those front two rows and fighting at the front."

The BTCC kicks back into life this weekend at Croft, in Yorkshire. The track is a combination of slow, medium and high-speed turns, while its location in the heart of the countryside gives it a unique feel. While Tom didn’t have the best of fortunes at the track last season, it’s a circuit he enjoys racing on.

"There’s an interesting mix of corners, although I’m not much of a fan of the chicane," he said. "From the look of the track you would think it would be easy to pass on, but because of the nature of the layout if you dive down the inside of someone at one corner you’re on the outside for the next one, so they can take you back. Because of that you really need to get a good exit out of the corners to stand a chance of holding position.

"But the key to getting a good time at Croft is under braking. It’s vital to be able to shift all the weight forward in the car as much as possible to eliminate any understeer through the corners. It’s a bit of a weird track, but I like it."

Coverage of this weekend’s action can be seen live of Sky Digital on the Motors TV channel, while highlights of all three of the races will be shown on ITV Speed Sunday show, which airs on August 1.

Check out footage of Tom in action from earlier in the season on www.tomchilton.com built by racecar