James Cole has been getting back into the groove in recent days after rocking and rolling on both sides of the Atlantic during the Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship off-season.

Cole enjoyed a first outing of 2017 behind the wheel of the Adrian Flux Subaru Racing Levorg at Snetterton last week, right off the back of a whirlwind trip to the United States.  

The former Formula Ford champion is a talented musician, as well as a BTCC star, and the 28-year-old has been busy performing at a number of sold out dates as Musical Director and Guitarist with The Classic Rock Show.

Since January, Cole has played to more than 30,000 people at gigs throughout both the USA and UK. While performing across the pond, his pre-season testing schedule was finalised, meaning a last-minute dash and re-arranged flight home from Baltimore. James was in a cab and on the way to Norfolk a little over 24 hours after The Classic Rock Show bowed out with its finale on the US leg of its tour! 

Next up was yesterday's Season Launch at Donington Park and a busy afternoon test session alongside the morning's media duties. Cole was little over a second shy of Tom Ingram's benchmark time but the four-hour outing provided ample opportunity to rack up the laps for the Subaru man – 45 in fact – as well as the chance to hone the Levorg ahead of the Brands Hatch season opener, 1/2 April.

"We've had a good start and we’re going through our plan," said Cole during yesterday's test. "It’s not about times it’s about where we are in qualifying in two weeks.

"Testing is a time to be nosy to see how many are showing their true colours and who’s putting it on a little bit. All is good and I’m happy to be back racing but I was delighted with the tour – it was just surreal.

"This year’s very important for me. I’ve missed continuity in the championship in the past and now I’ve got a little bit – I’m in the same car over a two year period for the first time. We’re going to take what we’ve got and develop it a little further."