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Luke Hines returns to BTCC in place of Glynn Geddie at United

British Touring Car Championship race winner Luke Hines will return to the series after a nine-year absence in place of the suspended Glynn Geddie at United Autosports

Hines, who contested the majority of the British GT Championship in a Triple Eight BMW Z4 GT3 this year, will drive United's second Toyota Avensis at Silverstone and Brands Hatch.

The 32-year-old made his BTCC debut in a production-class Honda Civic Type-R in 2003, and won three races over the next two seasons when he stepped up into factory Vauxhall (pictured below) and SEAT machinery.

"Coming back is pretty exciting for me," Hines told AUTOSPORT. "I've taken wins before and won the production class [in 2003], and I feel I've grown into a better driver over the last few years.

"I've got unfinished business in the BTCC. I'll see how it goes for the two rounds and go from there."

Hines, who is reuniting with UA team boss Richard Dean having worked for his JLR British Formula Ford team in the past and finished second in British GT in 2006 in Dean's Panoz GT2, is hoping to test prior to the Silverstone round next weekend.

He said scoring points, which his predecessor Geddie and new team-mate James Cole have struggled to do regularly this season, would mark a successful return.

"I've had to change to GTs and LMPs and back again so I'm confident I should be able adapt back in to a front-wheel drive touring car quickly," Hines added.

"To be honest I think me getting used to the style of racing against after GTs will be the biggest thing. [Former champions Alain] Menu and [Fabrizio] Giovanardi have come back and it's taken them a long time to adjust.

"I would love to get points over the two rounds. That would be such an achievement."

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