Laser Tools Racing man tops exciting BTCC qualifying session

Ash Sutton secured pole position for Round 10 of the 2020 Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship after the Laser Tools Racing star produced a fantastic mid-session lap.

The 30-minutes of running was interrupted following a hefty shunt for Matt Neal, and although there were several improvements up and down the order following the restart, nobody could match Sutton's earlier 50.535s lap time.

Toyota Gazoo Racing UK with Ginsters' Tom Ingram was the first man to set a representative time and he immediately followed that with a heart-in-mouth moment on his next tour. The Toyota Corolla twitched on the exit of the chicane, ran wide on the left, before being spat across the track towards the barrier. Ingram did well to save the car from contact, but he couldn't maintain his place at the top of the order.

Sutton then recorded two laps quicker than his rivals – suggesting that he could have consistently run at the same pace – to take the first ever BTCC pole position for the Infiniti. 

Championship leader Colin Turkington importantly managed to sneak his maximum ballast-laden BMW 3 Series into second with just seven minutes remaining, and it came at an absolutely critical time in the contest as Halfords Yuasa Racing's Neal was almost simultaneously having his session-ending accident.

Like Ingram before him, Neal's Honda Civic Type R ran wide through the chicane, but the pace was too fast as the car was launched back across the circuit and into the barrier at relatively high speed. A damaged Honda and slightly damaged pride for Neal, but the three-time BTCC champion will back in the thick of the action come race day.

Interestingly, team-mate Dan Cammish decided not to rejoin the session following the restart – potentially choosing to save tyres for tomorrow's critical triple-header – but he was immediately relegated one place down the order as MB Motorsport accelerated by Blue Square's Jake Hill launched into second, securing his first-ever front-row starting berth in the BTCC.

Turkington held on to third until the finish, whilst Cammish and Ingram eventually had to settle for fourth and fifth on the grid for tomorrow's opener.

Rory Butcher ensured the predicted quintet of title contenders were inside the top six as the Scotsman produced the goods at his home track.

Mike Bushell performed well in the Power Maxed Car Care Racing Vauxhall Astra as he took seventh, whilst Laser Tools Racing's Aiden Moffat left it late to grab eighth. It has been Moffat's most competitive day of the season so far – importantly coming at both his and the team's local track – and the Infiniti Q50 could prove a potent weapon around the 1.27-mile circuit tomorrow.

Neal – who had looked extremely racy in the early stages – ended up ninth despite his accident, whilst Team BMW's Tom Oliphant rounded out the top ten.

The pace during the session proved relentless with 24 cars being separated by less than a second, suggesting we should be in for a thriller in Fife on Sunday.

Ash Sutton said: "We’ve needed that. It’s great to get the first Infiniti Q50 pole position, that’s another thing ticked off. But it wasn’t easy! Obviously the past couple of weekends we’ve suffered with pace in qualifying due to issues in Free Practice, but it was nice to have a free day today.

"We put a fresher set of tyres on in FP2, like everyone else, so we got a bit more of an indication of where we were at. But that was the first time on a new tyre and the car was absolutely spot on. BMR Engineering and Laser Tools Racing have done a sterling job with it! I couldn’t have asked for a better car.

"Obviously it’s mega important to claim that little point to claw back on Colin for pole. The plan is to try and outscore him from that point onwards and this is our perfect opportunity. We’ve not been in this position yet this year so it’s our prime time to try and do something about that points gap between us."

Jake Hill said: "Amazing, I’m chuffed to bits. It’s great for me and for MB Motorsport accelerated by Blue Square. We’ve all done a great job today and it showed; in FP1 we were feeling good pace-wise, in FP2 we just did a race run and then obviously we’ve committed to a certain route for qualifying and it paid off.

"I was a bit dubious at first, and then we came in after our first run and had another misfire issue so we had to replace a part of the engine, wiring basically, during the session and then we went out and managed to secure that in the last minutes.

"It definitely wasn’t easy, I was pushing the old girl to her absolute limits. I’m just happy that we managed to stick it right up at the front, it’s my first-ever front-row start in terms of qualifying pace which is absolutely fantastic. It was just nice to be able to pull a lap together. I knew it was in me. We thought maybe a 50.7s was on the cards, but to grab a 50.588s was fantastic, I’m chuffed to bits."

Colin Turkington said: "I'm really happy with the result. Knockhill qualifying, you always have to produce your biggest lap of the season, so I managed to do that and pull one out of the bag.

"As a car, as a team, we’ve steadily improved throughout the day and I had my best car in qualifying. There were many laps through turn one I was thinking ‘where did the road go?’ I was so far up on two wheels. But you have to really attack this circuit, which I think is why we all really love it.

"One of the biggest difficulties of Knockhill is trying to get some clear space, but also have yourself in a rhythm. You really have to attack turn one and the chicane, so you can’t have too many other people around you. You just need vision: you need a clear track to go on the attack. Thankfully I had that in the middle run. I couldn’t get space on my final run but I had a good time in the bank, so we’re well set up for tomorrow."

Rounds 10, 11 and 12 of the 2020 Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship take place at Knockhill tomorrow (30 August) with all the action being broadcast live on ITV2 from 1040.

2020 Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship – Qualifying – Knockhill

1          Ashley SUTTON (GBR) Laser Tools Racing 50.535s
2          Jake HILL (GBR) MB Motorsport accelerated by Blue Square +0.053s
3          Colin TURKINGTON (GBR) Team BMW +0.083s
4          Dan CAMMISH (GBR) Halfords Yuasa Racing +0.181s
5          Tom INGRAM (GBR) Toyota Gazoo Racing UK with Ginsters +0.200s
6          Rory BUTCHER (GBR) Motorbase Performance +0.270s
7          Mike BUSHELL (GBR) Power Maxed Car Care Racing +0307s
8          Aiden MOFFAT (GBR) Laser Tools Racing +0.386s
9          Matt NEAL (GBR) Halfords Yuasa Racing +0.393s
10        Tom OLIPHANT (GBR) Team BMW +0.399s
11        Josh COOK (GBR) BTC Racing +0.399s
12        Stephen JELLEY (GBR) Team Parker Racing +0.427s
13        Tom CHILTON (GBR) BTC Racing +0.450s
14        Adam MORGAN (GBR) Carlube TripleR Racing with Mac Tools +0.456s
15        Senna PROCTOR (GBR) Excelr8 Motorsport +0.465s
16        Michael CREES (GBR) The Clever Baggers with BTC Racing +0.485s
17        Carl BOARDLEY (GBR) HUB Financial Solutions with Team HARD +0.552s
18        Sam OSBORNE (GBR) MB Motorsport accelerated by Blue Square +0.664s
19        Chris SMILEY (GBR) Excelr8 Motorsport +0.685s
20       Bobby THOMPSON (GBR) GKR TradePriceCars.com +0.731s
21        Ollie JACKSON (GBR) Motorbase Performance +0.781s
22        Jack GOFF (GBR) RCIB Insurance with Fox Transport +0.793s
23        James GORNALL (GBR) GKR TradePriceCars.com +0.91s
24        Andy NEATE (GBR) Motorbase Performance +0.917s
25        Jack BUTEL (GBR) Carlube TripleR Racing with Mac Tools +1.260s

The Official BTCC website caught up with Laser Tools Racing's Ash Sutton after his stellar FP2 performance earlier today at Fife's Knockhill circuit.

Check out what the Infiniti driver had to say below...

Laser Tools Racing's Ash Sutton set the quickest lap time during free practice 2 as the BTCC weekend at Knockhill continues to pick up pace.

Sutton has been one of the outstanding drivers of the season so far and now the Infiniti Q50 man is looking to deliver at his team's home track.

"It was getting a pounding from the kerbs around here, but other than that, the car’s mega," said Sutton. "It’s always hard to say going into qualifying, you don’t know what people’s plans are during FP1 and FP2. We know where we’re at and we know what we’ve got, so fingers crossed!"

26-year-old Sutton claimed a win here on his way to the title back in 2017 and another the following year, so he's sure to be a contender come tomorrow afternoon, but there are a host of young chargers gunning for glory.

Tom Ingram's season so far has largely been blighted by frustration and misfortune but there's no denying the pace of the Toyota Corolla driver and car. Ingram claimed second in FP2 and his Toyota Gazoo Racing UK with Ginsters team believe a first victory of the season is in their sights.

Ingram did, however, miss the first half of the session while his Speedworks squad worked on a minor issue.

"We had an issue at the start of FP2, a cooler pipe with a small bit of weeping around it, so we wanted to make sure that was right before we went out," said Team Principal Christian Dick. "It wasn’t worth risking, we were pretty confident and comfortable with the pace of the car from FP1, so just made some small tweaks between the two sessions, but all positive in the end."

Positivity is also running through the Power Maxed Car Care Racing camp as the Vauxhall team proved its practice pace for the second successive weekend, with pilot Mike Bushell sitting third in the timesheets. The Oulton Park event also started in similar fashion for the team and its speed is again on show, but now they require the consistency to score big tomorrow afternoon.

Aiden Moffat confirmed the potential of the Laser Tools Racing's Infiniti Q50 by setting the fourth fastest time, with the Scotsman targeting his strongest showing so far this season, whilst Oulton Park race winner Adam Morgan was fifth in the Ciceley-run Mercedes.

Excelr8 Motorsport's Senna Proctor completed the top six positions with the Yorkshireman looking forward to his 100th BTCC race tomorrow afternoon.

The Team BMW duo of Colin Turkington and Tom Oliphant were next in the order, whilst FP1 pace-setter Jake Hill was ninth. Hill's morning lap time remains the quickest of the day so far, as the Kent driver focussed on longer race runs during the second session.

Team Parker Racing's Stephen Jelley rounded out the top ten in his BMW 125i M Sport.

2020 Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship – Free Practice 2 – Knockhill

1        Ashley SUTTON (GBR) Laser Tools Racing +50.870s
2       Tom INGRAM (GBR) Toyota Gazoo Racing UK with Ginsters +0.128s
3       Mike BUSHELL (GBR) Power Maxed Car Care Racing +0.161s
4       Aiden MOFFAT (GBR) Laser Tools Racing +0.192s
5       Adam MORGAN (GBR) Carlube TripleR Racing with Mac Tools +0.224s
6       Senna PROCTOR (GBR) Excelr8 Motorsport +0.233s
7       Colin TURKINGTON (GBR) Team BMW +0.240s
8      Tom OLIPHANT (GBR) Team BMW +0.265s
9       Jake HILL (GBR) MB Motorsport accelerated by Blue Square +0.283s
10      Stephen JELLEY (GBR) Team Parker Racing +0.290s
11       Dan CAMMISH (GBR) Halfords Yuasa Racing +0.311s
12      Tom CHILTON (GBR) BTC Racing +0.311s
13      Rory BUTCHER (GBR) Motorbase Performance +0.324s
14      Matt NEAL (GBR) Halfords Yuasa Racing +0.327s
15      Sam OSBORNE (GBR) MB Motorsport accelerated by Blue Square +0.414s
16      Chris SMILEY (GBR) Excelr8 Motorsport +0.428s
17      Jack GOFF (GBR) RCIB Insurance with Fox Transport +0.982s
18      Carl BOARDLEY (GBR) HUB Financial Solutions with Team HARD +0.630s
19       Josh COOK (GBR) BTC Racing +0.640s
20      Ollie JACKSON (GBR) Motorbase Performance +0.647s
21      Michael CREES (GBR) The Clever Baggers with BTC Racing +0.662s
22      Bobby THOMPSON (GBR) GKR TradePriceCars.com +0.749s
23      James GORNALL (GBR) GKR TradePriceCars.com +1.050s
24      Andy NEATE (GBR) Motorbase Performance +1.424s
25      Jack BUTEL (GBR) Carlube TripleR Racing with Mac Tools +1.436s

Having topped the times during FP1 at the scene of his maiden BTCC win, we caught up with MB Motorsport accelerate by Blue Square's Jake Hill to find out how he's feeling ahead of FP2 and qualifying later today, and how the squad is using the data from FP1 to put its best foot forward at Knockhill.

Listen to the full interview below...

The Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship arrives at its most northern point this weekend as the UK’s best motorsport series speeds into the loveable Knockhill circuit.

The shortest circuit on the calendar is also often one of the most entertaining with 25 cars set to go bumper-to-bumper around the 1.27-mile rollercoaster ride.

Another aspect that usually makes the Knockhill weekend so spectacular is the hugely knowledgeable and partisan crowd that line the banks of the undulating venue, but this is 2020 and the unfortunate circumstances surrounding behind-closed-doors sporting events continues here this weekend.

The local crowd has always backed all BTCC drivers and teams with passion and support, but often enjoyed the sideshow of one of their own going for a title.

During the 1980s and 90s it was often John Cleland flying that Scottish flag with pride - winning two BTCC titles along the way - and then of course Gordon Shedden was roared on to his fantastic three BTCC crowns.

But now there is a new man in town and at this turn of a new decade, Rory Butcher is Scotland’s latest championship hope.

The likeable and charming Motorbase Performance driver is as down to earth as they come, but inside there is a steely and determined high-class racing driver.

Butcher joined the series as a well-known and experienced GT racer but, as ever, the BTCC requires a certain style that often needs refining.

A BTCC debut at Knockhill in 2017 was followed by a first full campaign a year later. It was last season, however, that Rory made a real breakthrough as he competed for the overall title and went on to win the Independents’ trophy.

An off-season move to Motorbase Performance caught many by surprise but Butcher was convinced he was right to return to his old stomping ground, having raced with the team previously.

His conviction was vindicated as soon as he completed his first test in the all-new Ford Focus and he’s never looked back.

One win and three further podiums in the opening nine races have underlined his credentials as a serious 2020 title contender, and now the home hero will be hoping for more glory at his local track following on from victory here last season.

“The pressure is even higher at home,” said the 33-year-old. “I will definitely try and ride that wave of pressure and turn it into a positive energy. I can’t wait to get to my home circuit.

“I know the place like the back of my hand. I’m really excited to see how this new car will handle the Knockhill circuit.”  

Last time out, at Oulton Park, Rory scored a second successive pole position and followed that up with a first victory for the Motorbase-built 2020 Ford when on-the-road winner – Josh Cook – was excluded from the result after his car failed a post-race ride height check.

“It was the weekend that we really needed,” he concluded. “We got another pole position which was such a great feeling.

“We will inherit the points and take the trophy for race one but I’m eager to get that first win in this car across the line. It’s unfinished business.”

If Rory is to win this year’s championship, however, then he – like everyone else chasing the crown – will have to overthrow reigning champion Colin Turkington.

The Team BMW star leads the standings by 19 points – from Laser Tools Racing’s Ash Sutton – with the Northern Irishman enjoying a stellar and consistent start to the 2020 campaign.

Even when Turkington doesn’t quite have the pace to challenge for victory, the record-equalling BTCC supremo ensures he picks up the maximum points that his machinery is capable of.

This is something that Butcher, as well as Honda’s Dan Cammish and Toyota’s Tom Ingram, will need to improve on – with all three suffering mechanical woes at some point during the season so far.

Uncertainties and unknowns in the BTCC are endless, which is the reason why the series simply is the best show in town.

There’s one thing for certain: 25 of the world’s best tin top drivers will be battling it out for honours at Knockhill this weekend. We’re sorry that our fans will not be able to enjoy the action trackside, but please join us live on ITV2 from 1040, because, if the season so far is anything to go by, entertainment is guaranteed.

MB Motorsport accelerated by Blue Square's Jake Hill topped the times in the opening Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship Free Practice session at Knockhill this morning (29 August).

After a week of mixed weather in the Fife area – including the brief visit by Storm Francis – conditions were almost perfect as the 25 BTCC cars roared onto the Tarmac shortly before 10am for the opening session of an important championship weekend.

Josh Cook (BTC Racing), Tom Ingram (Toyota Gazoo Racing UK with Ginsters) and Mike Bushell (Power Maxed Car Care Racing) were among those to sit on top of the timesheets during the 40-minutes of running, but it was Hill's lap in the final five minutes – just 0.306s short of Rory Butcher's 2019 qualifying lap record – that would set the benchmark.

Having completed a rare shakedown at the track on Friday evening – introduced by TOCA at some meetings in 2020 due to the lack of preparation time in-between back-to-back events – it was little surprise that the drivers and teams were quickly on the pace come Saturday morning.

Bushell and Ingram eventually ended up second and fourth respectively, with Team BMW's Tom Oliphant wedged between them as the chequered flag fell.

Laser Tools Racing collectively enjoyed one of its best sessions of the season so far with both drivers inside the top six – Ash Sutton narrowly edging out team-mate Aiden Moffat. Sutton has enjoyed an eye-catching start to the 2020 campaign, but this is an important weekend for Moffat in the Infiniti Q50 as the Scotsman chases silverware at his home track.

Reigning champion Colin Turkington was seventh with the BMW 3 Series showing solid pace, whilst BTC Racing's Josh Cook was just behind. Like Hill, Cook is considered a serious threat for pole position later this afternoon with both cars still running relatively low on success ballast due to an unfortunate start to their respective seasons.

Title contenders – Dan Cammish (Halfords Yuasa Racing) and Butcher (Motorbase Performance) – rounded out the top ten positions.

Some 18 cars were separated by less than a second in the largely uneventful session, although Michael Crees (The Clever Baggers with BTC Racing) and Andy Neate (Motorbase Performance) both had to recover from minor offs.

The final free practice session around the 1.27-mile Knockhill circuit takes place at 1215, before qualifying for Round 10 of the Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship commences at 1530. As ever, qualifying will be streamed live and exclusively via www.itv.com/btcc.

2020 Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship – Free Practice 1 – Knockhill

1        Jake HILL (GBR) MB Motorsport accelerated by Blue Square +50.757s
2        Mike BUSHELL (GBR) Power Maxed Car Care Racing +0.247s
3        Tom OLIPHANT (GBR) Team BMW +0.248s
4        Tom INGRAM (GBR) Toyota Gazoo Racing UK with Ginsters +0.299s
5        Ashley SUTTON (GBR) Laser Tools Racing +0.369s
6        Aiden MOFFAT (GBR) Laser Tools Racing +0.428s
7        Colin TURKINGTON (GBR) Team BMW +0.448s
8        Josh COOK (GBR) BTC Racing +0.470s
9        Dan CAMMISH (GBR) Halfords Yuasa Racing +0.585s
10      Rory BUTCHER (GBR) Motorbase Performance +0.605s
11      Adam MORGAN (GBR) Carlube TripleR Racing with Mac Tools +0.624s
12      Matt NEAL (GBR) Halfords Yuasa Racing +0.625s
13      Stephen JELLEY (GBR) Team Parker Racing +0.782s
14      Tom CHILTON (GBR) BTC Racing +0.850s
15      Senna PROCTOR (GBR) Excelr8 Motorsport +0.851s
16      Sam OSBORNE (GBR) Excelr8 Motorsport +0.875s
17      Chris SMILEY (GBR) Excelr8 Motorsport +0.948s
18      Jack GOFF (GBR) RCIB Insurance with Fox Transport +0.982s
19      Bobby THOMPSON (GBR) GKR TradePriceCars.com +1.005s
20      Carl BOARDLEY (GBR) HUB Financial Solutions with Team HARD +1.032s
21      James GORNALL (GBR) GKR TradePriceCars.com +1.075s
22      Michael CREES (GBR) The Clever Baggers with BTC Racing +1.115s
23      Ollie JACKSON (GBR) Motorbase Performance +1.371s
24      Andy NEATE (GBR) Motorbase Performance +1.887s
25      Jack BUTEL (GBR) Carlube TripleR Racing with Mac Tools +2.021s

 

Dan Zelos has moved another step closer to his goal of competing in the Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship – the UK’s premier motor racing series – after being unveiled as the first member of EXCELR8 Motorsport’s new BTCC Driver Development Academy.
 
Talented Norfolk ace Zelos is no stranger to the BTCC paddock, having competed in the Ginetta Junior Championship and Renault UK Clio Cup from 2014 to 2018, achieving 59 top ten finishes and reaching the rostrum on an impressive 18 occasions.
 
Last year, he maintained his upward career momentum away from the TOCA package by clinching the Rookie Cup crown in the MINI CHALLENGE with EXCELR8, tallying two outright victories, three pole positions, four fastest laps and nine podiums from 17 starts.
 
In 2020, the Dereham-based hotshot has returned to the fiercely-disputed single-make series – now a feature on the high-profile BTCC support bill – and his title bid got off to a strong start at Donington Park four weeks ago. As the action resumes at Knockhill in Scotland this weekend (29/30 August), Zelos is firmly in contention, placed fourth in the championship standings amongst the 28 protagonists in the headlining JCW class.
 
What’s more, the 22-year-old British Racing Drivers’ Club (BRDC) Rising Star will head into battle in Fife with a spring in his step, in the knowledge that he is now a bona fide member of the BTCC family and that at some stage later in the year, a test awaits in EXCELR8’s potent new Hyundai i30N Fastback N Performance challenger – a car that became a podium-finisher in only its third BTCC start earlier this month.
 
“Ever since I joined the TOCA package in Ginetta Juniors almost seven years ago, this is something I’ve been dreaming of, aiming for and striving towards – to officially be part of a BTCC team,” enthused Zelos. “I genuinely can’t thank EXCELR8 enough for their belief in me.
 
“This has been a difficult year for everybody due to the repercussions of COVID-19, so to get an opportunity like this is amazing – I feel very honoured by the appointment. Not only that, but EXCELR8 is a young and exciting team in the BTCC that has brought a brand new marque onto the grid in the shape of Hyundai, and the i30N has already proven it is capable of fighting at the front in what is arguably the toughest tin-top championship in the world.
 
“It was quick straight out-of-the-box, and for EXCELR8 to pick up a trophy in the first event of the season and score points in every race so far is an incredible achievement that only serves to underline the Hyundai’s long-term potential. I can’t wait to climb behind the wheel and experience it for myself!”
 
Zelos already has several laps in BTCC machinery under his belt, from a brief test at Silverstone towards the end of 2016. EXCELR8 Motorsport Team Owner Justina Williams is confident that the progress he has made in the meantime will stand the former Norwich University of Arts and Dereham Sixth Form College student in good stead for getting to grips with the i30N, as she tips him for a bright future at the pinnacle of British motorsport.
 
“Now that we have begun EXCELR8’s second season in the BTCC with some impressive results from our brace of Hyundais, it is time to turn our attention to the original plan for our BTCC programme, which was to help provide a route into the series for our MINI CHALLENGE drivers,” she explained.
 
“Ultimately, the pathway to the BTCC relies not only upon skill behind the wheel, but also a driver’s ability to generate marketing partnerships and sponsorship revenue. With this in mind, we are delighted to announce our new BTCC Driver Development Academy for EXCELR8 JCW drivers that meet qualification criteria and to confirm Dan as the first EXCELR8 BTCC Development Driver, with a second to be revealed in the coming weeks.
 
“Dan has regularly shown the pace and prowess in the MINI CHALLENGE to mix it right at the front of the pack, with multiple podiums and race wins to his name. His ambition is to take the next step into the BTCC, so the EXCELR8 BTCC Driver Development Academy will help Dan to bolster his experience in preparation for this, while providing BTCC-relevant content as part of his marketing plan.
 
“Over the coming months, he will spend time with our BTCC team to broaden his knowledge of this high-level operation and he will test the Hyundai during the off-season. Together, we aim to break Dan into the BTCC as soon as possible.” 
 
The third of this weekend’s three MINI CHALLENGE races at Knockhill is due to be shown live on ITV4 at 14:10 tomorrow (Sunday, 30 August), as part of the channel’s comprehensive broadcast package that attracts some 20 million viewers.

Team BMW enjoyed another strong performance in the Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship at Oulton Park last time out, proving consistency is key, with the squad furthering its lead in the standings as the series' fourth event of the 2020 season nears, at Knockhill this weekend (29/30 August).

Entering the third event of the season and riding a wave of momentum following a sensational maiden BTCC win at Brands Hatch two weeks’ prior, Tom Oliphant and standings leader Colin Turkington battled the elements to add to their ever-growing trophy collection.

Having qualified third ahead of the opening encounter, reigning champion Turkington would initially move forward into second, while Oliphant rocketed off the line into third.

With the two BMWs initially holding two of the podium spots, the unrelenting heavy rainfall – and success ballast being carried – would somewhat hamper the pair and, come the chequered flag, it was a fifth place finish for Turkington and 13th for Oliphant. Following the exclusion of race winner Josh Cook, both drivers moved one spot up the order.

Race two marked the second wet BTCC race of 2020, and saw Turkington secure another podium finish, in third, while Oliphant moved up the order with a string of eye-catching overtakes to sixth place.

The reverse grid draw saw Oliphant lining up fifth for the final outing in Cheshire, with Turkington in eighth. Both drivers made strong starts to work through the pack, as the #15 BMW of Oliphant took second behind Adam Morgan from the off, before Turkington joined his team-mate in the podium positions by lap three.

Despite putting the pressure on leader Morgan, the Mercedes driver defended the position as it was a battle of the locals for the top spot. A lap six decision from the team resulted in Turkington moving past Oliphant, with the intentions of allowing the #1 BMW to go on the attack.

The result, however, seemed a tale of what might have been, as a lap 10 red flag caused by an incident further back in the pack would cease any opportunity for Turkington to pass the Mercedes.

Completing the weekend with a second and third place finish for Turkington and Oliphant, respectively, the squad retains its place at the top of the Teams’ standings, and Turkington keeps his lead in the overall Drivers’ Championship, whilst Oliphant currently holds fourth.

“It was a pretty tough race day so to come away with a podium in the reverse grid encounter was great,” said Oliphant. “It was just what we needed and keeps us in the mix towards the top of the standings.

"Race one was tough, we made a good start but the heavy rain along with the used wet tyres transpired against us. Race two was much better; we had great pace and the team gave me a great car, allowing me to pull off a couple of late moves.

"I gave it everything I had to get past Adam in race three and ultimately played the team game to let Colin through to see if he could find a way past. We had agreed to swap back positions but the red flag prevented that from happening. To come away with third is still fantastic though and momentum is on our side heading to Knockhill."

“You never quite know how a weekend is going to play out when the weather is unpredictable like that,” reflected Turkington. “The greasy, damp conditions didn't favour our RWD cars. We usually race here in mid summer and with all the recent rain, the grip levels were particularly low on this occasion to what we are used to. I'm really pleased with the points we tucked away, and happy with my performance throughout the course of the weekend.

“It's always after a weekend like that when the fans comment about how entertaining the series is and the guts it takes to be out doing what we do. For me it's all about the preparation, being patient and enjoying the racing. There were a few saves for all of us in those first two races! In race one with the onset of rain on the grid, nobody had any time to set the car up for the wet, so that was incredibly difficult."

“It's going to be important to get some good rest in the bank and arrive in Scotland on Friday fresh and focused to go again.”

Following its successful outing in Cheshire, the squad will hope to carry the podium scoring momentum to Knockhill and build on the speed displayed earlier in the season to collect more wins in Scotland. Catch all the quail action on Saturday (29 August) on itv.com/btcc from 1520, before getting your BTCC fix on ITV2 from 1040 on Sunday (30 August).

Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship team Motorbase Performance will be approaching this weekend’s meeting at Knockhill on the crest of a wave after opening its 2020 victory account last time out.
 
The Kent-based squad tasted the champagne at Oulton Park on Sunday when Rory Butcher powered the Ford Focus ST to its first win of the season in the opening race of the weekend. The Scotsman prevailed when first-on-the-road Josh Cook was penalised post-race, handing the spoils to the reigning Independents’ Trophy holder.
 
Butcher backed that up with second place in the weekend’s next encounter before a solid top ten finish in the reversed-grid finale left him as the biggest scorer from the event in Cheshire, which had been blighted with tricky weather throughout.
 
Despite the victory, Butcher claims he is still aiming higher: “It was the weekend that we really needed. We got another pole position which was such a great feeling to do that, and it put us in the best place for Sunday’s races.
 
“We will inherit the points and take the trophy for race one but I’m eager to get that first win in this car across the line. It’s unfinished business,” he says.
 
Butcher was pleased to have tamed the treacherous Tarmac and has his sights firmly focused on more silverware when the BTCC visits his home track of Knockhill in Fife this weekend.
 
“The pressure is even higher at home,” added the Scot. “I will definitely try and ride that wave of pressure and turn it into positive energy. I can’t wait to get to my home circuit. I know the place like the back of my hand. I’m really excited to see how this new car will handle the Knockhill circuit.”    
 
After scoring a podium in the previous meeting at Brands Hatch, Ollie Jackson was looking forward to building on that progress at Oulton. However, myriad small issues hampered his charge, although he was solidly inside the points on two occasions.
 
“I made a mistake in qualifying that really cost me dearly and it is hard to make up places at Oulton Park,” he explained. “We had the pace all day, but I had a problem with the wipers in race one, which really hurt. The car had loads of pace, but I was relying on people’s brake lights to stop and turn the car.”
 
Contact at the first turn of race two knocked out the steering on his fourth-generation Focus but he still managed to wrestle the car home in 15^th spot. A penalty for exceeding track limits pushed him down to 19^th in race three.
 
Jackson says he will be looking for tips from the other side of the Motorbase garage as he aims to boost his chances in Scotland.
 
“The one saving grace [from Oulton Park] is that we made a lot of progress with the car. We are leaving in a much better place than when we came here in terms of the set-up,” said the 36-year-old. “I think the things that we have done with the car at Oulton will definitely help it for Knockhill.
 
“Obviously Rory has got the home advantage and it should be a good weekend for him. If I can match his data and stick as close to him as possible, hopefully I can get back to normal service.”           
 
Andy Neate left Oulton Park full of optimism, despite the fact the three races didn’t quite deliver the results he was aiming for in his Motorbase car. He lined up on the 12^th row of the grid and made strong progress in the opening race, passing eight cars before the flag and ended up in the points.
 
“There are lots of positives to take away from the weekend,” said Neate. “It was a bit of a mixed bag in terms of weather, which didn’t help, and in the end, it was an up and down weekend. Anyhow, we will look ahead to Knockhill now. I have spoken to Rory, who says the circuit is quite different from when I last raced a BTCC car there in 2012, I’m really looking forward to it.”
 
The results at Oulton Park were a justification of the hard work that the Motorbase crew has put into getting the three brand new Ford Focus machines on the grid for 2020, says Team Principal David Bartrum. However, he is still hungry for what he calls a ‘proper’ victory.
 
“A win is a win. I would have liked to have had it on our own in the dry though,” said Bartrum. “I feel sorry for Josh Cook because the driver didn’t do anything wrong, it is just one of those things that can happen.
 
“I’m over the moon to get the first win for the new Focus though. The car has been great out of the box. It has been in the mix from day one since it turned up to qualifying in Donington. We have now got our first win, Rory [Butcher] is up to third in the championship and now we are off to Knockhill.”
 
The trip north of the border puts pressure on the team, with several key Motorbase staff going straight from Oulton Park to Scotland to avoid a 1400-mile round trip in two days. Despite the tight turnaround, Bartrum says the squad and all of its drivers are relishing the next challenge.
 
He says: “The Focus has tended to go well up there. I feel sorry for Rory that he won’t have a crowd there. I think the home spirit will be high and I hope we get the benefit of that as a team. Not only does Rory know every kerb at Knockhill, he has also worked there so he has probably painted every kerb. Hopefully we can put that knowledge to good use for our drivers.”
 
The next rounds of the 2020 Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship take place at Knockhill on Sunday (30 August). The races will be shown live on ITV2, from 1040.

Oulton Park set the scene for Carlube TripleR Racing with Mac Tools’ Adam Morgan to take a maiden home-race victory in the Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship during a thrilling final race in Cheshire.

Having started the opening encounter from ninth on the grid, a small mistake at the first corner resulted in Morgan dropping a couple of places; he took eighth at the chequered flag but was promoted to seventh after race winner Josh Cook was excluded for a technical infringement.

The Ciceley Motorsport squad made changes to the car for race two but didn’t have the optimum set-up as the conditions were still changeable. Morgan started seventh on the grid and had a long battle with Tom Oliphant over the opening laps until the BMW finally wriggled by. The Mercedes-Benz A-Class driver battled home in ninth place, again scoring valuable points.

The reverse-grid draw would see the Lancastrian start the final outing of the day from P2, in what would quickly become a race to remember for the Mercedes man.

Morgan led from start to finish, jumping ahead of pole-sitter Bobby Thompson (Audi S3) on the run to the first corner. Once ahead, Morgan once again had the mission of fending off the challenge of former team-mate Oliphant.

Oliphant crawled all over him for the first seven laps but, unable to find a way past the 31-year-old, allowed stablemate Colin Turkington to move ahead with the intention to attack the Mercedes.

As he headed a four-car train, joined by 2017 champion Ash Sutton, an accident at the rear of the field triggered a race stoppage and confirmation of Morgan’s first win since Rockingham in 2018 and first podium result of 2020.

“I just felt in the zone from the moment I put my helmet on,” said Morgan. “I felt really confident and made the best start I ever have.

“It was tough keeping Tom behind me but it is a difficult track to overtake at and so it was a case of holding the BMWs up at places at which they were stronger, and backing them up when I could. Could I have kept them behind for another four laps? Who knows, but I’m overjoyed with that win.

“Once I saw Tom had let Colin through, I realised that Colin would go for championship points so I didn’t have to defend quite as doggedly as he would be cautious. That was in my mind, but rear wheel drive cars are good and as my tyres went off, he became more of a threat.

“It seems like a long time since the last win and last year was very tough. To win in the BTCC is special. Last year was a long year but we are back where we belong and to have Freddie, my six-month old son here, is very special indeed. I was very emotional on the in-lap, and that is not like me at all. It is a reflection of the hard work everyone has put in and this I hope is the first of many wins this year.”

The second Carlube TripleR Racing with Mac Tools Mercedes-Benz A-Class of Jack Butel continued its excellent season, with the newcomer taking three solid finishes to maintain his 100% finishing record in his rookie season. Butel took a 16th place as his best finish of the weekend as he continued his impressive maiden season in the BTCC.

“We are all absolutely delighted with the result at Oulton Park,” said Commercial Director Norman Burgess. “We were able to welcome some of our key commercial partners from Carlube Triple R and Mac Tools, and for Adam to win at our home track was very special indeed.

“The whole team has worked so hard to get back to winning ways and everyone feels very proud of today’s results. Our supporters and partners have been behind Adam every inch of the way and that support had been repaid today in style, we are delighted that the Carlube TripleR Racing with Mac Tools Mercedes-Benz A-Class is still a winning car, especially at a venue that hasn’t been kind to us in the past.

“We are all super impressed with Jack, our team owner Russell [Morgan] has been trawling through Jack’s data and sector times he has been blown away by both his rapid progression, determination and ability to adapt to the rigours and pressures of the BTCC.”

As the squad now heads north of the border to Scotland’s Knockhill circuit, Morgan sits seventh in the overall standings and third in the Independents’ Trophy, with Carlube TripleR Racing with Mac Tools currently third in the Independents’ Teams Championship.

On their way to the tight and twisty circuit in Fife, Scotland, both Adam and Norman took part in title sponsor Kwik Fit’s Majors golf competition as the Ciceley duo took on competition winners at Burntisland Golf Course – the 10th oldest golf course in the world! 

All of the weekend’s racing action will be available on ITV2 from 1040 on Sunday, 30 August. Qualifying will be streamed live from 1520 on Saturday (29 August).

We’re here @BurntislandGolf for our second round of the @Kwik_Fit majors golf competition 🏌🏻‍♂️ - it might be raining but it isn’t going to stop these guys! #BTCC pic.twitter.com/8fIDQ7sbvy

— BTCC (@BTCC) August 27, 2020