BMW maintain Championship charge with battling Thruxton display

The BMW 3 Series continued to show its speed with another impressive display from all three drivers in Rounds 19, 20 and 21 of the 2019 Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship at Thruxton.

Reigning champion Colin Turkington demonstrated his consistency with a trio of points hauls in his 330i M Sport while West Surrey Racing team-mate Andrew Jordan closed the gap to the Northern Irishman at the top of the standings with three solid scores of his own.

Meanwhile, Tom Oliphant was on form all weekend and came within inches of a podium finish for Team BMW in race two before his charge to the rostrum was scuppered by a late rain shower in a dramatic final race of the day. He still managed his best BTCC meeting to-date.

The squad’s impressive haul maintains BMW’s position at the top of the Manufacturers’ table with just nine races remaining this season.

Qualifying on Saturday was tough for the success ballast-laden duo of Turkington and Jordan, with the pair managing just 13th and 12th on the grid respectively.

Oliphant had more joy and slotted his 3 Series into seventh, with the 28-year-old able to move forward and record an excellent fifth-place finish in race one.

Jordan showed nerves of steel to thread his BMW through the traffic on lap one and enjoyed a thrilling battle with team-mate Turkington, nipping past when Ash Sutton pushed the reigning champion out wide.

Jordan eventually lost ground, however, leaving the BMW Pirtek Racing ace just one spot ahead of Turkington in 12th at the chequered flag.

The pair of title rivals continued to make steady progress through the field in race two, pulling a number of impressive moves as they fought their way into the top ten.

The BMW 330i M Sport proved the perfect tool as Jordan and Turkington went on the attack, with the former rising five places up to seventh and chipping away at his team-mate’s championship lead while the latter jumped four positions up to ninth.

Meanwhile, Oliphant got his head down after a lightning start and pulled an excellent move on Rob Collard before passing Sam Tordoff for third and looked set to seal a well-deserved podium, only to lose out to Matt Neal on the final lap.

The reverse-grid draw left Oliphant third and in the hunt for silverware again, with the Cheshire-born driver rocketing his 3 Series off the line and into contention for the race lead by the complex.

The BMW ace found his way past Cammish to sit in a provisional second but unfortunately couldn’t hold back the eventual race winner and an untimely rain shower in the closing stages saw Oliphant wind up seventh.

Jordan and Turkington were embroiled in the midfield action for the majority of race three, with the former going wheel-to-wheel alongside Tom Ingram on more than one occasion, and they again came home in close company with Jordan tenth and Turkington 13th as they navigated the wet conditions.

The results mean Turkington holds a 30-points advantage over Jordan at the top of the Drivers’ Standings while Oliphant sits 11th.

BMW has maintained its spot at the summit of the Manufacturers’ Standings while Team BMW sits second in the Teams’ order.

“It’s been a tough day and a tough weekend,” said Colin Turkington. “The qualifying result has determined our raceday because it’s incredibly difficult to get yourself out of the pack when the field is so evenly-matched.

“We knew [on Saturday] night that the key here would be to minimise the points loss, and finishing all three races at least did that. The car was better in race three but when you start P9 or so, it's very hard to get through. I thought we were in a better place but when the rain came down it was very tricky.

“Hopefully this is our one difficult weekend. It was hard graft for not very much reward – we're not used to being outside the top ten. If this is the worst day we have points-wise all year, I’ll take it. I’m still 30 points ahead in the championship, which is more than a race win, and next we go to Knockhill, which is a track where the BMWs have always gone well.”

“I’ve been the top BMW points-scorer in all three races and in qualifying, and that’s the first time it’s happened, so I’m very pleased about that,” said Oliphant. “We’ve had the 3 Series in the sweet spot from practice onwards and that’s given me a lot of confidence to drive really hard all day. It’s a bit disappointing to miss the podium in race two by less than a tenth of a second, and for the rain to come in race three when I was on course for second or third, but I’ve won the Jack Sears Trophy for the round, brought myself right back into contention for that title, and had three clean races and a big points haul. If we can take this form into Knockhill, where the BMW’s rear-wheel-drive should be a big help, we can have another good weekend there.”

“It’s been a tough day, but the big positive is that I’ve taken some points out of Colin’s lead at the head of the championship,” said Jordan. “Both of us carried a lot of ballast into the weekend and our pace has been pretty much identical all day.

“Qualifying 13th determined the way our raceday was going to turn out, because with everybody so close on times, it’s just impossible to come through the field, even when the weight drops off. The BMW was definitely fast in clear air though and I think if I’d got to the front, I could have had a real go. I was confident in race three when I got up to fourth off the line, but then I was hit, dropped a load of positions, and then the rain came and on slick tyres, we can’t compete against the front-wheel-drive cars in those conditions.”

Thruxton hosts spectacular second BTCC visit

Thruxton Circuit was the stage for another full-throttle weekend of motorsport action as the Hampshire speedbowl played host to the Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship for the second time this season.

Sam Tordoff, Josh Cook and Dan Cammish all stood on the top step of the podium after a thrilling day of racing that saw reigning champion Colin Turkington have his lead in the Drivers’ standings cut to just 30 points.

A full programme of support series also put on a feast of wheel-to-wheel entertainment for the spectators, who packed onto the famous banking around the WWII airfield, while a host of off-track activities kept families occupied throughout the weekend.

In total, fans enjoyed 16 outstanding races with the BTCC backed up by British F4, Porsche Carrera Supercup GB, Renault UK Clio Cup, Michelin Ginetta Juniors and the Millers Oils Ginetta GT4 Supercup as Thruxton made the most of a second visit from the TOCA package following a hugely successful event in May.

Tordoff enjoyed an excellent getaway from pole in the first BTCC race of the day, having produced a blistering lap to put his Cobra Sport AmD AutoAid/RCIB Insurance Honda Civic Type R (FK2) top of the timesheets on Saturday.

The same can’t be said for fan-favourite Jason Plato who overshot his front-row grid slot, triggering a drive-through penalty for the Sterling Insurance with Power Maxed Racing ace which dropped him to the back.

The veteran proceeded to carve his way through the field, much to the delight of his celebrity guest James Martin, but Plato’s charge was eventually halted just outside the points in 17th.

Back at the front, Tordoff kept his cool to lead home Cammish and Adam Morgan, notching his first win of the 2019 season after a campaign plagued by bad luck.

Meanwhile, the crowd on the banking were treated to a thrilling race-long duel between championship leader Colin Turkington and his closest title rival, BMW stablemate Andrew Jordan – with the Pirtek Racing ace eventually gaining the upper hand to finish 12th and nibble away at the Northern Irishman's points advantage.

Tordoff picked up where he left off in race two, flying off the line and blasting through turn one below fans eagerly watching on from the balcony of the Thruxton Centre. Cammish, meanwhile, bogged down in his Halfords Yuasa Racing Honda Civic, allowing Morgan and Josh Cook past on the run to the complex.

However, the Yorkshireman’s lead was short-lived as he was passed by both Cook and Morgan on the way into the chicane before tumbling further down the order when he lost out to Tom Oliphant.

Cook showed the field a clean pair of heels at the front to pick up his third win of the campaign while Morgan secured another comfortable second place ahead of Matt Neal, who sent the crowd wild with a superb last-lap move on Oliphant.

Hampshire hero Rob Collard was drawn on pole for the reverse grid race and shot away when the lights went out as Oliphant jumped Cammish while battles raged behind.

The Halfords Yuasa Racing ace soon muscled his way back past Oliphant on lap three but all eyes were fixed on an enthralling battle between Jordan, Tom Ingram, Ash Sutton and Cook.

Points-leader Turkington then lost out to Plato and Tordoff further down the field as the BTCC served up its usual dose of close-quarter squabbling while back at the front, Cammish capitalised on a mistake by Collard at Church to take the lead on lap 10.

The Honda star kept his cool despite a late downpour to take his ninth podium of the campaign and the team’s first victory of the season while Neal capped an excellent day for Team Dynamics with third behind Collard.

Ingram and Sutton clashed further back, allowing Cook and Plato to capitalise while the rear-wheel drive cars struggled for grip in the closing stages, creating even more excitement for the packed crowd.

The Carrera Cup field had been the first to take to the track in changeable conditions on Sunday morning, with Dan Harper initially struggling on slick tyres before carving his way back to the front and taking the spoils.

Harper doubled up in the second race later in the afternoon, holding off Josh Webster and Lewis Plato as the single-make series produced plenty of thrills and spills for the watching crowd.

Meanwhile, Will Burns built on his Saturday success in the Ginetta GT4 Supercup, taking his second win of the weekend ahead of Tom Hibbert and Reece Somerfield before Harry King bounced back from a tough few rounds with victory in race three.

Elsewhere, Will Martin and Zak O’Sullivan went toe-to-toe in a titanic duel to the flag in the Ginetta Junior race, with the former eventually prevailing after James Hedley’s early retirement, while Carter Williams completed a clean sweep in British F4 with back-to-back victories for JHR Developments.

Finally, the Renault UK Clio Cup also threw up a stormer of a race which culminated in controversial contact between Jack Young and Max Coates at the final chicane, with the former taking the chequered flag but being penalised post-race and the latter ending up stranded on the grass and furious in parc ferme. The race win eventually went to Ethan Hammerton.

As well as all the on-track action, this weekend was also notable for long-standing Thruxton Circuit Director Bill Coombs stepping away from the limelight as he takes more of a back seat role at the track.

“It’s 40 years since I did the racing school here, so it’s an appropriate time to back out,” he said.

“I’ve had some wonderful times here, particularly running the racing school, and more recently with the circuit. We’ve had this development plan which we have put into action and hopefully everybody has seen the changes that we’ve made over the past seven years, culminating in the Thruxton Centre.

“It is the only place that you can get so close to the action and it’s great that it’s situated on such a fast corner. The crowds love it here, and the hospitality has sold really well. Racing is always great here at Thruxton. It’s good racing on a super-fast, old-school circuit which we love.

“I’m still staying on the main BARC board so you will still see me around, but not doing the day-to-day operational stuff. I’m very pleased to hand that over to our team. We’ve got a fantastic team at Thruxton, and Pat Blakeney will head that up. I am sure he will do a fantastic job.”

The Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship will be returning to Thruxton for Rounds 10, 11 & 12 of the 2020 season on 16/17 May next year.

Hondas score hat-trick at Thruxton

Rounds 19, 20 and 21 of the 2019 Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship went the way of three different Hondas on a day of thrilling action at Thruxton.

Cobra Sport AmD AutoAid/RCIB Insurance’s Sam Tordoff converted pole position into victory in the opening contest, before BTC Racing’s Josh Cook topped the second bout. Dan Cammish then claimed a first win of the season for Halfords Yuasa Racing in a fantastic finale – making it 16 wins from 30 for the Japanese marque in Hampshire over the last decade.

Success for Cammish and Cook in particular also brought about a change to the overall title picture, as they closed in on the championship-leading BMWs of Colin Turkington and Andrew Jordan, who both experienced a challenging weekend.

Tordoff secured a lights-to-flag victory in race one, after fellow front-row starter Jason Plato fell foul of a drive-through penalty having started the race out of position in his Sterling Insurance with Power Maxed Racing Vauxhall.

Cammish, Adam Morgan and Cook kept Tordoff honest until the finish, with the quartet being covered by a little over a second at the chequered flag.

Cook then scored an eye-catching victory in the second summer BTCC bout in Hampshire, making one of the moves of the season as he went from third to first in the blink of an eye.

The success ballast-laden AmD Honda of Tordoff held the advantage in the early running, but the Yorkshireman had Morgan’s Mac Tools with Ciceley Motorsport Mercedes-Benz and Cook’s Civic Type R swarming all over the back of him.

Morgan made his attempt down the inside having exited Church on lap four – the fastest corner in the country – while Cook tried the outside on the run down to the final chicane. All three cars made it through without any contact and emerged across the start/finish line with Cook leading the way. He never looked back, winning from Morgan by nearly two seconds.

A huge scrap for third ensued behind with a ballast-laden Tordoff the cork in the bottle at the head of a queue of cars. Unfortunately for the race one winner, the pressure eventually told on lap 11, and he was shuffled down the order.

Team BMW’s Tom Oliphant and Halfords Yuasa Racing’s Matt Neal ran in third and fourth respectively as the final place on the podium was decided at the last corner. Neal’s Honda Civic Type R got a great run on the 3 Series ahead of him and the triple BTCC champion nipped through around the outside at the final chicane to reach the rostrum – crossing the line just 0.080s ahead of Oliphant.

Cammish – scorer of eight podiums from the previous 14 races – then broke his, and Halfords Yuasa Racing’s, 2019 race-winning duck in the reversed grid bout.

A sticky start in the second contest sent Cammish slightly down the order, and lightning looked like it might strike twice when he fell to third from the front row in the final encounter.

It was the fast-starting BMW of Oliphant that had nipped in front of Cammish, while Sterling Insurance with Power Maxed Racing’s Rob Collard led the way.

The lead trio pulled away whilst battles commenced throughout the order, but it was all eyes on the front-runners as Cammish slipped into second midway through the scheduled 16 laps.

With grey skies looming, rain began to fall on the classic 2.4-miles of Tarmac and cars immediately twitched gingerly around the fastest circuit in the country.

The moment of truth came on lap ten when Collard’s Vauxhall Astra wiggled through Church, dropping his rear-left wheel on the grass in the process. With a loss of momentum on the run to the final chicane Cammish was able to blast his Honda Civic Type R around the outside and into an unassailable lead.

Collard held second until the finish but it was Oliphant who was now struggling in the damp conditions as he dropped to seventh, meaning Neal would eventually join his Honda team-mate on the podium.

Turkington and Jordan collectively endured their toughest weekend of the season so far, taking a best result of ninth and seventh respectively, meaning Cammish and Cook’s impressive points hauls have reignited their championship hopes.

Turkington now leads the Drivers’ standings by 30 points from Jordan, with Cammish and Cook just a handful of points further back.

BMW top the Manufacturers’ order but Halfords Yuasa Racing has now moved ahead in the Teams’ table.

Cook and his BTC Racing squad are at the summit of the Independents’ standings, whilst Rory Butcher still holds the advantage in the Jack Sears Trophy.

The Kwik Fit British Touring Championship returns at Knockhill in four weeks’ time (14/15 September).

Sam Tordoff said: “I’m relieved as that’s probably long-overdue – a bit of redemption after what happened here a few months ago. It was one of the longest 16-lap races I’ve ever done! It probably looked like I was managing it from the pit-wall but it didn’t feel like it! I was giving it everything. It’s a great start from the team. I got the radio call about Jason (Plato) at the end of lap one and that was a big relief. Commiserations to him but rules are rules.”

Josh Cook said: “That went to plan! It was a bit hairy at the start and the overtake into the chicane was too! I was clear of Sam (Tordoff) and had to outbrake Adam (Morgan). I was on the outside and had to brake as late as I dared and made it stick. I was working hard out front because of Adam and I had to be mindful of the tyres around here too. We’ve had a few rounds where we’ve struggled with the weight but we’ve gone well here. Credit to the team. We’ve had our heads down working hard.”

Dan Cammish said: “A few hours ago I thought this was never going to happen. When the rain started coming down I was thinking ‘do not drop this’. It's been my best ever weekend with first, second and fifth. We’ve been racing the BMWs and fair play to them and I've consistently punched above my level without the rewards until right now. I’m fighting back from a deficit from the first two weekends and there’s a lot of racing to go. I’m in one of the best seats in British motorsport. There’s a long line of people that want my job and I’ve got to continually prove myself and make myself better.”

Colin Turkington said: “I'm not actively trying to manage things! I would like to be faster. The car was better in race three but when you start ninth, or so, it's very hard to get through. I thought we were in a better place but when the rain came down it was very tricky. The car was skating all over the place. Hopefully this is our one difficult weekend. It was hard graft for not very much reward – we're not used to being outside the top ten. We'll go to Knockhill looking for more. It's good BMW territory so we’re hopeful we’ll be back at the front.”

2019 Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship – Round 19 – Thruxton

2019 Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship – Round 20 – Thruxton

2019 Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship – Round 21 – Thruxton

Penalties:

From Snetterton (Race 3):

Matt Simpson received a verbal warning for an incident involving Senna Proctor.

Race 2:

Aiden Moffat received a verbal warning for an incident involving Senna Proctor.

Jason Plato received an official reprimand and had his licence endorsed by the addition of the two penalty points for an incident involving Chris Smiley.

Cammish breaks 2019 duck for Halfords Yuasa Racing

Dan Cammish – scorer of eight podiums in the previous 14 races – has taken the first win of the season for Halfords Yuasa Racing in the reversed grid bout at Thruxton.

A sticky start in the second contest sent Cammish slightly down the order, and lightning looked like it might strike twice when he fell to third from the front row in the final encounter.

It was the fast-starting BMW of Tom Oliphant that had nipped in front of Cammish, with Sterling Insurance with Power Maxed Racing's Rob Collard leading the way.

The lead trio pulled away whilst battles commenced throughout the order, but it was all eyes on the front-runners as Cammish slipped into second midway through the scheduled 16 laps.

With grey skies looming rain began to fall on the classic 2.4-miles of Tarmac and cars immediately twitched around the fastest circuit in the country.

The moment of truth came on lap ten when Collard's Vauxhall Astra wiggled through Church, dropping his rear-left wheel on the grass in the process. With a loss of momentum on the run to the final chicane Cammish was able to blast his Honda Civic Type R around the outside and into an unassailable lead.

"A few hours ago I thought this was never going to happen," said Cammish. "We dug deep all day today, worked hard on the car in qualifying and we've chased the car all day today! Rob (Collard) was good on the brakes, where we usually are, so it made it doubly tough.

"When the rain started coming down I was thinking 'do not drop this'. I wanted to know from the team just how much rain was coming down, and to do it with 30kgs on-board – that's even better. My best ever weekend with first, second and fifth. The last lap was an ice rink but Rob had it all on trying to keep it on the road himself!

"We've been racing the BMW and fair play to them. I've been consistently punching above my level and haven't had the rewards until right now. I'm fighting back from a deficit from the first two weekends and there's a lot of racing to go. I'm in one of the best seats in British motorsport. There's a long line of people that want my job and I've got to continually prove myself and make myself better."

Collard held second until the finish but it was Oliphant who was now struggling in the damp conditions as he dropped to seventh, meaning Matt Neal would join his Honda team-mate on the podium.

"Until the rain came down we had it managed," reflected Collard. "I thought we were doing nicely in a bit of a cat and mouse. You're trying to gauge how wet each corner is, and that moment at Church was enough for the Honda to power past.

"I thought P1 was on, but I'm still pleased for the team and Vauxhall. It's great to be back at the sharp end of the grid. That race was brilliant at times, really good fun."

Mac Tools with Ciceley Motorsport's Adam Morgan completed a sensational day with fourth place – following up his double podium from the opening two races – whilst Jason Plato proved what might have been by arguably being the fastest car on track. The BTCC legend started the race in 13th and ended it fifth as he continues to chase his first win of 2019.

BTC Racing's Josh Cook was sixth, also pipping Oliphant, whilst Team Toyota GB with Ginsters' Tom Ingram came out on top of a bruising duel for eighth with Adrian Flux Subaru Racing's Ash Sutton.

BMW Pirtek Racing's Andrew Jordan rounded out the top ten – reducing the deficit further to championship leader Colin Turkington.

2019 Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship – Round 21 – Thruxton

1 Dan CAMMISH (GBR) Halfords Yuasa Racing 15 laps
2 Rob COLLARD (GBR) Sterling Insurance with Power Maxed Racing +1.974s
3 Matt NEAL (GBR) Halfords Yuasa Racing +4.670s
4 Adam MORGAN (GBR) Mac Tools with Ciceley Motorsport +5.444s
5 Jason PLATO (GBR) Sterling Insurance with Power Maxed Racing +6.239s
6 Josh COOK (GBR) BTC Racing +6.585s
7 Tom OLIPHANT (GBR) Team BMW +7.814s
8 Tom INGRAM (GBR) Team Toyota GB with Ginsters +8.513s
9 Ashley SUTTON (GBR) Adrian Flux Subaru Racing +8.996s
10 Andrew JORDAN (GBR) BMW Pirtek Racing +9.428s
11 Sam TORDOFF (GBR) Cobra Sport AmD AutoAid/RCIB Insurance +9.516s
12 Jake HILL (GBR) TradePriceCars.com +10.122s
13 Colin TURKINGTON (GBR) Team BMW +10.823s
14 Daniel ROWBOTTOM (GBR) Cataclean Racing with Ciceley Motorsport +13.177s
15 Ollie JACKSON (GBR) Team Shredded Wheat Racing with Gallagher +13.857s
16 Matt SIMPSON (GBR) Simpson Racing +14.617s
17 Chris SMILEY (GBR) BTC Racing +15.516s
18 Jack GOFF (GBR) RCIB Insurance with Fox Transport +15.831s
19 Bobby THOMPSON (GBR) GKR Scaffolding with Autobrite Direct +16.137s
20 Senna PROCTOR (GBR) Adrian Flux Subaru Racing +18.315s
21 Aiden MOFFAT (GBR) Laser Tools Racing +22.077s
22 Tom CHILTON (GBR) Team Shredded Wheat Racing with Gallagher +22.409s
23 Stephen JELLEY (GBR) Team Parker Racing +25.307s
24 Rob SMITH (GBR) Excelr8 Motorsport +27.089s
25 Michael CREES (GBR) GKR Scaffolding with Autobrite Direct +27.933s
26 Sam OSBORNE (GBR) Excelr8 Motorsport +41.974s
27 Mark BLUNDELL (GBR) TradePriceCars.com +47.026s
28 Carl BOARDLEY (GBR) RCIB Insurance with Fox Transport +2 laps
29 Nicolas HAMILTON (GBR) ROKiT Racing with Motorbase +8 laps
30 Rory BUTCHER (GBR) Cobra Sport AmD AutoAid/RCIB Insurance

Cook claims honours in Thruxton thriller

BTC Racing's Josh Cook scored an eye-catching victory in the second summer BTCC bout at high-speed Thruxton in Hampshire.

The Honda Civic Type R driver made one of the moves on the season on lap 4 as he went from third to first in the blink of an eye.

The success ballast-laden AmD car of Sam Tordoff held the advantage in the early running but the Yorkshireman had Adam Morgan's Mercedes and Cook's car swarming all over the back of him.

Morgan made his attempt down the inside having exited Church – the fastest corner in the country – while Cook tried the outside on the run down to the final chicane. All three cars made it through without any contact and emerged across the start/finish line with Cook leading the way.

Cook never looked back, winning from Morgan by more nearly two seconds at the finish.

"That went to plan!" said Cook. "It was a bit hairy at the start and the overtake into the chicane was too! I was clear of Sam (Tordoff) and had to outbrake Adam (Morgan). I was on the outside and had to brake as late as I dared and made it stick.

"I was working hard out front because of Adam and I had to be mindful of the tyres around here too. We've had a few rounds where we've struggled with the weight but we've gone well here. Credit to the team. We've had our heads down working hard."

The eventual race winner brought Mac Tools with Ciceley Motorsport's Morgan along with him as the Lancastrian scored his second successive podium of the day.

"After our recent form, I wasn't expecting this," said Morgan. "The car's on rails this weekend. We're carrying P3 weight and you're careful over the first couple of laps with kerbs and getting on the power but I settled into it and kept pushing and pushing.

"It feels like the car used to. I saw I'd got a good run on Sam (Tordoff) then Josh (Cook) appeared to my left. It was a mega run for him. Fair play!"

A huge scrap for third ensued behind the lead duo with Tordoff often having a line of nearly ten cars stacked up behind him. Unfortunately for the race one winner, the pressure eventually told on lap 11 as he was shuffled down the order.

Team BMW's Tom Oliphant and Halfords Yuasa Racing's Matt Neal ran in third and fourth respectively until late on with the final place on the podium being decided at the last corner. Neal's Honda Civic Type R got a great run on the 3 Series ahead of him and the triple BTCC champion nipped through to reach the rostrum through the final chicane – crossing the line just 0.080s ahead of Oliphant.

Honda man Dan Cammish had to settle for fifth – paying the price for a poor getaway from the front row – whilst Sterling Insurance with Power Maxed Racing's Rob Collard claimed sixth. The Hampshire driver's top six result was further rewarded post-race as his number was chosen at random for pole position for today's final race.

As he did in race one, BMW Pirtek Racing's Andrew Jordan edged out title rival Colin Turkington. Jordan grabbed seventh, with Team BMW's Turkington two spots back – the Toyota Corolla of Tom Ingram wedged between them in eighth.

Tordoff eventually had to settle for tenth after his early race efforts at the head of the field.

2019 Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship – Round 20 – Thruxton

1 Josh COOK (GBR) BTC Racing 16 laps
2 Adam MORGAN (GBR) Mac Tools with Ciceley Motorsport +1.973s
3 Matt NEAL (GBR) Halfords Yuasa Racing +8.360s
4 Tom OLIPHANT (GBR) Team BMW +8.440s
5 Dan CAMMISH (GBR) Halfords Yuasa Racing +9.022s
6 Rob COLLARD (GBR) Sterling Insurance with Power Maxed Racing +9.608s
7 Andrew JORDAN (GBR) BMW Pirtek Racing +10.082s
8 Tom INGRAM (GBR) Team Toyota GB with Ginsters +10.666s
9 Colin TURKINGTON (GBR) Team BMW +10.823s
10 Sam TORDOFF (GBR) Cobra Sport AmD AutoAid/RCIB Insurance +13.823s
11 Ashley SUTTON (GBR) Adrian Flux Subaru Racing +13.917s
12 Tom CHILTON (GBR) Team Shredded Wheat Racing with Gallagher +14.388s
13 Jason PLATO (GBR) Sterling Insurance with Power Maxed Racing +15.272s
14 Rory BUTCHER (GBR) Cobra Sport AmD AutoAid/RCIB Insurance +15.782s
15 Jake HILL (GBR) TradePriceCars.com +15.935s
16 Stephen JELLEY (GBR) Team Parker Racing +19.060s
17 Matt SIMPSON (GBR) Simpson Racing +19.871s
18 Ollie JACKSON (GBR) Team Shredded Wheat Racing with Gallagher +20.370s
19 Jack GOFF (GBR) RCIB Insurance with Fox Transport +22.848s
20 Daniel ROWBOTTOM (GBR) Cataclean Racing with Ciceley Motorsport +23.483s
21 Chris SMILEY (GBR) BTC Racing +23.732s
22 Bobby THOMPSON (GBR) GKR Scaffolding with Autobrite Direct +28.647s
23 Rob SMITH (GBR) Excelr8 Motorsport +31.178s
24 Aiden MOFFAT (GBR) Laser Tools Racing +32.127s
25 Michael CREES (GBR) GKR Scaffolding with Autobrite Direct +35.956s
26 Mark BLUNDELL (GBR) TradePriceCars.com +38.793s
27 Nicolas HAMILTON (GBR) ROKiT Racing with Motorbase +40.558s
28 Sam OSBORNE (GBR) Excelr8 Motorsport +43.805s
29 Senna PROCTOR (GBR) Adrian Flux Subaru Racing +52.412s
30 Carl BOARDLEY (GBR) RCIB Insurance with Fox Transport +1 lap

Sam Tordoff secures race one win at Thruxton

Cobra Sport AmD AutoAid/RCIB Insurance driver Sam Tordoff secured a lights-to-flag victory in the opening Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship contest at Thruxton, after fellow front row starter Jason Plato fell foul of a drive through penalty having started the race out of position.

"I'm relieved as that's probably long-overdue – a bit of redemption after what happened here a few months ago," said Tordoff, who failed to convert pole into victory at Thruxton back in May. "It was one of the longest 16-lap races I've done! It probably looked like I was managing it from the pit-wall but it didn't feel like it!

"I was giving it everything. It's a great start from the team. I got the radio call about Jason (Plato) at the end of lap one and that was a big relief. Commisserations to him but rules are rules. We'll adjust for the weight now, start on pole and hang on!"

ITV cameras quickly picked up on Plato's Sterling Insurance with Power Maxed Racing Vauxhall lining up ahead of his grid box as the green flag came to a close. Despite running side-by-side with Tordoff on the run down to the Complex after the lights went out, news soon filtered through of Plato's penalty and his challenge at the front was over.

Tordoff ran relatively untroubled until the finish but he was kept honest by the trio of Dan Cammish (Halfords Yuasa Racing), Adam Morgan (Mac Tools with Ciceley Motorsport) and Josh Cook (BTC Racing). When the quartet eventually reached the chequered flag after 16 laps of racing they were covered by a little over a second.

"We can score a podium... winning's the next bit!" enthused second placed Cammish. "We did a good job into turn two to keep it all in control with knocks all-round. I feel sorry for Jason (Plato) as that's happened to me before. We struggled for pace a little and we need to transform the car for race two.

"We're lacking where I need the car to be quick. I'm using every trick in the book and Adam (Morgan) was so fast through Church he was really hard to keep behind. I'm not hard on the team, they do a fantastic job. There comes a point where you've got to ask the question as to why you're not winning. We'll go back and work that out."

"I've got a nosebleed I'm that high up!" responded Morgan, after scoring his first podium since the opening weekend at Brands Hatch. "When things have been tough, these guys have never given up and it's just rewards – it’s another hard-earned yellow cap and trophy."

Team BMW's Tom Oliphant, Sterling Insurance with Power Maxed Racing's Rob Collard and Cobra Sport AmD AutoAid/RCIB Insurance's Rory Butcher took lonely fifth, sixth and seventh places respectively, whilst there was plenty of action behind them.

It was Matt Neal who came out on top in the tussle for eighth in a battle that included Chris Smiley, Ash Sutton, Andrew Jordan and Colin Turkington.

The BMWs of Jordan and Turkington, as well as the Subaru of Sutton, were at it as early as the first lap with the trio touching and swapping positions on the run around Thruxton's super-fast sweepers.

BTC Racing's Smiley later had his own bit of drama, sliding wide and into Butcher's Honda at the final chicane, and when the dust settled the Northern Irishman had to settle for tenth behind Sutton.

The pace of the BMW 3 Series' faded late on with title protagonists – Jordan and Turkington – finishing the race in 12th and 13th respectively.

2019 Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship – Round 19 – Thruxton

1 Sam TORDOFF (GBR) Cobra Sport AmD AutoAid/RCIB Insurance 16 laps
2 Dan CAMMISH (GBR) Halfords Yuasa Racing +0.403s
3 Adam MORGAN (GBR) Mac Tools with Ciceley Motorsport +0.714s
4 Josh COOK (GBR) BTC Racing +1.208s
5 Tom OLIPHANT (GBR) Team BMW +3.189s
6 Rob COLLARD (GBR) Sterling Insurance with Power Maxed Racing +4.660s
7 Rory BUTCHER (GBR) Cobra Sport AmD AutoAid/RCIB Insurance +8.923s
8 Matt NEAL (GBR) Halfords Yuasa Racing +10.562s
9 Ashley SUTTON (GBR) Adrian Flux Subaru Racing +10.863s
10 Chris SMILEY (GBR) BTC Racing +11.446s
11 Tom INGRAM (GBR) Team Toyota GB with Ginsters +12.883s
12 Andrew JORDAN (GBR) BMW Pirtek Racing +13.422s
13 Colin TURKINGTON (GBR) Team BMW +15.118s
14 Bobby THOMPSON (GBR) GKR Scaffolding with Autobrite Direct +17.272s
15 Ollie JACKSON (GBR) Team Shredded Wheat Racing with Gallagher +18.034s
16 Jake HILL (GBR) TradePriceCars.com +19.126s
17 Jason PLATO (GBR) Sterling Insurance with Power Maxed Racing +22.321s
18 Aiden MOFFAT (GBR) Laser Tools Racing +25.134s
19 Stephen JELLEY (GBR) Team Parker Racing +25.337s
20 Daniel ROWBOTTOM (GBR) Cataclean Racing with Ciceley Motorsport +25.837s
21 Matt SIMPSON (GBR) Simpson Racing +27.670s
22 Tom CHILTON (GBR) Team Shredded Wheat Racing with Gallagher +29.823s
23 Michael CREES (GBR) GKR Scaffolding with Autobrite Direct +38.288s
24 Jack GOFF (GBR) RCIB Insurance with Fox Transport +38.454s
25 Rob SMITH (GBR) Excelr8 Motorsport +39.463s
26 Nicolas HAMILTON (GBR) ROKiT Racing with Motorbase +41.643s
27 Mark BLUNDELL (GBR) TradePriceCars.com +46.446s
28 Sam OSBORNE (GBR) Excelr8 Motorsport +48.601s
29 Senna PROCTOR (GBR) Adrian Flux Subaru Racing +1m04.720ss
30 Carl BOARDLEY (GBR) RCIB Insurance with Fox Transport +1 lap

Sam Tordoff takes Thruxton pole double

Cobra Sport AmD AutoAid/RCIB Insurance driver Sam Tordoff claimed pole position during today's Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship qualifying session at Thruxton, a feat he previously achieved at the same circuit earlier this season.

Tordoff took top spot when Britain's premier motorsport series visited Thruxton back in May, and the Yorkshireman proved that he's fast becoming a Hampshire speedbowl specialist by repeating the trick this afternoon.

The AmD-run Honda Civic Type R of Tordoff had steadily improved throughout the day, having ended the opening practice session down in P20. The 30-year-old fired his #600 machine into the top six during final practice, and then went even better with his stellar showing during qualifying.

Double BTCC champion Jason Plato will line-up on the front row for tomorrow's opener after the Sterling Insurance with Power Maxed Racing star fell just 0.014s short of the ultimate pace. Plato – fresh from the enthralling battle for victory with Ash Sutton and Rory Butcher at Snetterton last time out – continues to grow in confidence, speed and understanding with his Vauxhall Astra and a first win of 2019 seems ever-closer.

Halfords Yuasa Racing's Dan Cammish is on an outstanding run of form – securing seven podiums from the last 12 races – and he will be nicely poised again from third on the grid tomorrow. Cammish has been one of the stars in recent rounds, but the Honda manufacturer squad surprisingly still searches for its first victory of the season.

Mac Tools with Ciceley Motorsport endured a challenging first half to its BTCC campaign, but the Mercedes team has enjoyed a resurgence since the mid-season break. An encouraging summer test at Snetterton was followed by an improved qualifying performance at the Norfolk circuit, and Adam Morgan’s has improved yet further here with the fourth fastest time at Thruxton.

Bath racer Josh Cook took fifth for BTC Racing, ahead of Rory Butcher – ensuring that both Cobra Sport AmD AutoAid/RCIB Insurance cars were inside the top six.

Team BMW's Tom Oliphant pipped Team Toyota GB with Ginsters' Tom Ingram to seventh, whilst BTC Racing's Chris Smiley and Hampshire man Rob Collard rounded out the top ten.

A trio of title contenders had to make do with results outside of the top order with Colin Turkington (Team BMW), Ash Sutton (Adrian Flux Subaru Racing) and Andrew Jordan (BMW Pirtek Racing) only managing 11th, 12th and 13th respectively.

Rounds 19, 20 and 21 of the 2019 Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship take place around the UK's fastest circuit tomorrow. Tickets can still be purchased on the gate with a big crowd expected at the venue, whilst many more will watch the action live on ITV4 from 11:30.

Sam Tordoff said: "I'm really happy with that. After FP2 we were scratching our heads a little bit. The car was very different from where it was earlier in the season. We made some big setup changes and the car was good. It's quickly becoming my favourite track and we've given ourselves such a good chance for tomorrow. I should have won here in May and would have were it not for power steering failure. I'll be looking to put that right tomorrow."

Jason Plato said: "I loved that session. On that last run I was up and just bit a bit too much off into Church. I nearly got through and tightened up in the car, slid and and scrubbed off time. I got to the Chicane at the same time as my best and it was a bit too much. I'm good friends with the car at the moment and I've got the car almost where I want it. I'm really looking forward to tomorrow. We've got some real pace and I think we can fight for wins. It's going to be a good day."

Dan Cammish said: "That was a great session. I’d love to have my name in lights but I’m 0.070s off pole with 30kgs of success ballast on-board. If that weight’s not there we’re on pole. We made some changes after FP2 and I’m glad we stuck to our guns on that. The lap time was probably in there somewhere but you can easily overcook it here, especially at the last chicane. I was caught somewhere between not trying hard enough and overdoing it. I’m really happy with P3 and we can race from there."

2019 Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship – Qualifying – Thruxton

1 Sam TORDOFF (GBR) Cobra Sport AmD AutoAid/RCIB Insurance 1m15.876s (111.78 mph)
2 Jason PLATO (GBR) Sterling Insurance with Power Maxed Racing +0.014s
3 Dan CAMMISH (GBR) Halfords Yuasa Racing +0.073s
4 Adam MORGAN (GBR) Mac Tools with Ciceley Motorsport +0.119s
5 Josh COOK (GBR) BTC Racing +0.235s
6 Rory BUTCHER (GBR) Cobra Sport AmD AutoAid/RCIB Insurance +0.306s
7 Tom OLIPHANT (GBR) Team BMW +0.312s
8 Tom INGRAM (GBR) Team Toyota GB with Ginsters +0.364s
9 Chris SMILEY (GBR) BTC Racing +0.399s
10 Rob COLLARD (GBR) Sterling Insurance with Power Maxed Racing +0.477s
11 Colin TURKINGTON (GBR) Team BMW +0.484s
12 Ashley SUTTON (GBR) Adrian Flux Subaru Racing +0.486s
13 Andrew JORDAN (GBR) BMW Pirtek Racing +0.505s
14 Ollie JACKSON (GBR) Team Shredded Wheat Racing with Gallagher +0.534s
15 Bobby THOMPSON (GBR) GKR Scaffolding with Autobrite Direct +0.553s
16 Tom CHILTON (GBR) Team Shredded Wheat Racing with Gallagher +0.570s
17 Matt NEAL (GBR) Halfords Yuasa Racing +0.615s
18 Senna PROCTOR (GBR) Adrian Flux Subaru Racing +0.647s
19 Jack GOFF (GBR) RCIB Insurance with Fox Transport +0.679s
20 Jake HILL (GBR) TradePriceCars.com +0.721s
21 Daniel ROWBOTTOM (GBR) Cataclean Racing with Ciceley Motorsport +1.030s
22 Matt SIMPSON (GBR) Simpson Racing +1.114s
23 Stephen JELLEY (GBR) Team Parker Racing +1.195s
24 Nicolas HAMILTON (GBR) ROKiT Racing with Motorbase +1.383s
25 Aiden MOFFAT (GBR) Laser Tools Racing +1.429s
26 Mark BLUNDELL (GBR) TradePriceCars.com +1748s
27 Michael CREES (GBR) GKR Scaffolding with Autobrite Direct +1.961s
28 Rob SMITH (GBR) Excelr8 Motorsport +2.013s
29 Carl BOARDLEY (GBR) RCIB Insurance with Fox Transport +2.082s
30 Sam OSBORNE (GBR) Excelr8 Motorsport +3.146s

Plato sets practice pace at Thruxton

Jason Plato hauled his Sterling Insurance with Power Maxed Racing Vauxhall Astra to the top of the timesheets in the final Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship Free Practice session at Thruxton.

Plato – fresh from his exciting battle for victory with Ash Sutton and Rory Butcher last time out at Snetterton – continues to edge closer to his first win of 2019 and the double champion has fired out a warning around the UK's fastest circuit.

The morning session was run on a slightly damp track following heavy rain overnight, so Plato has proved to be the pace-setter in prime conditions after setting a 1:16.414s lap time, albeit still nearly a second shy of the current qualifying lap record.

"We're making a bit of progress and finding things with the car – understanding what makes it tick," said Plato. "We're getting it as I want it in terms of drive-ability. We're sussed in the wet but we're not quite there in the dry.

"There’s things we learned at the Thruxton test, our last visit here and at every round this year that we’ve applied and we're going in the right direction."

Team BMW's Tom Oliphant was looking to top a BTCC session for the first time in his career, before being relegated by Plato late on, but second still represented a good performance from the young 3 Series driver.

Mac Tools with Ciceley Motorsport endured a challenging first half to the BTCC season but the Mercedes team have had a return to form since the mid-season break. An encouraging summer test at Snetterton was followed by a much better showing at the Norfolk circuit during the race weekend, and Adam Morgan's pace looks set to continue here at Thruxton.

The Mercedes A-Class man claimed third ahead of Tom Chilton's Ford and Andrew Jordan's BMW.

It has been a relatively quiet morning for the AmD-run Hondas of Rory Butcher and Sam Tordoff, but the latter at least fired his Civic Type R into the top six during this session.

Team Toyota GB with Ginsters' Tom Ingram was seventh as he looks to follow up his Snetterton pole position and race one win with yet another solid haul of points in Hampshire.

The top ten positions were completed by Colin Turkington (Team BMW), Jack Goff (RCIB Insurance with Fox Transport) and Ollie Jackson (Team Shredded Wheat Racing with Gallagher).

Qualifying for Round 19 of the 2019 Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship will take place at 15:25 and will be streamed live via www.itv.com/btcc.

2019 Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship – Free Practice 2 – Thruxton

1 Jason PLATO (GBR) Sterling Insurance with Power Maxed Racing 1m16.414s
2 Tom OLIPHANT (GBR) Team BMW +0.135s
3 Adam MORGAN (GBR) Mac Tools with Ciceley Motorsport +0.241s
4 Tom CHILTON (GBR) Team Shredded Wheat Racing with Gallagher +0.319s
5 Andrew JORDAN (GBR) BMW Pirtek Racing +0.406s
6 Sam TORDOFF (GBR) Cobra Sport AmD AutoAid/RCIB Insurance +0.449s
7 Tom INGRAM (GBR) Team Toyota GB with Ginsters +0.466s
8 Colin TURKINGTON (GBR) Team BMW +0.532s
9 Jack GOFF (GBR) RCIB Insurance with Fox Transport +0.559s
10 Ollie JACKSON (GBR) Team Shredded Wheat Racing with Gallagher +0.667s
11 Josh COOK (GBR) BTC Racing +0.680s
12 Rory BUTCHER (GBR) Cobra Sport AmD AutoAid/RCIB Insurance +0.696s
13 Matt NEAL (GBR) Halfords Yuasa Racing +0.772s
14 Jake HILL (GBR) TradePriceCars.com +0.871s
15 Rob COLLARD (GBR) Sterling Insurance with Power Maxed Racing +0.888s
16 Bobby THOMPSON (GBR) GKR Scaffolding with Autobrite Direct +0.890s
17 Chris SMILEY (GBR) BTC Racing +0.901s
18 Senna PROCTOR (GBR) Adrian Flux Subaru Racing +0.930s
19 Dan CAMMISH (GBR) Halfords Yuasa Racing +0.942s
20 Ashley SUTTON (GBR) Adrian Flux Subaru Racing +0.982s
21 Daniel ROWBOTTOM (GBR) Cataclean Racing with Ciceley Motorsport +0.982s
22 Stephen JELLEY (GBR) Team Parker Racing +1.214s
23 Matt SIMPSON (GBR) Simpson Racing +1.380s
24 Aiden MOFFAT (GBR) Laser Tools Racing +1.589s
25 Carl BOARDLEY (GBR) RCIB Insurance with Fox Transport +1.818s
26 Michael CREES (GBR) GKR Scaffolding with Autobrite Direct +1.933s
27 Mark BLUNDELL (GBR) TradePriceCars.com +2.153s
28 Rob SMITH (GBR) Excelr8 Motorsport +2.248s
29 Nicolas HAMILTON (GBR) ROKiT Racing with Motorbase +2.350s
30 Sam OSBORNE (GBR) Excelr8 Motorsport +2.548s

Cammish on top at Thruxton

Halfords Yuasa Racing's Dan Cammish continued his solid form for by topping the opening Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship Free Practice session at Thruxton.

Cammish has scored seven podiums from 12 races since Britain's premier motorsport series made its first visit of the season to the Hampshire track back in May, proving he is one of the leading protagonists in this year's title race.

The Honda manufacturer squad is still searching for its first win of 2019, however, with Cammish and team-mate Matt Neal hoping to break their duck this weekend at what is often a favourable circuit for the Team Dynamics-run squad.

Yorkshireman Cammish clocked a 1:16.888s lap time on a damp but trying track this morning, which was enough to edge out Adrian Flux Subaru Racing's Ash Sutton and BTC Racing's Josh Cook.

"I enjoy driving in the sunshine," said Cammish. "It looked in and out weather wise all week but it's something I can't control and you've got to get on with it. I've become more confident in the rain over the years and I'm as good there as in the dry. So far, so good. The track's green and damp we had a lot of rain overnight. It got better but you can see from the times we're still some way away from where we were a month ago.

"We'll go out in FP2 and wring its neck a bit more. I'm coming off the back of some really good races now. I've had seven podiums in 12 and I think I've got all the ingredients. We've got a bit more weight on now but here it's less of a penalty. Fingers crossed!"

BMW Pirtek Racing's Andrew Jordan led the way until late on but eventually had to settle for fourth, ahead of the ever-improving Mercedes of Adam Morgan.

Neal was sixth in the other works-backed Honda Civic Type R with the Speedworks-run Toyota Corolla of Tom Ingram next up in the order.

Tom Oliphant and Colin Turkington ensured that all three BMW 3 Series' were inside the top ten – in eighth and tenth respectively – whilst Dan Rowbottom completed a good morning's work for the Ciceley-run Mercedes by claiming ninth.

The BTCC boys will be back on track at 12:05 for final practice, with the all-important qualifying session commencing of 15:25 - the latter being streamed live via www.itv.com/btcc.

2019 Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship – Free Practice 1 – Thruxton

1 Dan CAMMISH (GBR) Halfords Yuasa Racing 1m16.888s
2 Ashley SUTTON (GBR) Adrian Flux Subaru Racing +0.174s
3 Josh COOK (GBR) BTC Racing +0.195s
4 Andrew JORDAN (GBR) BMW Pirtek Racing +0.318s
5 Adam MORGAN (GBR) Mac Tools with Ciceley Motorsport +0.379s
6 Matt NEAL (GBR) Halfords Yuasa Racing +0.452s
7 Tom INGRAM (GBR) Team Toyota GB with Ginsters +0.483s
8 Tom OLIPHANT (GBR) Team BMW +0.549s
9 Daniel ROWBOTTOM (GBR) Cataclean Racing with Ciceley Motorsport +0.584s
10 Colin TURKINGTON (GBR) Team BMW +0.668s
11 Senna PROCTOR (GBR) Adrian Flux Subaru Racing +0.687s
12 Stephen JELLEY (GBR) Team Parker Racing +0.696s
13 Jason PLATO (GBR) Sterling Insurance with Power Maxed Racing +0.707s
14 Rob COLLARD (GBR) Sterling Insurance with Power Maxed Racing +0.747s
15 Jake HILL (GBR) TradePriceCars.com +0.930s
16 Bobby THOMPSON (GBR) GKR Scaffolding with Autobrite Direct +0.939s
17 Jack GOFF (GBR) RCIB Insurance with Fox Transport +1.040s
18 Chris SMILEY (GBR) BTC Racing +1.060s
19 Matt SIMPSON (GBR) Simpson Racing +1.166s
20 Sam TORDOFF (GBR) Cobra Sport AmD AutoAid/RCIB Insurance +1.212s
21 Tom CHILTON (GBR) Team Shredded Wheat Racing with Gallagher +1.267s
22 Ollie JACKSON (GBR) Team Shredded Wheat Racing with Gallagher +1.290s
23 Rory BUTCHER (GBR) Cobra Sport AmD AutoAid/RCIB Insurance +1.381s
24 Nicolas HAMILTON (GBR) ROKiT Racing with Motorbase +1.847s
25 Aiden MOFFAT (GBR) Laser Tools Racing +2.000s
26 Carl BOARDLEY (GBR) RCIB Insurance with Fox Transport +2.021s
27 Rob SMITH (GBR) Excelr8 Motorsport +2.237s
28 Mark BLUNDELL (GBR) TradePriceCars.com +2.625s
29 Michael CREES (GBR) GKR Scaffolding with Autobrite Direct +3.252s
30 Sam OSBORNE (GBR) Excelr8 Motorsport +3.946s

Thruxton paddock fires into life ahead of second BTCC visit of the season

The Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship and the TOCA support package have pitched up at Thruxton prior to a bumper weekend of motorsport action around the Hampshire speedbowl.

The famous WWII airfield was a hive of activity on Friday as the on-track action got underway with the Renault Clio Cup, British F4, Ginetta GT4 Supercup, Ginetta Juniors and Porsche Carrera Cup all holding practice sessions around the 2.4-mile circuit.

Meanwhile, the BTCC paddock has been gearing up for a second bite of the Thruxton cherry with Britain’s fastest racetrack having already hosted Rounds 7, 8 and 9 on a hugely successful weekend back in May.

Reigning champion Colin Turkington leads the standings as the UK’s premier racing series rolls into town for Rounds 19, 20 and 21, with practice and qualifying set to take place on Saturday.

The Northern Irishman is 36 points clear of team-mate Andrew Jordan, with the duo having accounted for ten victories out of a possible 18 this campaign in their new BMW 330i M Sports.

Jordan stood on the top step twice during the series’ previous visit to Thruxton, but Josh Cook also bagged a win and the BTC Racing ace from Bath should be quick again at a track that often favours Honda machinery.

The Halfords Yuasa Racing pair of Matt Neal and Dan Cammish will also hope to be among the front-runners come race-day, while the top six in the championship are covered by just 70 points as we head towards the business end of the season.

Meanwhile, Rob Smith and his EXCELR8 Motorsport Team caught the eye ahead of this weekend by popping to a local Kwik Fit centre in Andover to give the Draper Tools MG6GT a final once-over – and the video is well worth a watch on our Thruxton Circuit Facebook page.

Temperamental weather made track conditions difficult on Friday but a positive forecast for the weekend is set to encourage another huge crowd, with fans able to enjoy spectacular views from the circuit’s iconic banking and unparalleled hospitality in the state-of-the-art Thruxton Centre.

Off-track, there will be something for everyone with a variety of activities around the venue including skid pan rides for all ages, an extensive display of driving experience supercars and racing cars and a fantastic trade village to explore.

Tickets are available on the gate, starting at £17 for Saturday (qualifying) and £34 for Sunday. Teen tickets (13-15) are £5 for Saturday and £10 for Sunday, while Under-12s go free.

For further information, visit thruxtonracing.co.uk/racing/btcc or call 01264 882222.

For more information on Thruxton’s race meetings and driving experiences, visit www.thruxtonracing.co.uk

For season or individual race meeting accreditation, please e-mail: press@barc.net