Matt Neal will start tomorrow’s opening Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship race from pole position after the Halfords Yuasa Racing star set a blistering pace during qualifying at Oulton Park.

The triple champion took his first pole position in five years with a stellar effort at Thruxton last time out, and the experienced racer backed up his fine form with yet another in successive events. 

BMW Pirtek Racing’s Andrew Jordan led the way early on as the 2013 champion looked to be a serious contender. Jordan had endured two relatively lacklustre weekends at Donington Park and Thruxton respectively, but he bounced back today with the potent ballast-free BMW 125i M Sport beneath him. The Bavarian machine has often gone well around the picturesque Cheshire venue and its credentials were also underlined by Rob Collard and Colin Turkington later on in proceedings.

Two Hondas endured offs as reigning champion Gordon Shedden recovered from a slide at Cascades, although Matt Simpson wasn’t so fortunate in a separate incident. The Simpson Racing Civic Type R ran wide at the exit of Druids and then speared into the barrier on the inside of the track as Simpson tried to correct his mistake.

The red flags were thrown to recover the stricken Honda, but not before Aiden Moffat, Ashley Sutton and Mat Jackson had joined Neal and Jordan at the top of the timesheets.

A five minute shootout would determine the final grid positions although improvements were hard to come by for much of the field. 

With Turkington languishing down the order, however, the Ulsterman produced heroics to haul his ballast-laden BMW up to fourth place ahead of Shedden’s Honda, who had himself responded well to his earlier moment. 

So as the chequered flag waved, it was Neal from Jordan and Moffat’s Laser Tools Racing Mercedes – the young talent again showing his class following a maiden BTCC breakthrough victory earlier in the season.

Turkington and Shedden were next on the timesheets, ahead of Ash Sutton’s Subaru Levorg, who once more proved the pick of the Adrian Flux Subaru Racing squad. The two Fords of Mat Jackson and Josh Cook were seventh and eighth respectively, whilst Collard and rookie Senna Proctor initially completed the top ten. Proctor, however, along with another five drivers (see penalties below), lost his fastest time for a yellow flag infringement. This handed a top ten berth to Jake Hill in the TAG Racing VW while Proctor was classified in 16th. 

Two high profile drivers endured tougher sessions than their younger team-mates as Jason Plato spun his Subaru Levorg before having to settle for 17th on the grid, whilst Power Maxed Racing’s Tom Chilton couldn’t match Proctor’s pace – he eventually finished 30th in his Vauxhall Astra.

The relentless pace of the session was proven as the top 25 drivers were covered by just over a second with the entire 32-car field blanketed by 1.797s. That final position unfortunately went to Team Shredded Wheat Racing with Duo driver Martin Depper, who also crashed into the barriers in the closing minutes.

Matt Neal said: “Fantastic! Pole positions are like buses at the moment, aren’t they – you wait for ages and then two come along all at once! I didn’t expect that. Given that we’ve got a bit of weight, I was aiming for somewhere on the first two rows but the car felt great – properly hooked-up. The session started out damp but really dried up quickly. We made a few last-minute changes and my engineer Barry worked his wizardry. It’s looking a bit tricky for tomorrow with two rear-wheel drive cars close behind me, but the Honda Civic Type R is great out of the blocks and we’ll give it our best shot.”

Andrew Jordan said: “That’s more like it! I’m very happy – just faultless from the team and I. This is the best I’ve driven the car all year, and it’s nice to start to feel like I’m getting on top of it now. I felt really at home in the car and it was a good session in general, which shows we’re making progress. We needed to do something like this. When you come here in a car like the BMW with no weight, you need to be up at the sharp end. We rolled straight out in the ballpark and we’ve been there all day. I wasn’t settling for second at the end – I was trying to snatch it off Matt [Neal], but we just came up short.”

Aiden Moffat said: “It certainly makes Sunday a lot easier when you get qualifying right! All credit to the Laser Tools Racing boys – they gave me the car to do the job. Achieving your first win like we did at Donington gives you a lot more confidence and with that a different mindset. We’ve proved we deserve to be here, so the pressure is off. We’ve always tended to struggle at this track, but today was the best the car has felt for a long time. I was really pushing on my fastest lap – it was certainly on-the-edge – but we got the most out of it!”

Colin Turkington said: “We’ve had a slight issue with the car all through the day. The most frustrating thing was we knew how much performance and potential was in the car, and yet we were languishing a long way down the timesheets with our hands tied. Thankfully, we just managed to get on top of it for the last run – the last few laps were do-or-die, and that’s where you really earn your money. To start on the first couple of rows is pretty good around here, and given the weight we are carrying, I think this is as high as we could have got today.”

Gordon Shedden said: “It’s tough out there – there’s no getting away from that. It was a good lap. Could I have found a little bit more? Maybe, but at least I can go racing from there. It was disappointing to lose out to [Colin] Turkington at the end, but I’m getting there and it’ll be a little bit about playing the long game tomorrow for me. It’s awesome for Matt – he’s finding a bit of form with this pole position lark! It just goes to show that when we hook it all up we’ve got a real good car and he’ll make the most of it. I’m sure there’s every chance he’ll take a couple of wins this weekend if he can get it off the line.”

2017 Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship – Qualifying – Oulton Park

1 Matt NEAL (GBR) Halfords Yuasa Racing 1m26.151s (93.01mph)
2 Andrew JORDAN (GBR) BMW Pirtek Racing +0.126s
3 Aiden MOFFAT (GBR) Laser Tools Racing +0.249s
4 Colin TURKINGTON (GBR) Team BMW +0.458s
5 Gordon SHEDDEN (GBR) Halfords Yuasa Racing +0.461s
6 Ashley SUTTON (GBR) Adrian Flux Subaru Racing +0.511s
7 Mat JACKSON (GBR) Team Shredded Wheat Racing with Duo +0.549s
8 Josh COOK (GBR) Team Parker with Maximum Motorsport +0.571s
9 Rob COLLARD (GBR) Team BMW +0.587s
10 Jake HILL (GBR) TAG Racing +0.650s
11 Tom INGRAM (GBR) Speedworks Motorsport +0.668s
12 Jack GOFF (GBR) Eurotech Racing +0.689s
13 Michael EPPS (GBR) Autoaid/RCIB Insurance Racing +0.728s
14 Rob AUSTIN (GBR) Handy Motorsport +0.791s
15 Matt SIMPSON (GBR) Simpson Racing +0.812s
16 Senna PROCTOR (GBR) Power Maxed Racing +0.819s
17 Jason PLATO (GBR) Adrian Flux Subaru Racing +0.823s
18 Jeff SMITH (GBR) Eurotech Racing +0.894s
19 Ant WHORTON-EALES (GBR) AmDtuning.com with Cobra Exhausts +0.980s
20 Adam MORGAN (GBR) Ciceley Motorsport +0.996s
21 James COLE (GBR) Adrian Flux Subaru Racing +1.002s
22 Ollie JACKSON (GBR) AmDtuning.com with Cobra Exhausts +1.005s
23 Stephen JELLEY (GBR) Team Parker with Maximum Motorsport +1.017s
24 Luke DAVENPORT (GBR) Team Shredded Wheat Racing with Duo +1.089s
25 Aron TAYLOR-SMITH (IRL) MG Racing RCIB Insurance +1.115s
26 Daniel LLOYD (GBR) MG Racing RCIB Insurance +1.181s
27 Will BURNS (GBR) Autoaid/RCIB Insurance Racing +1.242s
28 Dave NEWSHAM (GBR) BTC Norlin Racing +1.288s
29 Chris SMILEY (GBR) BTC Norlin Racing +1.451s
30 Tom CHILTON (GBR) Power Maxed Racing +1.455s
31 Josh PRICE (GBR) Adrian Flux Subaru Racing +1.669s
32 Martin DEPPER (GBR) Team Shredded Wheat Racing with Duo +1.797s

Penalties:

Chilton, Proctor, Taylor-Smith, Lloyd, Morgan and Davenport all had their fastest times disallowed for a yellow flag infringement

Halfords Yuasa Racing's Matt Neal set the pace during a rather frenetic 40-minute free practice two at Oulton Park.

Several rain showers punctuated proceedings with heavy cloud and sun also making the odd appearance. It was Neal that made the best of the conditions, as the Honda man clocked a 1:37.051s benchmark on a wet track. 

"The Honda Civic Type R feels good in these changeable conditions, so hopefully we'll be in the mix for qualifying this afternoon," said Neal.

Reigning champion Gordon Shedden looked to be on course to pip team-mate Neal late on, but a high speed off at Druids ended his hopes whilst the Scotsman was on a real flyer.

"We had a problem with the steering wheel initially," said Shedden. "The circuit conditions were changing every lap. It's always challenging to get a feel when it's like that, as you just don't know what the next corner will bring."

That left second place to James Cole, who had previously led the session in his Subaru Levorg. 

"This is like home to me," he said. "If I could do it anywhere I would want it to be here as this is where it all began. I first sat in a racing car at Oulton Park ten years or so ago, so it would be great if we could show our true potential this weekend."

Team BMW locked out third and fourth on the timesheets as Colin Turkington edged out team-mate Rob Collard, whilst Ash Sutton further showed Adrian Flux Subaru Racing's potential with fifth place.

A sixth place for Daniel Lloyd will come as a welcome boost for everyone at MG Racing RCIB Insurance while Josh Cook backed-up his top five pace in FP1 with a seventh place in the final practice session.

Former champions Andrew Jordan and Jason Plato were next in the order, with Eurotech Racing's Jeff Smith completing the top ten.

2017 Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship – Free Practice 2 – Oulton Park

1 Matt NEAL (GBR) Halfords Yuasa Racing 1m37.051s (82.57mph)
2 James COLE (GBR) Adrian Flux Subaru Racing +0.249s
3 Colin TURKINGTON (GBR) Team BMW +0.256s
4 Rob COLLARD (GBR) Team BMW +0.331s
5 Ashley SUTTON (GBR) Adrian Flux Subaru Racing +0.398s
6 Daniel LLOYD (GBR) MG Racing RCIB Insurance +0.402s
7 Josh COOK (GBR) Team Parker with Maximum Motorsport +0.404s
8 Andrew JORDAN (GBR) BMW Pirtek Racing +0.419s
9 Jason PLATO (GBR) Adrian Flux Subaru Racing +0.616s
10 Jeff SMITH (GBR) Eurotech Racing +0.656s
11 Mat JACKSON (GBR) Team Shredded Wheat Racing with Duo +0.733s
12 Jack GOFF (GBR) Eurotech Racing +0.738s
13 Rob AUSTIN (GBR) Handy Motorsport +0.785s
14 Martin DEPPER (GBR) Team Shredded Wheat Racing with Duo +0.797s
15 Stephen JELLEY (GBR) Team Parker with Maximum Motorsport +0.826s
16 Tom INGRAM (GBR) Speedworks Motorsport +0.875s
17 Dave NEWSHAM (GBR) BTC Norlin Racing +0.947s
18 Aiden MOFFAT (GBR) Laser Tools Racing +0.949s
19 Ollie JACKSON (GBR) AmDtuning.com with Cobra Exhausts +0.961s
20 Chris SMILEY (GBR) BTC Norlin Racing +0.971s
21 Gordon SHEDDEN (GBR) Halfords Yuasa Racing +1.111s
22 Matt SIMPSON (GBR) Simpson Racing +1.151s
23 Michael EPPS (GBR) Autoaid/RCIB Insurance Racing +1.199s
24 Aron TAYLOR-SMITH (IRL) MG Racing RCIB Insurance +1.251s
25 Senna PROCTOR (GBR) Power Maxed Racing +1.318s
26 Adam MORGAN (GBR) Ciceley Motorsport +1.351s
27 Jake HILL (GBR) TAG Racing +1.422s
28 Will BURNS (GBR) Autoaid/RCIB Insurance Racing +1.598s
29 Josh PRICE (GBR) Adrian Flux Subaru Racing +1.850s
30 Luke DAVENPORT (GBR) Team Shredded Wheat Racing with Duo +1.853s
31 Ant WHORTON-EALES (GBR) AmDtuning.com with Cobra Exhausts +1.967s
32 Tom CHILTON (GBR) Power Maxed Racing +2.524s

BMW Pirtek Racing's Andrew Jordan left it late to set the fastest lap of the opening Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship free practice session at Oulton Park.

Jordan has endured two relatively lacklustre weekends at Donington Park and Thruxton respectively, but arrives at Oulton with a potent ballast-free BMW 125i M Sport beneath him. The Bavarian machine has often gone well around the picturesque Cheshire venue and the 2013 champion underlined his credentials with a 1:26.535s lap time in FP1.

Local driver Adam Morgan looked to have set the pace in the Ciceley Motorsport Mercedes before he was demoted by Jordan, but the Lancastrian should still be a contender come qualifying this afternoon. Morgan is one of only four drivers to have scored points in every round so far this season, and he'll need to show the same consistency this weekend to maintain his early championship challenge.

Jack Goff is another to have scored in every race and he set the third fastest time here in his Eurotech Honda Civic Type R. Goff has been running at the sharp end throughout the 2017 season so far, having settled well on his return to front-wheel drive machinery.

There was light moisture in the air for the 40-minute duration with track temperatures arguably preventing the field from showing the ultimate pace. With indifferent weather also expected later this afternoon it seems that Jason Plato's 2015 qualifying lap record of 1:25.484s may be safe for another season.

Josh Cook and James Cole made it a fairly youthful looking top five, whilst the experienced Rob Collard completed top six order. Championship leader Tom Ingram was seventh in the ballast-laden Toyota Avensis ahead of Ash Sutton's Subaru and Mat Jackson's Ford. Scotsman Aiden Moffat rounded out the top ten.

2017 Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship – Free Practice 1 – Oulton Park

1 Andrew JORDAN (GBR) BMW Pirtek Racing 1m26.535s (92.60mph)
2 Adam MORGAN (GBR) Ciceley Motorsport +0.204s
3 Jack GOFF (GBR) Eurotech Racing +0.371s
4 Josh COOK (GBR) Team Parker with Maximum Motorsport +0.371s
5 James COLE (GBR) Adrian Flux Subaru Racing +0.376s
6 Rob COLLARD (GBR) Team BMW +0.446s
7 Tom INGRAM (GBR) Speedworks Motorsport +0.525s
8 Ashley SUTTON (GBR) Adrian Flux Subaru Racing +0.543s
9 Mat JACKSON (GBR) Team Shredded Wheat Racing with Duo +0.676s
10 Aiden MOFFAT (GBR) Laser Tools Racing +0.690s
11 Colin TURKINGTON (GBR) Team BMW +0.713s
12 Rob AUSTIN (GBR) Handy Motorsport +0.717s
13 Gordon SHEDDEN (GBR) Halfords Yuasa Racing +0.773s
14 Daniel LLOYD (GBR) MG Racing RCIB Insurance +0.912s
15 Matt NEAL (GBR) Halfords Yuasa Racing +0.961s
16 Jason PLATO (GBR) Adrian Flux Subaru Racing +0.980s
17 Chris SMILEY (GBR) BTC Norlin Racing +1.002s
18 Michael EPPS (GBR) Autoaid/RCIB Insurance Racing +1.008s
19 Dave NEWSHAM (GBR) BTC Norlin Racing +1.026s
20 Tom CHILTON (GBR) Power Maxed Racing +1.054s
21 Senna PROCTOR (GBR) Power Maxed Racing +1.168s
22 Jeff SMITH (GBR) Eurotech Racing +1.426s
23 Ollie JACKSON (GBR) AmDtuning.com with Cobra Exhausts +1.426s
24 Will BURNS (GBR) Autoaid/RCIB Insurance Racing +1.565s
25 Martin DEPPER (GBR) Team Shredded Wheat Racing with Duo +1.596s
26 Matt SIMPSON (GBR) Simpson Racing +1.601s
27 Jake HILL (GBR) TAG Racing +1.642s
28 Josh PRICE (GBR) Adrian Flux Subaru Racing +1.686s
29 Ant WHORTON-EALES (GBR) AmDtuning.com with Cobra Exhausts +1.725s
30 Luke DAVENPORT (GBR) Team Shredded Wheat Racing with Duo +1.851s
31 Stephen JELLEY (GBR) Team Parker with Maximum Motorsport +2.213s
32 Aron TAYLOR-SMITH (IRL) MG Racing RCIB Insurance NO TIME

Matt Neal took Dunlop's #ForeverForward award at Thruxton with a total of 18 positions gained over the course of what was a landmark weekend for the experienced Honda racer.

The #ForeverForward leaderboard is starting to show consistencies as the season progresses, with TAG Racing's Jake Hill now in possession of overall top spot. Hill enjoyed a progressive day's racing in Hampshire with 17 places gained on Sunday, level with fast-starting, swashbuckling Team BMW man Rob Collard who is no stranger to this award.

Neal left a host of drivers in his wake as he propelled his Honda Civic Type R through the field in race three after a power steering issue destroyed his efforts in the day's second encounter. He gained a total of 18 positions in that bout alone – some achievement and enough to propel him to top spot in the #ForeverForward shakeup for the weekend.

Kate Rock, Communications Manager for Dunlop, said: “A special mention must to Jake Hill who, in a very understated way, has quietly and consistently made progress in almost every race this season. He could be a real contender to win what always transpires to be an ultra-competitive and closely fought #ForeverForward award come the end of the season.

“It’s great to see some consistency starting to come through at the top end of the leaderboard which should serve to give drivers a target to aim for alongside their ongoing battle for championship points. Let’s see if this consistency remains as we head to Oulton Park and beyond.”

#ForeverForward – Thruxton:

1) Matt Neal 18
2) Rob Collard 17
3) Jake Hill 17

#ForeverForward – Overall Standings:

1) Jake Hill 56
2) Matt Neal 48
3) Ash Sutton 46

MG Racing RCIB Insurance's Daniel Lloyd heads to Cheshire on the points trail as the Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship arrives at Oulton Park this weekend.

Lloyd has an excellent track record on the 2.23-mile Island layout.  The MG Racing RCIB Insurance racer sealed a first BTCC front row start here last season in the Eurotech Racing Honda Civic Type R – missing out on pole by just 0.019 seconds.

“I’m looking forward to bouncing back from a tough weekend at Thruxton,” said Lloyd. “Oulton Park is one of my favourite circuits. It’s one of the closest tracks to home and we always have fantastic local support there from fans and sponsors – many of whom are coming along at the weekend.”

Lloyd has endured a tough start to his 2017 BTCC campaign that has seen the Yorkshireman secure just two points finishes from nine races, with the Triple-Eight-run squad striving to unlock the MG6.

“It’s no secret that we’ve been struggling this season, but with the change over to the new suspension kit this year combined with the new Dunlop tyre and limited pre-season testing it’s been a really steep learning curve for us all,” explained Lloyd.

“Hopefully the things that we picked up from our recent test at Croft will be more relevant here and we’ll be able to stay out of trouble and make some progress.

“The MG Racing RCIB Insurance crew have done a brilliant job to get the car ready for this weekend and have been working non-stop to get us back on the front foot;” the Yorkshireman added.

“The guys have been busy on the rig since Thruxton, working on the dampers and we’ve made some pretty big changes to the MG6 for Oulton, so hopefully that work will start to pay off in results this weekend.”

See www.podiumpredictor.com for full terms and conditions, Paul's predictions and details on the prizes.

Good luck #BTCC fans!

Indie Ingram leads the charge as Britain's biggest motor racing series blasts on to Oulton Park

The Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship travels northward to Cheshire's Oulton Park next weekend (20/21 May) for Rounds 10, 11 and 12 of the season. The UK's biggest motor sport series is set to blast around the picturesque circuit in front of what is always one of the biggest crowds of the year, with in excess of 40,000 fans flocking to soak in the festival-like atmosphere.

The 2017 BTCC campaign is already well underway, with each of the three weekends so far throwing up the first-class, highly competitive, unpredictable racing that the championship is renowned for, where any number of the 32-strong field have a very real chance of making the rostrum. The first nine rounds have produced seven different victors and six different marques have already been represented on the podium – Honda, BMW, Subaru, Toyota, Vauxhall and Mercedes have all adorned the laurels.

A record crowd last time out at Thruxton in Hampshire saw Tom Ingram extend his championship lead, though two decorated factory drivers in Honda's reigning champion Gordon Shedden and double champion, BMW's Colin Turkington, are breathing right down the neck of the Independents' flag-bearer. Speedworks Motorsport's Ingram will head to Oulton, the team's back yard, top of the tree and can surely count on strong local backing.

Oulton Park is a favourite for families and campers, with thousands packing the surrounding fields ready to cheer on their favourite drivers, teams and local heroes, and there's always a unique feel when the BTCC comes to town. Once again, as per every BTCC event, ITV4 will be covering all of the unmissable action live.

Magic Milestones
Sunday at Thruxton proved to be an historic day for the championship as triple champion Matt Neal marked a major milestone in his career, matching touring car legend Andy Rouse's tally of 60 BTCC victories – drawing him level-second on the all-time winners' list. 

“I hadn’t given much thought to equalling Andy’s win tally, to be honest," said Neal. "We all thought that record was unachievable and even though Jason [Plato] exceeded it, I never thought I would get there – it's just unbelievable.

"Yes, there are a lot more races in the season now, but it's tough out there. To have left Hampshire with a Halfords Yuasa Racing one-two and a Honda podium lockout on home soil was a dream – a fabulous result.”

Rob Collard finally broke his Thruxton silverware duck after flying off the line at lights out in his typical style, past a clutch of others and into second early on. An issue for Neal up front meant that victory would be Collard's if he could hold off the sister Honda of defending champion Gordon Shedden, and the Hampshireman came up with the goods for a first win on home soil and a first win of 2017 in what looks like potent machinery.

The BMW 125i M Sport traditionally goes well in Cheshire with four wins in the last five years, only one fewer than Oulton kings Honda over the last 15 rounds there. With manufacturer backing from the giant Bavarian automaker this year, Team BMW will be a force to be reckoned with once again next weekend.

Further history was made in the final encounter of the day at Thruxton, as Collard's team-mate Colin Turkington made it cause for a double celebration for BMW, claiming its 100^th victory in Britain's premier motor sport championship.

"I wasn’t that confident before the race because we had been chasing the set-up all day, but the guys never let up which moved the car in a new direction – and the pace was there for all to see," said Turkington. 

"To achieve BMW’s 100^th win in the BTCC is a very special feeling for me. I grew up watching the likes of Smokin’ Jo Winkelhock and Tim Harvey, so to continue the history of this iconic brand means a lot to me."

Dick Bennetts, West Surrey Racing and Team BMW Team Principal, said: "We are immensely proud to have scored BMW’s 100th win in the British Touring Car Championship. We’ve run BMWs since 2007 and they’ve been a fantastic partner throughout that time."

Oulton Park last year also provided a significant milestone – that of Subaru's very first pole position and its maiden win in the championship. 

This year though, on current form, a Subaru victory may be harder to come by although by no means out of the question. Of its quartet of drivers, Jason Plato, James Cole, rookie Josh Price and Ash Sutton, it's the latter that has led the charge throughout a challenging opening few rounds for the Japanese marque.

Sutton has scored a brace of podium finishes but his three team-mates have consistently struggled to break into the points – including double BTCC champion and the series' most successful driver Plato. That said, Oulton Park's stops and starts could suit the rear-wheel drive nature of the outfit's Levorg GT.

Local heroes
Oulton and its local surroundings are a hotbed for BTCC talent and a number of teams and drivers call the circuit home. Speedworks Motorsport heads to Cheshire and the fourth weekend on the calendar with driver Tom Ingram topping the overall Drivers' championship.

A solid points haul, including two impressive podiums with a ballast-laden Toyota Avensis, ensured he would extend his lead in the running – something he hadn't banked on doing ahead of Thruxton. The target at Oulton is another haul of points in a bid to retain his advantage at the standings summit.

"To come away from Thruxton having extended our points lead is incredible," said Ingram. "We never expected to do quite so well given the ballast on board but it just goes to show once again what an awesome job Speedworks are doing. It's hard to believe what we've managed to do over the first three events this season – it's amazing. 

"The odds will be stacked against us again with the weight we've got to carry and the nature of Oulton Park as more of a rear-wheel drive circuit. The price you pay for success in the BTCC is that added ballast, and we have proven so far that the Toyota can carry it fairly well so, a good points score across the board is what we've got to look for.

"I love the track, it's a blast. It's where I took my first pole in cars, so I've got some good memories of racing there. Then there's the fact we're on home turf. Speedworks is based just around the corner, so it would be nice to have a strong weekend in our own back yard and come away with our championship lead intact."

Ciceley Motorsport hails from Preston, Lancashire and backs the Mercedes-Benz A-Class of Adam Morgan – himself a local driver and a multiple visitor to the podium this year. Both team and driver will be aiming to consolidate their title tilts in both the overall Drivers' standings and the Independents' running next weekend. 

Ciceley also backs Laser Tools Racing and young-gun Aiden Moffat. The Scot secured a maiden victory in the championship back at Donington Park and typically tenacious racing has seen him take up a top ten spot in the overall table – an encouraging start to the season.

Adrian Flux Subaru Racing's James Cole is from Liverpool. Both he and his team will be looking for an upturn in form after a difficult opening third of the campaign.

Timetable and tickets 
All three BTCC races on Sunday, 21 May – and many of the day’s other races – will be broadcast live and in high-definition on ITV4. Those in attendance at the circuit can stay in touch with the commentary and live timing from every session, available at btcc.net/live throughout the weekend.
 
The support series on the TOCA package are also guaranteed to thrill with a double digit total of races set to entertain the crowds. Porsche Carrera Cup GB, Renault UK Clio Cup, MSA Formula Championship and the Ginetta championships will all be in attendance in Cheshire, making for a weekend of truly unmissable racing.
 
Discounted advance tickets are on sale online from just £27 for Sunday, 21 May and they are available on the gate at £15 for Saturday, 20 May, with weekend tickets including a Paddock Pass available for just £35.
 
They can be purchased online at www.oultonpark.co.uk, by calling 0843 453 9000 or from the ticket office. Accompanied children aged 13 and under are admitted free.

Rob Collard and Colin Turkington combined at Thruxton to give BMW its landmark 100th race win in the Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship.

The upshot was not only an increased advantage in the BTCC Teams’ Championship for WSR-run Team BMW but also a boost to BMW’s advantage at the head of the Manufacturers’ title race.

Hampshireman Collard leapt up to third place at the start of Round 8 from 10th on the grid, in a typically swashbuckling getaway from the grid. By the time the race was red flagged on lap three, he had scythed his BMW 125i M Sport into the lead.

At the restart, he drove away from the field to take a maiden victory on home turf, a first in 2017 and the 14th of his BTCC career following a race that was declared short of its intended distance due to a second red flag incident.

 “It feels fantastic to get a victory so early in the season and to do it at my local circuit made it even more special – especially as Thruxton isn’t a track we expected to win at," said Collard. "We’ve worked hard to maximise not just the starts, but the early laps, and the results were strong.

"With full success ballast on-board in race three it was always going to be difficult to finish well, so seventh was a very useful haul of points to add to those achieved earlier in the day and it means we go to Oulton Park – a track we’re normally strong at – in very good shape.”

"It was an explosive few laps!” beamed Collard. “The BMW felt absolutely stunning and I was so pleased for the team. We did a lot at the first start, and then the re-start was textbook. I had a really good opening lap and then I’m not sure what happened to Matt (Neal). It was obviously a shame for him but I will take this one, and with pride.

“I must admit, going three-abreast into the chicane was pretty scary! I had one of the Hondas on my left and then cheeky Jack Goff snuck up my inside on the right – I didn’t see that one coming! The BMW was on fire this weekend.”

Northern Irishman Turkington followed that up with a commanding victory from pole position in the reversed-grid third race, achieving BMW’s 100th BTCC success and the 48th achieved with Sunbury-on-Thames-based WSR.

Added to seventh and sixth places earlier in the day, Turkington’s second win of the year ensured he left Thruxton third in the Drivers’ Championship. Rob’s 10th and seventh places in the other races – the latter result coming with a full 75kg of success ballast – puts him fourth overall.

“I’m incredibly proud to take the 100th BTCC win for BMW, a company with such an incredible record of success in touring car racing," said Turkington. "Doubly so, because I grew up watching Jo Winkelhock and Steve Soper and wishing one day I could do the same as them.

"We didn’t have the fastest car today at what isn’t traditionally a rear-wheel-drive circuit, but we definitely worked the hardest to make sure we had enough pace when it counted. Without the reversed-grid pole, I’m not sure we could have won today, but we’ve made it work for us and it’s a very special day for the whole team.”

Dick Bennetts, Team Principal, said: “We are immensely proud to have scored BMW’s 100th win in the British Touring Car Championship. We’ve run BMWs since 2007 and they’ve been a fantastic partner throughout that time. Rob drove magnificently in Race Two, making a great start and really braving it out at the chicane when he was three-wide early on.

"I think the race being stopped and declared early helped us, because I’m not sure what would have happened if it had gone the full distance. We were fortunate to have Colin drawn on pole for Race Three, but he made the most of it and drove beautifully. Colin and Rob are now third and fourth in the points and we’re leading the Teams’ and Manufacturers’ standings, so it’s been a very satisfying weekend.”

AmDTuning.com with Cobra Exhausts' run of points finishes came to an end at Thruxton, though there was still cause for encouragement leaving Hampshire after what has been a positive opening third of the 2017 Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship season for the West Thurrock outfit.
 
The team went into the third meeting of the year looking to add to its points tally after drivers Ollie Jackson and Ant Whorton-Eales both brought home top 15 finishes last time out at Donington Park. With Jackson having also scored points at Brands Hatch, the team was keen to maintain its upward curve on its return to the venue where it opened its account with the Audi S3 Saloon 12 months earlier.
 
The highly competitive nature of the field this season was once again reflected in qualifying. Jackson's time was just over a second off the benchmark but despite this, he would find himself down in 25^th place on the grid for race one. A strong and consistent run through the field from lights out saw him up to 18^th by the finish.

From there, climbed up to 15^th and a points-paying position in the early stages of race two before an accident at Church forced officials to bring out the red flags. A further incident saw the red flags fly again after six laps, with Jackson ending up just shy of the points in 16^th spot.
 
It would be a similar story in race three, with the AmD man battling on the cusp of the fiercely-contested points spots on the way to 17^th – his battled-scarred Audi showing afterwards how frenetic battle had been on track.
 
"It’s disappointing that we didn’t manage to score any points this weekend, but it was unbelievably tight on track,” he said. “Thruxton is a bit of a bogey circuit for me, but we were right in amongst it and with a bit more luck, we could easily have come away from the weekend with a decent result to our name and been celebrating more points on the board.
 
“We can’t dwell on what might have been however, so it’s time to put Thruxton behind us and focus on what is to come through the remainder of the season.”
 
Team-mate Whorton-Eales broke into the top 20 in qualifying, setting the second fastest time of all through the final sector of the lap en-route to 19^th on the grid.
 
The Lichfield racer was unable to build further in the opening race, however, as he was forced wide and onto the grass at Noble early on, which resulted in an enforced pit-stop to allow the team to remove debris from the front of the car – ultimately ending up a lap down in 30^th place.
 
He gained six spots on the way to 24^th in race two, despite battling an electrical problem throughout.
 
Unfortunately for the reigning Clio Cup UK champion, time was against the team and he was forced to take a watching brief during final race of the weekend, with that issue precluding the car from entry.
 
“It’s been an up and down weekend and obviously it was disappointing to have picked up the electrical problem that forced us to miss race three,” he said. “We thought we’d managed to find the issue after race two but sadly it wasn’t the case and it prevented us from trying to push forwards towards the top 20.
 
“It’s a shame that we couldn’t show what we were capable of in terms of the end results, as the pace in the car was clear to see from qualifying and then in the way I was able to run with the leaders without a problem in race one – particularly when you consider it was my first time here in a BTCC car.
 
“These things happen though, and we’ll come out fighting to score more points next time out.”
 
Team boss Shaun Hollamby admitted it was unfortunate for the team not to add to its points tally, but insisted there were still positives to take away from the weekend.
 
“We hoped to maintain our run of points this weekend but sadly it wasn’t to be,” he said. “Ant’s performance in qualifying was encouraging and put him in a good position for race day, and it was unfortunate that we couldn’t build on that in race one.
 
“Had he not been forced off track then we could easily have scored in that race, and it’s a shame that the electrical gremlins then affected his car in race two and prevented him starting race three. I have to thank the team, and also the guys from Swindon Engines, for their efforts ahead of race three, but time was just against us.
 
“The fact that Ollie came so close to points in all three races showed we had a strong race car, but it’s the field is so close this season that it isn’t easy to fight through the pack. A few tenths of a second in qualifying would have put him right up with Ant on the grid and I’m sure he’d have been able to then add to his tally.
 
“Having seen the pace of the car again in race trim, it’s clear to see what we need to work on our one lap pace so that both drivers can try and qualify higher up the grid when we get to Oulton Park and challenge for more points.”

Power Maxed Racing left Thruxton with a trio of points finishes and more silverware following another positive Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship weekend for the new Vauxhall Astra.

The outfit were optimistic following valuable testing outing in Hampshire two weeks prior and qualifying showed that the team could well be there or thereabouts.

Chilton donned new tyres for a run half way through the session and promptly set a session record sector one, followed by a flying second sector – a personal best. Unfortunately at the last, the red flag emerged, forcing Chilton to back off and effectively invalidating his lap. Still, Chilton qualified in 11th with Proctor just behind in 14th. 

Race one saw Proctor pass Chilton as the latter lost ground through an obscured view of the five second board. Chilton now had a point to prove, passing Matt Simpson on lap nine, Aiden Moffat on lap 12 and was fighting with Andrew Jordan for 12th.

An uncharacteristic spin from Jordan forced the Vauxhall man into evasive action, losing the Surrey racer two positions in the process. Proctor, meanwhile kept his head down to cross the line just outside the points in 16th – collecting another Jack Sears Trophy victory.

Proctor was involved in contact with the two MGs at Church on the opening lap of race two, resulting in all three cars leaving the circuit and Dan Lloyd hitting the barrier with force, causing a red flag. The Vauxhall was forced into pitting to repair a damaged oil cooler and tyre and the PMR mechanics made the turnaround for the restart with some quick work down in the garage. 

After the restart, Chilton briefly found himself on the defensive but had made three forward moves by the third tour. Proctor's focus was firmly on the JST, and race two would be a case of damage limitation. The rookie made up seven places by lap six when the race was prematurely ended by another red flag.

Both Astras started race three well, with Chilton running 11th and Proctor 22nd. The former held station throughout a competitive race, making up a spot to finish top-ten, and setting the fastest race lap of the weekend, just a few thousandths-of-a-seconds shy of Yvan Muller's 2002 lap record, also set in a Vauxhall Astra.

“The team have put together a mega car, and it's a case of could have, should have, would have," said Chilton.

"I didn’t have the best start to the weekend. First, the red flag in qualifying, then being unsighted and losing grid places for the start of race one. However, I got my head down and did what I do best – race for position.

"It was great to be able to be in thick of the action and gain places, but I just wish I’d have started further up the grid."

Senna Proctor said: “It’s been an exciting weekend, race one was a steady way to ease into Thruxton, winning the Jack Sears was a good result for a steady race.

"The second was an action-packed affair, and I was thrown right into the action being sandwiched in between the two MG’s and honestly I think I was lucky to escape that one. Race three was more promising, and I wanted to keep it clean.

"To come away with the Jack Sears Trophy for the third weekend is real testament to the team and the rapid development in both myself as a BTCC rookie and for the brand new Vauxhall Astra, I am thrilled."

Adam Weaver, Power Maxed Racing Team Principal, reflected: “The team have had their work cut out this weekend and have again risen to the occasion. It is only the third outing for our new Vauxhall Astra Touring Car, and we are still learning a lot.

"So to bag points, the fastest lap and the Jack Sears is a great achievement for the team and the drivers. They are a great bunch, and I’m proud to say they represent Power Maxed Racing."