Dunlop #ForeverForward – Snetterton

Power Maxed Racing's Senna Proctor took maiden Dunlop #ForeverForward honours of the season at Snetterton, gaining 24 positions over the course of the weekend.

Proctor qualified in 27th but immediately set about showing his true pace with a fightback to 17th in the opening round – a ten place gain. Race two saw some of those early gains eroded as the Vauxhall rookie found himself 23rd come the chequered flag.

Another battle back through the pack ensued – this time all the way up to a top ten finish and strong points with an impressive drive to 9th to seal by far and away the best result of his inaugural BTCC campaign so far.

Next in the weekends' running came Adrian Flux Subaru Racing's James Cole and Team Parker with Maximum Motorsport man Stephen Jelley – each gaining 18 spots over Rounds 16, 17 and 18.

The former improved from 26th on the grid for the opener to fifth come the final race of the day while the latter jumped in steps from 29th to 15th, gaining back ground lost in race two in the finale.

A special mention in #ForeverForward this weekend must go to debutant Brett Smith, in for father Jeff at Eurotech Racing. Smith gained the most positions in a single race in the finale, tied with Laser Tools Racing's Aiden Moffat, on the way to a tally of 17 places gained over the three rounds – enough for third spot in the weekend's running.

Despite never sealing overall weekend honours, Dave Newsham’s consistency across the season is playing dividends as he now leads the #ForeverForward standings with 80 points, Colin Turkington is second with 78, while Jake Hill third with 76

#ForeverForward – Snetterton:

1) Senna Proctor 24
2) Stephen Jelley 18, James Cole 18
3) Brett Smith 17

#ForeverForward – Overall Standings:

1)Dave Newsham 80
2) Colin Turkington 78
3) Jake Hill 76

Burns: JST victory a dream come true

Will Burns saw impressive pace and racecraft rewarded with a first visit to the Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship podium at Snetterton this past weekend after taking a maiden victory in the Jack Sears Trophy.

The Weston-Super-Mare racer enjoyed his most competitive outing in the BTCC so far in Norfolk as he battled to a hat-trick of top twenty finishes in his Auto Aid/RCIB Insurance Racing Volkswagen CC, narrowly missing out on a first ever overall points finish.

After picking up season's best qualifying and race finishes at Croft before the summer break, Burns returned to action in buoyant mood that he could improve upon those results around a circuit he’d previously finished on the Michelin Ginetta GT4 Supercup podium at in 2014 and 2016.

Luck wouldn’t be in his favour on Saturday however, as after two productive free practice sessions, his hopes of challenging for the top twenty in qualifying were ended by a gearbox failure just as he was about to start his flying laps on new tyres.

Not only did it end his session immediately before he’d set a representative time, leaving him 28th on the grid, but the problem also led to a late night for the Team HARD mechanics as they changed his gearbox, with a fantastic effort ensuring the car was ready to go for the opening race.

Burns rewarded their efforts with one of his most impressive drives of the season so far. Calmly moving his way up the order during a frenetic race, he climbed into the top twenty by the end of lap six, before eventually working his way into a superb sixteenth place at the finish.

A strong performance in race two would yield the same result, with Burns recovering well after losing ground early on to pass former double BTCC champion Jason Plato for sixteenth, before then closing down a three second gap to Rob Austin, who occupied the final points position.

The Cases Ltd, Eurocams and Weston College supported driver had finished both those races as the leading Jack Sears Trophy entrant, meaning he headed into the final encounter knowing a top four class finish would be enough to earn him a first piece of BTCC silverware.

As it was, Burns briefly had loftier ambitions as he emerged from a brilliant opening lap in eleventh position overall, however on the next tour a piece of robust driving from Tom Chilton sent him off circuit and down to 22nd place – though crucially still fourth in class.

From there, a composed and mature drive saw Burns keep his nose clean and soak up some late pressure from class rival Josh Price to bring the car home in eighteenth position, a result that was enough to see him take the JST victory.

That meant Burns, who turned 27 years of age during the summer break, would take to the podium alongside BTCC champions Colin Turkington and Gordon Shedden, much to the delight of his team, friends, family and sponsors.

“I couldn’t be happier with how the weekend panned out," said Burns. "The team worked overnight to repair the gearbox after qualifying and despite starting so far back, I was still feeling confident of some strong results heading into the three races.

“I was starting to feel like some of the other drivers were just looking at me as a backmarker getting in the way, but now I’ve shown that I can battle with many of the regular podium finishers and showed some good racecraft

“I really feel like I deserve to be in that midfield action now and I’ve proven that by taking three top twenty finishes, narrowly missing out on my first points finish twice, and picking up my first Jack Sears Trophy victory.

“It’s a dream come true to step onto the BTCC podium alongside the likes of Gordon Shedden and Colin Turkington. It’s a dream that was starting to feel like it would never come, but we kept pushing, luck came our way and now hopefully we can win it again.”

Ash Sutton stars with memorable Snetterton double

Gordon Shedden regains top spot after winning final thriller

Adrian Flux Subaru Racing star Ash Sutton secured a memorable double BTCC victory at Snetterton on Sunday (30 July), before Gordon Shedden fought back with a victory of his own in the final encounter.

Two imperious drives from Sutton included a fight from third on the grid to win the opener, whilst his second success was a dominant lights-to-flag performance.

The first race commenced with Colin Turkington’s front-row-starting BMW 125i M Sport making its customary quick getaway, and the Northern Irishman was immediately by pole-sitter Jack Goff on the run down to Riches.

An uncharacteristic mistake from Turkington, however, saw him spinning out of race-winning contention, which had seemingly handed Goff his chance to claim victory.

Sutton eyed his opportunity when the pace of Goff’s Honda began to fade late on, and the pair eventually ran side-by-side on the drive down to Oggies corner with only two laps remaining. Sutton completed the move and he went on to take his third win of the season – further building his championship challenging momentum.

Eurotech Racing’s Goff held second, whilst Halfords Yuasa Racing’s Matt Neal took an extremely hard-earned podium position, as he fended off Andrew Jordan’s BMW and Jason Plato’s Subaru.

Sutton produced another dominant drive in the second bout as he secured a lights-to-flag victory.

The race one winner defended from Goff’s Honda and Jordan’s BMW on the opening lap, but from there it was all Sutton. The Subaru Levorg gradually pulled away from the chasing pack and was more than six seconds clear in the latter stages. The 23-year-old cruised through the final laps to take the chequered flag and with it, the championship lead.

Goff and Jordan couldn’t hang on in their pursuit for a spot on the rostrum, as Team BMW duo, Turkington and Rob Collard , sealed podium finishes following an eye-catching intra-team battle.

Shedden then snatched victory in the finale after long-time leader Jordan endured late heartache when an electrical problem struck his BMW.

The BMW Pirtek Racing driver had taken the lead from pole-sitter James Cole off the line, but soon had to contend with the fellow BMWs of Turkington and Collard, as well as reigning champion Shedden.

When the dust settled behind Jordan, it was Shedden’s Honda Civic Type R in second, after he had swapped positions with Collard’s BMW 125i M Sport.

The hugely experienced trio then kept Jordan honest throughout the contest, but the 2013 champion seemed certain to claim victory and reignite his title challenge. It wasn’t to be, however, as his car slowed without warning on lap 11. Shedden and the other BMWs flew past and a desolate Jordan limped home to finish a cruel and lowly 21^st.

In the final two laps it was more of a question as to who would finish second, with Collard and Turkington squabbling in their Bavarian machines allowing Shedden to take the chequered flag in relative comfort. Despite this having been a challenging weekend for the Scotsman, the victory saw him return to the championship summit.

Shedden now leads Turkington by two points in the overall Drivers’ standings with Collard a further two points in arrears. Sutton’s day ended in slight disappointment when a collision forced him out of the final race, but his stellar display overall leaves him just 11 points off the top of the table.

BMW and Team BMW lead the Manufacturers’ and Teams’ tables respectively. Tom Ingram tops the Independent Drivers’ order, whilst Team Shredded Wheat Racing with Duo holds an advantage in the Independent Teams’ championship.

Will Burns won the Jack Sears Trophy at Snetterton, although Senna Proctor maintained his position as the top rookie overall.

The series returns in two weeks’ time (12-13 August) for its annual visit to Scotland at the tight and twisty Knockhill circuit.

Ashley Sutton said: “We’re in a real rhythm at the minute and I’m really enjoying it. The car is phenomenal. We made some changes between races one and two and if anything, we made the car even better! Considering where we were at the end of the opening race weekend back in April I’ll take where we are at this stage! It’s just about being consistent now as it’ll only get harder from here on in.”

Gordon Shedden said: “This just seemed so unlikely after yesterday. We’ve had our dramas this weekend and we’ve just been trying to plug away. It was really unexpected and doubly so with the pressure from the BMWs. It didn’t do me any harm when they started battling each other. The car felt a bit lively at the end there, but it did the job and gave us what we needed this weekend!”

Colin Turkington said: “It’s always a lot more difficult trying to pass your team-mate! Side-by-side through the Esses is probably not advised but as a driver you’re just hungry to get as high up as you can. I didn’t quite have the pace in the car in the final race that I had in the second race but regardless, it was enough to hold station and pick up the pieces from what was happening up front. It’s been a good haul of points and podiums for BMW and it’s been a great weekend for us.”

Rob Collard said: “We’ve made the podium again for the sixth meeting on the trot! We’re pleased to have gone from ninth to third in the second race. We had a misfire with three laps to go, which isn’t ideal when you’re trying to defend, but we got the result we needed. Second in the final race was even better – we’ve done really well all weekend and I’m so pleased for BMW.”

2017 Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship – Round 16 – Snetterton

2017 Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship – Round 17 – Snetterton

2017 Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship – Round 18 – Snetterton

Penalties:

Race one:
Dave Newsham was officially reprimanded and received two penalty points for an incident involving Mat Jackson.

Race two:
Stewart Lines received three penalty points and a £500 fine for an incident involving Josh Cook.

Shedden snatches race three win

Gordon Shedden held off the title chasing Team BMW duo of Rob Collard and Colin Turkington to take victory in the final Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship race at Snetterton. There was heartache for long-time leader Andrew Jordan when his BMW slowed dramatically with a mechanical problem with just two laps to go.

BMW Pirtek Racing driver Jordan had taken the lead from pole-sitter James Cole off the line, but quickly had to contend with the fellow BMWs of Turkington and Collard, as well as reigning champion Shedden.

When the dust settled behind Jordan it was Shedden’s Honda Civic Type R in second, after he had swapped positions with Collard’s BMW 125i M Sport.

The hugely experienced trio then kept Jordan honest throughout the contest, but the 2013 champion seemed certain to claim victory and reignite his title challenge. It wasn't to be, however, as his car slowed without warning on lap ten. Shedden and the other BMWs immediately flew past and a desolate Jordan limped around to finish a cruel and lowly 22nd.

In the final two laps it was more of a question as to who would finish second with Collard and Turkington squabbling in their Bavarian machines, which allowed Shedden to cruise home in relative comfort. Despite this being a tough weekend for the Scotsman, the victory has helped him to return to the championship summit as earlier standings leader – Ash Sutton – retired due to a lap one collision.

"This just seemed so unlikely after yesterday," said Shedden. "We’ve had our dramas this weekend and we’ve just been trying to plug away. It was really unexpected and doubly so with the pressure from the BMWs. It didn’t do me any harm when they started battling each other. The car felt a bit lively at the end there but it did the job and gave us what we needed this weekend.

"It felt a million miles away yesterday in qualifying so I’m ecstatic. Andy (Jordan) was driving a really good race, he was quick and was looking after the tyres so obviously when he stopped I just thought ‘get going and get your head down’. We’re off up to God’s country in two weeks’ time and home turf at Knockhill!"

Despite falling short of the top step of the rostrum both Collard and Turkington were pleased with their results. "Second is great – we’ve done really well all weekend and I’m so pleased for BMW," confirmed Collard, whilst Turkington responded, "It’s been a good haul of points and podiums for BMW and it’s been a great weekend for us."

Team Shredded Wheat Racing with Duo's Mat Jackson grabbed fourth ahead of Adrian Flux Subaru Racing's Cole, although the latter will be pleased to have scored his first top five finish of the season.

Toyota man Tom Ingram was next in the order, whilst Jake Hill and Jack Goff completed a solid day's work in seventh and eighth respectively. Power Maxed Racing rounded out the top ten positions with rookie Senna Proctor getting the better of his team-mate Tom Chilton.

2017 Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship – Round 18 – Snetterton

1 Gordon SHEDDEN (GBR) Halfords Yuasa Racing 12 laps
2 Rob COLLARD (GBR) Team BMW +0.712s
3 Colin TURKINGTON (GBR) Team BMW +1.007s
4 Mat JACKSON (GBR) Team Shredded Wheat Racing with Duo +7.260s
5 James COLE (GBR) Adrian Flux Subaru Racing +7.743s
6 Tom INGRAM (GBR) Speedworks Motorsport +7.953s
7 Jake HILL (GBR) TAG Racing +10.260s
8 Jack GOFF (GBR) Eurotech Racing +10.559s
9 Senna PROCTOR (GBR) Power Maxed Racing +11.424s
10 Tom CHILTON (GBR) Power Maxed Racing +11.763s
11 Ant WHORTON-EALES (GBR) AmDtuning.com with Cobra Exhausts +14.639s
12 Aiden MOFFAT (GBR) Laser Tools Racing +15.345s
13 Dave NEWSHAM (GBR) BTC Norlin Racing +15.588s
14 Brett SMITH (GBR) Eurotech Racing +21.982s
15 Stephen JELLEY (GBR) Team Parker with Maximum Motorsport +22.679s
16 Jason PLATO (GBR) Adrian Flux Subaru Racing +23.101s
17 Martin DEPPER (GBR) Team Shredded Wheat Racing with Duo +23.817s
18 Will BURNS (GBR) Autoaid/RCIB Insurance Racing +24.428s
19 Josh PRICE (GBR) Adrian Flux Subaru Racing +24.788s
20 Chris SMILEY (GBR) BTC Norlin Racing +30.052s
21 Andrew JORDAN (GBR) BMW Pirtek Racing +1m02.644s
DNF Matt NEAL (GBR) Halfords Yuasa Racing +8 laps
DNF Adam MORGAN (GBR) Ciceley Motorsport +8 laps
DNF Josh COOK (GBR) MG Racing RCIB Insurance +8 laps
DNF Matt SIMPSON (GBR) Simpson Racing +8 laps
DNF Michael EPPS (GBR) Autoaid/RCIB Insurance Racing +9 laps
DNF Aron TAYLOR-SMITH (IRL) MG Racing RCIB Insurance +10 laps
DNF Stewart LINES (GBR) Team Parker with Maximum Motorsport +11 laps
DNF Ashley SUTTON (GBR) Adrian Flux Subaru Racing +12 laps
DNF Ollie JACKSON (GBR) AmDtuning.com with Cobra Exhausts +12 laps
DNF Rob AUSTIN (GBR) Handy Motorsport +12 laps

Sutton seals Snetterton double

Adrian Flux Subaru Racing driver Ash Sutton has secured a double victory at Snetterton after producing another imperious drive around the 2.99-mile Norfolk circuit.

The race one winner made a good getaway in the second bout and was able to fend off Jack Goff's Honda and the fast starting BMW of Andrew Jordan into Riches. From there, Sutton gradually pulled away from the chasing back squabbling behind and he was more than six seconds clear in the latter stages. The Subaru Levorg cruised through the final laps as Sutton took the chequered flag and with it, the championship lead.

"We’re in some real rhythm at the minute and I’m really enjoying it," enthused Sutton. "The car’s phenomenal. We made some changes between races and if anything, it was better than it was in race one. It always helps when there’s a lot of squabbling going on behind but I’m so focused on what’s going on ahead – forget the mirrors and crack on!

"It’d be a push to do it again in race three. The soft tyre isn’t as strong as everyone was expecting it to be here, and with full ballast it’ll be a real challenge but I’m up for it. Considering where we were at the end of Brands (and the opening three rounds) I’ll take where we are now! It’s just about being consistent now and it’ll only get harder from here on in."

Goff and Jordan couldn't hang on in their pursuit for podium positions, as they were eventually muscled down the order. Contact between Jordan and Jason Plato on the opening lap sent the Subaru man tumbling out of contention, but there was worse to follow for Josh Cook and Stewart Lines towards the back of the field as both cars were fired off into the barrier. Cook's MG continued but the safety car was called in order to retrieve Lines' stricken Ford.

Team BMW duo of Rob Collard and Colin Turkington made their way past Jordan and Goff after the restart as they began their own intra-team battle for second. Jordan and Goff were further demoted when Team Shredded Wheat Racing with Duo's Mat Jackson also got by.

Turkington got the run on team-mate Collard along the Bentley Straight on lap 12, before the double champion completed the move around the outside at Brundle's. Collard had to be alert to tuck back in and defend from Jackson and that's how the top four positions would remain until the finish, whilst Goff and Jordan came home behind the lead quartet.

"It’s always a lot more difficult trying to pass your team-mate!" said Turkington. "Both Andy (Jordan) and Rob (Collard) were quick at the start but I got the sense later on that they were starting to struggle – I was getting it turned in a little better. Side-by-side through the Esses is probably not advised but as a driver you’re just hungry to get as high up as you can."

Reigning champion Gordon Shedden enjoyed another thrilling race as he came from 13th on the grid to finish seventh - and with it a front row start for race three.

Arguably the performance of the race, however, went to Subaru's James Cole, who has been showing solid progress in recent rounds. The Liverpool man eventually finished eighth after a last gasp pass on Honda's Matt Neal, and he would be further rewarded with pole position for today's final showdown. Neal took ninth ahead of Speedworks Motorsport's Tom Ingram.

2017 Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship – Round 17 – Snetterton

1 Ashley SUTTON (GBR) Adrian Flux Subaru Racing 14 laps
2 Colin TURKINGTON (GBR) Team BMW +2.955s
3 Rob COLLARD (GBR) Team BMW +3.657s
4 Mat JACKSON (GBR) Team Shredded Wheat Racing with Duo +5.494s
5 Jack GOFF (GBR) Eurotech Racing +8.166s
6 Andrew JORDAN (GBR) BMW Pirtek Racing +8.419s
7 Gordon SHEDDEN (GBR) Halfords Yuasa Racing +8.901s
8 James COLE (GBR) Adrian Flux Subaru Racing +9.388s
9 Matt NEAL (GBR) Halfords Yuasa Racing +10.792s
10 Tom INGRAM (GBR) Speedworks Motorsport +11.765s
11 Jake HILL (GBR) TAG Racing +12.176s
12 Tom CHILTON (GBR) Power Maxed Racing +12.582s
13 Matt SIMPSON (GBR) Simpson Racing +14.196s
14 Ollie JACKSON (GBR) AmDtuning.com with Cobra Exhausts +14.501s
15 Rob AUSTIN (GBR) Handy Motorsport +14.973s
16 Will BURNS (GBR) Autoaid/RCIB Insurance Racing +15.297s
17 Chris SMILEY (GBR) BTC Norlin Racing +15.708s
18 Michael EPPS (GBR) Autoaid/RCIB Insurance Racing +16.136s
19 Adam MORGAN (GBR) Ciceley Motorsport +19.505s
20 Dave NEWSHAM (GBR) BTC Norlin Racing +22.651s
21 Ant WHORTON-EALES (GBR) AmDtuning.com with Cobra Exhausts +22.981s
22 Martin DEPPER (GBR) Team Shredded Wheat Racing with Duo +26.022s
23 Senna PROCTOR (GBR) Power Maxed Racing +26.354s
24 Jason PLATO (GBR) Adrian Flux Subaru Racing +26.820s
25 Stephen JELLEY (GBR) Team Parker with Maximum Motorsport +27.230s
26 Josh PRICE (GBR) Adrian Flux Subaru Racing +29.882s
27 Aron TAYLOR-SMITH (IRL) MG Racing RCIB Insurance +32.587s
28 Josh COOK (GBR) MG Racing RCIB Insurance +1m25.152s
29 Aiden MOFFAT (GBR) Laser Tools Racing +1m27.008s
DNF Brett SMITH (GBR) Eurotech Racing +10 laps
DNF Stewart LINES (GBR) Team Parker with Maximum Motorsport +14 laps

Subaru star Sutton wins again

Ashley Sutton took advantage of his rivals' woes to win Round 16 of the Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship at Snetterton.

Colin Turkington's front-row starting BMW 125i M Sport made its normal fantastic getaway off the line and was by pole-sitter Jack Goff on the run down to Riches. An uncharacteristic mistake from the Northern Irishman, however, saw him spinning out of race-winning contention later in the race, which had seemingly handed Goff his chance to claim victory.

The Eurotech Racing driver produced a stellar performance, but after choosing to run the Dunlop SportMaxx option tyre – the softer compound of the two on offer – the pace of the Honda Civic began to fade late in proceedings.

Sutton eyed his opportunity as he reeled in the 1.2 second gap ahead of him and when Goff's Honda wiggled slightly on the exit of Hamilton's the pair were side-by-side on the drive down to Oggies corner. Sutton's Subaru Levorg completed the move and he went on to take his third win of the season – further building his championship challenging momentum.

"I didn’t want the summer break at all," said Sutton, having also won races at both Oulton Park and Croft. "We came here and showed good performance. We didn’t put it on the front row in qualifying but it’s only a part of the puzzle. I wouldn’t have expected a mistake like that from Colin (Turkington) when he was out front and from then I knew my time with Jack (Goff) would be a waiting game.

"He made one slight error and I made the most of my opportunity – I just managed to nip under him. If there’s a win on the cards, you know I’m going to do my best to get it. I can’t thank Adrian Flux Subaru Racing enough as they’ve been fantastic from the off, right on it. We found a lot of issues with the car in the test with both mine and Jason Plato's car and we’ve sorted a lot of them. The championship is in the back of my mind but race wins are key at the moment, so it’s about calculating risks."

Goff, on the other hand, declared he had mixed feeling about the result, "I was saying before the race that I wouldn’t be happy unless I converted pole into a win," he said. "But with front-wheel drive and soft tyres around here, it was always going to be tough to outdo a rear-wheel drive car on medium rubber. Second is better than a DNF and we’re pleased really.

"I had a call over the radio to say I’d lost two-tenths to Ash (Sutton) but then pulled it back and we were managing the gap. Maybe putting the hammer down took some life out of the tyres, meaning he could eventually catch. I think previously we expected the soft to be the better tyre choice here but it went off a bit out there towards the end. It’s out of the way now so let’s see what we can do with the mediums."

Halfords Yuasa Racing's Matt Neal took an extremely hard-earned podium position, as he had Andrew Jordan's BMW and Jason Plato's Subaru breathing down his neck at the finish. The latter two had been inseparable throughout the 12 lap contest but Pirtek BMW's Jordan produced his own defensive masterclass to grab fourth.

"I’m over the moon with third, it’s like a win for us," confirmed Neal. "I can’t say I was upset to see Tom (Ingram) disappear from my mirrors – I don’t know what happened to him. It was then a case of hanging on really – making no mistakes and looking after the tyres to bring it home. With five laps to go, I thought ‘I’m not going to have enough left here’ to hold off Andy (Jordan) but I think the Subaru (Plato) kept him busy luckily enough, and I managed to keep it clean and hold on."

As noted, Neal's initial challenge came from the Toyota pair of Tom Ingram and Rob Austin, but contact between the two Avensis' scuppered their hopes. Austin retired with suspension damage, whilst Ingram recovered to finish eighth, one place behind the similarly recovering Turkington.

This meant it was a hugely popular top six finish for TAG Racing's Jake Hill. The Kent driver's pace has not always been converted into the results he has arguably deserved, but that wasn't the case in this encounter as the Team HARD-run VW stayed out of trouble and produced the goods.

Rob Collard's BMW and Tom Chilton's Vauxhall completed the top ten position, with the former seemingly struggling for pace in his ballast laden 125i M Sport.

Gordon Shedden had to cope with maximum ballast and a lowly grid position, but the Scotsman carved his way brilliantly through the order. The Honda man looked on for an encouraging 11th place finish but he lost two places on the final lap following contact with his fellow countryman Aiden Moffat.

2017 Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship – Round 16 – Snetterton

1 Ashley SUTTON (GBR) Adrian Flux Subaru Racing 12 laps
2 Jack GOFF (GBR) Eurotech Racing +2.332s
3 Matt NEAL (GBR) Halfords Yuasa Racing +6.707s
4 Andrew JORDAN (GBR) BMW Pirtek Racing +6.916s
5 Jason PLATO (GBR) Adrian Flux Subaru Racing +7.743s
6 Jake HILL (GBR) TAG Racing +12.145s
7 Colin TURKINGTON (GBR) Team BMW +12.378s
8 Tom INGRAM (GBR) Speedworks Motorsport +19.459s
9 Rob COLLARD (GBR) Team BMW +22.446s
10 Tom CHILTON (GBR) Power Maxed Racing +22.762s
11 Mat JACKSON (GBR) Team Shredded Wheat Racing with Duo +27.396s
12 Matt SIMPSON (GBR) Simpson Racing +29.331s
13 Gordon SHEDDEN (GBR) Halfords Yuasa Racing +30.158s
14 Chris SMILEY (GBR) BTC Norlin Racing +30.784s
15 James COLE (GBR) Adrian Flux Subaru Racing +31.217s
16 Will BURNS (GBR) Autoaid/RCIB Insurance Racing +31.625s
17 Senna PROCTOR (GBR) Power Maxed Racing +31.954s
18 Ollie JACKSON (GBR) AmDtuning.com with Cobra Exhausts +32.385s
19 Aiden MOFFAT (GBR) Laser Tools Racing +32.782s
20 Ant WHORTON-EALES (GBR) AmDtuning.com with Cobra Exhausts +38.302s
21 Stephen JELLEY (GBR) Team Parker with Maximum Motorsport +41.897s
22 Martin DEPPER (GBR) Team Shredded Wheat Racing with Duo +42.350s
23 Stewart LINES (GBR) Team Parker with Maximum Motorsport +1m17.532s
24 Dave NEWSHAM (GBR) BTC Norlin Racing +1 lap
DNF Aron TAYLOR-SMITH (IRL) MG Racing RCIB Insurance +3 laps
DNF Josh PRICE (GBR) Adrian Flux Subaru Racing +4 laps
DNF Rob AUSTIN (GBR) Handy Motorsport +7 laps
DNF Adam MORGAN (GBR) Ciceley Motorsport +7 laps
DNF Michael EPPS (GBR) Autoaid/RCIB Insurance Racing +7 laps
DNF Josh COOK (GBR) MG Racing RCIB Insurance +7 laps
DNF Brett SMITH (GBR) Eurotech Racing +12 laps

BTCC.net speaks to quali's top three

Following qualifying from Snetterton yesterday, btcc.net took the time to speak to Eurotech Racing's Jack Goff to discuss his maiden pole position, alongside second-placed man Colin Turkington and third-placed Ash Sutton.

Amended Grid: Matt Neal lap time reinstated in Final Classification

Halfords Yuasa Racing driver Matt Neal has had his fastest lap time set during qualifying for Round 16 of the Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship at Snetterton reinstated.

Neal’s Honda Civic Type R had been adjudged to have failed a ride height test during the session, but this has subsequently been overturned during a post-qualifying appeal to the Stewards by the team.

The appeal was based on the fact that a non-official was assisting with the weighing/ride height checking process. The rules state that only registered scrutineers and officials may enter the weighing area.

Due to this oversight the decision has been taken to reinstate Neal’s previously removed lap time, which has subsequently promoted him back to fourth place on the grid for tomorrow’s opening race.

Magnificent maiden pole position for Jack Goff

Eurotech Racing's Jack Goff claimed his first ever Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship pole position as he produced a lap of a lifetime during qualifying at Snetterton.

The Honda Civic Type R driver led the way for the majority of the 30-minute session, but it was his final run where the young talent unlocked his true potential. Goff rounded the 2.99-mile Norfolk circuit in a hugely impressive time of 1:55.786s, which would ultimately leave him nearly half a second quicker than his nearest challenger.

"It’s always a bit worrying when you get out of the car before the session ends!" said Goff. "It’s my first pole and it’s all down to these Eurotech guys. They’ve put the work in and the Honda Civic Type R was just fantastic out there. The car didn’t feel a thing like it did this morning. We knew we had some sort of problem in the car holding us back and we found the issue, which helped us. I think there was even a 1m55.5s in there somewhere, I could have gone even faster on that lap.

"It’s looking good, but we’ve got two rear-wheel drive cars directly behind and alongside us, so we’ll have to see what we can do at the start tomorrow. We’ve worked hard through the summer break and during the mid-season test and we’ve found a lot of things that were really good for the car and some ideas we had to chuck in the bin. We’ve been finding little bits and those bits add up. We’ve had a few bad rounds – Oulton and obviously Croft – with just a point from the last two weekends, so to come back here with a bang is perfect."

The chasing pack was eventually headed by Team BMW's Colin Turkington, who also showed his credentials in the final moments by pipping Ashley Sutton to the final place on the front row of the grid.

"There was a threat of rain coming late on in the session, so I was eager to get out there and bank a lap," confirmed Turkington.

"It was a surprise to me this morning to be where we were, as the BMW always goes well around here. We hadn’t looked fast in practice, so it’s nice to flip it around in qualifying with the improvements we made from free practice. The guys gave me a great car when it mattered and I’ll take second place all day with the third heaviest car out there (in terms of success ballast)."

Sutton's effort shouldn't be underestimated, however, as the Adrian Flux Subaru Racing star bounced back from a track limits discrepancy to fire himself up the order in the closing seconds.

"We did a quick time but that was taken from under us, and we knew why (track-limits infringements)," explained Sutton. "I knew we had one last shot and we managed to do it at the last and go quicker than we had before. We’re still working on setup but it’s the closest we’ve come to finding the sweet spot. To be honest, the Hondas' performance here last year showed how strong front-wheel drive is around here. We know how tough Snetterton is on rear-wheel drive cars, in terms of tyre management, so we’ll just have to see how we go."

Fourth placed Matt Neal originally had his quickest lap time removed when his car was adjudged to have failed a ride height test during the session. Following a post-qualifying appeal to the Stewards by Halfords Yuasa Racing, the original decision was in fact overturned and triple champion Neal will indeed line-up on the second row.

Tom Ingram, Adam Morgan and Rob Austin had shown consistent pace throughout the day and the trio consolidated their form by taking fifth, sixth and seventh respectively. Speedworks Motorsport's Ingram had set the fastest time of the day prior to qualifying and was 'slightly frustrated' not to have challenged for pole position, whilst Morgan's Mercedes and Austin's Toyota showed similar speed to the earlier indications during practice.

Andrew Jordan and Rob Collard made it three BMWs in the top ten in eighth and tenth respectively, whilst Jason Plato wedged his Subaru Levorg between them in ninth. The most notable absentee from the front-running order was reigning champion and standings leader Gordon Shedden – the Scotsman will start tomorrow's opening encounter from 21st on the grid.

Snetterton is set to host three thrilling BTCC races on Sunday with thousands of fans expected to attend the Norfolk venue, whilst many more will catch the action live on ITV4 with the coverage commencing at 1045.

2017 Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship – Qualifying – Snetterton

1 Jack GOFF (GBR) Eurotech Racing 1m55.786s (92.30 mph)
2 Colin TURKINGTON (GBR) Team BMW +0.460s
3 Ashley SUTTON (GBR) Adrian Flux Subaru Racing +0.589s
4 Matt NEAL (GBR) Halfords Yuasa Racing +0.829s
5 Tom INGRAM (GBR) Speedworks Motorsport +0.877s
6 Adam MORGAN (GBR) Ciceley Motorsport +0.900s
7 Rob AUSTIN (GBR) Handy Motorsport +1.004s
8 Andrew JORDAN (GBR) BMW Pirtek Racing +1.078s
9 Jason PLATO (GBR) Adrian Flux Subaru Racing +1.238s
10 Rob COLLARD (GBR) Team BMW +1.239s
11 Jake HILL (GBR) TAG Racing +1.271s
12 Michael EPPS (GBR) Autoaid/RCIB Insurance Racing +1.281s
13 Mat JACKSON (GBR) Team Shredded Wheat Racing with Duo +1.354s
14 Aiden MOFFAT (GBR) Laser Tools Racing +1.385s
15 Ant WHORTON-EALES (GBR) AmDtuning.com with Cobra Exhausts +1.405s
16 Tom CHILTON (GBR) Power Maxed Racing +1.476s
17 Ollie JACKSON (GBR) AmDtuning.com with Cobra Exhausts +1.489s
18 Josh PRICE (GBR) Adrian Flux Subaru Racing +0.277s
19 Dave NEWSHAM (GBR) BTC Norlin Racing +1.582s
20 Josh COOK (GBR) MG Racing RCIB Insurance +1.635s
21 Gordon SHEDDEN (GBR) Halfords Yuasa Racing +1.657s
22 Chris SMILEY (GBR) BTC Norlin Racing +1.663s
23 Brett SMITH (GBR) Eurotech Racing +1.676s
24 Matt SIMPSON (GBR) Simpson Racing +1.804s
25 Aron TAYLOR-SMITH (IRL) MG Racing RCIB Insurance +1.875s
26 James COLE (GBR) Adrian Flux Subaru Racing +1.921s
27 Senna PROCTOR (GBR) Power Maxed Racing +1.932s
28 Will BURNS (GBR) Autoaid/RCIB Insurance Racing +2.525s
29 Stephen JELLEY (GBR) Team Parker with Maximum Motorsport +2.620s
30 Martin DEPPER (GBR) Team Shredded Wheat Racing with Duo +3.019s
31 Stewart LINES (GBR) Team Parker with Maximum Motorsport +4.965s

The Price is Right

Young rookie Josh Price is making steady progress during his maiden BTCC season and the young gun arrived at Snetterton with new colours emblazoned across his Subaru Levorg.

Now running under the A-Plan Academy banner, we caught up with Price after he set the second fastest time in the final practice session at the Norfolk venue...