Tag: BTCC

Goodyear will make a return to UK motorsport in 2020 as it becomes the new sole tyre supplier for the British Touring Car Championship.

Sister company to Dunlop, Goodyear’s decision to bring the brand back to the UK racing landscape comes after the brand announced a return to the international arena – providing tyres for a number of LMP2 teams in the FIA World Endurance Championship in 2019/2020.

The new agreement will run until the end of the 2021 season, with discussions set to take place before then on the tyre requirements that will be needed ahead of the BTCC’s move to hybrid technology in 2022.

Ben Crawley, Goodyear Motorsport Director, said: “The recent launch of Goodyear’s Eagle F1 SuperSport range and relaunch into motorsport shows how the brand is applying itself to a broader range of initiatives within the ultra-high-performance automotive sector.  

“The BTCC is one of the best-loved, most famous motor racing championships in the world and it will provide a great opportunity for Goodyear to get close to the hearts and minds of motorsport enthusiasts. We are thrilled to be partnered with the championship from 2020.”

Alan Gow, BTCC Chief Executive, added:  “Goodyear has a proud and proven history in motorsport, spanning multiple decades and championships. They provide knowledge from a global programme of racing experience making them a strong partner for the championship going forward.

“It also gives Goodyear the ideal opportunity to further increase their brand awareness via the UK’s largest motorsport championship. We are looking forward to welcoming the brand into the championship from 2020.”

The 2020 Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship will begin at Donington Park on March 28/29. To view the full calendar, head to https://www.barc.net/btcc-reveals-fresh-look-to-2020-calendar/

Colin Turkington admits he has been left stunned after securing a record-equalling fourth Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship title in a dramatic final race of the season at Brands Hatch this past weekend.

On what is set to go down as one of the most memorable finales in history, the Team BMW driver overcame the odds in sensational fashion to retain the biggest prize in UK motorsport by just two points.

Entering the weekend holding a 16-point lead, Turkington was in superlative form behind the wheel of his WSR-built BMW 330i M Sport during Saturday’s qualifying session to clinch pole position; and the all-important bonus point that comes with it.

Seeing his advantage cut after a battling opening encounter around the Grand Prix layout of the Kent venue, the Northern Irishman’s world came crashing down around him in race two following contact with Matt Neal which tumbled him down the order and out of the points.

Trailing Dan Cammish by eight points and starting 25th on the grid for the final contest, Turkington produced what he described the race of his life to complete a remarkable turnaround.

Carving his way through the field, progressing ten spots on the opening lap alone, the 37-year-old fought his past Cammish and then Ollie Jackson to begin closing the gap to the top of the standings.

However, with less than two laps to go Cammish speared off at Hawthorns Bend after suffering a brake failure at high speed – ending his race and championship challenge on the spot.

With Cammish out, Turkington moved back to the summit of the championship and crossed the line to become a four-time champion; drawing level with Andy Rouse and becoming the first person since Rouse to win back-to-back titles in different cars.

“I can’t believe what has happened!” Turkington said. “It was just shock when I crossed the line and they told me that I was champion. I knew that Dan was out of the race but I couldn’t see Andy (Jordan) and didn’t know where he was – that was the race of my life!

“After race two I felt my chances were over given that we were starting at the back and had eight points to make up. I didn’t give up, the team didn’t give up and I am just stunned. It is a bitter pill for those guys and they gave me one hell of a fight.

“When I won last year I won it in race two, when I won in 2014 I won in race one, 2009 was obviously a big final but like I said I couldn’t see Andy so it was just a shock when I crossed the line. This is the first year with this car and it has been brilliant all year. We’ve had our ups and downs but we never stopped fighting.

“To match Andy Rouse’s record of four titles is obviously really cool too. I never in my wildest dreams thought that I would get close to that, you don’t really think too much about records.

“All I wanted to do was win this year. It is like a drug; I was chasing that feeling that can’t be replicated when you’re stood on that champions podium and soaking up everything up – four titles, wow!”

The Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship produced one of the most dramatic final days of the season in history at Brands Hatch this past weekend (October 12/13) as Colin Turkington sensationally retained his title to become a record-equalling four-time champion.

Going down to the wire, the Team BMW driver overcame the odds in a Round 30 showdown with Dan Cammish and Andrew Jordan to complete a remarkable comeback; drawing level with Andy Rouse on four titles in the process.

Turkington arrived at the Kent venue in the pound seat with a 16-point lead and extended his advantage in qualifying as he stormed to pole position, clinching an additional point.

However, a frenetic opener in challenging conditions blew the title race wide open as Cammish stormed from 12th on the grid to his second win of the campaign. The Halfords Yuasa Racing mastered the wet track on his slick tyres to pick his way through the pack, leading a Honda 1-2.

With the standings even close heading into the penultimate race of the season, drama ensued further as Turkington was involved in a first-lap incident with Matt Neal – sending him into a spin and out of the points, finishing P25.

The Northern Irishman’s demise opened the door for Jordan and Cammish to power their way into contention, crossing the line second and third behind the dominate Ashley Sutton, who clinched his first win of the season in emphatic fashion.

Cammish’s second visit to the podium of the day propelled him to the top of the standings and with an eight-point lead over Turkington with one race to go. Jordan would make it a three-way fight by needing to make up 13 points if he was to become champion.

Virtue of the reverse grid draw, the top 11 were reversed – setting up a final race that will live long in the memory. Starting in 25th, Turkington’s hopes of retaining his crown looked slim whilst it was all to play for for Cammish and Jordan.

Launching off the line as the lights went out, Turkington’s charge to stay in contention began with ten places gained by the end of the first lap. Up ahead whilst Jason Plato led the way to the flag, Jordan muscled his way into the top five, with Cammish finding himself in the thick of the action inside the top ten.

As the laps ticked by, both Turkington and the Toyota of Tom Ingram were on the attack and the pair soon swarmed the back of Cammish. Finding a way past into Druids, Turkington was picking points off the series leader but it still wasn’t enough.

Knowing that eighth position was good enough to secure him a maiden BTCC Drivers’ crown, Cammish suffered heartache a lap and a half away from the chequered flag. Speeding towards Hawthorn Bend, the Yorkshireman’s Civic Type R suffered a brake failure and hit the barriers.

In an instant, his title dreams were over and suddenly Turkington found himself back on top of the pile and powered his way to the chequered flag to become a four-time BTCC champion.

Jordan and Cammish finished the season tied on points however it was to be the BMW Pirtek Racing driver that ended the year in second after winning more races.

BMW successfully retained their BTCC Manufacturer/Constructors’ Championship whilst Halfords Yuasa Racing regained the Teams’ title.

Rory Butcher clinched both the Independent Drivers’ Championship and the Jack Sears Trophy, with Cobra Sport AmD AutoAid/RCIB Insurance scooping a first-ever Independent Teams’ title.

To view the full classification of results from Brands Hatch, click here.

The Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship will return in 2020 with the opening event of the season taking place at Donington Park on March 28/29.

The 2019 Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship is set to go down to the wire at Brands Hatch this weekend (October 5/6) with no less than five drivers in contention to lift the most coveted prize in UK motorsport.

In what has been another blockbuster season for the BTCC, a gripping showdown is set to be played out around the legendary Grand Prix layout of the Kent venue across three highly-anticipated encounters.

Having topped the standings for a majority of the season, Team BMW’s Colin Turkington arrives at Brands Hatch in the pound seat holding a 16-point advantage after piecing together another ultra-consistent campaign which has been highlighted by five victories.

Bidding to clinch a record-equalling fourth title and become the first driver since Andy Rouse to win back-to-back crowns in two different cars, the Northern Irishman sits on the fringe of history but will have to be at this best to fend off his rivals.

“The key is going to Brands with a chance, and that’s the position I’m in,” said Turkington. “You only have to watch one race day to see how unpredictable the BTCC is. You scrap as hard for second place as you do for 20^th.

“It’s positive that I go with some points tucked away, but we need to be on the case at Brands. It’s the last step and I’m looking forward to the challenge.”

Sitting a lowly 18th at the end of the opening weekend, Halfords Yuasa Racing’s Dan Cammish has been one of the stars of the show after staging a mesmerising fightback to enter the season finale in second.

Victory at Thruxton has been part of an impressive run which has seen the Yorkshireman claim 11 podiums in 17 races, catapulting him into contention around a circuit where he was a double-winner at last year.

“It’s not a million miles away, 16 points,” said Cammish. “If you’d said that in the middle of the season, I wouldn’t have believed you. The team have been great, I’ve been consistent and we’ve put up a fight. I’ll keep hanging in there and make myself a nuisance.”

One point adrift of Cammish is BMW Pirtek Racing’s Andrew Jordan. Despite non-scoring earlier in the year at Donington Park, the 2013 champion has been in top form – with six wins helping him claw his way back to being firmly in the mix.

“Going to Brands Hatch it is still all to play for,” Jordan said. “When I won the title, I lost 27 points to the guys behind at the final round so it certainly isn’t over, and having stayed right in the mix, I’m going there with one goal. I love the place so it would be fitting to win it there.”

BTC Racing’s Josh Cook has been a force to be reckoned with since the season-opener and despite needing to close a 34-point deficit, the Honda Civic Type R driver remains a very real threat for the title.

He said: “We’ll go to Brands Hatch with a chance of the title, and I wouldn’t want to be one of the three in front of me as it’ll be elbows out as far as I’m concerned. I have nothing to lose, am confident in the team and we’ll see what we can do.”

Tom Ingram is the fifth and final driver to enter the weekend with a mathematical chance of being crowned BTCC champion. Switching the Toyota Corolla aided with manufacturer backing, the Speedworks Motorsport driver heads into the final in contention for the third year in succession.

“Given where we were back at the start of 2019, I’m absolutely made up to be heading to Brands GP still in the reckoning for the third year in a row, especially in a series as ultra-competitive as the BTCC,” Ingram said. “Obviously we’re rank outsiders given the points situation, but it’s never over until it’s over and we will push right to the very end.”

With a total of 67 points on offer across the weekend at Brands Hatch, the battle for supremacy is likely to throw up plenty of thrills and spills; as well as go right down to the wire.

It won’t just be the BTCC Drivers’ Championship that will be settled either as champions will be crowned in the BTCC Teams’, Manufacturer/Constructors’, Independent Drivers, Independent Teams’ Championship’s, and the Jack Sears Trophy as well.

To find out more information on this weekend’s season finale, click here.

Following nine action-packed events, the destiny of the 2019 Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship will be decided at Brands Hatch this weekend (October 12/13) with no fewer than five contenders aiming to walk away as champion.

In what has been another pulsating year of wheel-to-wheel entertainment, Britain’s premier motorsport series will conclude around the Grand Prix layout of the Kent venue – and the ultimate prize is on the line.

Colin Turkington, Dan Cammish, Andrew Jordan, Josh Cook and Tom Ingram are all firmly in the hunt and with a maximum of 67 points up for grabs; anything could happen on the final day of the season.

Reigning champion Turkington will hold the advantage heading to Brands Hatch holding a 15-point lead over his nearest challenger. Getting to grips with the new-for-2019 BMW 330i M Sport, Turkington has been at his consistent best – wracking up five wins and a further three podiums.

Bidding to secure a record-equalling fourth crown, the Team BMW driver will know what is required to come out on top and will likely look to draw on all of his previous experience.

Halfords Yuasa Racing’s Dan Cammish is the Northern Irishman’s nearest challenger after moving into second place at Silverstone last time out. The epitome of consistency, tallying 12 podiums in total, the Honda ace will be on a one-man mission to reign supreme in just his second season.

One point adrift of Cammish in third place is the champion of 2013, Andrew Jordan. Hungry to clinch a second title, the BMW Pirtek Racing driver is set to be a man on a mission as he bids to close the gap in his West Surrey Racing prepared machine.

BTC Racing’s Josh Cook holds an outside chance of lifting the coveted trophy and with a 34-point deficit to make up, the Civic Type R race has nothing to lose and everything to gain.

Following his third and fourth wins of the season at Silverstone, Team Toyota GB with Ginsters’ Tom Ingram has fought his way into the hunt late-on and rounds out the quintet of contenders, albeit 61 points off the top.

It won’t just be the BTCC Drivers’ Championship that will be settled however this weekend as champions will be crowned in the BTCC Teams’, Manufacturer/Constructors’, Independent Drivers Championship, Independent Teams’ Championship and the Jack Sears Trophy as well.

Beyond the championship battles, Brands Hatch will also see a number of drivers aiming to sign their campaigns off on a high by claiming victory for the first time this year.

Former champions Ashley Sutton, Matt Neal and Jason Plato are all yet to stand on the top step of the rostrum whilst the likes of Jack Goff, Jake Hill, Tom Chilton and Rory Butcher will be gunning for more silverware.

Elsewhere, a watchful eye should also be cast over the likes of Adam Morgan, Senna Proctor, Aiden Moffat, Mike Bushell, and Chris Smiley – all of whom could star as well.

As has been the case in recent years, all bets are off when it comes to the season finale of the Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship and with plenty at stake, emotion and pressure at an all-time high – anything could yet happen.

To find out all the important information you’ll need for this weekend, click here.

The Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship will go down to the wire with five drivers in mathematical contention to lift the coveted crown following a chaotic rain-affected penultimate meeting of the year at Silverstone this past weekend (September 28/29).

Reigning champion Colin Turkington will head to Brands Hatch in under two weeks’ time holding a 16-point advantage over Dan Cammish, with Andrew Jordan a further point behind. Both Josh Cook and Tom Ingram remain within touching distance in fourth and fifth.

In what proved to be one of the most dramatic days in recent BTCC memory, Team Toyota GB with Ginsters’ Ingram charged to a brace of race wins around the Northamptonshire venue before Jack Goff secured the first-ever victory for Team HARD in the series.

Qualifying on Saturday saw Jason Plato end a two-year barren run as he powered his Vauxhall Astra to the top of the times in a thrilling dry session. The Power Maxed Racing driver narrowly edged out Chris Smiley to top spot whilst Matt Neal and Ingram locked out the second row of the grid.

Turkington emerged as the lead championship contender, benefiting from a tow off team-mate Tom Oliphant to secure sixth. Cammish and Jordan were seventh and 14th respectively.

Ingram reignited his championship challenge with an emphatic win in greasy conditions in the opening encounter. Wrestling the lead off of Plato on lap four, the Toyota Corolla driver then powered his way to the chequered flag ahead of the double champion, with Smiley rounding out the podium.

Drama for Team BMW’s Turkington saw him tumble down the order after a spin but a valiant fightback to 14th kept him at the summit of the standings.

Race two would see Ingram double up his tally for the day as he triumphed in challenging conditions. Leading from the outset, contact from Plato allowed Oliphant to charge into the lead before the safety car made an appearance to recover the stricken Adam Morgan.

With rain beginning to fall around the circuit and a majority of cars on slick tyres, the action got back underway with Ingram regaining the lead after a slight wobble for Oliphant through the first corner.

As the rain intensified, the decision was taken to red flag the remainder of the contest, declaring Ingram the winner ahead of the charging Turkington and Cammish.

The third and final race of the weekend is likely go down in the history books as Team HARD’s Goff served up a wet-weather masterclass to take the team’s maiden win in the BTCC.

Beginning in dry conditions, rain once again battered the circuit just a couple of laps into the race. Scrambling for grip, a safety car period saw severe drivers dive to the pit lane to change to wet tyres – with Goff and Aiden Moffat being the first to do so.

The likes of Cook and Cammish stayed out on slicks and looked set to strengthen their title credentials before the wet tyre runners began to make their mark.

Scything through the field, Goff charged from the back to score a popular win ahead of Moffat and Matt Neal, who had also charged from the latter end of the starting grid.

That final result meant that Turkington remains on course to clinch a record-equalling fourth BTCC title however the chasing quartet are likely to take the fight to Northern Irishman on a dramatic final day of the season

To view the full classification of results from all BTCC sessions at Silverstone, click here.

The Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship will draw to a close at Brands Hatch on October 12/13 with champions being crowned across the board.

The 2019 Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship enters the home stretch this weekend (September 28/29) as Silverstone plays host to the penultimate event of what is proving to be another enthralling season.

With six races remaining, three at Silverstone and three back at Brands Hatch, and a total of 134 points still up for grabs, the battle to lift the most coveted title in British motorsport is only set to intensify.

Chasing a record-equalling fourth BTCC crown, reigning champion Colin Turkington heads to the Northamptonshire venue at the top of the standings, however both Andrew Jordan and Dan Cammish now find themselves firmly within striking distance.

Knockhill saw the title pendulum swing one way and then the other last time out and the National layout of Silverstone could do the same on providing a vital moment in deciding the outcome of where this year’s title will be heading.

Turkington is no stranger to the final few hurdles in a BTCC campaign having already won three titles and the Northern Irishman will need to utilise all of his experience if he is triumph for a fourth time.

BMW Pirtek Racing’s Jordan, a stablemate of Turkington at WSR, has the bit between his teeth as after notching his sixth win of the season at Knockhill. Despite having non-scored on six occasions this year, the 2013 champion has been clawing back points wherever possible and is now on the heels of his 3 Series counterpart.

Sitting in third and 11 points off the top is Honda Yuasa Racing’s Cammish, who is very much the form driver as it stands. Claiming a total of 11 podiums so far this season, the Type R driver has been the epitome of consistency and has momentum on his side.

Beyond the top three and still firmly in contention for the title also is BTC Racing’s Josh Cook. Trailing Turkington by just 30 points, Cook has been quietly going about his business in recent rounds but the three-time race-winner should shine around a circuit that will be well-suited to his Civic.

Rory Butcher, who will likely be still riding high after his home heroics, can’t be overlooked in the race for the title either as he enters the weekend fifth. A further 12 points down on Cook, the Scotsman has proven himself to be a worthy contender and shouldn’t be discounted yet.

Whilst all eyes are likely to be on the championship protagonists around the 1.64-mile circuit, a host of other front-runners will undoubtedly be in the mix for overall honours too.

Speedworks Motorsport’s Tom Ingram continues to make improve in the new-for-2019 Toyota Corolla whilst former champions Ashley Sutton, Matt Neal and Jason Plato are all still chasing their first victories of the season.

Other notable names to keep a watchful eye out for across the weekend’s three pivotal encounters include Adam Morgan, Mike Bushell, Tom Chilton, Chris Smiley, Rob Collard, Aiden Moffat, Jake Hill and Jack Goff, to name but a few.

To find out more information on this weekend’s pivotal Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship event at Silverstone, click here.

The 2019 Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship title race saw further twists and turns unfold north of the border this past weekend (September 14/15) as Knockhill served up a blockbuster three races.

Making its annual trip to Scotland, Britain’s premier race series saw the pendulum in the championship battle swing back and forth on a dramatic race day, setting up a sensational showdown with six races left to run.

Saturday around the undulating 1.27-mile layout belonged to home hero Rory Butcher, who used all of his local knowledge to top the times in both practice sessions, before then going even faster to clinch pole position in qualifying.

The Cobra Sport AmD AutoAid/RCIB Insurance converted his front-row start into a popular victory in race one, albeit he had to fend off the attentions of BMW Pirtek Racing’s Andrew Jordan.

Leading for a majority of the contest, the Scotsman lost the lead heading onto the final tour after a sluggish exit out of the final hairpin, allowing Jordan to power past. The BMW ace wasn’t in the lead for long however as he carried too much speed heading into Duffus Dip, allowing Butcher back past and clear to net his third win of the season.

Behind the tussling top two, Dan Cammish maintained his championship charge with yet another podium ahead of series leader Colin Turkington.

Race two would see the battle for supremacy in the title race blown wide open as Jordan scored his sixth win of the year whilst Turkington was forced out of the points after contact with Butcher.

Powering into the lead off the start, the 2013 champion showed the chasing pack a clean set of heels and was unchallenged – as all the action kicked off behind.

Both Cammish and Turkington found their way by Butcher but the Team BMW driver was to find himself in strife moments later. Nudging his Honda Civic Type R down the inside of the reigning champion at Scotsman, inevitable contact tipped Turkington into gravel-bound spin and tumbling down the order.

Following the drama, the trio of Jordan, Cammish and Butcher filled the podium positions whilst Turkington clawed his way back to 19th, crucially out of the points.

The third and final race of the day in the Scottish highlands belonged to TradePriceCars.com’s Jake Hill, who took his first-ever BTCC win with a commanding lights-to-flag performance.

Drawn onto pole position virtue of the reverse grid draw, the Audi S3 driver became the tenth different victor of the season as he controlled proceedings, leading Josh Cook and Adam Morgan.

Further back, the title race saw yet more drama play out – this time for Jordan. Whilst trying to avoid the spinning Subaru of Senna Proctor on the opening lap, the BMW 3 Series driver found himself forced into retirement and critically scoring no points.

Turkington meanwhile recovered from his race two travails to take tenth at the chequered flag after a gritty drive.

Leaving Knockhill, Turkington holds a ten point advantage over Jordan, with Cammish a further point back.

To view the full classification of results, click here.

The Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship heads to Silverstone on September 28/29 for Rounds 25, 26 & 27, marking the penultimate event of the 2019 campaign.

The Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship heads north of the border to Knockhill this weekend (September 14/15) for Rounds 22, 23 & 24 of the 2019 season and the battle for supremacy at the top of the standings is set to intensify even further.

As the crescendo for the UK’s premier race series rapidly approaches, the annual pilgrimage to Scotland is set to be a pivotal one on the road to deciding who will lift the most coveted prize in British motorsport at Brands Hatch next month.

With more than 200 points still up for grabs, the rollercoaster nature of the Fife venue traditionally lends itself to dramatic touring car thrills and spills; and this year should be no different.

Reigning champion Colin Turkington finds himself in the pound seat heading to Knockhill, holding a 30-point advantage over BMW stablemate Andrew Jordan. Tallying five victories apiece so far this season, the rear-wheel drive duo have been in fine form all year.

Bidding to draw level with Andy Rouse’s record for four BTCC titles, Turkington holds the best hand as it stands but the relentless Jordan will surely throw everything behind his pursuit of a second title, starting with this weekend’s trio of races.

Honda Yuasa Racing’s Dan Cammish is very much the ‘form man’ and is riding a wave of momentum after scoring his first win of the season at Thruxton last time out. Sitting just four points behind Jordan, Cammish is firmly in the mix and on the hunt for more silverware.

Down the years the Civic Type R has proven to be a potent weapon around the undulating 1.27-mile circuit and more success could be on the way with both Josh Cook and home hero Rory Butcher on the fringes of the title fight, rounding out the top five in the standings.

One man to watch over the course of the weekend will likely be former champion Ashley Sutton. The Adrian Flux Subaru Racing driver was one of the stars of the show at the corresponding round last year and is chasing a first win of the season.

Tom Ingram has scored two wins and continues to make improvements in his Toyota Corolla whilst Jason Plato appears to have his mojo back at Power Maxed Racing. Knockhill was the scene of Plato’s last victory two years ago and the double champion will undoubtedly be keen to return to the top step of the podium.

The likes of Tom Oliphant, Adam Morgan, Jake Hill, Stephen Jelley, Senna Proctor, Rob Collard, Tom Chilton and Scotsman Aiden Moffat are just a handful of other drivers to keep a keen eye on too as they aim to make their mark at he front of the field.

Cobra Sport AmD AutoAid/RCIB Insurance’s Sam Tordoff will not participate in this weekend’s race meeting due to family circumstances. Instead, former Clio Cup champion Mike Bushell will return to the grid to fill in for the Yorkshireman.

With a bumper crowd expected and the circuit being a favourite amongst the drivers, Knockhill is set to deliver another memorable instalment of BTCC action.

To stay up-to-date with all the latest information from the eighth event of the 2019 Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship over the course of the weekend, click here.

Sam Tordoff will start on pole for Round 19 of the Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship after a blistering lap around Thruxton’s famous sweepers as Britain’s premier motorsport series rolled into town once again.

The Cobra Sport AmD AutoAid/RCIB Insurance star topped the times at the Hampshire speedbowl for the second occasion this season, having blitzed the field with a new lap record on the BTCC’s first visit to the track earlier in the campaign.

This time around, Tordoff posted an impressive 1:15.876s to pip the Sterling Insurance with Power Maxed Racing Vauxhall of Jason Plato by just 0.014s while Dan Cammish will line up third on the grid after an impressive effort in his Halfords Yuasa Racing Honda.

There was also a feast of on-track action served up by the rest of the TOCA package as fans were treated to six thrilling support races around the 2.4-mile circuit, whetting the appetite for a packed 10-race programme on Sunday.

Tordoff struggled in the first practice session at the famous WWII airfield but gradually got to grips with his Civic Type R at a circuit that has often favoured Honda machinery in the past, with the Yorkshireman pulling out all the stops to seal pole.

“It’s quickly becoming my favourite track and we’ve given ourselves such a good chance for tomorrow,” said Tordoff.

“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.”

Fan-favourite Plato ran Tordoff close, having caught the eye last time out at Snetterton when tussling with former team-mate Ash Sutton, and the 51-year-old is sure to give as good as he gets when the lights go out tomorrow.

With Cammish third and the Mac Tools with Ciceley Motorsport Mercedes of Adam Morgan fourth, just ahead of Bath-born Josh Cook in his BTC Racing Honda, spectators are sure to see some fireworks on lap one.

Hampshire local Rob Collard will line up tenth in his Vauxhall, one place ahead of championship leader Colin Turkington while the Northern Irishman’s closest rival Andrew Jordan will start 13th in his BMW 330i M Sport.

Elsewhere, Carter Williams became the eighth different winner in British F4 this season during the series’ first race of the weekend, while Sebastian Alvarez strengthened his title challenge with a solid runners-up finish.

Josh Skelton received maximum points in the single-seaters’ second outing of the day ahead of Tommy Foster while Alvarez banked another podium with third.

James Hedley took the honours in the opening Ginetta Junior race – his fourth victory of the campaign – ahead of Zak O’Sullivan and Lorcan Hanafin while it was O’Sullivan’s turn to triumph in the second race ahead of Will Martin and Hedley.

Max Coates held off Jack Young to win in the Renault UK Clio Cup and Will Burns profited from Harry King’s last-lap puncture to pinch the first Millers Oils Ginetta GT4 Supercup Championship race of the weekend.

The weather stayed fair throughout Saturday and a positive forecast is set to see another bumper crowd descend on the famous Thruxton banking for BTCC race day.

Fans will be able to get a first-hand look at the field with the ever-popular paddock walkabout on Sunday morning while there will be something for everyone off-track 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 £34. Teen tickets (13 to 15 years old) are £10, while Under-12s go free.

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

The Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship returns to Thruxton Circuit this weekend (17/18 August) for its second high-speed visit of 2019, and local star Rob Collard has his sights set on podium celebrations at what he predicts to be another BTCC blockbuster show.

Collard might be one of the BTCC’s elder statesmen at 50 now, but the Hampshireman shows absolutely no signs of slowing down. That much was clear from his fourth-place finish amongst the 30 high-calibre contenders – some of the fastest drivers in the country – at Snetterton two weeks ago.

Indeed, Collard has 15 race wins to his name in the UK’s premier motorsport series – one of which came at Thruxton two years ago – and he sped to a top ten double on home soil earlier this season. Buoyed by his strong form last time out behind the wheel of his Sterling Insurance with Power Maxed Racing Vauxhall Astra, the Eversley man is aiming to keep the ball rolling in front of family and friends this weekend.

“Thruxton is just a great circuit – one at which practically every driver looks forward to competing – and it’s fantastic that we have the opportunity to race there twice this year,” he enthused. “It’s probably actually the track I’ve driven the least in the UK due to limited testing opportunities, which makes it even more of a pleasure when we do get to drive there.

“It’s an undiluted challenge full of old-school charm – a really fast, flowing circuit that truly stretches drivers’ commitment and bravery to the limit, which ultimately is why we all do this. You also need to use your head as much as your right foot at Thruxton; its unique nature means that if you push too hard, too soon you will destroy your tyres in the first few laps – tyre preservation is equally as important as out-and-out speed. As we’ve seen in previous years at Thruxton, it really is never over until it’s over.

“It’s great having the local support behind me for the weekend, and Thruxton always generates exciting racing, with plenty of action at the Complex and Chicane in particular and fantastic viewing from the banking and on the big screens.

“We’ve struggled a bit for consistency this season and circumstances have conspired against us on occasion, but Snetterton offered more of a reflection of our true pace so hopefully we can keep that momentum going and score some good points. We were fast at Thruxton earlier in the year, and obviously it would be brilliant to reach the podium again on home soil.”

Alongside the headline-grabbing BTCC, a jam-packed schedule of high-octane support series – comprising the F4 British Championship, Ginetta Junior Championship, Renault UK Clio Cup, Ginetta GT4 SuperCup and Porsche Carrera Cup GB, the latter appearing at Thruxton for the first time in five years – will ensure the action remains red-hot from lights-out to chequered flag.

Off-track, there will also be a variety of activities around the venue including skid pan rides for all ages, an extensive display of Thruxton’s driving experience supercars and racing cars and a comprehensive trade village to explore. There will additionally be evening entertainment in the Thruxton Centre on both Friday and Saturday.

Tickets for the BTCC’s visit on 17/18 August can be purchased on the gate, starting at £17 for Saturday (qualifying) and £34 for Sunday (race day). Children aged 13-15 get in for £5 on Saturday and £10 on Sunday; accompanied children aged 12 and under will be admitted free of charge.

For further information or to buy tickets, visit thruxtonracing.co.uk/racing/btcc-aug or call 01264 882222.

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