BTCC title fight speeds into Silverstone for penultimate event of the season

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.

BTCC title race gets blown wide open during dramatic Knockhill weekend

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.

BTCC title race heads north of the border to Knockhill

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.

Thruxton hosts spectacular second BTCC visit as Tordoff, Cook and Cammish triumph

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Next up for Thruxton is the Classic Sports Car Club meeting on September 21/22 where motoring enthusiasts will be treated to a spectacular display of stunning vehicles and white-knuckle racing.

Tickets start from ÂŁ11 while Children 15 and under go free. Grandstand seats and paddock access are included with admission.

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

Sam Tordoff tops the times at Thruxton as BTCC bonanza begins

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 ÂŁ34. Teen tickets (13 to 15 years old) are ÂŁ10, while Under-12s go free.

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

Local favourite Collard predicts BTCC blockbuster at ‘old-school’ Thruxton

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

BTCC returns to Thruxton for second instalment of high-speed thrills in 2019

Thruxton is set to host the Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship for the second time in 2019 as the series once again heads to Hampshire for Rounds 19, 20 and 21 next weekend (17/18 August).

This season has been as spectacular and unpredictable as ever, producing seven winners and 17 podium finishers with four events to come. Reigning champion Colin Turkington tops the table ahead of Andrew Jordan, with Rory Butcher and Josh Cook flying the flag for the independent teams in third and fourth respectively.

The BMW drivers at the head of the championship have collected five wins apiece so far with Turkington scoring two further podiums to Jordan’s three. Jordan has recovered manfully since a nightmare Donington weekend – three non-scores earlier in the year – with a dominant double victory at BTCC’s first visit to Hampshire in May, but the Pirtek sponsored driver remains some 36 points behind the Northern Irishman.

At a track where the Hondas are regularly quick, there are plenty of on-form Civic drivers who will be looking for a strong result with the marque’s UK base residing in nearby Swindon. Fresh off the back of a win at Snetterton, Rory Butcher can be hopeful of a good weekend at Thruxton, backed by a podium finish during the first visit of the year. Bath-based Josh Cook is another Type R driver to have enjoyed exceptional weekends at both Thruxton and Snetterton. Likewise, Dan Cammish scored two podiums at each of those meetings.

Ash Sutton is sure to be fired up in his Subaru Levorg after a thrilling wheel-to-wheel battle with ex-teammate Jason Plato at Snetterton, ultimately ending in disaster for the BMR driver. Sutton finished on the podium at Thruxton earlier in the year which bodes well in his bid to take to the top step in 2019. Team Toyota GB with Ginsters and Tom Ingram are another pairing to watch in the coming races after correcting a damping issue during the in-season test, followed by a lights-to-flag victory at Round 16.

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

The fast and flowing ‘Hampshire Speedbowl’ is sure to provide even more spectacular racing up and down the field, with commitment and precision required at every corner – most notably ‘Church’ – to string together the perfect lap. The championship battle is primed to intensify at Thruxton next weekend.

“Snetterton went to plan for us,” commented championship leader Turkington. “It was always going to be a tough weekend given the official test day back in July, where everybody was able to get a feel of the circuit and get up to speed – we knew it was going to be ultra-competitive.

“It was great to win again, and win with a heavy car heading into the weekend as championship leader with the maximum complement of success ballast on-board. We were consistent over every session and we’re hoping for more of the same at Thruxton. We’ve a good knowledge of the circuit, this being our second visit of the year so it’ll make for a strong starting point.

“The BMW 330i M Sport was quick there earlier this season and looking back, we’d come out of the blocks fast. Now, as the season’s played out, people have closed that gap. The front-wheel drive cars went well at Snetterton last weekend and it’ll be even more difficult, for sure, this time around at Thruxton.

“The focus is firmly on myself at this stage of the season and maximising opportunities wherever I can. There’s a lot of competition from any number of drivers – not just the guys directly behind me. We’ve completed six of ten race weekends and there’s still a huge amount of racing left.”

“We’re thrilled to welcome BTCC for a second time in 2019,” enthused Pat Blakeney, Thruxton Group Operations Manager. “After such a successful event in May, we can’t wait for the return of the championship to the UK’s fastest circuit.

“As always, Thruxton produced some great racing earlier in the year and we’re hoping for more of the same next weekend, the nature of our track requires a lot of nerve from the drivers and I think the fans enjoy that. There’s also plenty of activities for the whole family to enjoy away from the track!”

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

Tom Ingram, Colin Turkington & Rory Butcher share action-packed BTCC spoils at Snetterton

The Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship roared back into life after its annual six-week summer break in sensational style this past weekend (August 3/4) at Snetterton with Tom Ingram, Colin Turkington and Rory Butcher sharing the spoils.

Kicking off the second half of the 2019 campaign at the Norfolk venue, Britain’s premier race series served up an action-packed two days of track action which culminated in a edge of the seat third encounter.

For the first time in BTCC history, all three tyre compounds (soft, medium and hard) were available to be used by teams and drivers on race day. Nominations were made just before the pit lane opened prior to each race, adding further intrigue and strategy to the spectacle.

Qualifying on Saturday proved to be a record-breaking affair as Ingram claimed the first pole position for Speedworks Motorsport’s new Toyota Corolla. Storming to the top of the times with a 1:54.737, last years runner-up edged out Halfords Yuasa Racing’s Dan Cammish by a slender 0.002.

Starting on the front row of the grid, Ingram converted his pole position into a commanding lights-to-flag victory on the soft tyre. Withstanding an early challenge from Cammish, Ingram soon began to stretch his legs out front an cantered to his second win of the season.

Cammish continued his rich vein of form with yet another podium whilst Sam Tordoff rounded out the rostrum in third.

Race two would see championship leader Turkington come to the fore as he powered to a fifth victory of the season ahead of Cammish and team-mate Andrew Jordan.

Launching into second place on the opening lap, the three-time champion took the lead away from Ingram at the halfway marker – with the Toyota driver suffering an engine issue. Once out front, the BMW 330i M Sport racer clinched a comfortable victory, a record tenth in a single season for West Surrey Racing.

The third and final race of the weekend from the Norfolk venue will likely go down as being one of the races of the season as Cobra Sport AmD AutoAid/RCIB Insurance’s Butcher scored his second win of the season – albeit his first on the road.

BTC Racing’s Chris Smiley started on pole position virtue of the reverse grid draw but his lead was short-lived as Jason Plato and Ashley Sutton got the better of him on the opening tour.

From there, a back-and-forth battle between the former team-mates ensued as they diced for the lead, leaving those in attendance on the edge of their seats. Going side-by-side on lap five, Sutton was unable to find a way past the Vauxhall driver but continued to press.

Two laps later, a daring move around the outside of turns one and two allowed Sutton to complete the move and take the lead at turn three. However, contact from Plato into the rear of the Subaru driver at Agostini forced him wide and back down to second.

By this stage a whole host of drivers had joined the fray for victory, many of them charging through the pack on soft tyres. The exciting climax to the battle came on lap eight as Plato, Sutton and Butcher ran three-abreast down the back straight and into Brundle.

Scything his way down the inside, Butcher took both Plato and Sutton and powered into the lead as they both made contact once more; this time leaving Sutton spinning onto the grass and dropping to 20th.

Once the melee had finished, it was Butcher that stormed to victory whilst the BTC Racing pairing of Josh Cook and Smiley were second and third respectively.

Come the end of the weekend, Turkington had extended his advantage at the summit of the BTCC Drivers’ Championship to 36 points, with Jordan in second and Butcher jumping back up into third place.

For the full classification of results from all sessions, click here.

The Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship is back in action in under two weeks’ time on August 17/18 when it makes it second visit of the year to the fastest circuit in the UK and the home of the British Automobile Racing Club, Thruxton Circuit.

Advance tickets to the seventh event of the season are available to purchase by heading to https://thruxtonracing.co.uk/racing/btcc-aug or by calling 01264 882200 (Option 1).

BTCC battle heads to Snetterton as second half of the season kicks into life

Britain’s premier motorsport series the Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship returns to action this weekend (August 3/4), with Snetterton playing host to Rounds 16, 17 & 18 and reigning champion Colin Turkington holding the initiative at the standings summit.

Following the traditional six-week summer break, the battle for supremacy in the BTCC is set to ramp up as the second half of the 2019 campaign kicks into life around the ultra-challenging Norfolk venue – and it is all to play for.

Such is the competitive nature of the championship this year, seven different drivers representing six different marques have triumphed with five events in the books whilst a further 19 drivers have stood on the podium.

Four wins have gone the way of three-time and defending champion Turkington, who holds a 33-point advantage as it stands. Armed with the new BMW 330i M Sport, the Northern Irishman has been on top form and is good value for his lead, however given that things can change quickly in the BTCC Turkington will be wary of maintaining his points buffer.

West Surrey Racing’s new car has been the machine to beat this year with BMW Pirtek Racing’s Andrew Jordan sitting second, having tallied five wins himself. Gunning for a second title, Jordan has been a tour-de-force since Donington Park and will likely be in the mix once again at Snetterton.

Beyond the top two sit a wealth of contenders all focused on closing the gap as the series heads to the business end of the season. Josh Cook, Rory Butcher, Ashley Sutton (winner at Snetterton last year) and Dan Cammish have all been regular front-runners and will have their sights set on wrestling back control from the rear-wheel-drive pace-setters.

Matt Neal – winner of the Diamond Double at Snetterton last year – has been in the thick of the action too and he, Tom Chilton, Tom Ingram and Jason Plato round out the top ten in the overall championship at the half-way marker.

Chilton will be one to watch over the course of the weekend after setting the pace during the two-day tyre test at Snetterton last month.

Renowned for producing unpredictable twists and turns on a regular basis, several drivers outside of the top ten could well make their mark in East Anglia. Tom Oliphant, Jake Hill, Sam Tordoff, Stephen Jelley and Adam Morgan, amongst many more, have all enjoyed varied success this year and will have the target of adding to it across Sunday’s three encounters.

Aiden Moffat will garner plenty of attention too as he has his first race from behind the wheel of his Laser Tools Racing Infiniti Q50 after electing to move away from his Mercedes Benz A-Class during the summer break.

One of the highlights of the BTCC calendar each season, the annual trip to Snetterton always serves up a feast of entertainment and this weekend is set to be no different.

For more information on this weekend’s event, including links to timetables and live timing, head to https://www.barc.net/event/btcc-snetterton/

Cosworth Electronics awarded BTCC Hybrid System contract

British Touring Car Championship organisers TOCA have confirmed that Cosworth Electronics have been awarded a contract for the design, supply and servicing of the BTCC Hybrid System, which will be introduced for the 2022 season.

The first major touring car championship in the world to announce the move to hybrid technology, Britain’s premier race series

Following the tender process for the contract, Cosworth Electronics met the challenging specifications  – particularly those regarding packaging, performance and low-cost – that TOCA had outlined. 

The additional hybrid power will be used by each driver for either passing or defending and will introduce new competitive strategies and opportunities during each BTCC race.

Performance simulations carried out by Cosworth show that the most significant gains will be achieved at the low engine RPM ranges; the hybrid power burst bringing the engine up into the turbo ‘window’ more quickly. This will provide drivers deploying the system the chance to pull alongside or gain ground on the opposition.

After the opening lap of a race drivers will have control over the amount of their hybrid energy they use or regenerate – and when – during the course of each race.

Drivers will have a steering wheel mounted button to engage the hybrid once full traction has been achieved whilst the system will deactivates on a second button press, the use of brakes, on reaching the time or energy limit, a reduced throttle pressure or sudden acceleration/deceleration.

Prior to be introduced to the championship, rigorous testing and simulations will refine the more exact nature of the driver-selectable hybrid power delivery (i.e. how many seconds per lap, when/how it can be used etc.) as well as configuring the varying amounts of regeneration and hybrid power that will be used to replace the current success ballast system.

A full technical and performance overview of the system can be found at http://www.btcc.net/2019/07/23/cosworth-electronics-awarded-btcc-hybrid-system-contract/

Stars of two wheels and four Hampshire-bound for Thruxton’s spectacular summer of motorsport

Over the next four weeks, the UK’s fastest riders and drivers will be Hampshire-bound for a double bill of entertainment in the form of the Bennetts British Superbike Championship in association with Pirelli and Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship – as Thruxton’s sizzling summer of high-octane action enters full swing.

The British Superbike Championship (2-4 August) is Thruxton’s busiest race meeting of the year, with a capacity field of beefed-up production bikes tackling the track’s legendary curves at speeds approaching 200mph – mere inches apart.

Piloted by some of the world’s most talented riders – including former MotoGP podium-finisher Scott Redding and local favourite Tommy Bridewell from nearby Devizes – the spectacle of almost 30 Superbikes slipstreaming one another through the Hampshire circuit’s flat-out sweepers is always an awe-inspiring sight. Indeed, more than anywhere else, Thruxton truly showcases the BSB heroes’ supreme skill, pinpoint precision and razor-sharp reactions.

Just a fortnight later (16-18 August), the stars and cars from the country’s biggest motorsport series – the fast-and-frantic BTCC – will race into Thruxton for the second time in 2019. The championship’s first visit of the season here back in May delivered thrills ‘n’ spills aplenty, doorhandle-to-doorhandle duels and seven different podium-finishers, underscoring its famously close-fought and unpredictable nature.

With the title battle reaching fever pitch, the racing looks set to be even more on-the-edge next month, and with 30 of the world’s pre-eminent tin-top protagonists all disputing the same piece of tarmac, fireworks are guaranteed.

“August certainly promises to be a busy and tremendously exciting month for all of us here,” acknowledged Thruxton Operations Manager, Pat Blakeney. “There’s no question that BSB and the BTCC are the UK’s two major motor racing series, so fans are in for a real treat with both of them dropping by in the next few weeks – a double bill of fast-paced entertainment.

“As a track, Thruxton always brings the best out of competitors, demanding maximum commitment and favouring the brave. To succeed here, you need to be smooth, consistent and precise, with absolute focus and nerves of steel and be willing to push the limits without overstepping them – and the ultimate winners are always the fans.”

Advance tickets for the BSB race meeting are available from just £5 for Friday (free practice), £13 for Saturday (qualifying) and £29 for Sunday (race day). All those purchasing (or who have already purchased) advance race day, advance weekend or advance family tickets will be automatically entered into a free prize draw to win a unique and exclusive pillion ride around the track on race day.

Advance tickets for the BTCC event are on sale from £13 for Saturday (qualifying) and £29 for Sunday (race day). All those purchasing (or who have already purchased) advance race day, advance weekend or advance family tickets will be in with a chance of waving the chequered flag at the end of the first race.

Accompanied children aged 12 and under will be admitted free of charge on both occasions.

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

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

TOCA extends contract to operate BTCC until the end of 2026

The British Touring Car Championship will continue to be operated and run by TOCA until at least the end of the 2026 season after signing a contract extension with UK governing body Motorsport UK.

Motorsport UK had previously appointed BARC (TOCA) Limited as the organiser and promoter of Britain’s premier race series for five years from 2017, with the option to extend for a further five years from 2022.

With the championship continuing to reach new heights, TOCA has extended the agreement early in order to provide for the organisation to enter into major obligations beyond 2021.

BTCC Chief Executive, Alan Gow, said: “It’s important for the long-term stability of the BTCC for us to be able to confirm that we will continue to operate this great Championship until at least the end of 2026.

“This enables us to now embark on firm planning and making those extended commitments – including the introduction of hybrid energy – that are vital to ensure the continued growth of this fantastic championship.”

David Richards CBE, Chairman of Motorsport UK, added: “The British Touring Car Championship is one of the best-loved and most successful Championships in the world, let alone the UK, with packed grids, high profile manufacturer support, live television coverage and crowds of up to 40,000 attending every event.

“TOCA has done an exceptional job in organising and promoting the Championship, which continues to deliver exceptional, action-packed racing at circuits throughout the UK. Motorsport UK is delighted to be extending its agreement with them until at least 2026.”