Tag: BTCC

The Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship blasted back into life in blockbuster fashion at Croft Circuit this past weekend (July 29/30) as Dan Cammish, Ash Sutton and Colin Turkington charged to victory.

Kicking off the second half of the season with its annual trip to the British Automobile Racing Club’s North Yorkshire venue, the UK’s premier motorsport series served up three pulsating contests for the bumper crowd that had flocked trackside.

Saturday’s battle for pole position saw NAPA Racing UK continue their qualifying domination as Cammish, Dan Rowbottom and Sutton clinched a hugely impressive 1-2-3 lock-out. 

On what proved to be a scintillating session around the 2.12-mile layout, a number of drivers staked their claim at the top of the times but it was home hero Cammish that ultimately came up trumps, blasting his rivals away with a sensational lap.

Rowbottom and Sutton – who virtue of being championship leader had no hybrid available – settled for second and third whilst Josh Cook and Turkington completed the top five on the grid for race one.

Cammish was wheel-perfect in the first of Sunday’s three races as he converted his front row start into a commanding lights-to-flag victory. Opting to run the soft option tyre, the Yorkshireman pulled clear of the chasing pack to clinch his third win of the season.

Behind, Rowbottom and Sutton diced for the remaining spots on the podium with the latter jumping ahead of his team-mate on the run to the flag as the Motorbase-run squad celebrated a historic 1-2-3.

Race two proved to be a carbon copy result however this time it was Sutton that emerged victorious. Sweeping around the outside of his stablemate on the run down to the first corner, the three-time champion produced a clinical performance.

Continuously stretching his advantage over the course of the 15-lap bout, Sutton claimed his seventh win of the season by more than seven seconds – with Cammish and Rowbottom in tow to clinch a second successive NAPA Racing UK podium sweep.

Team BMW’s Turkington then brought the curtain down on the weekend’s action with a commanding lights-to-flag victory in the reverse grid encounter, reaffirming himself as the King of Croft. 

Launching his BMW from pole position, the four-time title winner held off an early charge from Ingram before settling into a groove to claim his third win of the season. Reigning champion Ingram and One Motorsport’s Cook completed the rostrum. 

Leaving Croft, Sutton continues to lead the way from Ingram in the Drivers’ Championship whilst BMW and NAPA Racing UK top the Manufacturer-Constructor and Teams’ categories respectively after six events. 

Elsewhere, Josh Cook and One Motorsport with Starline Racing comfortably remain out front in the Independent Drivers’ and Team’s standings, with Mikey Doble now holding the advantage in the Jack Sears Trophy.

To view the full classification of results from all BTCC sessions at Croft, CLICK HERE.

The 2023 Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship season continues in less than two weeks’ time when the series travels north of the border to Knockhill for Rounds 19, 20 & 21 on August 12/13.

The British Automobile Racing Club is saddened to hear that Steve Neal, the founder of multiple British Touring Car Championship title winners Team Dynamics and father of three-time champion Matt, has passed away at the age of 82. 

First competing in the series – then known as the British Saloon Car Championship – during the 1960s at the wheel of a Mini Cooper, Neal established himself as a front-runner in his class during a five-year spell on the grid and scored an overall win at Crystal Palace. 

Setting up Team Dynamics in the early 1990s, the squad – with Neal at the helm – became a household name during the BTCC’s Super Touring era as they claimed a number of Independent titles and famously £250,000 for becoming the first Independent team to secure an outright win in 1999.

Over the next two decades, multiple Drivers’ titles for Matt and Gordon Shedden, as well as a number of Manufacturer-Constructor and Teams’ Championship crowns would follow.

“It is with great sadness we report the passing of our leader Steve Neal, the visionary founder of Team Dynamics Motorsport and a larger-than-life character who left an indelible mark on the racing world,” a statement issued by Team Dynamics read.

“Steve’s passion for motorsports was contagious, and his leadership guided the team to numerous victories and championships.

“With his relentless drive and unwavering determination, he transformed Team Dynamics into a powerhouse, earning the respect and admiration of fans and competitors alike.

“Steve’s infectious personality, combined with his unparalleled knowledge of the sport, made him a beloved figure in the racing community. His legacy will forever be remembered as he takes his final lap, soaring to new heights.”

Our condolences and thoughts go out to Steve’s family, friends and everyone at Team Dynamics at this difficult time.

Jake Hill and Colin Turkington helped West Surrey Racing take a clean sweep of victories at Oulton Park this past weekend (June 17/18) as the Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship reached the halfway mark of the 2023 season.

On what proved to be a weekend to remember for the BMW squad, Hill guided his Laser Tools Racing with MB Motorsport machine to two wins, a second and three fastest laps whilst Turkington produced a sensational back-to-front turnaround to claim reverse grid honours.

Before the BMW domination, Saturday’s qualifying session saw championship leader Ash Sutton sweep his way to his third – and NAPA Racing UK’s fifth – successive pole position of the year; a feat that was last achieved by Mat Jackson back in 2015.

Having been a constant presence towards the top of the times in practice, the Ford Focus ST driver headed the first segment of qualifying by more than three tenths of a second before then upping the ante in the Top Ten Showdown. 

Smashing the qualifying lap record by more than half a second, the three-time champion was in a league of his own as he headed Hill, Toyota Gazoo Racing UK’s Ricky Collard and Autobrite Direct with Millers Oils’ Bobby Thompson.

Sutton could ultimately do nothing to stop Hill in race one though as the BMW 330e M Sport driver blasted past the pole-sitter and onto his first victory of the season.

Withstanding early pressure from the three-time champion whilst his tyres came up to temperature, Hill soon settled into his stride and began to pull clear on his way to victory. Behind, Sutton cruised home to finish second whilst reigning champion Tom Ingram completed the podium in third.

Race two was to be a carbon copy of the opener as Hill powered his way to an emphatic lights-to-flag win whilst Sutton and Ingram scrapped for the remaining spots on the rostrum; with Sutton edging out Ingram to second.

Team BMW’s Turkington then came to the fore in a pulsating reverse grid bout as he completed a phenomenal comeback to lead a historic WSR/BMW 1-2-3 finish.

After being disqualified from qualifying due to his car failing post-session scrutineering checks, the four-time champion fought his way from the back of the grid in races one and two to put himself in the mix for the finale. 

Charging up to second early on, the Northern Irishman made a bold move around the outside of team-mate Adam Morgan through turn one following a safety car restart, which also opened the door for Hill to follow.

Once out front, Turkington was wheel-perfect and he cruised to his second win of the year whilst Hill and Morgan followed him home to complete the podium. 

Heading into the series’ annual summer break, Sutton holds a slender advantage over Ingram at the top of the Drivers’ Championship whilst BMW currently lead the way in the Manufacturer-Constructors Championship and NAPA Racing UK the Teams’.

Josh Cook and One Motorsport with Starline Racing head the standings in both the Independent Drivers’ and Independent Teams’ categories, with Dexter Patterson proving to be the driver to beat in the Jack Sears Trophy after five events. 

To view the full classification of results from all BTCC sessions at Oulton Park, CLICK HERE.

The Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship recommences on the weekend of July 29/30, where Rounds 16, 17 and 18 will take place at Croft Circuit.

Tickets for the BTCC’s trip to North Yorkshire can be purchased online at https://www.croftcircuit.co.uk/racing/btcc

Thruxton Circuit delivered a fabulous spectacle of BTCC racing over the weekend, drawing record numbers to the Hampshire venue to witness the excitement.

As the sun shone and the ice cream melted, the spectator banks and grandstands were packed out, thanks to a 17% increase on the weekend’s attendance figure compared to 2022.

“It was an amazing weekend,” said Ben Taylor, BARC Chief Executive. “The weather was incredible, the racing was great and the off-track entertainment kept everyone busy. All the visitors that I spoke to were having a brilliant time and having now crunched the numbers, it’s great to be able to say that it was definitely the most successful BTCC round at Thruxton of the past 15 years.

“There is such a lot of hard work that goes into making events like this happen and every member of the team did a magnificent job. We thank them all.

“The circuit has never looked so well presented and that is a huge tribute to Pat Blakeney and his team who put in all the hours to make it look first class. Sadly they’ve got quite a bit of work to do now to put right what the drivers got wrong! I am sure it will be pristine again by the time the Thruxton Historic comes around in two weeks’ time.”

Tickets for the Thruxton Historic on June 17/18 can be purchased here: https://thruxtonracing.co.uk/racing/thruxton-historic

NAPA Racing UK claimed a clean sweep of victories in the Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship this past weekend (June 3/4) as Ash Sutton and Dan Rowbottom shared the spoils around Thruxton.

Making its only visit of the season to the home of the British Automobile Racing Club, the UK’s premier motorsport series was greeted in Hampshire by bright sunshine and packed spectator bankings – all of whom witnessed a day of domination. 

Three-time champion Sutton – who arrived at Thruxton off the back of double wins at Brands Hatch and Snetterton – wasted no time in asserting his dominance on the rest of the field as he stormed to a second consecutive pole position during Saturday qualifying. 

Blasting away from the front row on race day, Sutton replicated his tactics of Snetterton by punching in a number of rapid lap times during the opening exchanges. Establishing an advantage over the chasing pack, he then cruised home to comfortably take victory in races one and two.

Not only did those triumphs enable him to extend his championship lead but it also meant he became the first driver in the BTCC’s ‘three-race format’ to claim double wins in three successive race meetings.

As Sutton romped to success in races one and two, reigning champion Tom Ingram and ‘King of Thruxton’ Josh Cook ran bumper-to-bumper across both contests to clinch a brace of second and third place finishes respectively.

Rowbottom then rounded out an incredible weekend for the Kent-based powerhouse outfit as he won the reverse grid encounter in style, hunting down pole-sitter Adam Morgan before making the decisive move for the lead upon entry into Church Corner.

Starting fifth, Rowbottom wasted no time in working his way up the order and after dispatching a resolute Aiden Moffat, the Ford driver set off after Morgan – closing down a two second lead within a matter of laps. 

Diving down the inside as they sped towards the fastest corner in the country on lap ten, Rowbottom soon scampered clear to claim his first win of the season while Morgan and Moffat completed the rostrum.

Following the conclusion of Rounds 10, 11 & 12, Sutton tops the BTCC Drivers’ Championship – 14 points ahead of Ingram – whilst Motorbase-Ford head the Manufacturers-Constructors Championship.

On the TOCA support package, high speed thrills and spills were in full force as the a number of championships took centre stage to continue their campaigns.

Robert de Haan and Charles Rainford shared the spoils in the Porsche Carrera Cup GB whilst James Piszyck, Noah Lisle and William Macintyre claimed a win apiece in the ROKiT F4 British Championship certified by FIA.

Arguably some of the most entertaining races over the course of the weekend came in the shape of the Vertu Motors MINI CHALLENGE Trophy, Dunlop Mini Miglia Challenge supported by Mini Spares and Dunlop Mini Se7en Challenge supported by Mini Spares.

Sensational slip-streaming and at times four-wide wheel-to-wheel battles had everyone on the edge of their seats and rightly so. In the MINI CHALLENGE Trophy, Alex Solley and Jack Byrne triumphed whilst the father-son duo of Andrew and Mike Jordan took a clean sweep in the Miglia and Se7en contests.

To view the full classification of results from all sessions at Thruxton, CLICK HERE.

The Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship reaches the halfway point in the 2023 season next time out as it travels to Oulton Park on June 17/18.

Thruxton Circuit is gearing up for an all-action weekend on 3/4 June as the Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship heads to the fastest circuit in the country for Rounds 10, 11 & 12 of what is shaping up to be a sensational 2023 season.

With events coming thick and fast, the UK’s premier motorsport series speeds into Hampshire with it all to play for towards the top of the standings. 

NAPA Racing UK’s Ash Sutton arrives at Thruxton as the driver to beat after making history last time out at Snetterton by becoming the first driver since Alain Menu in 1997 to win four races in-a-row.

Riding a wave of momentum at the moment, the three-time champion holds a narrow advantage at this early stage but will undoubtedly be the one that everyone is looking to beat across Saturday and Sunday.

Hot on his heels are a number of drivers that have all stepped on the podium this season and leading the charge is reigning title holder Tom Ingram in his BRISTOL STREET MOTORS with EXCELR8 Hyundai i30N.

Ingram opened his account for the year last time out and he, along with West Surrey Racing team-mates Colin Turkington and Jake Hill, will all have their sights set on achieving further success this weekend. 

Sutton’s Ford Focus stablemate Dan Cammish emerged as one of the leading lights at Thruxton last year and with two wins to his name already in 2023, the Yorkshireman could also be well in the mix for outright honours.

Another driver that can’t be discounted from featuring towards the front of the field is the undisputed King of Thruxton, Josh Cook. 

With ten wins around the 2.36-mile layout, the One Motorsport with Starline Racing racer is the most successful BTCC driver at the venue and he’ll be hoping for more as he pilots his tried and trusted Honda Civic Type R

Headline names continue to roll off the tongue as you look further down the championship standings with Dan Rowbottom, Adam Morgan, Rory Butcher and Bobby Thompson also featuring inside the top ten.

Then throw into the mix the likes of Donington Park winner Tom Chilton, Stephen Jelley, local ace Ricky Collard, Aron Taylor-Smith and Jade Edwards, amongst many others, and you begin to see why the BTCC continues to be as competitive as ever.

Support Races

It won’t just be the BTCC that takes centre stage though this weekend as a bumper supporting cast of categories is also revved up to put on a show for the expected bumper trackside crowd.

The ROKiT F4 British Championship certified by FIA, Porsche Carrera Cup GB, Vertu Motors MINI CHALLENGE Trophy, Dunlop Mini Miglia Challenge and Dunlop Mini Se7en Challenge make up the support bill.

Off Track Entertainment 

Away from the on-track entertainment there will be plenty to see and do around the venue with a bustling trade village, supercar display, skid pan rides, food stalls, live music, mini karts, face painting and an interactive kids show – guaranteeing fun for all the family.

BTCC Pit Lane Walkabout 

Fancy meeting the stars of the BTCC? On Sunday morning you can do just that as the Pit Lane Autograph Session takes place between 10:00-10:30.

Official Programme

Our souvenir BTCC programme will be available to purchase for £5.00 from the main gate and vendors around the venue over the course of the weekend. Packed with previews, features, entry lists, timetables and more – it’s your essential guide to the action.

Tickets

Tickets for this weekend’s BTCC spectacular will be available to purchase on the main gate across both day’s; with children aged 12 and under being admitted for free. More information can be found here.

Ashley Sutton stamped his authority on the Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship this past weekend (May 20/21) by moving to the summit of the points after charging to a pair of commanding race wins at Snetterton.

The NAPA Racing UK driver was wheel-perfect on a sun-kissed weekend at the Norfolk venue as he became the first driver since Alain Menu in 1997 to win four races in a row – having triumphed in races two and three at Brands Hatch last time out. 

Despite feeling under the weather, BRISTOL STREET MOTORS with EXCELR8’s Tom Ingram dug deep to triumph in a frenetic reverse grid encounter, ensuring he remains within reach of Sutton in the battle for the biggest prize in UK motorsport.

Hot on the heels of action-packed events at Donington Park and Brands Hatch, the country’s premier motorsport series served up three hard-fought contests around the 300 layout – shaking up the championship order in the process. 

Basking in bright sunshine on Saturday, qualifying around the challenging 2.97-mile circuit proved to be a truncated affair as two red flags – the first caused by Nick Halstead and the second by Dan Cammish – interrupted proceedings.

Once the session did restart it was three-time champion Sutton that reigned supreme as he broke the existing qualifying lap record on his way to a masterful pole position; which saw him finish more than three tenths clear of his nearest challenger.

Defending champion Ingram proved to be ‘best of the rest’ as he grabbed second ahead of West Surrey Racing duo Colin Turkington and Jake Hill. Rounding out the top five Toyota Gazoo Racing UK’s Ricky Collard in his formidable Corolla.

Race one saw Sutton take the 30th victory of his career in style as he held off a late charge from Hill, who had opted to run the soft tyre. Making a sensational start, Sutton bolted from the chasing pack in the early going as he built up a three second lead in as many laps. 

Behind, the trio of Turkington, Hill and Ingram scrapped for position and after multiple attempts, Hill finally made a move stick on his stablemate late on. With clean air, he wasted no time in reeling in Sutton but it proved to be too late for him to mount a serious challenge.

Opting to run the preferred soft tyre in race two, Sutton continued his fine run of form with another victory – this time in a more comfortable and commanding manner. 

Replicating his fast start of race one, the triple title winner built up a sizeable advantage over the rest of the field to coast to victory ahead of Hill and Turkington.

The weekend’s third and final contest then saw the current defending champion Ingram chalk up his first win of the season – despite enduring the effects of a fever.

Playing the tactical game by leaving the medium tyre until the reverse grid race, the Hyundai driver produced a masterful drive to charge from seventh to the top step of the podium and open his account for the year.

Behind, Cammish had carved his way through the order on the softs to finish second but a post-race exclusion saw Rory Butcher and Dan Rowbottom promoted to second and third on the podium.

Leaving Snetterton, Sutton holds a seven-point lead over Ingram at the top of the BTCC Drivers’ Championship whilst Motorbase/Ford head the Manufacturers-Constructors Championship.

In the Teams’ Championship, NAPA Racing UK lead the standings after three events whilst Josh Cook and Autobrite Direct with Millers Oils sit out front in the Independent Drivers’ and Independent Teams’ Championship’s respectively. 

The Jack Sears Trophy – which is open to drivers who hadn’t scored an outright podium in the series prior to the start of the season – continues to be led by Sam Osborne.

To view the full classification of results from all BTCC sessions at Snetterton, CLICK HERE.

The fastest track in the UK, Thruxton Circuit, provides the next stop on the calendar with Rounds 10, 11 & 12 taking place on June 3/4. Advance tickets for the event are currently available to purchase from the Thruxton website.

Series organisers of the Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship, TOCA, have today (May 15) released the official calendar for the 2024 season.

Firmly established as the UK’s flagship motor sport series, the championship will continue with its tried and tested format of 30 races taking place across ten meetings at eight of the country’s top venues.

Commencing on Donington Park’s National circuit in late April, the BTCC will visit Brands Hatch and Snetterton in May before moving onto Thruxton and Oulton Park in June.

Following the annual summer break, a trip to Croft kick-starts the second half of the season before the series ventures north of the border to Knockhill and then returns to Donington Park – this time to race on the Grand Prix layout.

As has often been the case down the years, Silverstone will stage the penultimate event before champions are crowned on the first weekend of October around the legendary Brands Hatch Grand Prix circuit.

Alan Gow, BTCC Chief Executive, said: “Our 2024 schedule has the same flow as this year, which was universally praised. And going back to the Donington GP circuit next year will ensure that the teams can build upon their experience of that circuit layout from this season.

“With the Paris Olympics and Euro 2024, it’s a very busy year for major sporting events during our season. So, it was important that I locked-in our calendar as early as possible, in order to secure our most ideal ITV4 live broadcast dates. 

“As always, releasing our calendar so early also has a positive benefit for the rest of British motorsport, as it helps domestic race organisers and venues with the forward planning and scheduling of their own events.

“Releasing the calendar on 10th May to our teams and support races, and publicly today, sets a new record for having our next season’s BTCC schedule confirmed this early… although, in future I really can’t imagine it can be done any earlier and this record being beaten!”

2024 Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship Calendar

Rounds 1/2/3 – Donington Park (National) – April 27/28

Rounds 4/5/6 – Brands Hatch (Indy) – May 11/12

Rounds 7/8/9 – Snetterton 300 – May 25/26

Rounds 10/11/12 – Thruxton – June 8/9

Rounds 13/14/15 – Oulton Park (Island) – June 22/23

Rounds 16/17/18 – Croft – July 27/28

Rounds 19/20/21 – Knockhill – August 10/11

Rounds 22/23/24 – Donington Park (Grand Prix) – August 24/25

Rounds 25/26/27 – Silverstone (National) – September 21/22

Rounds 28/29/30 – Brands Hatch (Grand Prix) – October 5/6

The Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship continued its breathtaking start to the 2023 season at Brands Hatch this past weekend (May 6/7) as Ashley Sutton and Colin Turkington claimed victory in front of a capacity crowd.

Hot on the heels of a spectacular Donington Park curtain-raiser just a fortnight ago, the UK’s premier motorsport series took centre stage at the world-famous Kent venue for what turned out to be three blockbuster races on the challenging Indy circuit. 

Wet weather battered the track throughout Saturday, leading to the second qualifying session of the campaign proving to be a truncated and frenetic affair – with no fewer than three red flag interruptions.

NAPA Racing UK’s Dan Cammish ultimately emerged as the driver to beat as he produced one of the best laps of his career to snatch pole position in the final seconds of the Top Ten Showdown; narrowly pipping the trio of Turkington, Jake Hill and Sutton.

Drier conditions greeted the drivers on Sunday and it was Team BMW’s Turkington that struck first as he moved up to second on the all-time BTCC winners list by claiming a near lights-to-flag victory following an early restart.

Just as the leaders were completing their first lap there was drama behind – involving Stephen Jelley, Adam Morgan, Andrew Watson and Dan Rowbottom – which brought about a lengthy red flag stoppage.

On the restart, four-time champion Turkington wasted no time in getting the jump from the outside of the front row and from there he cantered to a 64th career win ahead of three-time title winner Sutton and pole sitter Cammish.

Race two then saw Sutton open his account for the season with a measured drive after keeping reigning champion Tom Ingram at bay for a majority of the contest.

Wasting no time in snatching the lead from Turkington on the opening tour, the Ford Focus driver controlled proceedings out front in the early going whilst Ingram muscled his way up into second from fifth. 

Despite closing the gap on a number of occasions, the Hyundai driver would ultimately never get close enough to mount a real challenge on Sutton, leaving him to shadow the NAPA racer across the line whilst Turkington completed the podium in third. 

Sutton then rounded out what was his best-ever weekend in the BTCC with a second win as he inherited victory after carving his way up the order from 11th on the grid.

Starting on the sixth row virtue of the reverse grid draw, Sutton made pass after pass in the early going before then latching onto the back of race leader Ricky Collard, who was holding firm in his Toyota Gazoo Racing UK Corolla.

Producing a spirited defence, Collard would unfortunately be hit with a ten-second time penalty for multiple track limit infringements with the end in sight; giving Sutton the win while Bobby Thompson and Ingram filled the remaining spots on the podium.

Leaving Brands Hatch, Cammish holds a five-point lead over Ingram at the summit of the BTCC Drivers’ Championship whilst Motorbase Performance/Ford top the Manufacturers-Constructors Championship.

In the Teams’ Championship, NAPA Racing UK head the standings after two events whilst Bobby Thompson and Autobrite Direct with Millers Oils have established themselves as the early front runners in the Independent Drivers’ and Independent Teams’ Championship’s respectively. 

The Jack Sears Trophy – which is open to drivers who hadn’t scored an outright podium in the series prior to the start of the season – is now led by NAPA Racing UK’s Sam Osborne.

To view the full classification of results from all BTCC sessions at Brands Hatch, CLICK HERE.

Snetterton’s 300 circuit provides the next stop on the calendar for the Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship; with Rounds 7, 8 & 9 taking place on May 20/21.