The British Touring Car Championship (BTCC) marked its return to the Donington Park GP circuit with another action-packed Bank Holiday weekend - it's first competitive outing on the extended loop since 2002 - as top title rivals Ash Sutton and Tom Ingram shared the spoils in the first two races of the day.
Championship leader Sutton started the weekend on a high by maintaining NAPA Racing UK's 100% qualifying record by securing his fifth pole position of the season during Saturday's qualifying round, pipping Ingram to the post by only 0.182s to set up a most intriguing front row for race one.
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![]() The BTCC's recent trip to Knockhill was doubly-special for Power Maxed Racing as they celebrated their 250th race in the competition with a long-awaited overall podium finish. Despite starting 15th on the grid in race one, Andrew Watson took advantage of the early call to change to wet tyres ahead of most of the pack to initially cross the line fourth.
However, after Bristol Street Motors with Exceler8 Motorsport duo Tom Ingram and Tom Chilton were both disqualified from the result for failing to meet the post-race ride height requirement, Watson saw himself promoted to take the runner-up spot as well as claiming victory in the Independent Driver's competition, whilst team-mate Árón Taylor-Smith took the Independent's honours in race two after his fourth-place finish. This year's BTCC campaign took in more epic twists and turns on a ran-soaked weekend at Knockhill, with Jake Hill responding to his disappointing weekend a fortnight ago with a double-win and championship leader Ash Sutton finally bolstering his lead over his main rivals whilst also chasing away his 'reverse grid race' demons with a victory in race three.
Expectedly, bouts of inclement weather also added to the excitement as track conditions became unpredictable, sending the title chase in one direction and then another. BTCC Championship leader Ash Sutton earned his fourth pole of the season by topping the times in a fast-paced qualifying session at Knockhill. In doing so, Sutton also maintains NAPA Racing UK's incredible 100% qualifying record this season with their seventh straight top spot.
Sutton did well to come away with the quickest time after a hotly-contested battle throughout both Q1 and Q2's Top Ten Showdown with Josh Cook, besting the One Motorsport with Starline Racing driver by only six-thousandths of a second. This year's hotly-contested BTCC campaign is set to take more twists and turns this weekend as it travels north of the border to Knockhill.
The Fife circuit has been a staple of the BTCC calendar since it's inception in 1992, long being a favourite amongst fans and drivers alike. Being one of the shortest circuits on the programme at only 1.27 miles - with high kerbs that famously launch cars onto two wheels whilst chasing those vital passing opportunities - Knockhill has never ceased to provide a ton of action and has given us some of the most exciting and dramatic races in the competition's history, This weekend might prove to be no different as we enter with another close championship battle, with only 41 points currently separating the top four drivers. |
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October 2024
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