CPRL driver tops teammate Dan Rowbotton in Donington Park Qualifying Race
It was a Mercedes one-two in today's Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship 'Race to Pole' around the legendary Donington Park GP circuit as Adam Morgan topped CPRL teammate Dan Rowbottom.
Incredibly, Morgan has doubled his BTCC career pole positions in just two weeks, having secured P1 at Knockhill last time out. Prior to that, the Lancastrian's only qualifying top spot came at Rockingham way back in 2018.
The result highlights the incredble progress made by the pair of Mercedes A35 Saloons since the mid-summer break.
Rowbottom secured the car's first overall podium at Thruxton in July before four more followed in the trip north of the border, including Morgan's first win of the season.
Starting the Donington Park GP Qualifying Race from pole and third respectively handed the CPRL outfit another great opportunity to impress and their situation was immediately enhanced when Rowbottom nipped by front-row starter Josh Cook on the run down to Redgate.
Cook kept Rowbottom honest during a couple of restarts, but the latter fended off the #66 Speedworks Corolla Racing machine to secure the place.
Multiple race winner Cook ended up having to go quite defensive towards the finish as the always charging Ash Sutton filled his mirrors in the #116 NAPA Racing UK Ford Focus Titanium.
Sutton had to settle for fourth, but it still represented a solid improvement from seventh on the grid as he ultimately extended his championship advantage.
Just over a second separated fifth to ninth in the order as Dan Cammish (NAPA Racing UK – Ford) kept the Laser Tools Racing with MB Motorsport duo of Gordon Shedden and Árón Taylor-Smith at bay, as they – like Cook – showed the pace of the Toyota Corollas at their home track.
Tom Ingram (Team VERTU – Hyundai) and Sam Osborne (NAPA Racing UK – Ford) were eighth and ninth respectively, whilst Dexter Patterson (Steel Seal with Power Maxed Racing – Audi) continued his good form with another top ten finish.
Rounds 19, 20 and 21 of the 2026 Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship take place at Donington Park tomorrow with the action getting underway on ITV4 at 1100.
Adam Morgan, CPRL, said:
Donington Park GP - Qualifying Race – Classified:
| P/ | No/ | Name/ | Entry/ | Laps/ | Time/ | Gap/ | Best/ | On/ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 33 | Adam MORGAN | CPRL | 11 | 19:12.622 | 1:34.157 | 8 | |
| 2 | 32 | Daniel ROWBOTTOM | CPRL | 11 | 19:15.065 | 2.443 | 1:34.213 | 8 |
| 3 | 66 | Josh COOK | Speedworks Corolla Racing | 11 | 19:15.655 | 3.033 | 1:34.608 | 10 |
| 4 | 116 | Ashley SUTTON | NAPA Racing UK | 11 | 19:16.609 | 3.987 | 1:34.719 | 9 |
| 5 | 27 | Dan CAMMISH | NAPA Racing UK | 11 | 19:18.812 | 6.190 | 1:35.019 | 9 |
| 6 | 52 | Gordon SHEDDEN | Laser Tools Racing with MB Motorsport | 11 | 19:18.992 | 6.370 | 1:35.090 | 10 |
| 7 | 50 | Árón TAYLOR-SMITH | Laser Tools Racing with MB Motorsport | 11 | 19:19.464 | 6.842 | 1:35.123 | 9 |
| 8 | 80 | Tom INGRAM | Team VERTU | 11 | 19:19.555 | 6.933 | 1:34.992 | 9 |
| 9 | 77 | Sam OSBORNE | NAPA Racing UK | 11 | 19:19.938 | 7.316 | 1:34.847 | 8 |
| 10 | 17 | Dexter PATTERSON | Steel Seal with Power Maxed Racing | 11 | 19:21.924 | 9.302 | 1:35.594 | 10 |
| 11 | 11 | Ricky COLLARD | Team VERTU | 11 | 19:22.050 | 9.428 | 1:35.296 | 8 |
| 12 | 16 | Aiden MOFFAT | LKQ Euro Car Parts with Power Maxed Racing | 11 | 19:23.551 | 10.929 | 1:35.413 | 8 |
| 13 | 22 | Chris SMILEY | Restart Racing | 11 | 19:23.876 | 11.254 | 1:35.217 | 8 |
| 14 | 88 | Mikey DOBLE | LKQ Euro Car Parts with Power Maxed Racing | 11 | 19:24.085 | 11.463 | 1:34.672 | 4 |
| 15 | 99 | Charles RAINFORD | WSR | 11 | 19:24.959 | 12.337 | 1:35.541 | 8 |
| 16 | 123 | Daniel LLOYD | Restart Racing | 11 | 19:26.154 | 13.532 | 1:35.893 | 8 |
| 17 | 15 | Lewis SELBY | NAPA Racing UK | 11 | 19:26.446 | 13.824 | 1:35.801 | 10 |
| 18 | 7 | Ryan BENSLEY | Speedworks Corolla Racing | 11 | 19:29.227 | 16.605 | 1:35.457 | 8 |
| 19 | 29 | Lewis GILBERT | WSR | 11 | 19:30.186 | 17.564 | 1:36.095 | 8 |
| 20 | 55 | Nick HALSTEAD | Steel Seal with Power Maxed Racing | 11 | 19:42.129 | 29.507 | 1:37.851 | 4 |
| 21 | 3 | Tom CHILTON | Team VERTU | 11 | 19:45.770 | 33.148 | 1:34.543 | 10 |
| DNF | 2 | Daryl DE LEON | WSR | 4 | 11:37.315 | 7 Laps | 1:43.191 | 2 |
| DNF | 28 | Nicolas HAMILTON | Team VERTU | 0 | 0.000 | 0 |
