Fun in the sun as fans enjoy sensational day of racing
The race for the most coveted prize in national motorsport continued to heat up earlier today (11 August) as a sensational day of racing took place at Knockhill for the latest rounds of the Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship.
Beautiful weather descended on the much-loved Scottish venue during race day and the packed banks of spectators were further treated to some of the best BTCC action of the season so far.
A win apiece for BMW duo Colin Turkington (Team BMW) and Jake Hill (Laser Tools Racing with MB Motorsport) ensured their respective title challenges remained on-track, before tin-top legend Rob Huff (TOYOTA GAZOO Racing UK) won the finale.
Team BRISTOL STREET MOTORS’ Tom Ingram faced an uphill battle, having started the day from 15th on the grid, but the 2022 champion returned to the top of the standings with a second-place finish in the final race.
Ingram heads Hill by just three points in the overall Drivers’ standings with NAPA Racing UK pair Ash Sutton and Dan Cammish just behind.
Turkington and LKQ Euro Car Parts with SYNETIQ’s Josh Cook also remain in contention as the BTCC looks to be heading towards one of its most exciting title races in recent years.
At this stage last season the top six drivers were covered by 119 points, whereas the leading sextet in 2024 are currently blanketed by only 56 points.
Alliance Racing/Ford and its NAPA Racing UK outfit top both the Manufacturers’/Constructors’ and Teams’ championships.
Evans Halshaw Power Maxed Racing’s Árón Taylor-Smith and Mikey Doble continue to dominate the Independents’ and Jack Sears Trophy honours.
The season now moves on to Donington Park in two weeks’ time (24/25 August) before the campaign concludes with trips to Silverstone and Brands Hatch.
Colin Turkington claims commanding race one win
Team BMW's Turkington again showed his class and determination by winning Round 19 of the 2024 Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship, securing a commanding a lights-to-flag triumph.
His 70th career victory in the opener at Croft last time out was supposed to signal his championship charge, although the remainder of the day in North Yorkshire didn't quite go to plan, but Turkington ensured his hopes remained alive with a dominant performance in the Knockhill opener.
Cook (LKQ Euro Car Parts with SYNETIQ) grabbed a brilliant second place – coming to Knockhill following a first victory of the season at Croft – as the Toyota man made a great move on Team BMW's Adam Morgan.
Morgan claimed a first podium of the season with a pace and confidence that suggests the likeable Lancashire racer should be chasing more silverware during the remainder of the season.
Evans Halshaw Power Maxed Racing's Taylor-Smith was muscled out of second in a scrap with Morgan and Cook, but fourth place again represented a good result for the Irishman.
Hill marks milestone with memorable win
Laser Tools Racing with MB Motorsport's Hill will likely remember his 250th BTCC race for the rest of his life as the BMW star charged to victory from fifth on the grid in the second encounter.
Pole man Turkington made a good getaway to hold a solid lead in the opening laps, whilst Hill and NAPA Racing UK's Dan Rowbottom were both making light work of the competition behind – running on the Goodyear soft tyre and with more hybrid deployment available than the race one winner.
The moment came earlier than expected with Hill slicing past WSR stablemate Turkington, a feat repeated by Rowbottom shortly after, as the duo romped on to take a one-two.
Second was fantastic for Rowbottom as he also had to contend with a five-second penalty due to being out of position on the grid at the start of the race.
Turkington settled for third ahead of Cook (LKQ Euro Car Parts with SYNETIQ) and Sutton (NAPA Racing UK) – the latter having to fend off a late resurgence from Team BMW's Morgan.
Huff holds off Ingram in Knockhill finale
TOYOTA GAZOO Racing UK's Huff held off Team BRISTOL STREET MOTORS' Ingram to take his second BTCC victory of the season in a thrilling final race at Knockhill.
A lights-to-flag triumph for the former World Touring Car Champion doesn't tell the full story as the #12 Toyota Corolla had to withstand race-long pressure from Ingram with the pair going side-by-side on a few occasions in the early stages.
Huff then nailed a mid-race restart following a brief safety car period and then perfectly positioned his car for the remainder of the bout to take the win, whilst Ingram returned to the top of the standings with his own impressive display.
Tom Chilton completed the podium celebrations for Team BRISTOL STREET MOTORS as he joined team-mate Ingram on the rostrum – as they did at Croft two weeks ago.
NAPA Racing UK's Sutton came out on top of a frenetic battle for fourth, ahead of Laser Tools Racing with MB Motorsport's Hill – keeping them both well in contention in the title battle – but there was also a mid-race scrap that took out LKQ Euro Car Parts with SYNETIQ's Cook.
Cook and Sutton came together and then as the former's Toyota rejoined the track there was a further tangle with Hill, which sent the #66 Corolla spiralling off-track – severely damaging Cook's own title chances.
Colin Turkington, Team BMW, said: “It’s been a super weekend and a great way to bounce back after Croft. Reflecting on the weekend; pole, win race one and podium in race two… just brilliant. I started race three in tenth and finished ninth – it was like snakes and ladders out there. Sometimes the race doesn’t unwind the way you want and that was the case, but the aim was to score points and we’ve done that. We had really good pace with the BMW and I’m excited for the rest of the season.”
Jake Hill, Laser Tools Racing with MB Motorsport, said: “I’m leaving Knockhill with a winners’ hat so I’m extremely happy with how today’s gone. We’ve had two fifth-place finishes and a win, which is mega. Neither Tom Ingram nor Ash Sutton, who we’re fighting against for the championship, had a big score so we’ve beaten them both considerably and taken the gap down from 21 points to just three. We are ready to continue the attack."
Rob Huff, TOYOTA GAZOO Racing UK, said: “Race three was tough – it really doesn’t get much more on-the-edge than that! What a mega battle – it was proper touring car racing, and I enjoyed it a lot. I think I caught Tom [Ingram] a little bit off-guard at the safety car restart, and I used my hybrid smartly, making sure I still had enough left for the end. The car has definitely stepped up since the summer break. The Speedworks guys and girls have done an amazing job, so huge testament and thanks to them for developing the car and getting it back up towards the front, which is where we all want to be.”
2024 Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship – Race 1 – Knockhill
1. Colin Turkington, Team BMW 24 Laps
2. Josh Cook, LKQ Euro Car Parts with SYNETIQ +8.308s
3. Adam Morgan, Team BMW +9.117s
4. Árón Taylor-Smith, Evans Halshaw Power Maxed Racing +10.073s
5. Jake Hill, Laser Tools Racing with MB Motorsport +10.503s
6. Ash Sutton, NAPA Racing UK +12.960s
7. Daniel Rowbottom, NAPA Racing UK +13.765s
8. Rob Huff, TOYOTA GAZOO Racing UK +14.076s
9. Dan Cammish, NAPA Racing UK +15.032s
10. Mikey Doble, Evans Halshaw Power Maxed Racing +16.277s
2024 Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship – Race 2 – Knockhill
1. Jake Hill, Laser Tools Racing with MB Motorsport 24 Laps
2. Daniel Rowbottom, NAPA Racing UK +7.980s
3. Colin Turkington, Team BMW +8.717s
4. Josh Cook, LKQ Euro Car Parts with SYNETIQ +11.800s
5. Ash Sutton, NAPA Racing UK +12.879s
6. Adam Morgan, Team BMW +13.248s
7. Dan Cammish, NAPA Racing UK +14.698s
8. Aiden Moffat, LKQ Euro Car Parts with SYNETIQ +24.308s
9. Tom Chilton, Team BRISTOL STREET MOTORS +24.313s
10. Tom Ingram, Team BRISTOL STREET MOTORS +25.841s
2024 Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship – Race 3 – Knockhill
1. Rob Huff, TOYOTA GAZOO Racing UK 27 Laps
2. Tom Ingram, Team BRISTOL STREET MOTORS +1.395s
3. Tom Chilton, Team BRISTOL STREET MOTORS +1.855s
4. Ash Sutton, NAPA Racing UK +2.641s
5. Jake Hill, Laser Tools Racing with MB Motorsport +2.972s
6. Daniel Rowbottom, NAPA Racing UK +4.199s
7. Aiden Moffat, LKQ Euro Car Parts with SYNETIQ +11.142s
8. Dan Cammish, NAPA Racing UK +12.197s
9. Colin Turkington, Team BMW +12.307s
10. Ronan Pearson, Team BRISTOL STREET MOTORS +15.026s
Penalties:
Race Two
Andrew Watson received a verbal warning during Round 20 of the championship, for gaining an unfair advantage in an incident involving Sam Osborne
Chris Smiley received a verbal warning during Round 20 of the championship, for gaining an unfair advantage in an incident involving Daryl DeLeon
Race Three
Daryl DeLeon was disqualified from Round 21 of the championship, as his car failed to pass the post-race ride height check
