Yorkshireman takes first BTCC pole position for NAPA Racing UK
Dan Cammish produced one of the best displays of his Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship career so far, as the NAPA Racing UK star sped to pole position at Thruxton this afternoon (27 August).
Having taken eight race victories and three pole positions during his time with Team Dynamics, Cammish has endured a mixed 2022 season to date following his return to the UK's premier motorsport series.
Flashes of pure speed – mixed with a series of unfortunate incidents – have left Cammish languishing in the fight for the title, but the 33-year-old showed his true class today by topping the times in sensational fashion.
It had looked as if Thruxton specialist Josh Cook would be continuing his incredible run at the fastest circuit in the country, as the Rich Energy BTC Racing star held P1 until the closing minutes.
With one final run to come, however, Cammish blasted his #9 Ford Focus around the Hampshire speedbowl to steal pole position by just 0.017s – securing the first ever qualifying top spot for NAPA Racing UK.
Title contenders – Jake Hill (ROKiT MB Motorsport) and Ash Sutton (NAPA Racing UK) – will line-up together on the second row of the grid for tomorrow's opener, whilst Halfords Racing with Cataclean's Gordon Shedden had to settle for fifth.
CarStore Power Maxed Racing rounded off its most competitive day of the season so far with its duo of racers – Ash Hand and Michael Crees – taking sixth and seventh respectively.
Dan Rowbottom (Halfords Racing with Cataclean), Tom Chilton (Bristol Street Motors with EXCELR8 TradePriceCars.com) and Ricky Collard (Toyota GAZOO Racing UK) rounded out the top ten.
Championship challengers – Tom Ingram (Bristol Street Motors with EXCELR8 TradePriceCars.com) and Colin Turkington (Team BMW) – could only manage 13th and 15th respectively and will be looking to make their way up the order on Sunday afternoon.
Tomorrow's triple-header of tin-top races is expected to bring a huge crowd to Hampshire while many more will watch the action live on ITV4 from 1115.
Dan Cammish said: "Such an amazing feeling – what a buzz. Honestly there have been times this year where I’ve forgotten what this feels like. Massive credit to the team for always believing in me and knowing it would come good. It’s only part of the job. I know that we’ve spent a lot of time making sure we’re in a good place tomorrow too. So, fingers crossed I can deliver some really good results on my side which have been long overdue."
Josh Cook said: "I just took the challenge to see how much I could make up in the corners, which led to a few hairy moments. You just do the job you can do, put a lap out as best you can, and sometimes that’s P22 and sometimes that’s the front row. I feel like I’ve delivered some really good laps over the past weekends and I’ve been outside the top 20 in qualifying. We’re just pleased that we’re starting to be at the sharp end and I do like to race around here, it’s good fun."
Jake Hill said: "We’ve done a really good job. If you’re thinking about the championship this could be a bit of a turning point here. We’ve just got to keep our heads down, get some good results tomorrow, and it’s going to be hard fighting against Ash [Sutton] but it always is. We give each other as good as we get, and we’ve seen how good we can race together at Knockhill - I’m sure tomorrow will be no different."
2022 Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship – Qualifying – Thruxton
1. Dan CAMMISH (GBR) Napa Racing UK 1:15.303s
2. Josh COOK (GBR) Rich Energy BTC Racing +0.017s
3. Jake HILL (GBR) ROKiT MB Motorsport +0.310s
4. Ash SUTTON (GBR) Napa Racing UK +0.311s
5. Gordon SHEDDEN (GBR) Halfords Racing with Cataclean +0.382s
6. Ash HAND (GBR) CarStore Power Maxed Racing +0.672s
7. Michael CREES (GBR) CarStore Power Maxed Racing +0.735s
8. Daniel ROWBOTTOM (GBR) Halfords Racing with Cataclean +0.752s
9. Tom CHILTON (GBR) Bristol Street Motors with EXCELR8 TradePriceCars.com +0.765s
10. Ricky COLLARD (GBR) Toyota GAZOO Racing UK +0.809s
11. Jason PLATO (GBR) Rich Energy BTC Racing +0.809s
12. Rory BUTCHER (GBR) Toyota GAZOO Racing UK +0.810s
13. Tom INGRAM (GBR) Bristol Street Motors with EXCELR8 TradePriceCars.com +0.818s
14. Adam MORGAN (GBR) Car Gods with Ciceley Motorsport +0.824s
15. Colin TURKINGTON (GBR) Team BMW +0.864s
16. Stephen JELLEY (GBR) Team BMW +0.868s
17. George GAMBLE (GBR) Car Gods with Ciceley Motorsport +0.950s
18. Aiden MOFFAT (GBR) Laser Tools Racing +1.032s
19. Jade EDWARDS (GBR) Rich Energy BTC Racing +1.141s
20. Daniel LLOYD (GBR) Bristol Street Motors with EXCELR8 TradePriceCars.com +1.271s
21. Jack BUTEL (GBR) Bristol Street Motors with EXCELR8 TradePriceCars.com +1.323s
22. Dexter PATTERSON (GBR) Laser Tools Racing +1.472s
23. Bobby THOMPSON (GBR) Autobrite Direct with JourneyHero +1.498s
24. Ollie JACKSON (GBR) Apec Racing with Beavis Morgan +1.614s
25. Sam OSBORNE (GBR) Apec Racing with Beavis Morgan +1.620s
26. Árón TAYLOR-SMITH (IRL) Yazoo with Safuu.com Racing +1.679s
27. Rick PARFITT (GBR) Uptonsteel with Euro Car Parts Racing +2.653s
28. Nicolas HAMILTON (GBR) Yazoo with Safuu.com Racing +3.120s
29. Tom OLIPHANT (GBR) Autobrite Direct with JourneyHero NO TIME
Penalties
General
Toyota GAZOO Racing UK has had 20 points deducted from its Manufacturers'/Constructors' and Teams’ Championship scores having changed an engine above the number permitted
Rich Energy BTC Racing has had 10 points deducted from its Teams’ and Independent Teams’ Championship scores having changed an engine above the number permitted
Rich Energy BTC Racing has been fined £500 for allowing car 11 to be driven in the pit lane by a team member other than the driver
