Oulton Park set the scene for Carlube TripleR Racing with Mac Tools’ Adam Morgan to take a maiden home-race victory in the Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship during a thrilling final race in Cheshire.
Having started the opening encounter from ninth on the grid, a small mistake at the first corner resulted in Morgan dropping a couple of places; he took eighth at the chequered flag but was promoted to seventh after race winner Josh Cook was excluded for a technical infringement.
The Ciceley Motorsport squad made changes to the car for race two but didn’t have the optimum set-up as the conditions were still changeable. Morgan started seventh on the grid and had a long battle with Tom Oliphant over the opening laps until the BMW finally wriggled by. The Mercedes-Benz A-Class driver battled home in ninth place, again scoring valuable points.
The reverse-grid draw would see the Lancastrian start the final outing of the day from P2, in what would quickly become a race to remember for the Mercedes man.
Morgan led from start to finish, jumping ahead of pole-sitter Bobby Thompson (Audi S3) on the run to the first corner. Once ahead, Morgan once again had the mission of fending off the challenge of former team-mate Oliphant.
Oliphant crawled all over him for the first seven laps but, unable to find a way past the 31-year-old, allowed stablemate Colin Turkington to move ahead with the intention to attack the Mercedes.
As he headed a four-car train, joined by 2017 champion Ash Sutton, an accident at the rear of the field triggered a race stoppage and confirmation of Morgan’s first win since Rockingham in 2018 and first podium result of 2020.
“I just felt in the zone from the moment I put my helmet on,” said Morgan. “I felt really confident and made the best start I ever have.
“It was tough keeping Tom behind me but it is a difficult track to overtake at and so it was a case of holding the BMWs up at places at which they were stronger, and backing them up when I could. Could I have kept them behind for another four laps? Who knows, but I’m overjoyed with that win.
“Once I saw Tom had let Colin through, I realised that Colin would go for championship points so I didn’t have to defend quite as doggedly as he would be cautious. That was in my mind, but rear wheel drive cars are good and as my tyres went off, he became more of a threat.
“It seems like a long time since the last win and last year was very tough. To win in the BTCC is special. Last year was a long year but we are back where we belong and to have Freddie, my six-month old son here, is very special indeed. I was very emotional on the in-lap, and that is not like me at all. It is a reflection of the hard work everyone has put in and this I hope is the first of many wins this year.”
The second Carlube TripleR Racing with Mac Tools Mercedes-Benz A-Class of Jack Butel continued its excellent season, with the newcomer taking three solid finishes to maintain his 100% finishing record in his rookie season. Butel took a 16th place as his best finish of the weekend as he continued his impressive maiden season in the BTCC.
“We are all absolutely delighted with the result at Oulton Park,” said Commercial Director Norman Burgess. “We were able to welcome some of our key commercial partners from Carlube Triple R and Mac Tools, and for Adam to win at our home track was very special indeed.
“The whole team has worked so hard to get back to winning ways and everyone feels very proud of today’s results. Our supporters and partners have been behind Adam every inch of the way and that support had been repaid today in style, we are delighted that the Carlube TripleR Racing with Mac Tools Mercedes-Benz A-Class is still a winning car, especially at a venue that hasn’t been kind to us in the past.
“We are all super impressed with Jack, our team owner Russell [Morgan] has been trawling through Jack’s data and sector times he has been blown away by both his rapid progression, determination and ability to adapt to the rigours and pressures of the BTCC.”
As the squad now heads north of the border to Scotland’s Knockhill circuit, Morgan sits seventh in the overall standings and third in the Independents’ Trophy, with Carlube TripleR Racing with Mac Tools currently third in the Independents’ Teams Championship.
On their way to the tight and twisty circuit in Fife, Scotland, both Adam and Norman took part in title sponsor Kwik Fit’s Majors golf competition as the Ciceley duo took on competition winners at Burntisland Golf Course – the 10th oldest golf course in the world!
All of the weekend’s racing action will be available on ITV2 from 1040 on Sunday, 30 August. Qualifying will be streamed live from 1520 on Saturday (29 August).
We’re here @BurntislandGolf for our second round of the @Kwik_Fit majors golf competition 🏌🏻♂️ - it might be raining but it isn’t going to stop these guys! #BTCC pic.twitter.com/8fIDQ7sbvy
— BTCC (@BTCC) August 27, 2020
