Despite two victories last time out it was not Colin Turkington but Ash Sutton leading the way into Snetterton. Even in fine form it would be another BMW taking the headlines after a wet and windy weekend...

Laser Tools Racing with MB Motorsport’s Jake Hill enjoyed a dream Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship weekend at Snetterton as he backed up Saturday’s pole position with a dominant double on Sunday (25/26 May).

The BMW talent took two lights-to-flag victories, but that doesn’t tell the full story, as the Kent driver had to win each contest in very different circumstances.

Championship leader Ash Sutton scored a seventh successive podium before than run eventually came to an end in race two, when the NAPA Racing UK star crashed out late on.

Podiums for Bobby Thompson, Dan Cammish, Josh Cook and Aiden Moffat also shook-up proceedings as the title race continues to take shape.

The final word went to home hero Rob Huff as he headed an incredible Toyota 1-2-3 in the final encounter, securing his first BTCC triumph in 20 years.

When the rain eventually cleared in Norfolk it was Sutton leaving the circuit with a ten-point advantage over Team BMW’s Colin Turkington in the overall Drivers’ standings, with Hill and Team BRISTOL STREET MOTORS’ Tom Ingram only a further point in arrears – the top four blanketed by just 11 points with Cook also closing in.

The Alliance Racing/Ford outfit jumped BMW in the Manufacturers’/Constructors’ order, whilst NAPA Racing UK also tops the Teams’ table.

Árón Taylor-Smith and his Evans Halshaw Power Maxed Racing squad still hold sway in the Independents’ championships, whilst team-mate Mikey Doble is the Jack Sears Trophy leader.

Lucky 13 for Jake Hill

The list of 2024 BTCC race winners continued to grow after Hill scored his 13th career success, becoming the fifth different race winner of the season so far.

Hill bounced back from a challenging Brands Hatch last time out to take pole position in Norfolk yesterday, and he duly backed that up with a dominant display in the opener around the 2.97-mile circuit.

The battle for the other places on the podium kicked off almost immediately as NAPA Racing UK's Sutton slotted into second, whilst Zeus Cloud Racing with WSR's Thompson blasted into fourth behind Team BMW stablemate Adam Morgan.

Morgan's pace seemed to fade by mid-distance as Thompson cruised by, before the latter focused on hunting down Sutton's #1 Ford Focus.

The moment eventually came as the new striking purple BMW blasted by Sutton on the start/finish straight to secure second.

Third still represented an impressive result for championship leader Sutton, as it confirmed his seventh successive podium to kick off his title defence.

Hill climbs the standings with stunning race two win

BMW star Hill then claimed a stunning victory in a frenetic race two.

A huge storm descended onto Norfolk just minutes prior to the original start time, which caused a delay while water was removed from the track surface.

Incredibly, the circuit was basked in glorious sunshine shortly after as a mixture of wet and dry tyre options began to take shape during the race.

The drama had already started on-track too with pole-sitter Hill and his Zeus Cloud Racing with WSR stablemate Thompson receiving a ten second penalty for jumping the start.

The race win almost looked impossible for Hill, but he immediately set about stretching the gap at the head of the field, and when rain began to fall again later in the contest the race started to swing back the way of the Kent driver.

Hill was truly sublime in the wet conditions, pulling away from the chasing pack by more than 15 seconds to score a superlative second victory of the day.

NAPA Racing UK's Dan Cammish took second ahead of LKQ Euro Car Parts with SYNETIQ's Cook, with the latter impressively rising from 14th on the grid.

Home hero Huff heads Toyota 1-2-3

It has been a weekend of incredible stories with Huff's first BTCC win in 20 years headlining the final encounter in Norfolk.

There had been much talk about Huff's most recent BTCC win – at Snetterton way back in 2004 – so for a man that lives around half an hour from the circuit it was arguably written in the stars that he would repeat the trick here today.

An incredible race began with Hill looking like he would score an historic hat-trick as the Laser Tools Racing with MB Motorsport star gambled on the Goodyear wet tyres from ninth on the grid. 

Hill blasted by the entire field on the opening lap and began pulling away from the slick-shod runners, bringing the only other car on wets – Andrew Watson's Toyota – with him.

A masterclass from Hill was on the cards and with it the opportunity to join the very short shortlist of just Dan Eaves and Jason Plato to win three BTCC races in the same day.

The crossover happened around mid-distance, however, as the dry Goodyear tyres were soon quicker than the wets.

The chasing pack reeled them in, and after TOYOTA GAZOO Racing UK's Huff had fought off LKQ Euro Car Parts with SYNETIQ stablemate Cook and dodged a half-slide from Aiden Moffat, he was soon past Hill and into the lead.

Hill began to fade as Speedworks romped on to an incredible result, with Huff leading home Moffat and Cook for a memorable 1-2-3 for Toyota – the first podium lockout for the Japanese marque in the history of the BTCC.

Not only was that an incredible stat for Toyota, but Huff’s first BTCC victory in nearly 20 years also represented the longest gap between wins for a single driver.

Jake Hill, Laser Tools Racing with MB Motorsport, said: “The car was just absolutely beautiful to drive. I can't thank Laser Tools Racing with MB Motorsport enough; they've given me a car that is just absolutely awesome. The car has been through a lot of development over the winter and this is just the best it's felt by such a long way

“That (race two) means absolutely everything, probably the best and most professional race of my life. The car was absolutely awesome, it was like I was driving a car in the dry. The car is great and I'd like to think I'm doing a pretty good job too. I am so proud of everyone and I'm proud of myself, which is nice. The Laser Beemer strikes again!”

Rob Huff, TOYOTA GAZOO Racing UK, said: “Race 3 here at Snetterton does it again for me at my home track. I genuinely didn't know I was leading, I knew I was coming through, I was just picking them off one-by-one but I didn't quite know where we were. 

“The car was fantastic, it's safe to say we were dialled into that today and to win here at my home track is just mega! The car was exactly what I've been searching for so far this year, what a race!”

2024 Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship – Race 1 – Snetterton 300

1. Jake Hill, Laser Tools Racing with MB Motorsport 12 Laps

2. Bobby Thompson, Zeus Cloud Racing with WSR +1.922s

3. Ash Sutton, NAPA Racing UK +4.009s

4. Dan Cammish, NAPA Racing UK +5.130s

5. Andrew Watson, TOYOTA Gazoo Racing UK +8.021s

6. Tom Ingram, Team BRISTOL STREET MOTORS +8.770s

7. Adam Morgan, Team BMW +12.041s

8. Colin Turkington, Team BMW +19.824s

9. Rob Huff, TOYOTA Gazoo racing UK +22.219s

10. Daniel Rowbottom, NAPA Racing UK +22.426s

2024 Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship – Race 2 – Snetterton 300

1. Jake Hill, Laser Tools Racing with MB Motorsport 12 Laps

2. Dan Cammish, NAPA Racing UK +6.260s

3. Josh Cook, LKQ Euro Car Parts with SYNETIQ +9.974s

4. Mikey Doble, Evans Halshaw Power Maxed Racing +14.794s

5. Tom Chilton, Team BRISTOL STREET MOTORS +15.696s

6. Andrew Watson, TOYOTA Gazoo Racing UK +16.626s

7. Bobby Thompson, Zeus Cloud Racing with WSR +16.643s 

8. Aiden Moffat, LKQ Euro Parts with SYNETIQ +23.431s

9. Sam Osborne, NAPA Racing UK +26.823s

10. Daryl DeLeon, Duckhams Racing with Bartercard +29.165s

2024 Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship – Race 3 – Snetterton 300

1. Rob Huff, TOYOTA Gazoo Racing UK 12 Laps

2. Aiden Moffat, LKQ Euro Car Parts with SYNETIQ +2.338s

3. Josh Cook, LKQ Euro Car Parts with SYNETIQ +3.297s 

4. Tom Ingram, Team BRISTOL STREET MOTORS +3.501

5. Ash Sutton, NAPA Racing UK +12.830s

6. Tom Chilton, Team BRISTOL STREET MOTORS +14.169s

7. Colin Turkington, Team BMW +16.470s 

8. Bobby Thompson, Zeus Cloud Racing with WSR +19.425s

9. Jake Hill, Laser Tools Racing with MB Motorsport +20.025s

10. Mikey Doble, Evans Halshaw Power Maxed Racing +21.864s

Penalties:

Race Two
Tom Chilton received a five second time penalty during Round 8 of the championship, for completing an overtake after leaving the track on Mikey Doble 

The Independent Teams' Championship has had many familiar names competing throughout the years with the likes of Matt Neal and Colin Turkington leading in Independent wins. Power Maxed Racing closed out 2023 in second place looking to make one step further in 2024.

Donington Park - Rounds 1-2-3

As the new season got underway, two new teams entered the battle with Restart Racing and Duckhams Racing with Bartercard adding to Evans Halshaw Power Maxed Racing. Experience would shine through the damp opening weekend as Árón Taylor-Smith took home a double victory with team-mate Mikey Doble completing the clean sweep.

The third place on the podium was shared between the two new teams across the three races as Daryl DeLeon would complete the rostrum in the opening race. The pairing of Chris Smiley and Scott Sumpton would bring home a double podium for Restart Racing at their first race.

Independent Teams' Championship - Event 1

1 - Evans Halshaw Power Maxed Racing - 60

2 - Restart Racing - 49

3 - Duckhams Racing with Bartercard - 32

Brands Hatch Indy - Rounds 4-5-6

Taylor-Smith would bring home another double victory for Evans Halshaw Power Maxed Racing along with Doble completing all three victories for the Evesham-based team. DeLeon would not finishing the opening race of the weekend scoring no points for Duckhams Racing with Bartercard for the second race in a row.

Despite taking home second place for the team in race two, the no-point scores let Restart Racing build a gap in the battle of the new teams after the second race weekend of the year.

Independent Teams' Championship - Event 2

1 - Evans Halshaw Power Maxed Racing - 120

2 - Restart Racing - 98

3 - Duckhams Racing with Bartercard - 64

Snetterton 300 - Rounds 7-8-9

At another wet and wild weekend, Evans Halshaw Power Maxed Racing would once again make their experience show in the ever-changing conditions. It was a clean sweep of victories once again with Doble doing the double.

After Restart Racing edged further clear of third-place Duckhams Racing with Bartercard, the latter would not let that gap grow further with their best weekend to date. Not only being the second place team on one occasion but in all three races after a fantastic display from DeLeon.

Independent Teams' Championship - Event 3

1 - Evans Halshaw Power Maxed Racing - 180

2 - Restart Racing - 143

3 - Duckhams Racing with Bartercard - 115

Thruxton - Rounds 10-11-12

Evans Halshaw Power Maxed Racing continued to show its pace at the fastest circuit in the United Kingdom. Taylor-Smith had an impressive weekend despite a crash in qualifying hindering his weekend. The #40 would bring home a victory for the team in all three races.

Restart Racing would respond after they were outscored by Duckhams Racing with Bartercard at the previous event. Taking home second place in every race was a great response. An added bonus for the team came as DeLeon failed to score for the third place team in the opening race at Thruxton, allowing the gap to grow once more.

Independents Teams' Championship - Event 4

1 - Evans Halshaw Power Maxed Racing - 240

2 - Restart Racing - 194

3 - Duckhams Racing with Bartercard - 145

Oulton Park - Rounds 13-14-15

It would be a full house for Evans Halshaw Power Maxed Racing across the first half of the season with another great display at the Cheshire circuit. The team would split the wins once more with Taylor-Smith taking home the first two before Doble pulled off his first overall podium of his BTCC career to bring home the final win. The overall second-place finish would be the best of any Independent team all season.

Smiley would do the honours for Restart Racing giving the team a lockout of second-place finishes for the second weekend running. The new team also had its best weekend to date in the BTCC with the Evesham-based team ahead of them also having its best event of the season.

Independent Teams' Championship - Event 5

1 - Evans Halshaw Power Maxed Racing - 300

2 - Restart Racing - 245

3 - Duckhams Racing with Bartercard - 190

BTCC helps forge partnership between three successful automotive brands

An industry-leading partnership between Cataclean, Kwik Fit and NAPA has been announced at the prestigious Goodwood Festival of Speed, as the three hugely successful automotive brands struck a deal, largely thanks to a relationship built in the BTCC. 

The partnership itself sees Cataclean named as the official supplier to Kwik Fit of fuel and engine additives, whilst NAPA will distribute the product on behalf of Cataclean to Kwik Fit’s more than 700 retail autocentres.
 
Kwik Fit – the UK’s leading automotive servicing and repair company – has been title sponsor of the British Touring Car Championship since 2019 and has been a huge supporter of the UK’s leading motorsport series ever since.
 
Kwik Fit’s BTCC exhibition stand at the Festival of Speed is a perfect example of its activations around the championship, whilst this headlining B2B deal with Cataclean also highlights the myriad ways in which the BTCC provides a quality return on investment.
 
Cataclean is no stranger to the BTCC paddock of course, having supported multiple race-winner Dan Rowbottom since 2017. Rowbottom’s on and off-track drive and business acumen has been instrumental in bringing the three great brands together.
 
The brand has long been established across the UK’s automotive aftermarket sector, developing and manufacturing its fuel and exhaust system cleaner since 1995. Cataclean is an ideal product for Kwik Fit and its customers, cleaning the entire fuel and exhaust system in one simple treatment, reducing harmful emissions, improves MPG and keeps the vehicle running better, cleaner and for longer. Results, of course, may vary with age of vehicle, driving style and climate.
 
NAPA – with its 260 branches and 26 distribution hubs across the UK – has also played an integral role in the deal, being ideally placed to distribute the Cataclean products to all Kwik Fit Centres around the country.
 
ITV’s Sport’s well-known BTCC presenter Louise Goodman made the announcement at the world renowned Goodwood Festival of Speed, and was joined on-stage by Mark Slade (CEO, Kwik Fit), Mat Adams (Key Account Operations Manager, AAG/NAPA), Dan Rowbottom (Brand Ambassador – Cataclean/BTCC Driver – NAPA Racing UK) and William Jones (Sales Director, Cataclean Global Limited) to confirm details of the deal, whilst BTCC Chief Executive Alan Gow also had his say on this fantastic partnership.

William Jones, Sales Director – Cataclean, said: “We are delighted to be here announcing this magnificent partnership. At Cataclean, we have always looked at our sponsorship in motorsport from a commercial perspective and not just being a sticker on the car. This is something you have to work hard at by bringing partnerships such as this together and we would like to thank everyone at Kwik Fit, NAPA and the BTCC for playing a part in this announcement.”
 
Dan Rowbottom, Brand Ambassador – Cataclean/BTCC Driver – NAPA Racing UK, said: “This truly is an industry leading partnership, and I couldn’t be prouder in playing a part in bringing these three great automotive brands together. It also wouldn’t have been possible without our participation in the BTCC and the relationships that we’ve been able to build there. Everyone at Cataclean is looking forward to a long and prosperous partnership with Kwik Fit and NAPA.”
 
Tom Gentle, Head of Retail Marketing – Kwik Fit, said: “Kwik Fit has been Title Sponsor of the British Touring Car Championship for a number of years now and we couldn’t be happier with its return in value, whilst also helping to build new relationships such as this with Cataclean. We’re looking forward to showcasing Kwik Fit and the BTCC across four days here at Goodwood, and this long-term partnership with Cataclean is the perfect way to kick things off.”
 
Adam McNaney, UK Group Marketing Manager – NAPA, said: “NAPA Auto Parts are delighted with this deal, which further strengthens our relationship with Cataclean, Kwik Fit and BTCC. A true partnership which would not have happened without the platform of BTCC and the desire from the three brands to work together.”
 
Alan Gow, Chief Executive – BTCC, said: “The relationship between Cataclean, Kwik Fit and NAPA is the perfect example of a business-to-business relationship that can take place in the BTCC. Kwik Fit has already expressed that the BTCC is one of the best B2B environments they’ve ever worked in, not just because of this deal. Of course, we are proud of this partnership as it perfectly underlines what the BTCC is all about when it comes to business-to-business relationships.”

Following on from the season opener at Donington Park, the BTCC would take the first of two trips to the famed kent circuit and unlike Donington, the weekend was sun soaked.

Rounds 4, 5 and 6 of the 2024 Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship proved to be extremely successful for four-time champ Colin Turkington, as the Team BMW star took two victories and another solid points finish at Brands Hatch.

Turkington claimed pole position on Saturday before going on to secure a commanding lights-to-flag double on Sunday afternoon, whilst reigning champion Ash Sutton has begun his title defence with six successive podiums from the first two events.

A scorching weekend roared on by thousands of fans was closed out with a hugely popular maiden win for Ronan Pearson, after the Scotsman made a stellar move for victory in the reverse grid race.

Sutton leads Turkington by two points in the overall Drivers' standings with Donington Park double winner Tom Ingram a further eight in arrears, whilst Jake Hill and Josh Cook lost ground after differing fortunes on race day.

BMW hold the lead in the Constructors’/Manufacturers’ standings, whilst NAPA Racing UK is the top team after six rounds.

Evans Halshaw Power Maxed Racing took a clean sweep of Independents’ victories, with drivers Árón Taylor-Smith and Mikey Doble leading the Independent Drivers’ and Jack Sears Trophy respectively.

Lights-to-flag triumph for Turkington

Team BMW's Turkington produced a textbook performance in the opening content, claiming his first victory of the season with an inch perfect drive.

A solid getaway from pole position was arguably the only challenge that Turkington faced on the soft Goodyear option tyre, as team-mate Adam Morgan became embroiled in the frenetic scrap for the positions behind the leader.

Morgan faded quickly to the lower end of the top ten before his challenge was completely scuppered following contact with Team BRISTOL STREET MOTORS' Pearson on the run up to Druids.

NAPA Racing UK's Sutton had made his way by team-mate Dan Cammish into second before the positions were reversed a few laps later. Cammish, looking at a promising second place, was unfortunately dealt a blow when a puncture forced him into the pits.

So, the fight for second was eventually between Sutton and his old friend Josh Cook. There was little friendship in the fight, however, with the pair swapping paint on a number of occasions before LKQ Euro Car Parts with SYNETIQ's Cook nudged his #66 Toyota Corolla down the inside of the #1 Ford Focus on the exit of Clearways.

Two wins for Turkington 

For a man that has won four BTCC titles and nearly 70 races in the UK's premier motorsport championship, this was still one of the best ever weekends for Turkington, as he secured his second impressive win of the day.

As per the first race, Turkington took the victory in commanding fashion from pole position while the rest of the pack scrapped behind for the remaining podium positions.

Those places eventually went to Team BRISTOL STREET MOTORS' Ingram and NAPA Racing UK's Sutton as the BTCC's two most recent champions resumed battle.

MB Motorsport with Laser Tools Racing's Hill looked like he could've grabbed his first podium of the day as he blasted into second on the opening lap, but he faded after a scrap with Sutton and LKQ Euro Car Parts with SYNETIQ's Cook, before he eventually exited the race at Druids with damaged steering.

A safety car was called for after Hill's exit and it was the race for second place that grabbed the attention. Ingram hounded old adversary Sutton and for the second successive race the latter had to eventually relinquish the place in another exciting battle.

Pearson roars to maiden BTCC victory

Team BRISTOL STREET MOTORS' Pearson took a fantastic maiden BTCC win in the final encounter.

Pearson failed to get the best of starts from pole position, as Evans Halshaw Power Maxed Racing’s Taylor-Smith blasted into the lead, but the former was determined to win back the place as quickly as possible.

That moment came at the end of the first lap as he saw half a car width of space on the run to Clearways and he expertly fired his Hyundai down the inside of the Vauxhall Astra.

It wasn't the last time a Hyundai would attack Taylor-Smith's #40 Astra with Tom Chilton making a huge lunge down the inside at Paddock Hill Bend late on. Both cars ran slightly wide as Chilton took the place, whilst reigning champion Sutton cleverly sneaked by into third.

Sutton, who has so often kept his powder dry, secured the final place on the rostrum to make it six podiums from six starts during the first two events of 2024. There was even better news for Sutton when one of his championship rivals – Ingram – was forced to pit with a puncture.

Colin Turkington, Team BMW, said: "It's a long time since I've won two in a day – everything has just fallen into place for me.

“Those races feel really good when you're not under too much pressure. Obviously, leading any race is a pressurised situation and not knowing when the tyres may drop off, but not getting too much pressure from behind certainly makes it easier to manage things. I am really pleased that we had a great car in qualifying yesterday and that we were able to convert that into the race today.

“WSR put in a huge effort with the BMWs pre-season and we're getting the fruits of that labour. It's nice when you feel super connected to the car, and it is definitely suiting me much better."

Ronan Pearson, Team BRISTOL STREET MOTORS, said: “No words! It shouldn't feel surreal, we've had the pace to be there on merit. Obviously, our day started off horrendously and it just shows we never give up as your day can turn around so quickly in the BTCC.

“I can't wait to watch that back as every noise and vibration was starting to make my heart rate go up and I thought 'no, there is nothing wrong and we are going to be OK'. The start wasn't good. It seemed equal compared to everyone else but Árón [Taylor-Smith] was off like a stabbed rat as David [Addison] would say. There was half a car width and that was mine.

“It really is lovely, for years I have watched this and dreamt of this. How hard it has been to get here, few people know. I'll have to stop there before I get too emotional!”

2024 Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship – Race 1 – Brands Hatch Indy

1. Colin Turkington, Team BMW 24 Laps
2. Josh Cook, LKQ Euro Parts with SYNETIQ +6.826s
3. Ash Sutton, NAPA Racing UK +8.722s
4. Jake Hill, Laser Tools Racing with MB Motorsport +14.924s
5. Dan Rowbottom, NAPA Racing UK +15.386s
6. Tom Chilton, Team BRISTOL STREET MOTORS +19.342s
7. Tom Ingram, Team BRISTOL STREET MOTORS +19.474s
8. Andrew Watson, TOYOTA GAZOO Racing UK +19.763s
9. Aiden Moffat, LKQ Euro Parts with SYNETIQ +20.669s
10. Árón Taylor-Smith, Evans Halshaw Power Maxed Racing +27.024s

2024 Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship – Race 2 – Brands Hatch Indy

1. Colin Turkington, Team BMW 27 Laps
2. Tom Ingram, Team BRISTOL STREET MOTORS +3.397s
3. Ash Sutton, NAPA Racing UK +3.656s
4. Adam Morgan, Team BMW +3.681s
5. Dan Rowbottom, NAPA Racing UK +7.348
6. Tom Chilton, Team BRISTOL STREET MOTORS +7.911s
7. Dan Cammish, NAPA Racing UK +8.088s 
8. Aiden Moffat, LKQ Euro Parts with SYNETIQ +8.585s
9. Mikey Doble, Evans Halshaw Power Maxed Racing +10.183s
10. Árón Taylor-Smith, Evans Halshaw Power Maxed Racing +10.388s

2024 Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship – Race 3 – Brands Hatch Indy

1. Ronan Pearson, Team BRISTOL STREET MOTORS 24 Laps
2. Tom Chilton, Team BRISTOL STREET MOTORS +3.655s
3. Ash Sutton, NAPA Racing UK +4.479s 
4. Árón Taylor-Smith, Evans Halshaw Power Maxed Racing +4.679s
5. Dan Cammish, NAPA Racing UK +5.748s
6. Dan Rowbottom, NAPA Racing UK +8.077s
7. Andrew Watson, TOYOTA GAZOO Racing UK +13.216s 
8. Colin Turkington, Team BMW +13.552s
9. Rob Huff, TOYOTA GAZOO Racing UK +14.500s
10. Adam Morgan, Team BMW +15.344s

Penalties:

Race One

Andrew Watson received a six-second penalty during Round 4 of the championship, for an incident with Tom Ingram

Adam Morgan was officially reprimanded and received two penalty points during Round 4 of the championship, for an incident with Ronan Pearson

Race Three

Sam Osborne received a 10-second time penalty during Round 6 of the championship for track limits infringements

The Jack Sears Trophy is a championship for drivers who have not stood on a British Touring Car Championship podium in previous years. Notable winners of the trophy come from the likes of multiple race winners Dan Cammish, Josh Cook and Dan Rowbottom with a notable champion in Ash Sutton also taking the honours.

Donington Park National - Rounds 1-2-3

It was Ronan Pearson who made the first move of the year, managing to qualify his Hyundai i30N in fifth place at the opening round. Race one would continue this form for the Scotsman as he would hold his fifth place with his nearest competitor being Evans Halshaw Power Maxed Racing's Mikey Doble coming home in 12th.

Unfortunately for Pearson, a power-steering issue would hinder the rest of his weekend meaning Doble would take the victory in race two of the weekend. Daryl DeLeon would make it two podiums from two moving up a step from the first race. Nick Halstead would make his first trip to the Jack Sears Trophy rostrum in 2024.

Doble would make it three races from three on the podium repeating his race two success in the final race of the day. Sam Osborne would bring his NAPA Racing UK Ford onto the second step of the podium after a crash in race one took him out of contention for race two. Alongside Osborne, Scott Sumpton would also make his first appearance on the podium in his first ever BTCC weekend.

2024 Jack Sears Trophy Standings - Event 1

1 - Mikey Doble - 57	2 - Nick Halstead - 41	3 - Ronan Pearson - 33
4 - Daryl DeLeon - 32	5 - Scott Sumpton - 26	6 - Sam Osborne - 17

Brands Hatch Indy - Rounds 4-5-6

Pearson, in the #14 Team BRISTOL STREET MOTORS Hyundai, showed fine form once again, placing furthest forward on the grid in ninth. Another hindrance came for the young Scot who, after a coming together with Adam Morgan on the run up to Druids, would fall down to the back of the field.

Osborne would fight forward five positions from 17th overall to 12th overall to take home his first Jack Sears Trophy victory of 2024. As the #77 marched to the front of the class, he only finished 0.836 seconds ahead of second-place Doble. Sumpton would round out the podium making it two in two for the Restart Racing driver.

Doble continued only having one race off the top step as he sped back into action in race two. The #88, finishing in ninth overall, bringing home with the second Jack Sears Trophy win of the year. Pearson would not let bad luck get the best of him as he charged back through the field in race two to take second, finishing 11th overall. Osborne would remain in the place he finished race one overall but would fall to third in class for race two.

The reverse-grid race at Brands Hatch Indy would see another big swing. The draw for race three would mean Pearson would start the race from overall pole position. This was an opportunity the Scotsman did not pass up on and drove superbly to take home his maiden overall win in the BTCC. Sumpton would drive forward gaining six overall positions to take the second step on the podium, with Doble falling 12 overall positions to take home third place for the final race of the day.

2024 Jack Sears Trophy Standings - Event 2

1 - Mikey Doble - 109	2 - Ronan Pearson - 81	3 - Nick Halstead - 78
4 - Sam Osborne - 65	5 - Scott Sumpton - 58	6 - Daryl DeLeon - 53

Snetterton 300 - Rounds 7-8-9

Pearson would not let his speed from Brands Hatch waver as the Saturday star once again was the fastest of the Jack Sears Trophy competitors in qualifying. Around the 2.97 mile circuit, the longest of the season, the #14 would go on to win in the JST once more, still jubilant after his overall victory last time out. In what would be the only dry race of the day, Doble would continue to be right on Pearson's heels along with Osborne completing the podium for race one.

It would be Doble to take a step up in race two whilst not taking the formation lap gamble to dry tyres. Snetterton felt the sun as the circuit began to dry with the slick tyres becoming faster at the halfway stage of the race. Osborne and DeLeon rounded out the top ten as for the first time this season the Jack Sears Trophy podium would sit inside the top half of the overall results.

The #77 of Osborne would be drawn to start on reverse-grid pole before a spin at turn one would see him fall to 14th by the chequered flag. Despite the fall in positions it would still warrant third place in the Jack Sears Trophy race. The Caterham-born Doble would go on to make it two class wins from three as DeLeon would once again complete the rostrum.

2024 Jack Sears Trophy Standings - Event 3

1 - Mikey Doble - 166	2 - Ronan Pearson - 123	3 - Sam Osborne - 112
4 - Daryl DeLeon - 98	5 - Scott Sumpton - 95	6 - Nick Halstead - 88

Thruxton - Rounds 10-11-12

For the first time this season Pearson would not be the fastest in this championship on a Saturday after a throttle issue ruled the Scotsman out of qualifying. The #88 of Doble would continue off his double-win to take top spot on the Saturday.

It would be a lights-to-flag class victory for the Evans Halshaw Power Maxed Racing driver who would make it three on the bounce in the opening race at Thruxton. A recovering Pearson would continue to show his speed, despite bad luck, to fight through to second place on the podium finishing one second ahead of Osborne in third.

Race two saw the Scotsman's pace come to the forefront once more as he continued to move forward through the field. After starting race one from last he would go on to finish 12th overall by race two, taking a class win and a second place in the process. A familiar duo would complete the podium as it is the same three who did so in race one. This time with the #88 of Doble in second and the #77 of Osborne in third.

Pearson's pace was second-to-none in the Jack Sears Trophy across the Thruxton weekend taking home two victories despite his qualifying misfortune. On this occasion it was not without a fight as Doble finished race three less than 0.4 seconds behind the Team BRISTOL STREET MOTORS Hyundai. The top three making themselves known, on a weekend where none of them would miss a visit to the rostrum.

2024 Jack Sears Trophy Standings - Event 4

1 - Mikey Doble - 220	2 - Ronan Pearson - 180	3 - Sam Osborne - 157
4 - Daryl DeLeon - 124	5 - Scott Sumpton - 119	6 - Nick Halstead - 109

Oulton Park - Rounds 13-14-15

An electric lap from Evans Halshaw Power Maxed Racing's #88 made it two successive qualifying sessions running atop the class timesheet. This pace translated across the weekend in what would start to separate Doble from the field heading into the summer break.

The usual suspects returned in race one to finish in championship order on the podium. The gap between Doble and Pearson would again be close, as they finished only 1.501 seconds apart.

After a first corner collision in race two, the majority of the field behind the incident got either lucky or unlucky. Doble took another Jack Sears Trophy victory, finishing in sixth place overall whereas his nearest competitor, DeLeon, sat in 12th. Pearson was once again fighting an uphill battle after not being on the lucky side of the turn one incident whilst on the hard tyre, taking home another podium one position behind DeLeon.

It was heartbreak for Doble in race three who was half a lap away from outright victory after starting the reverse-grid race from pole position. Instead, his first ever BTCC podium with a second place finish along with wins in both the Independents class and the Jack Sears Trophy would fall his way. The podium for race three would consist of the same drivers from race two with both Pearson and DeLeon swapping positions.

Despite the agonisingly close finish, it would mean all three races were won by Doble in the class. Along with cementing his place at the top of the standings heading into the summer break, taking home nine wins from a possible 15. DeLeon would also have a strong finish to the first half of the year closing the gap to third place Osborne. A strong 2024 class with the leading duo already performing to a standard that means both will be unable to compete in next year's competition.

2024 Jack Sears Trophy Standings - Event 5

1 - Mikey Doble - 280	2 - Ronan Pearson - 229	3 - Sam Osborne - 183
4 - Daryl DeLeon - 167	5 - Scott Sumpton - 155	6 - Nick Halstead - 143

The season got underway on the Donington Park National circuit for 2024. Here is how the mixed weather, extraordinary curtain-raiser unfolded...

Team BRISTOL STREET MOTORS’ Tom Ingram enjoyed a stellar opening 2024 Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship weekend, as the former champion claimed a double triumph at Donington Park (27/28 April).

The race of the day, however, came in the final encounter as LKQ Euro Car Parts with SYNETIQ's Aiden Moffat held off a quartet of last year’s title contenders to take one of the best victories of his career so far.

Persistent rain delayed race day by more than two hours as the BTCC’s loyal fanbase braved the great British weather at the Leicestershire circuit.

When the action eventually got underway it was little surprise to see the likes of Ingram, Ash Sutton, Jake Hill and Colin Turkington fighting for the podium positions, with 2023’s top four already occupying the same championship positions after the opening event of the new campaign.

BMW hold an early lead in the Constructors’/Manufacturers’ standings, whilst NAPA Racing UK is the top team after Donington Park.

Evans Halshaw Power Maxed Racing enjoyed a great weekend as the top independent outfit, whilst drivers Aron Taylor-Smith and Mikey Doble lead the Independent Drivers’ and Jack Sears Trophy respectively.

Tom Ingram wins season opener

Team BRISTOL STREET MOTORS’ Ingram claimed a lights-to-flag victory, from NAPA Racing UK’s Sutton and Laser Tools Racing with MB Motorsport’s Hill.

Ingram held the lead from the start as he defended well from the fast-starting BMWs of Hill and Turkington, the latter though was eventually shuffled down to fourth on the opening lap by the recovering Sutton.

The first lap ended under caution following a high speed off for Sam Osborne’s NAPA Racing UK Ford Focus, although he looked to have received a touch from behind as the cars wriggled through the Craner Curves for the first time.

LKQ Euro Car Parts with Synetiq's Josh Cook nipped past the sister car of TOYOTA GAZOO Racing UK’s Andrew Watson for sixth at the restart, whilst Team BMW’s Adam Morgan was busy making amazing inroads from the back of the grid.

When the rain eventually settled and the chequered flag waved it was Ingram winning from Sutton, with the latter having nipped by Hill’s #24 BMW late on.

Team BMW’s Colin Turkington was fourth, ahead of a great drive from Team BRISTOL STREET MOTORS’ young talent Ronan Pearson.

Ingram at the double

Former champ Ingram then scored his second successive win as his dream weekend continued.

Laser Tools Racing with MB Motorsport’s Hill surged into the lead on the run down to Redgate for first time, as the BMW got another fast start. Pole-sitter Ingram thought about defending but backed out as the duo edged through the opening turns.

A sluggish start for Team BMW’s Turkington was further compounded by a late braking lock-up, which allowed the Toyota of Cook to nip through into fourth on the first lap. 

Ingram would be embroiled in a tussle with NAPA Racing UK's Sutton for second soon after, fending off his old adversary despite both cars going side-by-side.

It was all eyes on the leading trio in the latter stages of the race and another gaggle of three cars fighting for fourth, fifth and sixth.

The moment of truth came on lap 14 as Ingram scythed his Team BRISTOL STREET MOTORS Hyundai down the inside of Hill’s #24 BMW and Sutton also eyed his opportunity by moving into second.

A stunned Hill fought back on the next lap, nipping through into second briefly before again being relegated to third at the end of the start/finish straight.

The lead three places remained unchanged until the finish, as did the next three places with LKQ Euro Car Parts with SYNETIQ's Cook holding off the recovering Turkington and a charging Dan Cammish in his #27 NAPA Racing UK Ford Focus.

Victory for Aiden Moffat in final thriller

Aiden Moffat produced a brilliant performance to take victory in the final BTCC race at Donington, as he held off a trio of champions in the closing stages of a fantastic and frenetic race.

LKQ Euro Car Parts with SYNETIQ's Moffat won his first BTCC race at the same venue back in 2017 but was made to work extremely hard for this one, as he initially fought with Toyota stablemate Rob Huff and Team BMW's Morgan.

Morgan blasted his BMW into the lead off the line, but then relinquished his advantage to TOYOTA GAZOO Racing UK's Huff when running wide following a brief safety car period.

Moffat began reeling in the sister car of Huff and made an eye-catching move by mid-distance, with the latter getting shuffled down the pack.

Team BMW's Turkington was the first to haul his car towards Moffat’s and he was eventually joined by NAPA Racing UK's Sutton, after he had muscled his way by Hill’s BMW.

Team BRISTOL STREET MOTORS' Ingram – double race winner earlier in the day – also edged past Hill, and last year's quartet of title challengers were now all over the back of Moffat for the final few laps.

Moffat would not be denied, however, as he defended brilliantly in what may arguably be the finest display of his BTCC career so far.

Turkington and Sutton completed the podium ahead of Ingram and Hill, with the fading Huff closing out the top six.

Tom Ingram (Team BRISTOL STREET MOTORS) said: “What an absolutely perfect weekend for Team BRISTOL STREET MOTORS, we couldn't have asked for anything more from qualifying, to race one, to race two, it's been fantastic. It's so hard to know when to keep your powder dry as to when to use your hybrid. We were discussing before the various race scenarios and options and permutations for when you would or wouldn't. Sometimes it's got to be a spur of the moment, and that felt like the opportune moment to use my only shot.

“I know where Ash (Sutton) is going to place his car as we've been racing each other for a number of years now. He can see what I'm about to do probably two laps before as I can probably predict what Ash is going to do. The Hybrid is obviously making a big difference with the battle with Jake (Hill) and the battle with Ash and I am sure with the battles further down the field as well.”

Aiden Moffat (LKQ Euro Car Parts with Synetic) said: “The car has felt great all weekend. We started at the back of the grid for the first race but that wasn’t the pace of our car. The aim was the podium and I had to be aggressive early on. I was trying to be clever with hybrid – I knew we were weaker in the second half of the lap so I was trying to deploy there when I could.

“Everyone at Speedworks has done such a great job, it has been a really hard few weeks, lots of long hours ahead of the season. After two top tens finishes earlier today, it would have been great just to fight for a podium, never mind standing on the top step.

“It has been a few hard seasons for me, and it's important this year for me to show my pace and win again, so to do that at the first weekend means so much.”

2024 Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship – Race 1 – Donington Park

1. Tom Ingram, Team BRISTOL STREET MOTORS 21 Laps
2. Ash Sutton, NAPA Racing UK +2.485s
3. Jake Hill, Laser Tools Racing with MB Motorsport +4.239s
4. Colin Turkington, Team BMW +8.148s
5. Ronan Pearson, Team BRISTOL STREET MOTORS +9.153s
6. Josh Cook, LKQ Euro Parts with SYNETIQ +11.511s
7. Árón Taylor-Smith, Evans Halshaw Power Maxed Racing +13.249s
8. Dan Cammish, NAPA Racing UK +14.382s
9. Aiden Moffat, LKQ Euro Parts with SYNETIQ +19.036s
10. Andrew Watson, TOYOTA GAZOO Racing UK +19.488s

2024 Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship – Race 2 – Donington Park

1. Tom Ingram, Team BRISTOL STREET MOTORS 18 Laps
2. Ash Sutton, NAPA Racing UK +0.917s
3. Jake Hill, Laser Tools Racing with MB Motorsport +1.845s
4. Josh Cook, LKQ Euro Parts with SYNETIQ +5.725s 
5. Colin Turkington, Team BMW +6.775s
6. Dan Cammish, NAPA Racing UK +8.378s
7. Adam Morgan, Team BMW +9.004s 
8. Aiden Moffat, LKQ Euro Parts with SYNETIQ +11.653s
9. Rob Huff, TOYOTA GAZOO Racing UK +12.697s
10. Dan Rowbottom, NAPA Racing UK +13.294s

2024 Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship – Race 3 – Donington Park

1. Aiden Moffat, LKQ Euro Parts with SYNETIQ 20 Laps
2. Colin Turkington, Team BMW +0.520s
3. Ash Sutton, NAPA Racing UK +1.625s 
4. Tom Ingram, Team BRISTOL STREET MOTORS +1.981s
5. Jake Hill, Laser Tools Racing with MB Motorsport +2.284s
6. Rob Huff, TOYOTA GAZOO Racing UK +4.041s
7. Adam Morgan, Team BMW +6.158s 
8. Dan Rowbottom, NAPA Racing UK +6.304s
9. Josh Cook, LKQ Euro Parts with SYNETIQ +9.322s
10. Dan Cammish, NAPA Racing UK +9.819s

Penalties: 

Race One

Dan Rowbottom was officially reprimanded and received two penalty points during Round 1 of the Championship, for an incident with Mikey Doble and Rob Huff.

Adam Morgan received a 10-second time penalty during Round 1 of the Championship, for jumping the start.

Race Three

Dan Rowbottom was verbally warned during Round 3 of the Championship, for an incident with Andrew Watson.

• It’s event week… anticipation builds for Kwik Fit as daily schedule is released
• British Touring Car stars and cars to feature on Kwik Fit stand over four-day event
• Interviews, Q&As, autograph sessions and podcasts among live activities

Goodwood Festival of Speed is fast approaching and the UK’s leading automotive servicing and repair company Kwik Fit has finalised an action-packed schedule featuring your favourite BTCC drivers and cars.

Each day from 09:00-18:00 fans can expect autograph sessions, interviews, Q&As and sim racing battles on the stand, along with on track action with TOYOTA GAZOO Racing UK tackling the iconic hillclimb.

Thursday’s highlights include: the official opening of the Kwik Fit stand, a live podcast with Alan Hyde and lots more with Tom Ingram, Dan Rowbottom and Mikey Doble.

Friday’s highlights include: Interview with ITV’s Jade Edwards and drop ins from Tom Ingram, Josh Cook and Dan Cammish.

Saturday’s highlights include: Q&A with current champion Ash Sutton plus interviews with Tom Ingram, Josh Cook and Dan Rowbottom.

Sunday’s highlights include: Q&A with BTCC legend Jason Plato and drop ins from Ash Sutton, Josh Cook and Dan Rowbottom.

Kwik Fit will also be telling their own story throughout the weekend with a number of unmissable presentations scheduled on the stand.

You can also find racing simulators at the Kwik Fit stand where fans can battle it out between themselves on rFactor2 plus four 2024 BTCC cars on display from Team BRISTOL STREET MOTORS, NAPA Racing UK, TOYOTA GAZOO Racing UK and Evans Halshaw Power Maxed Racing.  

Events and activities hosted by Kwik Fit will be available to view via the Goodwood Motorsport App during the Festival of Speed for visitors to add to their personalised timetables.  
 
Fans unable to attend can keep up to speed with the latest action via Kwik Fit’s social media channels across the festival. 

For the latest news and updates from Kwik Fit, customers can follow the company on Twitter at @kwik_fit. 

Over the next few weeks we'll be reviewing the season so far, including a rundown of each of the respective championships... from the overall Drivers' standings to the Jack Sears Trophy and everything in between. We'll be starting by taking a look at the Goodyear Wingfoot Award, where points are awarded based on a drivers' qualifying position...

Inspired by the INDYCAR qualifying format, the BTCC's new 'Quick Six' system was introduced ahead of the 2024 season.

The format consists of splitting the finishing order of Free Practice Two into odd and even positions. Once split, one group goes out for a ten-minute session in which the top six progress. The other group then does the same. All drivers not through are set on the grid for the opening race from 13th backwards in order of their lap time.

Both sets of six advancing from Part One come together and form one group of 12 in Part Two. They then head out on track once more for another ten-minute session in which positions seven to 12 are set in order of lap time and the top six advance to the 'Quick Six'.

The fastest six drivers make their way out on circuit for one final ten-minute session in which the result sets the positions for the top six places.

Donington Park National - Qualifying for Round 1

The first qualifying session of the season could not have been more typically British as the 45-minute sessions was both wet and dry. Not only did the drivers and teams have the weather to deal with but also a new qualifying format for 2024.

Rob Huff did not have a welcome return to a competitive session in the BTCC after not being allowed on circuit for his session due to his car not being parked in the pit lane as qualifying began. This left the WTC Champion starting his first full-time race back from last.

NAPA Racing UK also had a shock session after winning the Teams' championship in 2023 to having two cars exit qualifying in the first part with Dan Rowbottom qualifying 14th and Dan Cammish 17th.

In the ever-drying session it would be 2022 champion Tom Ingram that would hold the first bragging rights of the year. The Team BRISTOL STREET MOTORS driver took pole ahead of Ash Sutton, Colin Turkington and Jake Hill, the top four in the standings from last season.

Brands Hatch Indy - Qualifying for Round 4

Qualifying for the second event of the year could not have been more different than the first as the BTCC paddock took to the sun-soaked Kent circuit. As with being at the shortest circuit on the calendar, the gaps could not be tighter.

From first to 18th across both groups in Part One the gap was 0.724 seconds. A session that was topped by eventual front-row starter Adam Morgan. Part Two of qualifying was where the shocks came to light.

New for 2024, hybrid deployment in both qualifying and in the race has been doubled, with those at the top end of the championship receiving minimal deployment when compared to those further down the order.

This took its toll on championship leader Ingram and Hill as they qualified eighth and 12th respectively. It was not an issue for Turkington as he took pole, solidifying a Team BMW front row lock out.

Snetterton 300 - Qualifying for Round 7

After two contrasting weekends of weather, it was a return to the first as the Norfolk-based circuit saw torrential rain throughout. Ingram was the biggest hitter out first for the second weekend running after an exit in Part One. From pole at Donington, to out in Part Two at Brands Hatch to out in Part One at Snetterton.

Other early fallers were Árón Taylor-Smith and Tom Chilton who sit inside the top 12 in the Wingfoot standings yet did not make it to Part Two. Bobby Thompson would advance in what would be his only qualifying session of the season to date.

Part Two saw Turkington stumble after getting pole last time out, exactly how Ingram did after his pole at the first event. The Wingfoot leader, starting from ninth, would see him lose his lead one round after gaining it.

The second BMW to take pole of 2024 fell to Hill with an impressive lap at the longest circuit on the calendar. Sutton made it three from three in terms of 'Quick Six' appearances. putting his Ford on the front row alongside Hill.

2024 Goodyear Wingfoot Award Standings - Event 3

1 - Ash Sutton - 47	6 - Josh Cook - 29	11 - Rob Huff - 13	16 - Mikey Doble - 9
2 - Colin Turkington - 42	7 - Andrew Watson - 28	12 - Árón Taylor-Smith - 12	17 - Daryl DeLeon - 7
3 - Jake Hill - 37	8 - Dan Cammish - 28	13 - Tom Chilton - 11	18 - Sam Osborne - 5
4 - Adam Morgan - 32	9 - Ronan Pearson - 22	14 - Bobby Thompson - 11	19 - Scott Sumpton - 1
5 - Tom Ingram - 31	10 - Dan Rowbottom - 18	15 - Chris Smiley - 9	20 - Aiden Moffat - 1

Thruxton - Qualifying for Round 10

A problem for Ronan Pearson from the off at Thruxton as a throttle issue meant the Scotsman, who was in the top ten in the Wingfoot standings, would qualify last. An unfortunate turn of events also meant that the fast charging Taylor-Smith crashed at Goodwood, giving his Vauxhall Astra significant damage despite holding on to 12th place.

The fastest circuit in the UK saw the fastest drivers battle it out in the 'Quick Six' as Ingram rose to the top once more. This gave the Team BRISTOL STREET MOTORS driver pole 100% of the time he featured in the 'Quick Six' session.

Sutton once again championed consistency over raw pace as the round saw him feature in all four 'Quick Six' sessions this season, qualifying fifth. Team-mate Cammish parked his Ford alongside Ingram on the front row whilst the third of the three NAPA Racing UK cars in the session, Dan Rowbottom, qualified fourth.

Hill was the highest performing BMW, placing the #24 in third place whilst Turkington could only qualify in tenth.

2024 Goodyear Wingfoot Award Standings - Event 4

1 - Ash Sutton - 58	6 - Adam Morgan - 41	11 - Tom Chilton - 21	16 - Chris Smiley - 9
2 - Jake Hill - 53	7 - Josh Cook - 37	12 - Árón Taylor-Smith - 16	17 - Daryl DeLeon - 7
3 - Tom Ingram - 51	8 - Andrew Watson - 35	13 - Rob Huff - 16	18 - Sam Osborne - 6
4 - Colin Turkington - 48	9 - Dan Rowbottom - 31	14 - Mikey Doble - 14	19 - Aiden Moffat - 3
5 - Dan Cammish - 45	10 - Ronan Pearson - 22	15 - Bobby Thompson - 11	20 - Scott Sumpton - 1

Oulton Park - Qualifying for Round 13

Reigning champion Sutton would once again remain at the top of the Wingfoot standings despite having zero pole positions as the three behind him would share all five poles.

One of those being the #80 of Ingram who made Oulton Park his third pole of the year, yet sits second in the standings due to Sutton appearing in all 'Quick Six' sessions.

The BMW pair of Turkington and Hill once again faltered in the Part Two of qualifying, ending up in ninth and seventh. Despite this the third WSR-run BMW driven by Morgan managed to reach the 'Quick Six' qualifying in sixth.

NAPA Racing UK kept their speed from Thruxton getting three Fords to the summit of qualifying. The #1 of Sutton partnered 2023 rival Ingram on the front row, with Cammish slotting behind in third.

2024 Goodyear Wingfoot Award Standings - Event 5

1 - Ash Sutton - 75	6 - Adam Morgan - 51	11 - Árón Taylor-Smith - 24	16 - Chris Smiley - 9
2 - Tom Ingram - 71	7 - Josh Cook - 43	12 - Ronan Pearson - 23	17 - Daryl DeLeon - 7
3 - Jake Hill - 62	8 - Dan Rowbottom - 42	13 - Rob Huff - 21	18 - Aiden Moffat - 7
4 - Dan Cammish - 60	9 - Andrew Watson - 37	14 - Mikey Doble - 17	19 - Sam Osborne - 6
5 - Colin Turkington - 55	10 - Tom Chilton - 34	15 - Bobby Thompson - 11	20 - Scott Sumpton - 1

The Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship returns to action at Croft on 27/28 July

The TOYOTA GAZOO Racing UK duo Rob Huff and Andrew Watson concluded the opening half of the 2024 Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship campaign with a clutch of points-scoring finishes at Oulton Park, but it proved to be a case of what might have been on Speedworks Motorsport’s home soil.

After putting 70 laps on the board between them during the two free practice sessions around the undulating Cheshire circuit, the pair proceeded to qualify 11th (Huff) and 14th (Watson) amongst the 20 high-calibre contenders in the country’s premier motor racing series.

Both drivers bolted on the harder of the two Goodyear tyre options for the curtain-raising contest, in order to get them out of the way before switching to the faster soft-compound rubber for the remainder of the day. Huff went on to register his eighth top ten finish of the season, running in close company with fellow Toyota driver Aiden Moffat throughout.

In the sister red, white and black, British-built Corolla GR Sport, Watson unfortunately picked up a five-second penalty for a false start that restricted him to 14th in the classification.

With both TOYOTA GAZOO Racing UK drivers moving onto the soft tyres for race two, hopes were high, but a chaotic first lap that left Adam Morgan’s BMW stranded broadside at Old Hall sent Huff and Watson skating across the grass and plummeting down the order through no fault of their own.

Huff took 11th at the chequered flag, right behind Watson, who engaged in a number of lively scraps along the way, including with four-time title-holder Colin Turkington. The race’s Manufacturers’ trophy for Toyota at least offered some consolation.

Further misfortune followed in the weekend’s finale, as a false start penalty for Huff cost him a second top ten finish of the day – relegating him to 12th – while reigning Jack Sears Trophy winner Watson was delayed by contact on the run towards Cascades, leaving him a frustrated 14th.

Christian Dick, Team Principal, TOYOTA GAZOO Racing UK, said: “In terms of results, it clearly wasn’t the weekend we had been hoping for and it’s no secret that we still have a bit of pace to find, but I feel we were also denied better finishes by circumstances outside of our control.

“As a case in point, race two could easily have had an alternative ending had it not been for the first corner mêlée. Josh [Cook] showed what the Corolla was capable of on the soft tyres by taking such a dominant win, and the only major difference was that he came out of Turn One unscathed and in a strong position, whereas Rob and Andrew had to take avoiding action, which cost them ground.

“The bottom line is that we’re all very committed racers and none of us are satisfied with fighting further down the field, so we will be leaving absolutely no stone unturned over the next few weeks to ensure we come back stronger at Croft – and ready to chase down some silverware during the second half of the season.”

Rob Huff, Driver, TOYOTA GAZOO Racing UK, said: “It was a very trying and character-building weekend, I think you could say! We sacrificed the results a bit in an effort to find a better route with the set-up and that paid off in so much as the car improved with every session, but ultimately we are clearly still lacking a bit of all-round performance to be challenging regularly up at the sharp end, which is where we all believe we belong.

“On the positive side, the whole team worked exceptionally hard as always and it was great to see Josh get a win.

“The reality is, it has been such a quick-fire start to the season that once we’ve got the cars back to the workshop after a race weekend, debriefed, re-prepped and then shaken them down again for the next event, there’s barely been any time left to focus on making significant changes – but we are keeping our chins up and our heads down, and we’ve got a few things up our sleeves that we’ve been working on behind-the-scenes which should help us to take a step in the right direction ahead of the second half.”

Andrew Watson, Driver, TOYOTA GAZOO Racing UK, said: “It was a tough weekend, and we struggled right from the word ‘go’, which put us immediately on the back foot. The balance of the car didn’t actually feel too bad, but we just didn’t have the speed. We kept making changes and trying things out on the set-up in an attempt to unlock a bit more performance – pursuing different directions with all four cars – but none of us found the ‘silver bullet’. All it meant was it felt different every time I took to the track, and we were never able to establish a stable platform.

“We’ll go away and use the break to have a bit of a re-think. Our form over the past two race weekends is clearly not where we want to be, so we need to spend some time analysing where we can make improvements and then try to hit the ground running next month at Croft!”

Evans Halshaw Power Maxed Racing signed off the first half of the 2024 Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship season in style at Oulton Park as Mikey Doble and Árón Taylor-Smith powered their way to a superb double podium.

On what was a weekend to remember for the Worcestershire-based team, Doble and Taylor-Smith converted their front-row start in the reverse grid finale into a memorable silverware haul as they clinched second and third overall respectively.

In addition, both drivers maintained their 100% points-scoring record in the UK’s premier motorsport series and extended their unbeaten streak in the Independents’ Championship to 15 consecutive victories.

Heading into the series’ annual summer break, the team occupy top spot in the Independent Drivers’ and Teams’ Championships, while Doble has further extended his advantage at the summit of the Jack Sears Trophy.

Árón Taylor-Smith said: “I’m absolutely over the moon, what a phenomenal way to end the first half of the season! Oulton Park has never been the best circuit for the Astra, but this double podium underlines the progress that we as a team have really made this year.

“The car felt absolutely mega all weekend and we knew that opting to run the hard tyre in race one might pay off for us later in the day; and it did! I was a little unlucky getting caught up in the lap one contact in race two but we recovered in style.

“To have both cars on the podium is outrageous and I’m so happy for everyone. We’re now going to head to circuits in the second half of the season that really suit our car and the prospect of what we could achieve really fills me with excitement.”

Mikey Doble said: “To bring home a maiden BTCC podium and to be a part of the first Power Maxed Racing double podium is something really special; I think it’s fair to say that that was one of the best drives I’ve ever had.

“Going into the weekend I had a feeling that we could achieve a result like this, and we’ve done it. We were unlucky to have missed out on progressing in qualifying by just 0.001s but we made the most of race day and reaped the rewards in the end.

“The better man ultimately won race three but to have led pretty much every lap is something I’m really proud of - I gave it everything I had! It’s been a perfect weekend as on top of the overall podium I’ve also picked up more wins in the Independents’ and Jack Sears Trophy.”

Martin Broadhurst, Team Manager, said: “To be coming away with a double podium, points in all three races and three more Independent wins is the perfect way for us as a team to head into the summer break.

“Over the past few rounds we have been steadily progressing and knew that the potential was there to really make our mark at the front of the grid; now we’ve been able to show what we’re about. This will serve as fantastic momentum going into the second half of the season.”

Adam Weaver, Team Principal, said: “I’m so happy for Mikey, Árón and everyone involved with Evans Halshaw Power Maxed Racing. We’ve raised our game this season and up until now we perhaps haven’t had things fall our way - that changed on Sunday.

“Both drivers were in fantastic form all weekend and they gave it absolutely everything in that final race. Mikey was flawless out front and the effort that Árón put in to fend off the chasing pack for as long as he did was seriously impressive.

“This sort of result is just what we needed and I’m sure it is going to serve as the launchpad for what we hope will be an even stronger second half of the year."

The 2024 Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship returns to action at Croft Circuit on 27/28 July.