• British-built Toyota Corolla a winner at Croft in the past
• Cook eager to ‘start closing the gap’ in title standings
• Moffat returning to the scene of greatest BTCC success

Following a five-week summer break, the 2024 British Touring Car Championship resumes this weekend (27-28 July) at Croft in North Yorkshire – scene of plenty of previous success for LKQ Euro Car Parts with SYNETIQ duo Josh Cook and Aiden Moffat.
 
The pair concluded the opening half of the campaign sitting respectively fifth and ninth in the standings amongst the 21 high-calibre protagonists – with both reaching the top step of the rostrum along the way. 
 
They are similarly both former winners at Croft. Indeed, two-time BTCC Independents’ champion Cook has tallied 15 consecutive points finishes at the track dating back to 2019, including at least one trip to the podium in each of those seasons and a commanding double victory in 2020. Last year there, the Bath-born ace was never outside the top five, and he returns with his tail up off the back of his 19^thtriumph in the UK’s premier motor racing series in its latest outing at Oulton Park.
 
Team-mate Moffat enjoyed the most successful weekend of his BTCC career thus far at Croft three years ago, converting his maiden pole position in the championship into victory in race one and consolidating that with the runner-up spoils in race two. The 27-year-old Scot has been a consistent points-finisher at the circuit in recent campaigns, too.
 
Much like its current drivers, the British-built Toyota Corolla GR Sport has proved its prowess at Croft, with the Japanese hatchback a winner there in 2020. Upgrades brought to the car over the mid-season hiatus have raised hopes of further silverware for the Speedworks Motorsport-run outfit this weekend.
 
Following Saturday afternoon’s qualifying session at 15:00 – streamed on ITV Sport’s YouTube channel – every moment of Sunday’s doorhandle-to-doorhandle action will be broadcast live and in high-definition on ITV4, beginning at 11:15. All three races will additionally be shown on the ITV Sport TikTok channel, in the UK and globally.
 
Christian Dick, Team Principal, LKQ Euro Car Parts with SYNETIQ, said: “It’s always good to have a break – especially after such a frenetic first half of the season – but equally, it’s just as good to go racing again once the batteries have been recharged, and I think I speak for the whole team when I say we are champing at the bit to get back out on-track.
 
“While everybody has enjoyed some much-needed and very well-deserved time off, we certainly haven’t been idle over the past few weeks, and we have spent a lot of time evaluating every aspect of our performance during the first half of the campaign to see where and how we can improve. That has resulted in a number of upgrades to the Corolla that we are looking forward to rolling out this weekend.
 
“Croft is such an all-round challenge as a circuit that it is almost the perfect proving-ground for those developments. You really need a car you can lean on through the longer corners, and then in the tighter, more technical sections, good braking and traction are key. Hybrid will also likely be significant, particularly accelerating out of Tower Bend up to the Jim Clark Esses and exiting the final hairpin onto the start/finish straight.
 
“We should get a good indication in free practice of the impact of the changes we’ve made, and then we’ll find out in qualifying who has done their mid-season homework best. We’re feeling excited – bring it on!”
 
Josh Cook, Driver, LKQ Euro Car Parts with SYNETIQ, said: “I think we’ve done well at maximising what we’ve had so far this year, and when we’ve not quite had the pace, we’ve still managed to play the game and score some solid points. We can be happy with the job we’ve done, but now we need to start closing the gap to the guys at the very top of the standings if we want to remain in contention right to the end.
 
“We’ve got the data we collected from a pre-season test we did at Croft, which is always useful, and the team seems to have made some positive progress during the break in terms of developments, so now it’s time to corroborate them out on-track. In the BTCC, it’s all about finding regular small improvements that incrementally add up to big results.
 
“I enjoy going to Croft. It’s somewhere that’s been good to me in the past and is where I achieved my first double win in the BTCC. I like its blend of high-speed and slower, more technical sections, which means you’re constantly having to adapt your mindset and approach around the lap. That’s a challenge not only for us as drivers but also for the engineers in terms of establishing a good balance in the car, but what I love about it is that when you do produce a good lap, it feels very rewarding.
 
“We need to make sure we get the Corolla in the window pretty quickly so we can really extract the maximum out of it in qualifying, especially with the new format where you have to set not just one quick lap but one in each part of the session. Then in the races, we want to be on the podium again and fighting for wins – and most importantly, bagging as many points as we can.”
 
Aiden Moffat, Driver, LKQ Euro Car Parts with SYNETIQ, said: “Croft is a great track to drive – a lot of fun and quite challenging, too. It’s a slightly longer lap than some other circuits and there are many things you have to get right to truly optimise it. It’s a real mixture of fast sections, technical sections and everything in-between, and the key is to find a compromise that achieves the best of both worlds. You need to attack it from all angles while knowing when to be aggressive and when to be patient – but for me, that only serves to make it more enjoyable.
 
“The team has been working hard in the background over the past few weeks in an effort to make improvements, which looks very positive, and I’m excited to see how that translates when we get back out on-track. Hopefully it has also resolved some of the reliability issues we encountered during the first part of the season that cost us a couple of podium finishes – when we get into strong situations like that, we need to make sure we really capitalise.
 
“It’s difficult to predict how much effect hybrid will have this weekend. It will always help, clearly, but at some circuits we’ve been to, we thought it would be really powerful and then it wasn’t, whereas at others, it’s been the opposite. 
 
“One thing at Croft is that being a longer lap, there’s more opportunity to claw back lost time, but the key for qualifying will be to have a productive run throughout practice to give ourselves the best shot possible of securing a strong grid position. If we can do that, the aim is to fight for podiums.”

Following its summer break, the Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship resumes at Croft this weekend with BMW and WSR ready to continue the battle for the UK’s most prestigious motor racing title.
 
Laser Tools Racing with MB Motorsport racer Jake Hill heads the Drivers’ championship after a first half of the season that featured five wins and eight podiums for his BMW 330e M Sport.
 
The Kent driver holds a four-point advantage in the title fight and returns to the scene of his BTCC debut in 2013 aiming to add to his current score and to repeat his 2021 victory.
 
Team BMW duo Colin Turkington and Adam Morgan are targeting equally successful weekends at Croft as BMW aim to improve on a current second place in the race for the Manufacturers’ crown.
 
Sixth in the standings after a double-win at Brands Hatch in May, four-time series champion Colin has earned the ‘King of Croft’ tag thanks to his incredible rate of success at the 2.1-mile Darlington circuit.
 
A 14-time race-winner at the track; the Northern Irishman has more victories in his sights in North Yorkshire.
 
Team-mate Adam Morgan is seeking his first Croft podium this weekend after narrowly missing out on a rostrum finish at each of the previous two rounds.
 
With a pair of top-three qualifying results already to his name in 2024 and improving race pace, the Lancashire racer looks set to be another victory contender this weekend.
 
Should any of the three drivers reach the top step of the podium, they would add to the 21 race wins achieved by WSR racing cars at Croft in the BTCC; a record that includes a podium lock-out and a clean sweep of the wins in 2015.

Jake Hill, Laser Tools Racing with MB Motorsport, said: “It’s a brilliant feeling coming into a weekend as the points leader for the first time. Yes it means we’re limited on hybrid, but it’s not that different to being second or third, so we’ll find a way to make the BMW competitive. Winning the championship is 100 per cent the target and we’ve never been as motivated to maintain the momentum we’ve built from Snetterton onwards as we are now. Bring it on!”

Colin Turkington, Team BMW, said: “I always enjoy Croft. I’ve had more wins there than anywhere else in my BTCC career, the BMW’s always been strong or very strong and I normally come away with a good points total. That’s exactly what’s needed this weekend as we try and put ourselves back into the thick of the Drivers’ championship fight and help BMW’s push for the Manufacturers’ title.”

Adam Morgan, Team BMW, said: “It’s been good to have a break and recharge the batteries after a first half of the season that’s had its ups and downs. We’ve a couple of tracks coming up now where the BMW’s been strong over the past few seasons so that gives us a really good chance to get on the podium and ultimately win. That all starts with Croft and I can’t wait to get back on track.”

Dick Bennetts, Team Principal, said: “We’ve had a strong first half of the season with seven wins from the 15 races for the BMW. Obviously it’s been a very good one for Jake, who’s driven extremely well, but both Colin and Adam are really fired up to close the points gap to the top of the championship too. Croft’s been a circuit where we’ve had some incredible successes in the past and it would be great if we can continue our winning ways this weekend.”

Multiple race winner Dan Cammish will remain part of the NAPA Racing UK line-up in the Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship for 2025 and beyond after signing a new deal with the Alliance Racing-run squad.

Cammish was the first driver to sign up as part of the NAPA Racing UK programme in late 2021 when the automotive parts brand joined forces with what was then Motorbase Performance for its first foray into Britain’s premier motorsport series.

His first season in NAPA Racing colours saw Cammish finish eighth in the championship standings with a win at Thruxton, whilst he took sixth in the points last year with three wins - a result all the more remarkable considering he was forced to miss the three races at Donington Park GP following an incident in qualifying.

Cammish is firmly on track to better that performance at the mid-way point of the 2024 campaign and is one of the form drivers on the grid going into the second half of the season, having taken five podium finishes in the nine races, before the summer break.

It means the 35-year-old - a three-time winner of the Porsche Carrera Cup GB title - sits fourth in the standings, with his points-per-race this season being the second highest of his BTCC career to date.

News of the new multi-year deal comes ahead of Cammish’s home round of the season at Croft, a circuit where he enjoyed one of his best weekends of the year twelve months ago.

Then, Cammish put his Ford Focus ST on pole position before leading team-mates Ash Sutton and Dan Rowbottom to a podium lock-out, and then joined the pair on the podium in race two where he took second behind Sutton.

Cammish’s contract extension further strengthen’s NAPA Racing’s commitment to the BTCC, with the partnership between NAPA Auto Parts and Alliance Racing having been extended earlier this year.

Defending champion Ash Sutton has also already committed his future to the team in a similar multi-year deal.

Dan Cammish, NAPA Racing UK driver, said:

"It is fantastic to have signed another multi-year agreement with Alliance Racing. I have thoroughly enjoyed my time with the team thus far, and I am very proud to be continuing our relationship. 

“The support I have from the team - along with NAPA - is something very special and I can't thank [Alliance Racing boss] Pete Osborne and Steve Richardson enough for their help and trust with this opportunity. I can't wait to get back on track this weekend at Croft knowing this great team is behind me now, and in the future”

Steve Richardson, CEO of NAPA UK / Alliance Automotive UK Ltd, said:

"Dan’s been with us since bringing NAPA into BTCC and I couldn’t be prouder of what he’s helped us and the team achieve, so I’m delighted to be continuing our incredible journey together. 

“I have the pleasure of knowing Dan on and off the track, his professionalism is exemplary and mirrors our own values so it’s natural to keep building on such a strong relationship."

Pete Osborne, Alliance Racing Team Owner, said:

“We couldn’t be happier to extend Dan’s stay with NAPA Racing UK and in the BTCC, Dan has been a key part of the achievement of the team and a fantastic person to have in our pits. 

"He’s a true professional on and off the track and has shown the speed, race craft, and consistency to battling up there with the very best on the BTCC grid. We’re all delighted to have Dan and his family as part of NAPA Racing UK for another 2 years and we look forward to achieving even more success with Dan.”

Evans Halshaw Power Maxed Racing will look to ‘pick up where they left off’ when the Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship returns to action this weekend (July 27/28) as Croft Circuit prepares to host Rounds 16, 17 & 18 of the 2024 campaign.

The Vauxhall Astra squad head to the North Yorkshire venue brimming with confidence after Árón Taylor-Smith and Mikey Doble capped off a memorable first half of the season by clinching a sensational first-ever double podium for the team at Oulton Park.

That success was the cherry on top of a fine run of results which had not only seen Taylor-Smith and Doble claim a clean sweep of wins in the Independents’ Championship, but also saw them maintain a 100% points-scoring record. 

Following the conclusion of the series’ annual summer break - where the team has methodically rebuilt both cars and also starred at the Goodwood Festival of Speed - expectations are high as the battle for supremacy prepares to ramp up.

Heading to Croft in positive spirits is Taylor-Smith who holds the advantage in the Independent Drivers’ Championship as it stands. While tallying more overall podiums will be the target, the Irishman is mindful of maintaining his lofty position in the standings. 

After coming oh-so close to a maiden victory at Oulton Park, Doble is equally eager to get back behind the wheel as he looks to further strengthen his lead at the top of the Jack Sears Trophy standings - of which he has largely dominated so far this season. 

Qualifying will be broadcast on the ITV Sport YouTube channel on Saturday from 14:50 before all three races are aired LIVE on ITV4 on Sunday. Race one is scheduled to begin at 12:05 ahead of race two at 14:45 and race three at 17:00.

Árón Taylor-Smith said: “It goes without saying that Croft has always been a circuit that I’ve gelled with ever since I first went there. It has a good blend of high risk and technical corners which really suit my driving style.

“We head into the weekend with our heads held high and knowing that we have the capabilities to challenge at the front. The aim is to kick off the second half of the season in the same way we end the first half.

“The car is in the best place it has ever been and I’m driving better than ever too so to say that I’m excited to see what we can achieve is understatement.”

Mikey Doble said: “Croft is one of my favourite circuits on the calendar and with the buzz still ringing around the team from our recent results, we should be in a strong position to challenge for the podium again.

“I’ve got a healthy lead in the Jack Sears Trophy now and I don’t intend on letting my foot off the gas pedal at all. I’ve also got the Independents’ Championship that I’m keeping my eye on as well.

“The improvements that we’ve made to the car this season have been working well and I’m confident that they will be there for all to see at the weekend. I can’t wait to get back in the car and see what we can do.”

Martin Broadhurst, Team Manager, said: “It’s been anything but a break during the BTCC’s summer hiatus, however, we wouldn’t have it any other way really. We’ve had both cars stripped right back and rebuilt - no stone has been left unturned in the pursuit of finding that bit more speed too. 

“Coming off the back of the double podium at Oulton Park, the whole team has a real spring in their step and we head to Croft this weekend with not only momentum behind us, but also the confidence that we can challenge towards the front once again.”

Adam Weaver, Team Principal, said: “I think that we showed everyone that we are a force to be reckoned with at Oulton Park and now coming off the back of the summer break, we’re fully focused on reinforcing that point at Croft.

“Every single member of the team has been working tirelessly these last few weeks to ensure that both Árón and Mikey have the best opportunity to hit the ground running. I’m excited to see what we can do not only at Croft, but also over the course of the remaining rounds too.”

The second half of the Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship kicks off at Croft this weekend, with the popular combination of soft and hard tyres in action on race day. The circuit will host rounds 16, 17 and 18 of the season.

Located in North Yorkshire, Croft is one of the most challenging rounds of the season with a mix of fast flowing corners, long straights and slow technical sections all ready to test driver accuracy and bravery. 

At the midpoint of the season, it’s all to play for at the top of the championship. Jake Hill leads the way in his Laser Tools Racing with MB Motorsport BMW, but the fight is still on in a battle that will likely conclude at the final rounds at Brands Hatch in October. The top three in the championship are currently covered by just 24 points. 

Just like at Oulton Park last time out, Goodyear has nominated the soft (white sidewall) and hard (red sidewall) tyres for this weekend. One set of yellow-branded mediums will be available for Saturday practice. Only one set of hard compound tyres will be available per driver, so the first experience of it at Croft will be in race trim if teams decide not to put laps on it during practice. 

Drivers will run the soft during qualifying and two of Sunday’s races, while the hard tyre will be used once by each driver. Those on the soft tyre during race one must use the hard tyre in race two if they finish inside the top ten. 

“Whenever we come to Croft we get incredible racing,” explains Michael Butler, Goodyear’s BTCC Event Leader. “There are several places where thrilling overtakes are possible, particularly if drivers have superior confidence in the tyres during the heavy braking zones. We’ve nominated the most extreme tyres in the Goodyear range to give drivers the most interesting strategic options, so expect that to be a key talking point on Sunday.

“We look forward to the second half of the season after a brilliant first five events. In true BTCC style, the championship is wide open.”

UK’S PREMIER MOTORSPORT SERIES RETURNS AT CROFT THIS WEEKEND

The Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship roars back into action at Croft this weekend (27/28 July), resuming its campaign following the annual mid-season break.

If the first half of the year is anything to go by then the BTCC looks to be heading towards a classic season with myriad contenders vying for the most coveted prize in British motorsport.

Tin-top legends such as Colin Turkington (Team BMW) and Ash Sutton (NAPA Racing UK) are hoping to win a record fifth BTCC title, whilst mid-season standings leader Jake Hill (Laser Tools Racing with MB Motorsport) is gunning for a maiden crown. Second placed Tom Ingram (Team BRISTOL STREET MOTORS) is looking to wrestle back supremacy, having taken his first championship win in 2022.

A shake-up going into the summer break also saw the likes of Dan Cammish (NAPA Racing UK) and Josh Cook (LKQ Euro Car Parts with SYNETIQ) haul themselves into contention, so it’s anyone’s guess as to where the title will end up come the season finale at Brands Hatch in October.

For now, however, attention turns to Croft with drivers and teams looking to lay down a marker ahead of the run-in. Read on for more details on the Turkington’s ‘King of Croft’ crown, TV times, circuit timetable and the all-important ticket information…

Turkington’s ‘King of Croft’ crown

Colin Turkington’s 14 career victories at Croft is the most wins for any driver at a single circuit in the BTCC.

Turkington’s first triumph at the North Yorkshire venue came in a Vauxhall Astra way back in 2005, with the majority of his latter successes coming in BMW machinery – the marque in which the four-time champ has become synonymous with in the BTCC.

Eight of the victories came across four incredible seasons, as he claimed double wins in 2008, 2009, 2013 and 2014, having taken a hiatus from the BTCC during the three season in-between.

While this may suggest that Croft is a rear-wheel drive friendly circuit and a place where the BMW 330e M Sport should excel, that doesn’t tell the full story of recent seasons around the flowing 2.13-miles of Tarmac.

In fact, the Bavarian marque has won only two of the past 12 races at Croft. No driver has taken more than two victories here over the last five years, with eight of the current field winning at least once, suggesting we should have a wide-open weekend ahead.

TV, Timetables and Tickets 

Rounds 16, 17 and 18 of the Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship at Croft ‘Presented by LIQUI MOLY’ on 27/28 July are expected to be thrilling encounters, but there’s a host of further races and entertainment on offer.

Porsche fans are in for a treat this weekend with two championships – Porsche Carrera Cup Great Britain and Porsche Sprint Challenge Great Britain – on the bill. The regular MINI CHALLENGE will also be on-track, as will a guest appearance from the CTCRC Pre66 Classic Touring Car Championship.

There’s no denying the headline act of course and that is the BTCC and its triple-header of races. To be there, visit https://croftcircuit.co.uk/racing/btcc for more information.

Those unable to make it can watch BTCC qualifying streamed live via ITV Sport’s YouTube channel from 1450 on Saturday, before ITV4’s all-day race day broadcast gets underway at 1115 on Sunday. 

Remember, for the first time in the championship’s history the BTCC is being broadcast globally this season with every race being streamed live via ITV Sport’s TikTok channel.

The Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship last hit the track at Oulton Park (22/23 June) heading into the summer break and will return to fast-paced action at Croft (27/28 July).

The opening five race weekends have been as unpredictable as the series has been in the hybrid era. In over half of the races we have seen a different driver on the top step of the podium with eight race winners in the initial 15 rounds.

Along with the number of winners, there have been 13 of the 21 drivers stood on the rostrum with six changes of the championship lead.

In case you have missed any of the door-banging battles of the 2024 season so far, here is a round up of the key moments to keep you up to speed.

Donington Park National - Rounds 1-2-3 - The battle commences

After the top four of 2023 battled it out for pole, Tom Ingram came out on top beating Ash Sutton to the prime starting place by 0.051 seconds. After a tightly fought Saturday, the tension built and built as Sunday's opening exchange would be delayed due to torrential rain.

Once racing got underway it was the polesitter that took advantage of the first race day taking two wins from the three races. It was not as straightforward as winning from pole as Jake Hill passed both Ingram and Sutton off the line in race two leaving the 2022 champion having to work his way back to the front.

The reverse-grid race once again produced fantastic racing with the podium holders starting from second, fifth and eighth. Closing out the day left Aiden Moffat on the top step holding up the fast charging Colin Turkington and Sutton. After the initial victories, Ingram would leave the event leading the championship.

Take a look at the round three encounter below...

Drivers' Standings - Event 1

1 - Tom Ingram - 58	2 - Ash Sutton - 49	3 - Jake Hill - 42
4 - Colin Turkington - 41	5 - Aiden Moffat - 36	6 - Josh Cook - 30
7 - Dan Cammish - 24	8 - Adam Morgan - 21	9 - Rob Huff - 18
10 - Árón Taylor-Smith - 16	11 - Dan Rowbottom - 14	12 - Andrew Watson - 14
13 - Ronan Pearson - 12	14 - Tom Chilton - 10	15 - Mikey Doble - 10
16 - Daryl DeLeon - 4	17 - Chris Smiley - 3	18 - Sam Osborne - 1
19 - Nick Halstead - 0	20 - Scott Sumpton - 0

Brands Hatch Indy - Rounds 4-5-6 - Return to the top

The weather could not have been a more drastic change at Brands Hatch from what it was at Donington Park the fortnight previous. It was a scorching hot weekend with it being the first weekend with the updated hybrid rules coming to affect in qualifying.

Making use of these rules was four-time champion, Turkington. The Team BMW driver took pole position after having more hybrid power available to use than those ahead of him in the championship.

Turkington used the pace advantage right from the off as he lead from lights to flag with victories in both race one and two of the weekend.

By no means did that mean the races were processional as the positions behind could not have been more tightly fought. Adam Morgan started race one as a part of a Team BMW one-two, but later came together with Ronan Pearson removing the pair from contention. Dan Cammish then had a puncture from second place with Josh Cook going door-to-door with Sutton fighting for the place left by the ailing Cammish.

All of the above would swing by race three as Pearson became the latest BTCC winner despite finishing race one two laps down and in 19th place. Team BRISTOL STREET MOTORS celebrated more success as they crossed the line with Tom Chilton in second place closing the weekend with a one-two for the EXCELR8-run outfit.

Despite double wins for Ingram in rounds one and two, then also for Turkington in rounds four and five, it would be Sutton topping the championship after six consecutive podium finishes.

Have a look at the classic BTCC action in round five below...

Drivers' Standings - Event 2

1 - Ash Sutton - 95	2 - Colin Turkington - 93	3 - Tom Ingram - 85
4 - Jake Hill - 59	5 - Josh Cook - 52	6 - Aiden Moffat - 51
7 - Tom Chilton - 47	8 - Dan Rowbottom - 46	9 - Dan Cammish - 44
10 - Adam Morgan - 41	11 - Árón Taylor-Smith - 41	12 - Ronan Pearson - 38
13 - Andrew Watson - 32	14 - Rob Huff - 30	15 - Mikey Doble - 21
16 - Sam Osborne - 9	17 - Chris Smiley - 8	18 - Daryl DeLeon - 6
19 - Nick Halstead - 3	20 - Scott Sumpton - 2

Snetterton 300 - Rounds 7-8-9 - Back to front, top to bottom...

As the championship returned to Norfolk, the weather of the opening event at Donington Park returned also. A weekend that saw yet another shake up as it was Hill's turn to be at the forefront whilst circulating the 300 circuit of Snetterton.

Hill went on to win race one leading from start to finish as one-time entrant Bobby Thompson would come home in second for the fourth WSR-run BMW. Sutton would bring his consecutive podium streak up to seven, placing him on every podium so far in the 2024 season.

The #24 of Hill would go on to win race two despite a ten-second penalty for a jump start. A number of drivers, including Sutton, Turkington and Ingram, took a gamble after the formation lap to pit for dry tyres which did not pay off as the rain came back down during the race. The trio would finish 20th, 15th and 16th, breaking Sutton's podium streak. It would be Cammish and Cook joining Hill on the podium.

Race three would throw another wild-race to the BTCC crowd as there was a split between wet and dry tyres once more. Sam Osborne would start on reverse-grid pole before spinning at turn one. Hill, starting from ninth on wet tyres, would be second at the halfway point of the first lap and lead by the end of it.

As the crossover happened on lap 6/12, Hill had a seven second lead over the dry tyre running Toyotas of Cook, Moffat and Rob Huff. By lap 9/12 Huff lead a Toyota one-two-three as the wet tyres lap times plummeted. The #12 would go on to win his first BTCC race in 20 years after making up 13 places in the race to do so.

The manic weekend had left Sutton still on top despite a non-scoring race and still no race wins. The reigning champion left Snetterton with a ten point lead over double winner Turkington and 11 points ahead of double winners Ingram and Hill.

Enjoy all the action across the dry-wet-dry-wet-dry day at Snetterton below...

Drivers' Standings - Event 3

1 - Ash Sutton - 121	2 - Colin Turkington - 111	3 - Tom Ingram - 110
4 - Jake Hill - 110	5 - Josh Cook - 84	6 - Dan Cammish - 77
7 - Aiden Moffat - 76	8 - Tom Chilton - 69	9 - Rob Huff - 60
10 - Adam Morgan - 55	11 - Andrew Watson - 53	12 - Dan Rowbottom - 52
13 - Árón Taylor-Smith - 51	14 - Ronan Pearson - 43	15 - Mikey Doble - 43
16 - Bobby Thompson - 34	17 - Sam Osborne - 18	18 - Daryl DeLeon - 16
19 - Chris Smiley - 11	20 - Scott Sumpton - 7	21 - Nick Halstead - 3

Thruxton - Rounds 10-11-12 - The momentum builds

Thruxton is known for one thing and one thing in particular, speed, and it did not disappoint. Ingram would be the driver to take pole position, returning to front-running form after, the #100 for the weekend, topped the championship after the opening weekend of the season.

This would not translate to a race win in race one on the Sunday as it was Hill who charged forward from third to continue his hot form from Snetterton two weeks prior. Cammish and Sutton would complete the podium making it a NAPA Racing UK double rostrum.

Race two is where more drama would ensue after Ingram would cross the finish line first for what would have been his 30th BTCC win. After shortcutting the final chicane in an attempt to overtake Cammish, Ingram did not concede the place and therefore was penalised meaning the result would mean the #24 BMW of Hill would win with Cammish and Ingram completing the podium.

The win would place Hill at the top of the championship after his four wins in five races, making him the fourth championship leader after Ingram, Turkington and Sutton.

In true champion style, the #1 Ford would retake the championship lead in the very next race, finally getting the first win of the season for the Alliance Racing-run outfit. Despite falling to seventh in the run up to the complex on the opening lap, Sutton drove like he did in 2023 scything his way to the front of the field.

Look at the final race of the day as Sutton climbed through the field below...

Drivers' Standings - Event 4

1 - Ash Sutton - 169	2 - Jake Hill - 164	3 - Tom Ingram - 155
4 - Colin Turkington - 136	5 - Dan Cammish - 129	6 - Josh Cook - 115
7 - Adam Morgan - 85	8 - Tom Chilton - 84	9 - Aiden Moffat - 83
10 - Rob Huff - 77	11 - Dan Rowbottom - 74	12 - Árón Taylor-Smith - 72
13 - Andrew Watson - 60	14 - Mikey Doble - 55	15 - Ronan Pearson - 53
16 - Bobby Thompson - 34	17 - Sam Osborne - 22	18 - Daryl DeLeon - 16
19 - Chris Smiley - 13	20 - Scott Sumpton - 7	21 - Nick Halstead - 3

Oulton Park - Rounds 13-14-15 - The championship swing takes full affect

It was advantage front-wheel-drive in qualifying as Ingram would take pole position with a lap record ahead of championship leader Sutton. The BMW protagonists in Hill and Turkington would qualify in seventh and ninth.

The front-row pair would hold position in race one, not without contact between the two 2023 title protagonists. Ingram would retain the lead despite having to shortcut the Hislop's chicane and would build and hold a gap. Cammish would join them on the rostrum, making it four podiums in a row and continuing to creep up the championship order after a slow start to the season.

Hill would rise up to fifth with Turkington falling to back of the field after a clutch issue at the start. The weekend at Oulton Park is the first we had seen this season to have the soft and hard tyre available creating a big offset in lap time between the tyres. The tyre rule had yet to have a big impact after two rain affected events and Thruxton only using the hard tyre due to its high-speed nature.

Árón Taylor-Smith and Cook in seventh and eighth used their hard tyre in race one to get it out of the way. The top ten from the initial race have to use the hardest tyre available, the hard tyre, for race two whilst they only had the soft tyre.

Cook took immediate advantage after a collision ahead involving Morgan pushed him from eighth to second before passing Ingram for the lead later on the first lap. The #66 Toyota went on to win by an impressively large margin of eight seconds. Taylor-Smith would advance to fifth with teammate Mikey Doble finishing in sixth, earning himself reverse-grid pole for race three.

After the second race Ingram would retake his place at the forefront of the championship after a second place finish and a non scoring race for Sutton. Hill would also close the gap after completing the podium.

The Evans Halshaw Power Maxed Racing front-row lockout worked to great effect with Taylor-Smith holding off the attacking pack as Doble attempted to retain his lead. It nearly worked as Hill passed the #40 Vauxhall Astra on lap ten before going the whole way to take the lead on Doble on the final lap of the race.

The move meant that Hill had taken the championship lead, giving us three championship leaders in one day. Hill heads into the summer break with four point lead over Ingram after an impressive run of five wins in nine races to close out the first half of the season.

Enjoy the ever-entertaining final day of the opening half of the 2024 season below...

Oulton Park shook up the order to what had been the case at the opening four events. Leaving the likes of Turkington faltering after a worse-than-usual performance at the Cheshire circuit as both Cook and Cammish jump up the order after impressive consistency.

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

2024 Kwik Fit British Touring Car Standings - Round 15

Pos	No.	Driver	CL	Total	Penalties	Wins	2nds	3rds
1	24	Jake HILL	M	211		5	0	3
2	80	Tom INGRAM	M	207		3	2	2
3	1	Ashley SUTTON	M	187		1	3	6
4	27	Dan CAMMISH	M	169		0	4	1
5	66	Josh COOK	M	153		1	1	2
6	20	Colin TURKINGTON	M	146		2	1	0
7	40	Aron TAYLOR-SMITH	I	107		0	0	1
8	33	Adam MORGAN	M	107		0	0	0
9	16	Aiden MOFFAT	M	96		1	1	0
10	3	Tom CHILTON	M	94		0	1	0
11	12	Rob HUFF	M	92		1	0	0
12	32	Daniel ROWBOTTOM	M	92		0	0	0
13	88	Mikey DOBLE	I	88		0	1	0
14	11	Andrew WATSON	M	70		0	0	0
15	14	Ronan PEARSON	M	65		1	0	0
16	19	Bobby THOMPSON	M	34		0	1	0
17	222	Chris SMILEY	I	31		0	0	0
18	77	Sam OSBORNE	M	23		0	0	0
19	18	Daryl DELEON	I	23		0	0	0
20	29	Scott SUMPTON	I	9		0	0	0
21	22	Nick HALSTEAD	M	3		0	0	0

The 2024 Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship returns after the mid-season break this weekend at Croft (26/27 July), here’s all the information you need to know to keep up with the action…

The 2024 grid headed to Oulton Park over a month ago for the fifth weekend of the season to cap off a rollercoaster start to the season. The strategy across all three races proved pivotal with a vast difference in grip across the soft and hard compound.

Tom Ingram made the most of the conditions on Saturday to take pole for the third time this season but it would be Jake Hill that would make the most of the Sunday. The Kent racer would win the final race of the day and on the final lap to add to the drama. Off the back of his career-best two-round points haul, Hill would head into the summer break as the championship leader.

As we head into the second half of the season, there have been some line-up changes for teams and drivers during the off-season and across race weekends, it’s all to play for in 2024. To see all of this year’s line-up, click here.

This weekend’s race day action will feature on the home of the BTCC, ITV4, from 11:15 on Sunday (27 July) while the ITV YouTube page will host qualifying on Saturday (26 July) from 14:55.

Worldwide, this weekend's races will feature live on the ITV Sport TikTok account, going live on the green flag lap before each race begins. Each race start time is currently as follows; 12:05, 14:45 and 17:00.

Check out the full TV schedule below, which includes all the information you need to catch ITV’s highlights programmes from the opening rounds.

Qualifying LIVE: Saturday 26 July

ITV Sport YouTube from 14:55

Raceday LIVE: Sunday 27 July
ITV4 & ITV4 HD 11:15-18:30
ITV4 +1 12:15-19:30
ITVX 11:15-18:30

TikTok (UK times listed) Race 1: 12:05 - Race 2: 14:45 - Race 3: 17:00

Highlights:

Friday 2 August ITV4 18:25-20:00

The 2023 Championship was won by Ford/Alliance Racing but it was not as easy as its other triumphs. Despite scoring 802 points the Northampton-based outfit only won by four points to BMW. The two outfits are back once again along with the strengthened competition from Hyundai/EXCELR8 Motorsport and Toyota to form a tense title charge.

Donington Park National - Rounds 1-2-3

It would be last year's runners-up that would leave the first weekend on top after recording the only 30+ point race of any outfit in the final race of the day. BMW went into the final race of the day tied on points with Ford/Alliance Racing before getting a seven-point buffer.

Hyundai/EXCELR8 Motorsport had started the day as well as it could as it lead both teams above in the standings after race one. Then a one-car score even with an outright win in race two saw the team drop to third in the standings. The full new driver line-up at Toyota embedded in to come away from the opening weekend ten points behind the outfit ahead of them.

Manufacturers/Constructors Championship - Event 1

1 - BMW - 87

2 - Ford/Alliance Racing - 80

3 - Hyundai/EXCELR8 Motorsport- 72

4 - Toyota - 62

Brands Hatch Indy - Rounds 4-5-6

The second weekend of the year saw all outfits raise the game to another level as BMW equalled its highest points haul in a race from Donington as all other competitors bettered their own. As the bar was raised, the gap at the top shrunk as Ford/Alliance Racing had closed the gap to two points by the end of the weekend.

Hyundai/EXCELR8 Motorsport had also closed the gap to the top with nine points to the Northampton-based outfit and 11 to BMW. Toyota did not match the level of the rest as it scored its highest points haul in a race in the opening race of the weekend before the points tally lowered race-on-race.

Manufacturers/Constructors Championship - Event 2

1 - BMW - 163

2 - Ford/Alliance Racing - 161

3 - Hyundai/EXCELR8 Motorsport - 154

4 - Toyota - 118

Snetterton - Rounds 7-8-9

Snetterton was a weekend of change as the Championship lead took a turn along with the weather being as unpredictable as ever. Ford/Alliance Racing climbed to the top of the standings as it outscored BMW in every race across the Norfolk event.

Toyota outscored all competitors with the best race of any team across the season in the final race of the weekend. This was after race two was also its best round of the season so far. Hyundai/EXCELR8 Motorsport had its worst event so far as the adverse weather left the team making some unsuccessful opportunistic strategy moves.

Manufacturers/Constructors Championship - Event 3

1 - Ford/Alliance Racing - 242

2 - BMW - 236

3 - Hyundai/EXCELR8 Motorsport - 223

4 - Toyota - 202

Thruxton - Rounds 10-11-12

The fastest circuit in the UK saw Ford/Alliance Racing make the first breakaway of the season as the team failed to register a sub 30-point race. Along with the consistently strong results they also achieved what Toyota had at the last event in getting a maximum score in a race.

All gaps began to grow as BMW found itself 23 points adrift from the top with Hyundai/EXCELR8 Motorsport a further 33 behind. After going from its best, Toyota had its worst weekend of the season so far as the Manufacturer sat 33 points behind third to sit in fourth and 89 from the top of the table.

Manufacturers/Constructors Championship - Event 4

1 - Ford/Alliance Racing - 341

2 - BMW - 318

3 - Hyundai/EXCELR8 Motorsport - 285

4 - Toyota - 252

Oulton Park - Rounds 13-14-15

As the summer-break approached there was one last event to navigate before the wait for on-track action would begin. Ford/Alliance Racing would hold onto its advantage despite bringing home its lowest scoring result in race three. BMW would close in to the top as every team had one race of 30+ points.

The gap between BMW and Hyundai/EXCELR8 Motorsport would grow by 12 points as the former would hold a 45 point advantage heading into the mid-season break. Toyota would close in on third place whilst still falling back from the lead.

Manufacturers/Constructors Championship - Event 5

1 - Ford/Alliance Racing - 419

2 - BMW - 395

3 - Hyundai/EXCELR8 Motorsport - 350

4 - Toyota - 325

As we approach the second half of the season we take a look back at the most recent round to see exactly how the championships stand after the weekend in Cheshire unfolded...

Laser Tools Racing with MB Motorsport's Jake Hill ended a sensational day of Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship racing by making a last lap move for victory at Oulton Park, as the BMW star moved to the summit of the standings.

Basked in glorious sunshine throughout the weekend (22/23 June), the relentless pace kicked off on Saturday as Tom Ingram obliterated the existing qualifying lap record to take pole position.

The Team BRISTOL STREET MOTORS’ racer duly backed that up with victory in the opener, before Josh Cook supremely surged through the order to win the second contest – his first triumph since the 2022 campaign.

Ash Sutton initially relinquished the standings advantage to Ingram after race two, as the reigning champion endured a disastrous day in Cheshire, before Hill became the third championship leader on the same day with his heroics in the reverse grid race.

Hill tops the order by four points from Ingram, with Sutton dropping a further 20 points back. Dan Cammish, Josh Cook and Colin Turkington are next in the order with the latter also enduring a challenging outing at a circuit that has often been so kind to him.

Alliance Racing/Ford and its NAPA Racing UK outfit hold sway in both the Manufacturers’/Constructors’ and Teams’ championships.

Mikey Doble and Árón Taylor-Smith scored the first ever overall double podium for Evans Halshaw Power Maxed Racing with its drivers and team also dominating the Independents’ and Jack Sears Trophy honours.  

The BTCC returns with the action resuming at Croft in North Yorkshire on 27/28 July.

Ingram holds off Sutton to secure 30th BTCC win

Team BRISTOL STREET MOTORS' Ingram held off title rival Sutton in the Oulton Park opener to secure a fantastic 30th career victory in the BTCC.

The fans had been waiting for an on-track battle between Ingram and Sutton during the 2024 season and the packed banks of spectators got their wish around the picturesque 2.23-mile circuit.

The pair touched slightly on a couple of occasions with the pivotal moment coming when Ingram's #80 straight-lined a chicane after receiving a nudge from the #1 NAPA Racing UK Ford Focus of Sutton.

They resumed battle but in truth Sutton's chance was over as the Hyundai i30N pulled away for the remainder of the contest.

NAPA Racing UK's Cammish claimed a hard-earned fourth successive podium as he came under attack from the BMW duo of Adam Morgan and Hill.

Cook storms from eighth to first in the blink of an eye

LKQ Euro Car Parts with SYNETIQ’s Cook produced one of the finest laps in recent memory as he blitzed from eighth on the grid to the front on the opening tour of race two.

Running the Goodyear soft tyre, Cook avoided a melee at turn one that left Morgan’s Team BMW machine stranded in the middle of the track, and he was soon running around the outside of the leading quartet at the hairpin.

Now up to second, race one winner Ingram simply had no answer as Cook's #66 Toyota sliced down the inside on the Hyundai before the gaggle of cars had even reached the start/finish line for the first time.

Cook gradually edged clear of the pack to take his first win in Toyota machinery, ahead of Ingram, whilst the scrap for the final place on the podium turned one way and then the other.

NAPA Racing UK's problems with flailing bodywork reared its head again, this time hitting Sutton's #1 machine, forcing the reigning champ to pit and drop from third to the rear of the order.

The issue looked to have handed team-mate Cammish a fifth successive podium, but Laser Tools Racing with MB Motorsport's Hill had other ideas as he fired his BMW around the outside of the #27 car on the final lap of the race.

The headlines belonged to Cook, however, with his first win since Thruxton in 2022 and the 19th victory of his BTCC career so far.

Last lap heroics from Hill to claim Oulton Park triumph

Kent driver Hill is in the form of his life, having taken a double-double at Snetterton and Thruxton respectively during the previous two race weekends, but he had to remain patient at Oulton Park this weekend.

He narrowly missed out on the 'Quick Six' qualifying yesterday and had to settle for seventh on the grid, but Hill worked his way forward during race day to take fifth, third and a victory from the three races.

You had to feel for pole-sitter Doble, who led the finale almost from start to finish, but the pressure eventually told as Hill went side-by-side with the Vauxhall on the final tour. The pair ran through the chicane together, touched slightly, but it was the #24 BMW that emerged ahead with a brilliant move.

Taylor-Smith made it a double celebration for Evans Halshaw Power Maxed Racing by completing the podium, ahead of Team BRISTOL STREET MOTORS' Ingram.

Tom Ingram, Team BRISTOL STREET MOTORS, said: “We would have loved some air conditioning in the car, it gets very spicy in there. We are about 25 degrees above ambient temperature so it’s pretty warm to say the least. Ash (Sutton) is obviously quick, so is Dan (Cammish), plus I could see Jake (Hill) coming too. There was a lot to try and manage but it’s good to get the win and the first one of the day under our belts.”

Josh Cook, LKQ Euro Car Parts with SYNETIQ, said: “It’s nice to be back winning races. It makes it a lot easier when you’re on the soft tyres and those around you are on the hards. I got off to a really good start on lap one and the doors just opened up around me, and I ended up in a good position. I got my head down and just focused on banging in some quick laps. It probably wasn’t overly interesting to watch, but I’ll take that any day and congratulations to everyone in the team.”

Jake Hill, Laser Tools Racing with MB Motorsport, said: “That was tough. A fantastic race with Árón (Taylor-Smith) and Mikey (Doble) at the end there. Credit to them because they did a great job, and it was just a really enjoyable touring car race from my point of view – just hard-fought battling and it was absolutely awesome. As much as I feel sorry Mikey, I’ve got a championship to try and win and I had to get the move done. Credit to him for leaving me a bit of space, but, what a move!”

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

1. Tom Ingram, Team BRISTOL STREET MOTORS 15 Laps

2. Ash Sutton, NAPA Racing UK +1.913s

3. Dan Cammish, NAPA Racing UK +4.557s

4. Adam Morgan, Team BMW +10.230s

5. Jake Hill, Laser Tools Racing with MB Motorsport +14.700s

6. Tom Chilton, Team BRISTOL STREET MOTORS +16.238s

7. Árón Taylor-Smith, Evans Halshaw Power Maxed Racing +26.078s

8. Josh Cook, LKQ Euro Car Parts with SYNETIQ +26.646s

9. Aiden Moffat, LKQ Euro Car Parts with SYNETIQ +30.817s

10. Rob Huff, TOYOTA GAZOO Racing UK +31.366s

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

1. Josh Cook, LKQ Euro Car Parts with SYNETIQ 15 Laps

2. Tom Ingram, Team BRISTOL STREET MOTORS +8.016s

3. Jake Hill, Laser Tools Racing with MB Motorsport +9.879s

4. Dan Cammish, NAPA Racing UK +10.430s

5. Árón Taylor-Smith, Evans Halshaw Power Maxed Racing +10.856s

6. Mikey Doble, Evans Halshaw Power Maxed Racing +11.452s

7. Colin Turkington, Team BMW +12.197s 

8. Chris Smiley, Restart Racing +13.420s

9. Daniel Rowbottom, NAPA Racing UK +14.705s

10. Andrew Watson, TOYOTA GAZOO Racing UK +18.972s

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

1. Jake Hill, Laser Tools Racing with MB Motorsport 15 Laps

2. Mikey Doble, Evans Halshaw Power Maxed Racing +0.749s

3. Árón Taylor-Smith, Evans Halshaw Power Maxed Racing +2.410s 

4. Tom Ingram, Team BRISTOL STREET MOTORS +2.856s

5. Dan Cammish, NAPA Racing UK +3.714s

6. Daniel Rowbottom, NAPA Racing UK +4.150s

7. Adam Morgan, Team BMW +6.758s 

8. Josh Cook, LKQ Euro Car Parts with SYNETIQ +7.474s

9. Chris Smiley, Restart Racing +9.744s

10. Aiden Moffat, LKQ Euro Car Parts with SYNETIQ +12.474s

Penalties:

Race One

Dan Rowbottom received a 30-second time penalty during Round 13 of the championship and three penalty points, for failing to observe the black/orange signal

Race Two

Daryl DeLeon received a two-second time penalty during Round 14 of the championship, for gaining an unfair advantage in an incident involving Rob Huff