For the penultimate day of the Official BTCC website's series of contender interviews, it's 2017 Champion Ash Sutton's turn!

Aiming for his second Drivers' title, Sutton heads into the finale just nine points off the summit of the standings and will be looking for any opportunity to gain an advantage over reigning champion Colin Turkington.

While the 26-year-old notched up four wins in the first half of the 2020 season, a best position of third since Thruxton's mid-season event means Sutton will be hoping for a return to the top step this weekend as he aims for glory in Britain's premier motorsport series.

Watch BTCC qualifying and key support races via www.itv.com/btcc this Saturday

Our colleagues at ITV Sport have you covered as we head into the final 2020 Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship weekend at Brands Hatch, and it gets underway with an extended Saturday online streaming session via www.itv.com/btcc.

Due to the delayed campaign and with the darker evenings now upon us, the action will be kicking off a little earlier than usual this weekend, so from 12:25 on Saturday you’ll be able to watch BTCC qualifying and no fewer than five key support races over a near four-hour special broadcast.

BTCC qualifying will commence at 12:35 – a critical session ahead of Sunday’s grand finale – and the coverage will include all the on-track drama, as well as driver interviews with Louise Goodman and the rest of the ITV Sport team. Furthermore, the session will conclude the battle for the Goodyear Wingfoot Award, as this year’s best overall qualifier will be crowned.

Motorsport fans will then be treated to a quintet of crucial support races as the Ginetta GT4 Supercup, Mini Challenge, Ginetta Junior, British F4 and Carrera Cup GB reach an exciting climax across the weekend.

Our usual TV story and broadcast times will also be published tomorrow, but in the meantime remember that our full race day coverage will get underway at 0920 on ITV4, whilst the Saturday streaming timetable is listed below:

Time

Activity

Championship

Laps

12.35 – 13.05	Qualifying	Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship
13.15	Race	Millers Oils Ginetta GT4 SuperCup Championship	24
13.50	Race	The Mini Challenge	25 mins
14.25	Race	Michelin Ginetta Junior Championship	18
14.55	Race	F4 British Championship	20 mins
15.30	Race	Porsche Carrera Cup Great Britain	34

Up third in the series of top five championship contenders’ exclusive interviews is Halfords Yuasa Racing man Dan Cammish.

Cammish heads to Brands Hatch with fire in his belly and the BTCC crown in his sights, having just missed out on a potential maiden title in the final round of the 2019 season.

Having secured more race wins in 2020 than any other year of his career in the championship, the 31-year-old has accrued a further five podiums, all second-place finishes,  and sits 25 points in arrears of standings leader Colin Turkington with a possible 67 points up for grabs this weekend.

Catch what Cammish had to say in the full interview now…

Continuing the series of top five championship contenders’ exclusive interviews, today’s episode sees Tom Ingram take the mic on the Official BTCC website.

In his seventh year competing in the series, Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship driver Ingram sits fourth in the Drivers’ Standings as he looks towards this weekend’s Brands Hatch finale.

With three wins under his belt and a further five podiums so far this season, the 27-year-old is determined to take the title fight down to the wire at the scene of his maiden BTCC victory – in 2016 – with his intentions firmly set on securing the most coveted prize in British motorsport.

Listen to the full interview now...

Ahead of this weekend’s final 2020 Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship event at Brands Hatch, we wanted to take this opportunity to thank our fans for your fantastic and unrivalled support throughout this unprecedented year.

For the first time in the BTCC’s illustrious 62-year history, we have competed without the tens of thousands of spectators lining the banks and filling the grandstands of the wonderful circuits that we visit up and down the country, but we have truly felt your enthusiasm and support in so many other ways.

We hoped to see your return at some point during this 2020 campaign, but as we now know that simply wasn’t possible.

But thanks to the extensive and unrivalled live television coverage from our friends at ITV, and indeed the power of social media, we are proud to have still provided you with the same superb action and entertainment that you have come to expect. The fact that we will get 100% of our revised calendar completed was in no small part to the huge levels of support from you, which continues to inspire our teams and drivers to put on the best show possible under very different and difficult circumstances.

The health of our nation, and indeed the world, is of unparalleled importance – so hopefully our racing has helped lift the spirits of our hundreds of thousands of viewers watching each event.

The BTCC is just not the same without its fans and we cannot wait to see you trackside again with us. That time will come of course, but for now, we have to appreciate there is a bigger cause that requires our attention and patience. We acknowledge once again the incredible work being carried out by key workers, including NHS staff and carers, whose collective sacrifice is beyond words.

We also salute the enthusiasm, determination and professionalism shown by our teams, drivers, staff, officials, marshals, volunteers and everyone involved in what has been an extremely exciting BTCC season.

But this particular message is specifically for you - our fans - as the BTCC just would not be the series it is without you.

So, for one final time this year, we will go racing in your absence, but we will endeavour to provide outstanding entertainment and sporting drama for you all to enjoy.

Sit back, relax and enjoy the show because together WE ARE THE BTCC!

#BTCCfans #BESTfans

In the run-up to this weekend's (14/15 November) season finale of the 2020 Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship, the Official BTCC website will be catching up with the top five championship contenders ahead of what will surely be a weekend jam-packed with the edge-of-the-seat action the series is famous for.

First up, heading to Brands Hatch's Indy circuit fifth in the title battle, Rory Butcher will be aiming to build on a trio of points-scoring finishes last time out, on the circuit where he secured his first-ever BTCC win.

The Scot has accumulated his most podium finishes during a campaign with three rounds remaining – including two race wins – but has felt the highs and lows of the series throughout the 2020 season, none more so than the barrel roll at Silverstone from which he emerged unscathed.

Catch the full interview below...

🎙 We're launching a series of exclusive interviews with the top five #BTCC championship contenders all this week 🤩

Catch the first interview now...

✨ Contenders: Rory Butcher ✨

➡️ https://t.co/izFbshevwH pic.twitter.com/HihEm2dIC2

— BTCC (@BTCC) November 9, 2020

Unmissable season finale will be live from Brands Hatch on ITV4

The 2020 Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship reaches its long-awaited climax at Brands Hatch next weekend (14/15 November), with one of the most exciting and extraordinary seasons set for an unmissable finale.

Despite the suspension of the original schedule due to the global COVID-19 outbreak, Series Organiser TOCA impressively rearranged an almost full calendar of racing – condensed into a three-and-a-half-month window – much to the delight of everyone involved in the UK’s elite motorsport series.

The delayed campaign hasn’t disappointed with no fewer than five drivers heading to Brands Hatch in contention to claim the most coveted crown in British motor racing.

Four-time and reigning BTCC champion Colin Turkington reclaimed the lead of the overall standings at Snetterton last time out, as the Team BMW star bounced back from a challenging period mid-season.

The Northern Irishman took pole position in the one-off ‘Top Ten Showdown’ qualifying format at the Norfolk circuit, and converted that success into two brilliant race wins the following day.

Turkington’s 60 points haul was understandably unrivalled, but a quartet of challengers are still hot on his wheels after their own stellar results during the year.

Laser Tools Racing’s Ash Sutton has been one of the most exciting competitors of the season so far. Four victories in the first half of the calendar have been followed by a number of standout fightback drives, but a return to winning ways could be key if he is to claim a second BTCC title.

Honda man Dan Cammish is targeting an even bigger comeback than he nearly produced in 2019, when the Yorkshireman came excruciatingly close to taking a maiden championship success. The Halfords Yuasa Racing driver has been extremely consistent during 2020 – finishing inside the top ten in each of the last 15 races – but now he has to score big at Brands Hatch to turn around the points deficit.

Toyota Gazoo Racing UK with Ginsters’ Tom Ingram has shown his fighting qualities as the season has progressed, turning a mixed start to proceedings into a real championship challenge. The young talent remains within striking distance of the front-runners, having taken three wins and a trio of second place finishes from the last four race weekends.

If Ingram is a slight outsider for the crown then Motorbase Performance’s Rory Butcher is the real long shot, having just stayed in mathematical contention following a bruising encounter at Snetterton.

Incredibly, Butcher clashed with Ingram during the final bout in Norfolk – impacting on their respective championship challenges – but the former has still enjoyed an impressive season in the new Ford Focus ST.

In summary, as we move towards this unmissable triple-header finale at the famous Kent circuit it is Turkington who holds a nine-point advantage over Sutton. Cammish is a further 16 points in arrears, whilst Ingram and Butcher remain in title contention. With 67 points still on offer, it really is anyone’s guess as to who will be crowned the 2020 Kwik Fit British Touring Car Champion.

Aside from the overall fight for honours, BMW are also looking to win Manufacturers’ and Teams’ titles, whilst Sutton and his Laser Tools Racing squad hope to clinch Independents’ glory.

Michael Crees leads the Jack Sears Trophy, whilst Turkington also tops the Goodyear Wingfoot Award, thanks to his outstanding qualifying performances so far.

The 2020 Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship will conclude with three high-octane races around the famous Brands Hatch Indy Circuit on 14/15 November and, as ever, the action will be broadcast live on ITV4 from 0920 on Sunday.

Colin Turkington said: “I don't bask in the glory for long because the next race comes quickly. For sure, it will be nice to arrive at Brands feeling confident in both myself and the car after Snetterton. I will prepare and ready myself to the maximum and then try to give my best performance on the day. There is a lot of extra pressure on the finale, but I kind of really enjoy it. It’s a huge privilege to be involved and I love the chance to fight for another Championship.”

Ash Sutton said: “We’re in the mix for the title so it’s game on. We’ve got a nine-point deficit to make up on Colin at Brands Hatch and you can believe that I will be coming for him all guns blazing. The whole season has led us to this point and I’m going to throw everything I have into the finale to become champion for a second time. Laser Tools Racing and BMR Engineering have done a mega job this year and they deserve to be in this position. I can’t wait to get to Brands now, I’ve got nothing to lose and absolutely everything to gain – bring it on!”

Dan Cammish said: “Snetterton was not what I had targeted. I had high hopes going into the weekend, but unfortunately a few guys who aren't in the Championship fight hampered my progress. I don't think I had a straight panel on my car by the end of the day, but it's all still to play for. I love the Indy circuit at Brands and I'll be giving it my all to win the Drivers’ Championship.”

Tom Ingram said: “It’s nice to be going into the season finale in with a shout of the title for the fourth year in a row, but I’m under no illusions that I’m the outsider in this battle. We all know how quickly things can turn around in the BTCC, and while our chances are obviously slim, nothing is impossible. Ultimately, whatever happens, I’m immensely proud of all the boys and girls at Toyota Gazoo Racing UK with Ginsters for what we’ve achieved together this season. We will keep on fighting right to the very end!”

Rory Butcher said: “It’s great to be going into the season finale with a mathematical chance of winning the title, albeit slim, as this was a goal of mine at the beginning of the year. We’ve been contenders all season and as a team we have achieved so much with the brand-new Ford Focus ST – everyone at Motorbase Performace should be extremely proud. We’re looking forward to Brands Hatch – the team’s home circuit – and we will give it everything!”

2020 Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship – Drivers' Standings

1 Colin TURKINGTON (GBR) Team BMW 309 Points
2 Ashley SUTTON (GBR) Laser Tools Racing 300
3 Dan CAMMISH (GBR) Halfords Yuasa Racing 284
4 Tom INGRAM (GBR) Toyota Gazoo Racing UK with Ginsters 275
5 Rory BUTCHER (GBR) Motorbase Performance 246

The Clever Baggers with BTC Racing squad celebrated its best-ever BTCC weekend at Snetterton last month, with Michael Crees bouncing back from his recent tough spell to claim all three Jack Sears Trophy victories, as well as three overall points paying finishes. 

Critically for Crees, he also reclaimed the lead at the top of the JST standings, a position he had previously held for much of the season. 

“I’m really happy with the way this weekend went,” confirmed Crees. “I just sort of cruised in the last race. Once I knew I was leading the championship again, I didn’t want to take any risks.  

“I’m glad to be going into the final weekend 11-points clear. I knew we had the pace in the car all weekend, but we did struggle with the tyre temperature. 

“It was great to finish all three races, take three Jack Sears wins and also score points in all three races in the main championship for the first-time. It’s a huge boost for the final round at Brands Hatch.” 

Crees’ BTC Racing stablemates endured some challenges at Snetterton, with Tom Chilton failing to score for the first time this season owing largely to some engine issues, whilst Josh Cook grabbed two sevenths and an eighth-place finish around the three-mile circuit in Norfolk. 

“It was a game of two halves as they say,” confirmed Joint Team Principal Bert Taylor. “The weekend started well in practice, slipped back in qualifying and we brought it back in the races, but we go home with mixed emotions again this weekend. 

“I’m elated for Michael to be back at the top of Jack Sears Trophy. It’s like a seesaw of emotions. Creesy was on top of the world, but Tom had a rough weekend. To have engine issues again this weekend isn’t really good enough. We need to get to the bottom of it. It’s frustrating for Tom’s side of the garage. 

“Taking the positives away, we got ourselves back from 12th on the grid with Josh and scored decent points in all three races and Creesy has come away with a good lead at the top of his class having scored maximum points.” 

With the season finale approaching at the iconic Brands Hatch Indy circuit on 14/15 November, BTC Racing lies fifth in the overall Teams’ Championship, and third in the Independent Teams’ standings.  

Chilton has dropped to ninth overall but retains his third-place spot in the Indy order, with Cook close behind in tenth and sixth respectively. Crees’ target of securing the Jack Sears Trophy for 2020 looks to be back on track, with an 11-point advantage over his closest rival. 

Aside from the title race drama that has unfolded in recent rounds there has been one man enjoying a truly breakthrough period in his BTCC career, and that’s Motorbase Performance’s Ollie Jackson. 

The Ford Focus ST driver became the BTCC’s newest race winner when he took a hugely popular victory at Silverstone in September, and he backed that up with another fantastic triumph at Snetterton last time out. 

“It feels as though wins are like busses: two come along at once,” said Jackson afterwards. “It’s brilliant and I’ve soaked it in a bit more this time. It’s absolutely fantastic to have another great result.” 

Jackson withstood huge pressure in the final race of the day in Norfolk to bank his second victory of the season, as he now closes in on a best-ever points with only three races of the 2020 campaign remaining. 

His performance was all the more impressive after he was the innocent victim of a race one shunt, which meant he started the second race of the afternoon on the 11th row of the grid. 

One of the drives of the season followed as he climbed up to an impressive eighth place, putting him on the front row for the reversed grid final encounter.  

He grabbed the lead with a stunning move on the opening lap of race three, and despite coming under attack throughout, he charged on to claim the champagne with a second career win in the UK’s toughest motorsport series. 

“I didn’t think it was going to happen after getting knocked back on the opening lap of race one and I pretty much started from the back in race two,” he said. “I’m really grateful for the team, and the car, that we had the pace to pull the weekend around.  

“The goal before race three was to get a good start and lead by the end of the first lap. I got the good start and I made my way past [pole-sitter] Chris Smiley. It looked like Adam Morgan [who was chasing] was struggling in the Mercedes with the back end, and I took advantage of that and sneaked through and held it.” 

Team principal David Bartrum paid tribute to Jackson’s comeback in race two, which he said set-up the victorious run in the finale. 

“Ollie has driven brilliantly,” he said. “He had the bad luck in race one, so he had to come through the pack. To get up to eighth position in race two set the scene for the win. That drive in race two was arguably a better drive that what he produced to win two races. 

“To get back to eighth to be in the draw and then to go from third off the line to first and win the race – he has not been gifted that, he’s won it from the way he has built his weekend. I’m over the moon for Ollie. I think this was one of his most complete weekends as he has qualified well and raced well.” 

Jackson has never finished higher than 18th in the overall standings, a statistic he is set to smash when the final rounds of the 2020 Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship take place at Motorbase Performance’s home circuit of Brands Hatch on November 14-15. 

Halfords Yuasa Racing’s Dan Cammish will arrive at Brands Hatch next weekend (14/15 November) looking to stage an even bigger comeback than he did in 2019, when the Yorkshireman came so close to snatching the title.

“Last year I went to the Brands final 16 points back and came so close to taking the title,” said Cammish. “This year it's a bigger points gap but I have to get stuck in and stay positive – it's not over yet!”

That battle cry followed a tricky outing for the Honda manufacturer outfit at Snetterton last month where colder track temperatures, as well as the new ‘Top Ten Showdown’ qualifying format, provided challenges during the weekend.

Cammish qualified well to claim fifth on the grid and produced a decent points haul with a trio of top six finishes on race day, despite the Honda Civic Type R struggling to show outright race-winning pace around the Snetterton 300 layout.

Although the 31-year-old lost ground in the title race to rivals Colin Turkington and Ash Sutton ahead of him, Cammish was sure he had squeezed everything he could from the #27 machine.

“Usually when I go home if I’ve made errors then I’m feeling pretty down, but I don’t know what more I could have done all weekend,” he said.

“I could have done with a few more points but what we’ve got to do is come back fighting at Brands and have a good end to this championship.

“I’m happy to be where I am. We’ve had a sensible year, there’s been opportunities missed but there’s also been some good days.

“All we can do now is regroup and see if we can come out with something a little bit quicker at Brands.”

Three-time BTCC champion Matt Neal knows what it takes to win a title and the veteran racer will be doing all he can to help bring success to his team-mate and Honda, particularly with the Manufacturers’ and Teams’ honours also still up for grabs.

“The important thing to take away is that we are not out of it,” claimed Neal. “We go to Brands Hatch with Dan still in the title race and I will be doing everything I can to help win titles for him and Honda."

Rounds 25, 26 and 27 of the Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship will take place around the famous Brands Hatch Indy Circuit on 14/15 November.