Cammish claims maiden BTCC victory

Halfords Yuasa Racing's Dan Cammish became the 17th different race winner in the 2018 Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship after the Honda rookie got the better of pole-sitter Brett Smith in the opening contest at Brands Hatch.

Cammish's Honda team-mate Matt Neal also nipped by Smith shortly after mid-distance to complete a one-two for the manufacturer-backed squad. Smith held on for a first BTCC podium, albeit under pressure from his WIX Racing with Eurotech team-mate Jack Goff.

In a race that simmered without reaching boiling point it was the overall championship battle that many had their eyes on. Both Colin Turkington and Tom Ingram made steady progress from relatively low grid positions, but it was the BMW man that extended his points advantage to 36 with a 12th place finish. 

Tom Chilton's title challenge is now mathematically over but his ninth place result boosted his and Team Shredded Wheat Racing with Gallagher's chances of Independents' laurels.

With Honda machinary dominating the top four positions it was Power Maxed TAG Racing's Senna Proctor who proved to be the best of the rest. Young talent Proctor performed well during qualifying yesterday and the Vauxhall man saw off Daniel Lloyd early in this encounter before latching onto the back of the Hondas. He was never quite close enough to make an attack but fifth place was still a decent reward for the Yorkshireman.

BTC Norlin Racing's Lloyd took sixth ahead of the charging Aiden Moffat in the Laser Tools Racing Mercedes. BMW Pirtek Racing's Andrew Jordan was eighth after he made a stellar move by Sam Tordoff's Ford, whilst Chilton headed his Motorbase team-mate James Cole to complete the top ten positions. 

There were a couple of minor incidents on the opening lap – one involving two Team HARD VWs – with the most notable however, being that for reigning champion Ash Sutton. It's not yet clear what happened but the Adrian Flux Subaru Racing star ran wide and into the gravel through Druids on the first tour and he retired in the pits soon after.

Back to the title battle and it is all still to play for with just two races remaining in the 2018 Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship. Turkington's 34 point advantage over Ingram however, means the latter must make some serious inroads in the next race, which will take place at 1440.

Dan Cammish said: "What a great day, I’m really proud of the guys and the team. The fact Matt (Neal) was second shows how much potential we’ve had. To get my first win is just great – what a fantastic moment. There’s not a better place than Brands Hatch to do it, and in the sun too. The plan was to formation fly around the end of the race and I knew Matt would be a good wingman – it was good to have that. Matt’s a great team-mate, not only on the track but off it as well. He’s open with data and doesn’t keep anything from me. I think if I’m faster, he’s encouraged by that. Hopefully I dragged him around a little bit there too!"
 
Matt Neal said: "He’s threatened that top step all year and hopefully that’s the cork out of the bottle for him now – he drove mega. We really wanted a good result at Silverstone but it didn’t quite come our way. We wanted to do it for a key member of our team that we have lost, so that one is for you Wainy! (Mark Wain – longstanding Team Dynamics member, who sadly passed away two weeks ago)."
 
Brett Smith said: "I made hard work of it on the Option-Soft tyre but that was the best it has felt. I gifted it to Cammish at the start and I lost the rear tyres at Stirlings. Matt (Neal) was so much quicker once he got his tyres into their window and I just had to let him past. I thought that if I didn’t, Jack (Goff) would have been right with me – as it happened he was in the end anyway! I know Jack’s a committed overtaker but he wouldn’t put me or anyone else in harm’s way. I think he was looking longer than race one and he’ll be well placed now for race two."

2018 Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship – Round 28 – Brands Hatch GP

Dan CAMMISH (GBR) Halfords Yuasa Racing 15 laps
2 Matt NEAL (GBR) Halfords Yuasa Racing +0.368s
3 Brett SMITH (GBR) WIX Racing with Eurotech +2.753s
Jack GOFF (GBR) WIX Racing with Eurotech +3.362s
5 Senna PROCTOR (GBR) Power Maxed TAG Racing +3.922s
Dan LLOYD (GBR) BTC Norlin Racing +8.102s
7 Aiden MOFFAT (GBR) Laser Tools Racing +9.218s
8 Andrew JORDAN (GBR) BMW Pirtek Racing +9.428s
Tom CHILTON (GBR) Team Shredded Wheat Racing with Gallagher +12.421s
10 James COLE (GBR) Team Shredded Wheat Racing with Gallagher +12.632s
11 Sam TORDOFF (GBR) Team GardX Racing with Motorbase +13.237s
12 Colin TURKINGTON (GBR) Team BMW +13.460s
13 Tom OLIPHANT (GBR) Ciceley Motorsport +13.612s
14 Tom INGRAM (GBR) Speedworks Motorsport +13.794s
15 Rob AUSTIN (GBR) DUO Motorsport with HMS Racing +14.059s
16 Ricky COLLARD (GBR) Team BMW +18.686s
17 Ollie JACKSON (GBR) AmD with Cobra Exhausts +19.840s
18 Jason PLATO (GBR) Adrian Flux Subaru Racing +20.268s
19 Adam MORGAN (GBR) Mac Tools with Ciceley Motorsport +20.846s
20 Matt SIMPSON (GBR) Simpson Racing +21.468s
21 Stephen JELLEY (GBR) Team Parker Racing +22.454s
22 Josh COOK (GBR) Power Maxed TAG Racing +22.483s
23 Rory BUTCHER (GBR) AmD with AutoAid/RCIB Insurance Racing +22.861s
24 Mike BUSHELL (GBR) Trade Price Cars with Brisky Racing +30.865s
25 Sam SMELT (GBR) AmD with Cobra Exhausts +34.370s
26 Josh CAYGILL (GBR) AmD with AutoAid/RCIB Insurance Racing +35.070s
27 Ollie PIDGLEY (GBR) Trade Price Cars with Brisky Racing +35.608s
28 Chris SMILEY (GBR) BTC Norlin Racing +2 laps
29 Ethan HAMMERTON (GBR) Team HARD with Trade Price Cars +1 laps
30 Ashley SUTTON (GBR) Adrian Flux Subaru Racing +15 laps
31 Bobby THOMPSON (GBR) Team HARD with Trade Price Cars +15 laps

Brett Smith heads an incredible Honda top five

WIX Racing with Eurotech’s Brett Smith claimed a maiden Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship pole position in the final qualifying session of the season at Brands Hatch.

Incredibly, Honda dominated the top five positions with the manufacturer-backed pairing of Dan Cammish and Matt Neal next up in the order. Halfords Yuasa Racing’s Cammish held P1 for much of the session with Smith seemingly set for second, but the latter produced the goods during their respective late runs and the duo traded places on the timesheets.

“I thought top five would be a great result here,” said Smith. “Top eight was our minimum and anything outside of the top ten would have been a poor one but the car was just ridiculous – I could do anything I wanted with it. I can’t fault the boys, I’m chuffed to bits – I’m having to pinch myself! We found that extra tenth-of-a-second and some. I had the confidence and through the first sector it was amazing. Around the final sector it was just spot on.”

Jack Goff confirmed WIX Racing with Eurotech’s pace by taking fourth, ahead of the BTC Norlin Racing Civic Type R of Daniel Lloyd.

The race for this year’s BTCC’s title proved to be a sidestory in this particular qualifying session with the ballast-laden BMW of standings leader Colin Turkington minimising the damage to his main rivals Tom Ingram and Tom Chilton. Team Shredded Wheat Racing with Gallagher’s Chilton was the best of the trio in 15th, with Turkington 17th and Speedworks Motorsport man Ingram down in 19th.

“That was important, staying ahead of Tom (Ingram) and getting the upper hand early in the weekend,” said Turkington. “We’ve been slowly improving the car and when we put it on the table for qualifying, I found a few tenths-of-a-second. When you see where I am on the grid it does look a long way back but when you factor in that the guys competing for the title are around me and Ricky (Collard) and Andy (Jordan) aren’t too far up the road, then it looks a lot better. I can sleep well tonight – tomorrow’s the day.”

Back towards the front of the field and Senna Proctor proved to be the first non-Honda in the classification with the Power Maxed Racing driver firing his Vauxhall Astra into sixth place, ahead of Sam Tordoff’s Motorbase-run Ford Focus.

Chris Smiley looked to have made it a Honda top six in the closing stages before his quickest lap-time was removed due to a track limits infringement, meaning the Northern Irishman had to settle for eighth at the finish.

Laser Tools Racing’s Aiden Moffat – celebrating his 22nd birthday this weekend – took ninth, and special mention must go to reigning champion Ash Sutton in tenth. The Adrian Flux Subaru Racing man endured a heavy accident in Free Practice 2 earlier this afternoon and his team had to produce a herculean effort to ready his Levorg in time for qualifying. Sutton was on-track within five minutes of the start and the 24-year-old performed admirably to take a top ten berth.

Rounds 28, 29 and 30 of the 2018 Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship will take place around the hallowed 2.43-mile Brands Hatch Grand Prix Circuit tomorrow with a huge crowd expected to descend on the legendary Kent venue. Many more will watch the action live on ITV4, which will start at 10:30 and run through until a BTCC champion is crowned tomorrow evening.

2018 Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship – Qualifying – Brands Hatch GP

1 Brett SMITH (GBR) WIX Racing with Eurotech 1m30.537s (96.75mph)
Dan CAMMISH (GBR) Halfords Yuasa Racing +0.043
3 Matt NEAL (GBR) Halfords Yuasa Racing +0.188s
Jack GOFF (GBR) WIX Racing with Eurotech +0.236s
Dan LLOYD (GBR) BTC Norlin Racing +0.238s
6 Senna PROCTOR (GBR) Power Maxed TAG Racing +0.310s
Sam TORDOFF (GBR) Team GardX Racing with Motorbase +0.349s
Chris SMILEY (GBR) BTC Norlin Racing +0.358s
9 Aiden MOFFAT (GBR) Laser Tools Racing +0.378s
10 Ashley SUTTON (GBR) Adrian Flux Subaru Racing +0.382s
11 Ricky COLLARD (GBR) Team BMW +0.441s
12 Andrew JORDAN (GBR) BMW Pirtek Racing +0.462s
13 Jason PLATO (GBR) Adrian Flux Subaru Racing +0.574s
14 Rob AUSTIN (GBR) DUO Motorsport with HMS Racing +0.586s
15 Tom CHILTON (GBR) Team Shredded Wheat Racing with Gallagher +0.588s
16 James COLE (GBR) Team Shredded Wheat Racing with Gallagher +0.603s
17 Colin TURKINGTON (GBR) Team BMW +0.627s
18 Ollie JACKSON (GBR) AmD with Cobra Exhausts +0.632s
19 Tom INGRAM (GBR) Speedworks Motorsport +0.687s
20 Tom OLIPHANT (GBR) Ciceley Motorsport +0.765s
21 Mike BUSHELL (GBR) Trade Price Cars with Brisky Racing +0.771s
22 Adam MORGAN (GBR) Mac Tools with Ciceley Motorsport +0.812s
23 Josh COOK (GBR) Power Maxed TAG Racing +0.856s
24 Matt SIMPSON (GBR) Simpson Racing +0.927s
25 Rory BUTCHER (GBR) AmD with AutoAid/RCIB Insurance Racing +1.165s
26 Stephen JELLEY (GBR) Team Parker Racing +1.218s
27 Bobby THOMPSON (GBR) Team HARD with Trade Price Cars +1.270s
28 Sam SMELT (GBR) AmD with Cobra Exhausts +1.523s
29 Ethan HAMMERTON (GBR) Team HARD with Trade Price Cars +1.718s
30 Ollie PIDGLEY (GBR) Trade Price Cars with Brisky Racing +1.994s
31 Josh CAYGILL (GBR) AmD with AutoAid/RCIB Insurance Racing +2.757s

Cammish claims top spot as Sutton crashes out

Halfords Yuasa Racing's Dan Cammish set the fastest lap of the day so far with a 1:31.000s lap-time providing the Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship benchmark at Brands Hatch.

Ash Sutton went 0.018s quicker than his FP1 morning effort to take second, but the reigning champion's session unfortunately ended in the barrier at Paddock Hill Bend with four minutes to go. It's not yet clear what went wrong for the Adrian Flux Subaru Racing star, but his BMR-run squad will now have some work to do to ready his car for the all-important qualifying session.

Sutton's incident prevented anyone from improving late on with the scheduled 40-minutes of running brought to a premature end, but that didn't stop WIX Racing with Eurotech's Jack Goff and BMW Pirtek Racing's Andrew Jordan from showing well again to take third and fourth positions respectively.

Aiden Moffat – celebrating his 22nd birthday this weekend – was an impressive fifth in his Laser Tools Racing Mercedes-Benz. The Scotsman won around the legendary Brands Hatch Grand Prix circuit last season, and also sealed victory last time out at Silverstone two weeks ago, so he should be one to watch this weekend.

Brett Smith underlined the speed of the WIX Racing with Eurotech Hondas by claiming sixth ahead of Matt Neal's newer Civic Type R FK8. Matt Simpson and Chris Smiley continued the Honda theme in the order, with Speedworks Motorsport's Tom Ingram rounding out the top ten.

Cammish fell foul of a pit-lane red light and saw pole taken from his grasp ahead of his BTCC debut at the start of this season, so he'll be looking to right some wrongs in qualifying this afternoon at 1520. His FP2 showing will only serve to encourage the Yorkshireman.

"I can’t believe the full season’s done – my first in touring cars. Time is flying and life is flying by at the moment. With racing, you're waiting for the next race weekend and wishing the week away. Next thing you know, 15 years have gone by!

"I love it here at Brands and I go well here. We've got a good package but as ever, it's so close in the BTCC and it's about delivering when it matters.

"There's a lot more opportunity to find a good lap on the Grand Prix circuit. It spreads out a lot more here and there's a bit more speed differential. The tyre has a certain window and you have to find it and deliver in that window. I didn't really drive a front-wheel drive car until February.

"I don't drive these tracks until I turn up on a race weekend. I don't have a memory bank. It's not the easiest and we've a new car but everyone's working hard, Matt Neal's working hard and it's all information for 2019. You have a smile on your face when you hook a lap up in this car – more so than I ever did in the Porsche!"

2018 Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship – Free Practice 2 – Brands Hatch GP

Dan CAMMISH (GBR) Halfords Yuasa Racing 1m31.000s
Ashley SUTTON (GBR) Adrian Flux Subaru Racing +0.072s
Jack GOFF (GBR) WIX Racing with Eurotech +0.085s
4 Andrew JORDAN (GBR) BMW Pirtek Racing +0.141s
5 Aiden MOFFAT (GBR) Laser Tools Racing +0.158s
6 Brett SMITH (GBR) WIX Racing with Eurotech +0.196s
7 Matt NEAL (GBR) Halfords Yuasa Racing +0.240s
8 Matt SIMPSON (GBR) Simpson Racing +0.243s
Chris SMILEY (GBR) BTC Norlin Racing +0.367s
10 Tom INGRAM (GBR) Speedworks Motorsport +0.386s
11 Colin TURKINGTON (GBR) Team BMW +0.413s
12 Senna PROCTOR (GBR) Power Maxed TAG Racing +0.452s
13 Tom CHILTON (GBR) Team Shredded Wheat Racing with Gallagher +0.541s
14 Sam TORDOFF (GBR) Team GardX Racing with Motorbase +0.576s
15 Josh COOK (GBR) Power Maxed TAG Racing +0.711s
16 Rob AUSTIN (GBR) DUO Motorsport with HMS Racing +0.724s
17 Tom OLIPHANT (GBR) Ciceley Motorsport +0.742s
18 Adam MORGAN (GBR) Mac Tools with Ciceley Motorsport +0.743s
19 Dan LLOYD (GBR) BTC Norlin Racing +0.455s
20 Mike BUSHELL (GBR) Trade Price Cars with Brisky Racing +0.939s
21 Bobby THOMPSON (GBR) Team HARD with Trade Price Cars +1.021s
22 Ollie JACKSON (GBR) AmD with Cobra Exhausts +1.123s
23 James COLE (GBR) Team Shredded Wheat Racing with Gallagher +1.161s
24 Jason PLATO (GBR) Adrian Flux Subaru Racing +1.208s
25 Ricky COLLARD (GBR) Team BMW +1.387s
26 Ethan HAMMERTON (GBR) Team HARD with Trade Price Cars +1.596s
27 Stephen JELLEY (GBR) Team Parker Racing +1.730s
28 Rory BUTCHER (GBR) AmD with AutoAid/RCIB Insurance Racing +1.793s
29 Sam SMELT (GBR) AmD with Cobra Exhausts +1.805s
30 Ollie PIDGLEY (GBR) Trade Price Cars with Brisky Racing +2.618s
31 Josh CAYGILL (GBR) AmD with AutoAid/RCIB Insurance Racing +4.165s

Current champ Sutton sets the pace

Adrian Flux Subaru Racing's Adrian Flux set the early pace around the hallowed Brands Hatch Grand Prix circuit as this year's outgoing champion looks to sign off his season in style.

It has been a valiant title defence from Sutton, who only dropped out of overall contention at the penultimate event at Silverstone, but runners-up laurels are still very much up for grabs. The Subaru star has still won the most races of any driver this season – five victories so far – and he is keen to keep that honour.

"I can go out and enjoy it – straight away we’re on the pace," said Sutton. "I’m here to win races whether there’s a championship at stake or not. Tom (Ingram) is going to be very fast this weekend and he’s the one that can take the most race wins away from me, so I’m out to stop that. The car feels good, except we were sat in the garage! We had a slight oil leak so we thought it best to garage the car just to be safe."

BMW Pirtek Racing's Andrew Jordan ran second in FP1, ahead of WIX Racing with Eurotech's Jack Goff, both of whom have put up good championship challenges this season.

Fourth placed Tom Chilton is still in mathematical contention to win a maiden BTCC title and the Team Shredded Wheat Racing with Gallagher man was happy to have pipped his main rivals.

"I am really pleased with fourth place so far," he said. "I know it's only FP1 but I always think it's quite a good guide. Colin Turkington is down in 15th and we've got a gust of wind to get ahead of Tom Ingram too. I love this place, it's my home circuit and my favourite track in the UK. I'm excited about the weekend and we'll be pushing throughout."

The Mercedes of Adam Morgan separated Chilton and Ingram's Speedworks Toyota Avensis, whilst the Halfords Yuasa Racing duo Matt Neal and Dan Cammish were seventh and eighth respectively. 

BTC Norlin Racing and 2018 race winner Chris Smiley was ninth, whilst local boy Mike Bushell continued his good form with a top ten lap time.

All 31 cars will be back on track for Free Practice 2 at at 12:05, before the final Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship Qualifying session of the season commences at 15:20. Qualifying and the proceeding four races from the Renault UK Clio Cup, F4 British Championship, Michelin Ginetta GT4 Supercup and Ginetta Junior Championship – all with title battles on the line – will be streamed live and exclusively via www.itv.com/btcc.

2018 Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship – Free Practice 1 – Brands Hatch GP

Ashley SUTTON (GBR) Adrian Flux Subaru Racing 1m31.090s
2 Andrew JORDAN (GBR) BMW Pirtek Racing +0.126s
Jack GOFF (GBR) WIX Racing with Eurotech +0.192s
Tom CHILTON (GBR) Team Shredded Wheat Racing with Gallagher +0.319s
5 Adam MORGAN (GBR) Mac Tools with Ciceley Motorsport +0.357s
6 Tom INGRAM (GBR) Speedworks Motorsport +0.363s
7 Matt NEAL (GBR) Halfords Yuasa Racing +0.364s
Dan CAMMISH (GBR) Halfords Yuasa Racing +0.384s
Chris SMILEY (GBR) BTC Norlin Racing +0.451s
10 Mike BUSHELL (GBR) Trade Price Cars with Brisky Racing +0.452s
11 Dan LLOYD (GBR) BTC Norlin Racing +0.455s
12 Brett SMITH (GBR) WIX Racing with Eurotech +0.469s
13 Senna PROCTOR (GBR) Power Maxed TAG Racing +0.527s
14 Aiden MOFFAT (GBR) Laser Tools Racing +0.571s
15 Colin TURKINGTON (GBR) Team BMW +0.592s
16 Jason PLATO (GBR) Adrian Flux Subaru Racing +0.756s
17 Josh COOK (GBR) Power Maxed TAG Racing +0.912s
18 Ollie JACKSON (GBR) AmD with Cobra Exhausts +0.925s
19 Tom OLIPHANT (GBR) Ciceley Motorsport +1.082s
20 Rob AUSTIN (GBR) DUO Motorsport with HMS Racing +1.096s
21 Stephen JELLEY (GBR) Team Parker Racing +1.157s
22 Rory BUTCHER (GBR) AmD with AutoAid/RCIB Insurance Racing +1.160s
23 James COLE (GBR) Team Shredded Wheat Racing with Gallagher +1.360s
24 Sam TORDOFF (GBR) Team GardX Racing with Motorbase +1.415s
25 Bobby THOMPSON (GBR) Team HARD with Trade Price Cars +1.437s
26 Matt SIMPSON (GBR) Simpson Racing +1.586s
27 Sam SMELT (GBR) AmD with Cobra Exhausts +2.162s
28 Ricky COLLARD (GBR) Team BMW +2.360s
29 Ethan HAMMERTON (GBR) Team HARD with Trade Price Cars +2.568s
30 Josh CAYGILL (GBR) AmD with AutoAid/RCIB Insurance Racing +4.770s
31 Ollie PIDGLEY (GBR) Trade Price Cars with Brisky Racing +7.681s

Hear from the contenders

The top three as it stands in the 2018 Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship speak to btcc.net ahead of the finale at Brands Hatch this weekend.

📊 The season so far in infographics...

Series title sponsor Dunlop has published a series of smart infographics deconstructing the 2018 Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship up to this point, with just three rounds of this 60th anniversary season to come this weekend at Brands Hatch.

First up, the picture in Dunlop's #ForeverForward award.

As always, the overtaking league that recognises and rewards drivers’ fight-backs from adversity has been hotly contest over the course of the 2018 campaign, with the competition set to go down to the wire. Tom Ingram's trademark battles through the pack at the likes of Snetterton and Rockingham have earned him top spot in #ForeverForward so far, and have ensured he heads to Brands Hatch in with a real shout of overturning Drivers' standings leader Colin Turkington. 


Weekend honours this season have been sealed by seven different drivers, racing for seven different teams, representing six different marques – such is the fierce competition throughout the BTCC field between drivers, outfits and machinery.

Adrian Flux Subaru Racing's Ash Sutton enacted a valiant defence of his maiden BTCC crown this year and his #ForeverForward tally illustrates that. On a number of occasions this year, the Subaru man has been forced into battling back through the pack and he narrowly heads a gaggle of drivers including Stephen Jelley, Josh Cook and Senna Proctor in the scrap to dethrone Ingram atop the standings.

In the overall Drivers' picture, it has been a titanic tussle all season between Turkington and Ingram, with the Speedworks Motorsport man topping the charts after four race weekends in 2018 – the pair have been inseparable.

Double champion Turkington stole the initiative at Oulton Park, where he secured his only race victory of the campaign to-date, but Ingram briefly wrested control of the Drivers' running back at Snetterton following a profitable 'Diamond Double' weekend where he tallied well in the double-score finale. 

After that, strong weekends for Team BMW and Turkington at Rockingham and Knockhill meant a points margin began to open up following the latter weekend as the double champ began to tighten the screw. Ingram, though, nibbled away at the gap at Silverstone, taking nine points out of WSR's front-running driver's advantage. With the gap standing at 34 points, and 67 still on the table, it's all to play for at Brands Hatch. 

Despite some typically Turkington consistency, Ingram has not dropped below sixth in the Drivers' Championship at any point this season. A difficult Donington Park for Turkington saw him down in 10th in the running, but from there on in, he's scored points at the fastest rate of any driver.

The race is on for AutoAid/RCIB Insurance Racing's road-going MG6...

AmD with AutoAid/RCIB Insurance Racing will this weekend give eight competition winners the chance to win a road-going replica of their MG6 Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship racer via an ultra-competitive Scalextric battle!

Entries aren’t closed yet, either.  Two spots are still open... For your chance to compete for the MG6, buy team merchandise before 10am Sunday at the circuit!

Born from an idea put forwards by joint title sponsors AutoAid and RCIB Insurance – which is providing the headline prize – the competition ran throughout the 2018 season with the winner being chosen in this unique slot-car shoot-out to be held at this weekend's Brands Hatch finale.
 
Prior to the the last race weekend of this 60th anniversary campaign, a number of giveaways took place through AutoAid and RCIB Insurance’s social media channels with a total of eight winners picked to join the team at Brands Hatch.
 
Each individual winner also got their hands on a signed Scalextric model of an RCIB-backed race car.
 
This weekend, those eight competition winners will not only get the chance to watch the action on track, but will also do battle themselves in a series of knock-out races using a Scalextric set to decide the overall victor.

That person will win an MG6 GT featuring the same Joyce Designs livery that is displayed on AmD's MGs this season.
 
The car will also benefit from a range of upgrades including a one-off rear wing, an AmD engine remap, a new Cobra exhaust system, Eibach springs and Pipercross filters.
 
An Autoglym car care set will be thrown into the mix, whilst AmD will also carry out a full carbon clean of the engine using the industry leading technology of team sponsors Carbon Clean. The new car will also be handed over running with fresh Liqui Moly oil as provided by the team’s latest racing partner.

Hometown heroes seeking glory at Brands Hatch

Team Shredded Wheat Racing with Gallagher is hoping for home advantage to play its part in the 2018 Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship season finale this weekend, as the title fight goes down the final three races of the year at Brands Hatch.

Tom Chilton leads the Team Shredded Wheat Racing with Gallagher charge for the Motorbase-run outfit. Heading into the finale in third place in the overall standings, he still poses a mathematical threat to title challengers Colin Turkington and Tom Ingram. Chilton is determined to keep the pressure on the lead duo until the final flag drops.

A battle that will be at the forefront of his attention, is the highly-coveted Independent Drivers’ crown. The 33-year-old sits just 20 points shy of leader and incumbent champion Ingram, with a maximum of 60 available from the three races. The battle for the Independent Teams’ title is also set to go right down to the wire, with Team Shredded Wheat Racing with Gallagher in a strong second place to Speedworks Motorsport and just 10 points adrift heading into Sunday’s title-deciding triple-header.

“I think the top three guys in the championship are going to be hurt really badly by the weight in qualifying," said Chilton. "We’re carrying 57 kilograms into qualifying and race one with our nearest rivals behind only on 39 kilograms, which is a big drop in weight. With that in mind, the others could all look like heroes on Saturday afternoon.  

“It’s going to be a very exciting end to the season. I think the BTCC will see the best of me this weekend. I’m going for it. As soon as I get a sniff of something, I’m gone, and although it’s a long shot I can see the overall title within reach so I’ll be pushing hard.

"This is my 12th year in the BTCC and 16th year in touring cars so I know exactly where I need to be and what I need to do so I’m feeling confident. I’m looking forward to spraying champagne on that podium on Sunday night!”

With the Motorbase Performance workshop less than five minutes away in nearby Wrotham, Brands Hatch is a firm favourite for the squad. The team has celebrated more wins at its local circuit than at any other track over the years and with two titles within its grasp, David Bartrum’s squad is eager to add to that tally as the Ford Focus RS nears the end of its impressive debut season.

Oly Collins Team Manager said: “The final is here! We're excited to be one of only 3 cars in the title fight. It may be a long shot but we’ll be giving it our all and as we know, anything can happen in the BTCC. We're in a very good position in the Independent Titles’ fight and can hopefully bring some home advantage to the final round this weekend in our own backyard!

“It’s been a great debut season for the RS this year and 2018 has been a year the whole team can be very proud of. A season of highs and lows and key turning points has become typical in the BTCC and this year has delivered exactly that!”

James Cole added: “I’m full of positivity going into the final rounds of the season. Like every year in the BTCC we’ve had our ups and downs but before you know it, it’s over. You almost have to take this round as reflection of the year, take a step back and enjoy it as for the next six months you’ll be wishing for the start of the season again.

“My job this weekend is to help Tom and the team in any way that I can in their title aims. I’m just going to enjoy the round as if it was the first and hopefully get the results that will make the offseason a lot more enjoyable and end the season on a high note.”

Dunlop to auction BTCC artwork for Macmillan Cancer Support

Starting today, 27 September, Dunlop will auction the specially-commissioned Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship Diamond Jubilee artwork by contemporary British automotive artist Ian Cook of Popbangcolour to raise funds and awareness for Macmillan Cancer Support. 

The artwork was created at the 'Diamond Double' race meeting at Snetterton in July and is signed by much of the current crop of BTCC drivers including Jason Plato, Matt Neal, Tom Ingram, Andrew Jordan and Ash Sutton.

 

The auction will start on Thursday 27 September, to co-incide with Macmillan’s traditional ‘World’s Biggest Coffee Morning’ on Friday, the eve of the final round of BTCC at Brands Hatch. The original artwork will be on display at Popbangcolour’s trade stand.

Ian Cook, of Popbangcolour, has for the past 10 years combined his passion for cars and career as an artist, creating artwork by painting with radio-controlled cars, toy car wheels and Dunlop tyres instead of traditional paintbrushes. Ian has produced over 400 artworks including breaking a Guinness World Record whilst painting with a full-sized car. His artwork has also appeared across numerous television shows including Top Gear’s art special, Blue Peter and The One Show.

Macmillan is the corporate charity of Dunlop and aims to reach and improve the lives of everyone living with cancer and to inspire millions of others to do the same. Since Douglas Macmillan founded the charity in 1911, Macmillan has grown to be the UK’s leading source of cancer support, helping more and more people living with cancer.

The auction starts on Thursday 27 September and will close at 8pm on Monday 1 October.

Click here to see a time-lapse video of the creation of the Diamond Jubilee artwork by Popbangcolour

For those not wishing to bid but would still like to donate to Macmillan, please visit https://www.macmillan.org.uk

BTCC on ITV – The Finale, Brands Hatch GP – This Weekend

The Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship's Diamond Jubilee, 60th anniversary season reaches its conclusion this weekend at Brands Hatch (29-30 September) and there's a three-way scrap for the biggest prize in British motorsport... Who'll go down in history: Colin Turkington, Tom Ingram or Tom Chilton?

ITV Sport will have every twist and turn covered live, free-to-air and exclusive, starting with qualifying on Saturday afternoon – streamed over at itv.com/btcc/.

Then, on Sunday, Rounds 28, 29 and 30 of the BTCC will be live on ITV4, the ITV Hub and at itv.com/btcc with action from the support series’ over an eight-hour programme.

Brands Hatch GP 29-30 September

Qualifying LIVE: Saturday 29 September
ITV.com/BTCC
from 1510

Raceday LIVE: Sunday 30 August
ITV4 & ITV4 HD 1030-1830
ITV4+1 1130-1930
ITV Hub 1030-1830
ITV.com/BTCC 1130-1930

Highlights: Saturday 6 October
ITV4 & ITV4 HD
 1030-1200
ITV4 +1 1130-1300
ITV Hub Available anytime for the next 30 days

Highlights: Sun 7 October
ITV4 & ITV4 HD 0600-0730
ITV4 +1 0700-0830

Highlights: Wednesday 10 October
ITV & ITV HD 
2345-0105