Halfords Yuasa Racing's Dan Cammish has taken his first ever Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship pole position after setting a blistering lap record at Knockhill.

An incredible front row at the Fife track is completed by Team Parker Racing's Stephen Jelley, who himself held provisional pole with just minutes of the session remaining. Three drivers clocked lap times in the 50 seconds bracket with BMW Pirtek Racing's Andrew Jordan following close behind the lead duo.

The ever-improving Jelley was the first to dip under that benchmark and the BTCC race winner then went even quicker still in his BMW 125i M Sport, but not before Honda's Cammish had recorded a hugely impressive 50.929s lap time. Jelley eventually fell short by just 0.023s with Jordan only 0.051s off the ultimate pace.

In truth, the top trio were streets ahead of the chasing pack although championship leader Colin Turkington was delighted to be the 'best of the rest' in his Team BMW car. The double champion – carrying maximum success ballast due to his standings lead – produced his own heroics to set the fourth fastest time ahead of Rockingham race winner Chris Smiley in the BTC Norlin Racing Honda.

Toyota star Tom Ingram will line-up sixth on the grid for tomorrow's opener after the Speedworks Motorsport driver featured at the sharp end of the leaderboard throughout, albeit whilst also spending considerable time in the pits as his squad carried out work on the brakes of his Avensis.

Ciceley Motorsport enjoyed a solid day at the tight and twisty Scottish track with the Mercedes pairing of Tom Oliphant and Adam Morgan setting the seventh and ninth best times respectively, with reigning champion Ash Sutton wedged between them on the timesheets in his Adrian Flux Subaru Racing Levorg.

Power Maxed TAG Racing's Josh Cook rounded out the top ten positions in his Vauxhall Astra. The first 26 cars were separated by just 0.899s.

There was a long stoppage just five minutes into the 30-minute session when Bobby Thompson's Team HARD VW dropped oil all around 1.27-mile circuit, which required a clean up operation by marshals and the TOCA Safety Team. Whilst the action was able to resume after a significant delay, Thompson was unable to get back on track and record a time.

Rounds 22, 23 and 24 of the 2018 Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship will take place at Knockhill tomorrow with rain expected to descend on the area. A huge crowd is still expected to arrive at the circuit whilst many more will watch the action live on ITV4 from 11:00am.

Dan Cammish said: "I don't know what to say – I'm a bit speechless. I want to cry and show the emotion but I've got to keep it under wraps – the new Dan! I had that feeling at Brands Hatch where I knew I couldn't drive a better lap. I just thought please let that be enough here today and it was – I'm so thankful. Stephen Jelley's so close! At Snetterton I thought I did enough too and it didn't happen, I just thought what do you have to do in this championship to get a pole? I'm so pleased for us all, at Gordon Shedden's circuit too. Qualifying's the purest you'll get, it's the best you've got against the best they've got. I know I can come across as angry and frustrated but this makes up for it. I'm over the moon now. It's nice to see my smile isn't it!"

BMW Pirtek Racing's Andrew Jordan set the quickest time of the day – and fastest lap of all time around the 1.27-mile Knockhill circuit – as he pipped Halfords Yuasa Racing's Dan Cammish in the closing moments of Free Practice 2.

The Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship has kicked off in frenetic fashion as 31-cars have squeezed their way around the tight and twisty track during both practice sessions, but that hasn't stopped the record breaking pace as a number of drivers have dipped under the existing qualifying landmark.

Cammish looked to have grabbed P1 with his own late lap but the Yorkshireman eventually fell short by just 0.062s in his 2018 Honda Civic Type R.

The Ciceley Motorsport stable has hit form in recent weeks, Adam Morgan having secured a first pole position and race one victory at Rockingham last time out, and the Mac Tools-backed squad has continued its rich streak here. M0rgan ended up a solid third and generally looks like he could contend for qualifying honours later this afternoon.

Chris Smiley – another Rockingham race winner – set the fourth quickest time in the BTC Norlin Racing Honda, whilst DUO Motorsport with HMS Racing's Rob Austin claimed his second top five finish of the day.

Stephen Jelley produced an eye-catching final lap as the Team Parker man surged up the timesheets into sixth – just 0.001s behind Austin's Alfa.

Hondas and Mercedes' machinery made up the remainder of the top ten positions with Brett Smith (WIX Racing with Eurotech), Tom Oliphant (Ciceley Motorsport), Daniel Lloyd (BTC Norlin Racing) and Aiden Moffat (Laser Tools Racing) completing seventh through to tenth.

The first 20 cars were separated by a little over half a second.

There were two stoppages during the 40-minutes of running with Ollie Jackson's Audi going off at one point, whilst Matt Simpson's Honda lost a wheel after a pitstop.

Qualifying for Round 22 of the 2018 Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship will take place at 1525 and will be streamed live via www.itv.com/btcc.

2018 Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship – Free Practice 2 – Knockhill

1 Andrew JORDAN (GBR) BMW Pirtek Racing 51.185s
2 Dan CAMMISH (GBR) Halfords Yuasa Racing +0.062s
3 Adam MORGAN (GBR) Mac Tools with Ciceley Motorsport +0.138s
4 Chris SMILEY (GBR) BTC Norlin Racing +0.163s
5 Rob AUSTIN (GBR) DUO Motorsport with HMS Racing +0.189s
6 Stephen JELLEY (GBR) Team Parker Racing +0.190s
7 Brett SMITH (GBR) WIX Racing with Eurotech +0.237s
8 Tom OLIPHANT (GBR) Ciceley Motorsport +0.249s
9 Dan LLOYD (GBR) BTC Norlin Racing +0.252s
10 Aiden MOFFAT (GBR) Laser Tools Racing +0.274s
11 Jack GOFF (GBR) WIX Racing with Eurotech +0.324s
12 Colin TURKINGTON (GBR) Team BMW +0.393s
13 Ashley SUTTON (GBR) Adrian Flux Subaru Racing +0.426s
14 Sam TORDOFF (GBR) Team GardX Racing with Motorbase +0.429s
15 Mike BUSHELL (GBR) Trade Price Cars with Brisky Racing +0.452s
16 Tom INGRAM (GBR) Speedworks Motorsport +0.482s
17 Matt NEAL (GBR) Halfords Yuasa Racing +0.499s
18 Senna PROCTOR (GBR) Power Maxed TAG Racing +0.507s
19 Tom CHILTON (GBR) Team Shredded Wheat Racing with Gallagher +0.540s
20 Jason PLATO (GBR) Adrian Flux Subaru Racing +0.546s
21 Josh COOK (GBR) Power Maxed TAG Racing +0.547s
22 Ricky COLLARD (GBR) Team BMW +0.587s
23 Rory BUTCHER (GBR) AmD with AutoAid/RCIB Insurance Racing +0.600s
24 Matt SIMPSON (GBR) Simpson Racing +0.678s
25 James COLE (GBR) Team Shredded Wheat Racing with Gallagher +1.037s
26 Ollie JACKSON (GBR) AmD with Cobra Exhausts +1.127s
27 Glynn GEDDIE (GBR) AmD with AutoAid/RCIB Insurance Racing +1.193s
28 Sam SMELT (GBR) AmD with Cobra Exhausts +1.465s
29 Carl BOARDLEY (GBR) Team HARD with Trade Price Cars +1.660s
30 Ollie PIDGLEY (GBR) Trade Price Cars with Brisky Racing +2.089s
31 Bobby THOMPSON (GBR) Team HARD with Trade Price Cars NO TIME

Adrian Flux Subaru Racing's Ash Sutton topped the charts in the opening Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship practice session at Knockhill, heading the way from the Honda Civic Type R of Jack Goff and BMW Pirtek Racing's Andrew Jordan.

Sutton left it until his final lap – his 26th of the 40-minute session – to clock the fastest ever time around the 1.27-mile circuit. An all-new track surface was laid last winter and data always suggested that times would tumble this weekend, and four drivers have already dipped under the existing qualifying lap record.

WIX Racing with Eurotech's Goff looked to have earned the bragging rights until Sutton's flyer, whilst Jordan bounced back back well from early technical issues.

Jordan's WSR-run BMW 125i M Sport was stuck in pitlane for much of the first half of the session – suffering from steering issues – but he was soon back-on-track and setting the pace.

Rob Austin has notoriously gone well at Knockhill, having scored good results here in both his Audi A4 and Toyota Avensis in previous years, and he seems to be carrying over that form with the all-new Alfa Giulietta. Austin took the fourth fastest time for DUO Motorsport with HMS Racing, ahead of Team HARD with Brisky Racing's Mike Bushell.

Tom Chilton was sixth in his Team Shredded Wheat Racing with Gallagher, whilst the Mercedes duo of Tom Oliphant and Adam Morgan were next up in the timesheets. The Ciceley boys held a one-two early on but eventually had to settle for a solid seventh and eighth places ahead of Sam Tordoff's Ford Focus and Tom Ingram's Toyota.

There was one brief stoppage during the session when Matt Simpson went off at Turn 3 and his Simpson Racing Honda Civic Type R had to be retrieved. 

Free Practice 2 will take place at 1230 before the all-important qualifying session at 1525, which will be streamed live via www.itv.com/btcc.

2018 Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship – Free Practice 1 – Knockhill

1 Ashley SUTTON (GBR) Adrian Flux Subaru Racing 51.293s
2 Jack GOFF (GBR) WIX Racing with Eurotech +0.058s
3 Andrew JORDAN (GBR) BMW Pirtek Racing +0.162s
4 Rob AUSTIN (GBR) DUO Motorsport with HMS Racing +0.226s
5 Mike BUSHELL (GBR) Trade Price Cars with Brisky Racing +0.250s
6 Tom CHILTON (GBR) Team Shredded Wheat Racing with Gallagher +0.282s
7 Tom OLIPHANT (GBR) Ciceley Motorsport +0.336s
8 Adam MORGAN (GBR) Mac Tools with Ciceley Motorsport +0.347s
9 Sam TORDOFF (GBR) Team GardX Racing with Motorbase +0.352s
10 Tom INGRAM (GBR) Speedworks Motorsport +0.423s
11 Stephen JELLEY (GBR) Team Parker Racing +0.438s
12 Josh COOK (GBR) Power Maxed TAG Racing +0.455s
13 Chris SMILEY (GBR) BTC Norlin Racing +0.470s
14 Aiden MOFFAT (GBR) Laser Tools Racing +0.488s
15 Jason PLATO (GBR) Adrian Flux Subaru Racing +0.530s
16 Ollie JACKSON (GBR) AmD with Cobra Exhausts +0.589s
17 Matt NEAL (GBR) Halfords Yuasa Racing +0.593s
18 Colin TURKINGTON (GBR) Team BMW +0.616s
19 Brett SMITH (GBR) WIX Racing with Eurotech +0.628s
20 Ricky COLLARD (GBR) Team BMW +0.706s
21 Matt SIMPSON (GBR) Simpson Racing +0.746s
22 Dan CAMMISH (GBR) Halfords Yuasa Racing +0.777s
23 Rory BUTCHER (GBR) AmD with AutoAid/RCIB Insurance Racing +0.808s
24 James COLE (GBR) Team Shredded Wheat Racing with Gallagher +0.845s
25 Bobby THOMPSON (GBR) Team HARD with Trade Price Cars +0.869s
26 Senna PROCTOR (GBR) Power Maxed TAG Racing +0.921s
27 Dan LLOYD (GBR) BTC Norlin Racing +0.970s
28 Sam SMELT (GBR) AmD with Cobra Exhausts +1.248s
29 Carl BOARDLEY (GBR) Team HARD with Trade Price Cars +1.280s
30 Glynn GEDDIE (GBR) AmD with AutoAid/RCIB Insurance Racing +1.738s
31 Ollie PIDGLEY (GBR) Trade Price Cars with Brisky Racing +3.160s

The 2018 Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship makes its annual pilgrimage north of the border to Fife's rollercoaster Knockhill Circuit this weekend (25-26 August).

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

Then, on Sunday, Rounds 22, 23 and 24 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.

Knockhill 25/26 August

Qualifying LIVE: Saturday 25 August
ITV.com/BTCC from 1520

Raceday LIVE: Sunday 26 August
ITV4 & ITV4 HD 1100-1815
ITV4+1 1200-1915
ITV Hub 1100-1815
ITV.com/BTCC 1100-1815

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

Highlights: Sun 2 September
ITV4 & ITV4 HD 0630-0800
ITV4 +1 0730-0900

Highlights: Wednesday 5 September
ITV & ITV HD 2345-0105

Andrew Jordan is aiming for the top step of the podium as the Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship makes its annual trip to Knockhill, Scotland, this weekend.

​The BMW Pirtek Racing driver endured a frustrating time at Rockingham last time out as race-ending contact on the opening lap of race three cost him a chance of victory and dropped him to ninth in the Drivers’ points table.

But the WSR-run BMW 125i M Sport is one of the most successful cars in BTCC history around the undulating 1.3-mile Knockhill circuit near Edinburgh with 14 podium finishes in the past five years.

With the Lichfield driver carrying just 15kg success ballast into the weekend, he has ambitions of adding to the three rostrum results he’s already achieved this year.

Jordan was a race winner at Knockhill in his 2013 BTCC title-winning season and the 29-year-old has achieved two podium finishes at the Scottish circuit.

“The key to success in the BTCC is your ability to bounce back from a frustrating weekend," he said.

"At Rockingham we improved the car throughout and knew that by race three, we were in with a chance to win. The target for Knockhill is to do exactly the same but to avoid getting tangled with others, through no fault of my own. Knockhill is an amazing circuit and I love its old-school nature.

"Qualifying there is one of the best sessions of the year because it’s a short lap, so you get a good number of chances to really attack and do a fast time on your best tyres. With only 15 kilograms of success ballast for qualifying and race one, we should be able to fight for some strong results with the BMW.”

Dick Bennetts, Team Principal, added: “I think Andrew had a season’s worth of bad luck in one afternoon at Rockingham, and it’s doubly disappointing because he lost a potential win in the third race through no fault of his own.

"We can’t do anything about that now, but we can help him to fight for the top step of the podium at Knockhill. The BMW has been an excellent car here over the past few years, but with the BTCC now more competitive than ever, we’ll have to dig even deeper to add to the 14 podiums we’ve scored with the 125i M Sport.”

Team Shredded Wheat with Gallagher heads north of the border this coming weekend as the Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship arrives at Knockhill Racing Circuit in Fife for its annual Scottish outing.

Just three race meetings remain in the battle for the highly-covered BTCC crown, and with over 200 points still up for grabs, this weekend will play a vital role in keeping the Motorbase-run squad’s title hopes alive as the season enters its final stages.

With four podiums already under his belt, Tom Chilton currently lies tied on points for sixth in the Driver Standings, and is just seven points off fourth place heading into the weekend. The 33-year-old is also within striking distance of the Independents' Trophy lead as he looks to close the gap at the top of the championship and claim Team Shredded Wheat Racing with Gallagher’s maiden win of the season.

“Last time I raced at Knockhill in a Ford Focus was back in 2011, which saw me qualify in pole position and go on to win the race," said Chilton. "It would be great if we could repeat history again this weekend.

“I’m gutted I lost a potential win at Rockingham last time out and can’t believe how disappointed I felt with only a third and a 10th. The car has a lot of promise and I need to make sure we maximise the most of what we have this weekend, as I can really feel that win is getting ever so closer. 

“I love racing at Knockhill and can’t wait to be back on two wheels having fun again.”

After securing six top 10 finishes in the opening four meetings, James Cole has struggled to unlock the full potential of the RS in recent rounds. However, the 30-year-old is optimistic that the tight and twisty nature of the Scottish track will play to the strengths of the Ford’s chassis and signal a return to the strong form shown at the start of the season.

“Knockhill is unlike any other circuit that we race on in the BTCC. If you like rollercoasters, you’ll like Knockhill! I think it will suit our car," said Cole. "We’ve been consistent this season, apart from the last couple of rounds where we tried something different. We’ve learnt a lot from that though and can adapt that to what we already have and get back to a car that can challenge in the top five and push for podiums.

“We’ve had a mid-season slump, so we’ve got to pull back up and end the year as we started. Knockhill seems like the best place to do that.”

The unique and much-loved circuit has become a firm favourite for the Kent-based Motorbase outfit in recent years, with the previous Ford Focus ST model taking a fifth win of the season in 2016 and a commanding double podium celebration the year before. Chilton also has a winning past with the blue oval on the picturesque circuit, having taken pole position and a win here in the Ford Focus back in 2011.

Team Manager Oly Collins added: “Knockhill is an awesome challenge for the drivers, engineers and the whole team. We know the Focus has been quick this season and we're looking to convert that pace into results this weekend.

“With such a short lap it will be as close as ever, and qualifying will be the key to unlocking the chances of a strong weekend. Tom is well placed in the Championship and we're looking to build on that with only three meetings left. James also needs a turnaround weekend and change in fortunes to make sure that we stay in title fight.”

Following on from its 60th anniversary Diamond Jubilee shoot-out at this year's Goodwood Festival of Speed over the summer break, the Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship will see several of its stars past and present return to the Goodwood Estate, as its Motor Circuit plays host to the Goodwood Revival (7-9 September).

More than 500 competitive race wins are shared amongst the touring car drivers in attendance, from championships across the globe, including the World and European Touring Car Championships, the DTM, the Japanese Touring Car Championship and, of course, the Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship.

The biggest contingent does come from the BTCC, with some six champions set to take part in the action at Revival counting 11 titles between them.

Incumbent champ, Adrian Flux Subaru Racing's Ash Sutton, heads the way as he makes his Revival debut in a Ford-Lotus Cortina. He'll go head-to-head with 2013 champion, Goodwood's very own Andrew Jordan. He's no stranger to the circuit, as is well known, and he makes his return to action in September at the wheel of a Jordan Racing Team-prepared Cortina, owned by singer Howard Donald.

BTCC legend and three time champion Matt Neal's fresh off a landmark 'Diamond Double' victory and he'll be in action alongside stager-past Nick Whale in the latter's Studebaker Lark Daytona. Motorbase man Sam Tordoff will be there too, all set for another outing in his number 600 Porsche 356 after taking the car to the Silverstone Classic earlier in the summer.

Another triple champ will be making his return to action on British soil since departing Britain's top-tier championship last year, in Neal's former Team Dynamics team-mate Gordon Shedden – making for quite the reunion at the Goodwood Estate.

If you didn't see it at the time, this battle between Flash and AJ sets the tone!

https://www.facebook.com/Goodwood.Revival/videos/2103465862997069/

DUO Motorsport with HMS Racing's Rob Austin is hungry to realise the true potential of his Alfa Romeo Giulietta when the Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship heads to Knockhill this weekend.

The maiden season for the squad’s Alfa has been tempered by a run of misfortune, limiting the team to one podium finish thus far. The team continues to work night and day to unlock the results it feels its efforts have deserved. 

“I love Knockhill, it’s one of my favourite tracks to drive, there’s always a great atmosphere and the guys at the circuit always do a great job of running the event,” said Austin. “I’ve been on the podium there quite a few times and I’ve never seen a crowd like it – it's unique. 

“The potential is unquestionably there to visit the podium again, as it has been for some time now, but events outside our control have stopped us from demonstrating it.

"I would love to just have a clean, fair run at the weekend – if we do I’m sure we can be right up there.”

He added: “I’m starting to feel like a broken record saying our luck will change, so I think for this weekend we’ve got to manage our expectations, carry on giving it maximum effort and wait and see what fate delivers.”

While Knockhill is one of the shortest tracks on the calendar, just 1.27-miles, it is also one of the most spectacular with incredible corners such as Duffus Dip, the crested chicane, and Clark’s always posing a test to both man and machine.  

Austin's something of a Knockhill specialist. He first raced there back in 1998 in the single-seater Formula Renault UK Championship and there are realistic hopes for one of the better weekends of the year for the team.

Famous for providing the most stunning vista on the entire BTCC calendar, with a view overlooking the Firth of Forth and the famous Forth Bridges, Knockhill is also renowned for the huge crowds and the incredible support they give to the touring car competitors.

Looking forward to the weekend, Team Principal Simon Belcher said: “As a driver I always loved Knockhill and I know Rob does too, the racing is great and so is the crowd. We’re just hoping the long trip north brings us the good fortune we have been missing recently.”

The Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship makes its annual trip north of the border to Fife's rollercoaster ride of a circuit, Knockhill, next weekend (25/26 August), for Rounds 22, 23 and 24 of a 2018 campaign that is rapidly heading towards an enthralling climax.

With more than 200 points still left to play for across the BTCC's three remaining race weekends, the purported direction of the most coveted title in British motorsport is liable to change this way and that over the course of any one of those events. That said, the trip to Scotland is bound to prove key as drivers seek to press home their title credentials with rounds rapidly running out.

Typically, Knockhill throws up vintage touring car action. Its undulating surface and short track layout, combining chicanes, high-speed jinks and, of course, Taylor's Hairpin, lends itself perfectly to first-rate racing – perhaps explaining its status as a longstanding favourite of drivers and fans alike. 

A strong, passionate support always descends on the circuit, which Rob Austin this week credited as the reason for Knockhill's unique atmosphere, and this year will be no different. It's always a spectacle and a treat for those in attendance as well as those soaking in all the action at home via ITV4's live free-to-air coverage, comprising eight hours on race-day and with qualifying streamed live, nobody will miss a beat. 

To and fro
It's been a real back-and-forth between the current standings top two, Team BMW's Colin Turkington and incumbent Independents' champion Tom Ingram, over the last three race weekends.

Leaving Croft, it was Turkington from Ingram before the latter notched a 46-point haul at Snetterton to head the way into Rockingham. The Speedworks man overcame race one drama in Norfolk with a stunning fightback from 27th to third spot in race two, placing him perfectly to score strongly in the all-important 'Diamond Double' double points encounter with another podium finish.

It was the same story at Rockingham for Ingram's Toyota Avensis, with electronics trouble causing another opening race DNF and enforcing yet another fightback. Ingram, remarkably, managed to pull off the exact same feat as he had at Snetterton by making up an astounding 24 places in the second race of the day – enough to temporarily see him top of the standings once more after his Round 19 drama.

This time, however, his heroics weren't enough to hold back Turkington over the weekend in its entirety. The double champion is a double champ for good reason – and he knows when to hold and when to fold. At Rockingham, a solid 12th spot in qualifying, ahead of Ingram, would have left the BMW man quietly confident.

He climbed the points tally throughout race-day in Northamptonshire with a series of ever-improving results – culminating in a second place to round off a successful weekend in which he turned a six-point Drivers' standings deficit to Ingram prior to Rockingham into a slender four-point lead leaving it.

"I haven’t been stealing the headlines but what we have been doing behind the scenes is beginning to pay off," said Turkington. "The final race from Rockingham was for everyone in the team. Collectively we have had a very difficult few meetings.

"Even after 129 other BTCC podiums, the 130th was sweeter than ever! It’s becoming so hard just to get a top 10 finish these days, never mind a podium. 

"We’ve been slogging away, keeping our head down and working hard without much reward. This was the tonic we all needed.

"I’m pleased with the development we’ve made with the car in the slippery, intermediate conditions and Team BMW will continue to hunt for performance between now and the next event.

"It’s a close battle in the standings at the moment, but we’re primed and ready!”

Turkington notched a trio of third place finishes in Scotland last year but Ingram proved no slouch with one of his most impressive drives to date to seal race three victory at Knockhill in 2017.
 
"For the second weekend running, we’ve had to do the same thing and all credit to the Speedworks boys – we were up against it and we pulled it right back. There’s definitely a lesson there – don’t let yourself get beaten up, don’t let your head go down and look at the positives in any situation.
 
"Knockhill next will be an interesting one. Historically, it’s a track that tends to favour rear wheel-drive cars, but we didn’t fare too badly at Croft a couple of months ago – and ultimately, we do like a challenge..."

Bravehearts
AmD counts a pair of Scotsmen in its ranks in Rory Butcher (Kircaldy) and recently-signed BTCC returnee Glynn Geddie (Aberdeen). The former works at Knockhill as an instructor and is fresh off the back of his best weekend of the season to-date with a trio of top ten finishes secured at Rockingham.

"Rockingham was the first circuit where I could actually draw on previous experience having raced there back in 2017," said Butcher.

"That experience gives you an idea of how the tyres will fair across the races and what things we need to work on to get the most from the car over the entire event. I felt we did that this weekend, and it was great to grab a few more top tens and get more points on the board for the team.

“Wins and podiums are obviously the name of the game, and I feel that now we are performing consistently well it’s time to take the next step.

"There’s no better place to do that than at Knockhill with home support. I know it will be a tough weekend, but there’s certainly no reason why we can’t push for more top six finishes and perhaps a cheeky podium.

"Glynn (Geddie) did a good job for his opening weekend at Rockingham. He’s someone I’ve known for years and raced against on a few occasions over the years, and I’m sure he’ll be a great addition to the team."

“In hindsight, Rockingham was a great test for us, and the aim was to improve in each session and try to get to grips with the car," added Butcher's team-mate Geddie. "It was good to get two race finishes under our belts, although the DNF in the final race wasn’t the best way to end the weekend.

"That said though, we now head into a very important home leg at Knockhill – that will obviously take on extra significance with me and Rory being local lads. I’m sure the team will get some great support up in Scotland and I can’t wait to get back out in the car."

Laser Tools Racing's Aiden Moffat (Dalkeith) will be looking for home comforts and a return to his early season form, and to add to the pair of podiums he's secured so far in 2018.

Timetable and Tickets
All three BTCC races on Sunday, 26 August – and the rest of the day’s action – will be broadcast live and in high definition on ITV4. Those in attendance at the circuit can stay in touch with the commentary and live timing from every session, available at btcc.net/live throughout the weekend.

The support series on the TOCA package are also guaranteed to thrill, with a double-digit total of races set to entertain the crowds. Porsche Carrera Cup GB, F4 British Championship and the Ginettas will all be appearing, making for a jam-packed weekend of truly unmissable racing.
 
Tickets are still available at Scotland’s Knockhill circuit (25/26 August), the BTCC’s only venture north of the border. Prices start at just £39 for adult weekend tickets, with discounts available for family bookings and children under 12 able to enter free of charge. For more information and to order tickets, head to www.knockhill.co.uk or call 01383 723337.

AmD with AutoAid/RCIB Insurance Racing team secured a hat-trick of top ten finishes from a strong weekend on track at Rockingham for the seventh meeting of the 2018 Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship.
 
The West Thurrock-based team was keen to bounce back from a tough weekend at Snetterton where a single top ten finish didn’t reflect the pace in the team’s MG6 GT, with all-Scottish driver pairing of Rory Butcher and Glynn Geddie keen to impress.
 
Fife racer Butcher led the MG challenge in qualifying with the 20^th best time, with the close nature of the grid being reflected by the fact that his time was just six-tenths of a second off pole position.
 
Come Sunday however, Butcher was able to show the race pace in the car with a starring drive in the opening 18 lap encounter that saw him work his way through the field to take ninth spot on the very last lap.
 
Although he briefly dropped outside the top ten in the early stages of race two, he was soon fighting his way forwards once again and crossed the line in eighth spot which secured a second row start for the final race thanks to the reverse grid draw.
 
Running a strong second early on, Butcher diced with championship leader Colin Turkington over third place before a small error at Deene saw him run wide and slip down to sixth spot, which is where he would ultimately finish for a third top ten result of the weekend.
 
Team-mate Geddie went into the weekend carrying an additional 45kg of ballast as a new entry and without any prior running in the car, which played a part in him qualifying in 30^th place.
 
The Aberdeen racer ran well with the extra ballast in race one to finish 22^nd and then repeated the result in race two after finding himself dicing on track with the Honda of Dan Cammish late on.
 
The former British GT champion briefly got himself up into the points in the early stages of race three but having been demoted back to 21^st place, he brought the car in to retire as a precaution when a warning light appeared on the dashboard.
 
“I’m really pleased with how the weekend went and it was a good way for us to bounce back from the disappointment of not scoring at Snetterton," said Butcher. "After such a tight qualifying session, I felt confident that we could race forwards as we have had a strong race car throughout the season – and that proved to be correct.
 
“It was all about making sure that we stayed out of trouble at the start of the races, particularly in the mixed conditions, but I think I drove well and felt in a good place going into race three. I was determined to try and get to the front early on but perhaps took a bit too much out of the tyres and was struggling for grip.
 
“It was a shame that we had the little trip off but if I’m being honest, I’m not sure if I would have been able to keep the three guys behind at bay because of the way our tyres dropped off. I’m not going to beat myself up about it because three top ten finishes is a great weekend for us and a nice boost going into my home round at Knockhill.”
 
“I think it’s been a good weekend for me on my return to the series," added Geddie. "Carrying ballast as a new entry was always going to make it tough, but I think we made good progress across the weekend.
 
“Race two in particular was good once we had the weight taken out, and the car was transformed from where we were in race one. I was able to push a lot more and made good progress in terms of my pace, which is something I can take a lot of confidence from considering how long it is since I last raced a front-wheel drive car.
 
“It’s unfortunate that the issue in race three cost me some track time but I’ve shown I can be competitive despite my lack of time in the car and I’m confident of pushing further forwards at Knockhill.”

Over in the Audi side of the garage, AmD with Cobra Exhausts secured a brace of points scoring finishes.
 
A solid performance in qualifying saw Ollie Jackson put his Audi S3 19^th on the grid for the opening race of the weekend, with a best lap just six-tenths of a second away from pole position.
 
Just missing out on the points scoring positions in race one, he showed the race pace of the Audi S3 Saloon in race two with a fine drive in drying conditions after an earlier shower to cross the line in eleventh spot, just missing out on pole position through the reverse grid draw.
 
Jackson then fought his way as high as sixth despite running on the less favourable Option-Hard Dunlop tyre and battled hard to keep the works Honda of Dan Cammish at bay before taking the flag in ninth spot for a second points finish of the weekend.
 
Team-mate Sam Smelt showed strong pace throughout practice and qualifying to end up with a personal best of 16^th on the grid but his hopes of opening his points scoring account were ended on lap one of the opening race when he was hit going through the Deene Hairpin and forced to retire.
 
At the back of the grid for race two as a result, Smelt fought his way forwards to 23^rd place but there would be further disappointment in race three when he was involved in contact that forced him into the pits to retire.
 
“We could have enjoyed a better Saturday but I think the race pace was strong this weekend and it’s good to come away from Rockingham with two points finishes and a top ten," said Jackson. "If anything, it’s a little disappointing that we didn’t manage to score in all three races.
 
“In the final race on the hard tyre we were particularly strong but I didn’t quite have the legs to get ahead of Adam Morgan and then had to make sure I kept Dan’s Honda behind. It shows the progress we have made however to be battling for position with cars that have won races, and that are run by the works teams.
 
“If this is the final time we come to Rockingham with the BTCC, I’m glad we’ve closed this chapter with a strong performance on track.”
 
“I finally managed to sort Saturday our this weekend with strong pace in practice and qualifying, which is the big positive for me to take away from Rockingham," added Smelt. "I was quick throughout the day and even though I picked up my best result in qualifying, I felt there was more to come and was still a little bit disappointed not to be higher up the grid.
 
“Unfortunately Sunday turned out to be a day to forget and the contact on the opening lap of race one really put me on the back foot. I did what I could to try and make up places in race two but then more contact in the final race forced me to retire again which was a sad way to end race day.
 
“I’m going to put race day behind me and take the positives forwards to Knockhill where hopefully we can fight for some points.”