Power Maxed Tag Racing | Donington Park | BTCC 2018

LATEST VIDEO: Another BTCC 2018 event, another win for Power Maxed TAG Racing. Catch up with everything from the team's mega weekend at Donington Park...

Austin: 'We're learning with every lap'

Duo Motorsport with HMS Racing's Rob Austin left Donington Park inside the Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship top ten after a weekend spent making the most of the tools at his disposal, as work continues apace on his new Alfa Romeo Giulietta.

After a dream start for the outfit back at Brands Hath, where Austin secured a podium finish in round three, the weekend's racing in Leicestershire didn't go entirely the way of the Swindon squad.

Austin endured a difficult qualifying session but battled through from 20th on the grid and into the points with 15th in race one. Recovery was the main aim in race two after contact saw him spiral down the field. Twenty-first was the end result but the Evesham racer was able to bookend his weekend with more points and 11th in the final round of the day.

“It was a tough weekend but at least we could take lots of positives away as well,” said Austin. “We are not where we want to be with the car at all yet but the potential is clear and I have no doubt that once we get on top of it, this car will be a regular race winner.”

“With a bit more time to analyse the data after qualifying we are confident we know where we went wrong but, as we keep saying, this is a brand new car so we’re constantly learning with every lap. You’re not going to get it right every time when you’re still learning, but it’s important we understand what the problem was.

“In race one I had a really good start and made good progress, but as everyone else got up to pace and I was already maxed out it was clear we didn’t have the pace we needed to stay in that position. We made some significant changes for race two and we were still set for a really good points haul, right up until I was turned around at the chicane. 

“The changes worked really well so the car was quick in that race and a top 10 would have been comfortably achievable, maybe even the top six but it just wasn’t to be. We’ve taken some positives from race three too, we were generally the quickest runner of the 14 cars on the hard tyre and to come from 21st to 11th with those tyres on, I think we have to be happy with that.”

BTC Norlin Racing boss hails 'meteoric' Donington Park weekend

BTC Norlin Racing's latest outing, at Donington Park just over a week ago, was its best yet in the Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship, with Chris Smiley's first podium finish in the series the highlight.

The team, competing in its second BTCC campaign, managed second with Chris Smiley and seventh for team-mate James Nash to kick the weekend off in fine fashion with their strongest qualifying session to date.

With both cars running the hard Dunlop SportMaxx rubber in race one, it was a case of damage limitation to an extent. Smiley held firm through the opening stages before eventually losing ground at the Craners on the way to a solid points finish with seventh. Nash rounded in 18th and the team turned their attention to the second encounter.

Unfortunately for Nash, he was unable to start race two, having suffered a loss of engine oil on the way to the grid. Smiley, though, flew away from the line and into second place by the end of the second lap which turned into the race lead come lap nine. Tom Ingram was charging hard, however, and despite the Norlin man's best defensive efforts, he couldn't quite keep the Toyota at bay.

He did, though, hold off a rather feisty looking Dan Cammish as well as Jack Goff, who, also wielding an FK2-gen Honda Civic Type R, was desperately trying to clamber onto the podium – eventually doing so at the expense of Cammish in the factory Honda.

The reverse grid draw saw Smiley eighth in the final race of the day, while after his non-start in race two, Nash began from the back of the pack. 

Smiley steered his Honda as high as fourth before contact with Cammish brought an end to his chances. Nash, meanwhile, clambered up to 12th and points – meaning a gain of an impressive 20 spots.

“Race one was a disappointment and not starting race two was frustrating for all but hats off to the BTC Norlin Racing team for their hard work and changing the engine to get me out in time for race three,” said Nash.

“I can’t ever remember starting a race so far back before. I think the starting lights must be in Leicestershire and the back row in Derbyshire! Certainly, from where I was sat I couldn’t see them so when the guys in front of me went, I set off too!”

“Watching me come through the field was hopefully a good spectacle for the spectators and for those watching at home on television. Though, in the car it was a bit frustrating to be honest.

"I know that there’s time to come in the car and finding that half a second or so we’re currently missing would make a huge difference.”

"It was a great weekend at Donington Park!” added Smiley. “I got my first podium in race two with second.

"Running the hard tyre in race one was survival but I had a respectable finish in seventh. In race three, I had a little bit of contact at the Craner Curves which cost me what was potentially another podium on the cards.

"But, all in all it was a very positive weekend and there’s no other feeling in the world like standing on that podium. A big thanks to the team at BTC Norlin Racing and all our fantastic sponsors who without them this could not be possible.”

An extremely proud Team Boss, in Bert Taylor, was overjoyed with the weekend's spoils.

“The whole weekend was meteoric,” said Taylor. “It was tough at times, with the oil situation in race two for James and Chris’ incident in race three, but overall, we have shown that we can do this.

“Qualifying on Saturday really set out our stall in the BTCC. It showed that despite being a small team, that we have huge ambitions and potential.

"The results mean a lot to the team, and I am proud of everyone who has helped get us to this point.

"We have a great group of people around us, and we're supported by a great selection of sponsors, to whom we are infinitely grateful for their support. Bring on Thruxton!”

Mighty Mercs!

It was quite a weekend for the trio of Mercedes-Benz A-Class cars in the Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship at Donington Park. Ciceley Motorsport's Adam Morgan showed pace throughout and recovered from 23rd in race one to a storming race three victory while Tom Oliphant notched a maiden top ten finish.

Meanwhile, over at Laser Tools Racing, Aiden Moffat sealed a pair of podium finishes – meaning race three was the first time that there's been two Mercedes' drivers spraying the champagne on the podium since the A-Class arrived in the BTCC some four years ago, though the outfit have had two drivers take top three results before, only after the intervention of a post-race judicial.

Morgan's day didn't go swimmingly from the get-go. Thirteenth in qualifying was the result of a tricky wet-dry session and the Lancashireman was keen to make progress through the points-paying positions. However, team-mates Oliphant and Morgan got together, forcing the latter off the circuit and plummeting down the order.

“That was frustrating,” said Morgan post-race. “I was running the harder tyre which the regulations state we must run in one race of a weekend and here they were the slower tyres, so Tom would have passed me anyway. I was off the track and in the gravel and thought my weekend was ruined.”

He fought back to 23rd spot by the end of the 16-lap encounter. Race two saw Morgan's pace rewarded. Running the prime Dunlop SportMaxx tyre, and without success ballast, he was able to storm through to fifth with an inspired drive – including a stunning double pass at the chicane. That fifth spot set him up nicely for the final race of the weekend and by the tricky double-apex right-hander at Coppice in race three he was second.

A safety car then bunched the pack and leader Ash Sutton was forced onto the defensive with the harder Dunlop compound bolted to his Subaru. Morgan was able to make his move for the lead on lap eight, hooking up the A-Class on the inside of the penultimate corner before sealing the deal at the chicane. Race one winner Josh Cook in the Power Maxed TAG Racing Vauxhall chased him hard to the very end but Morgan didn't put a wheel wrong, holding onto victory by a couple of tenths of a second to make it five different BTCC race winners from the opening six rounds.

Race three had a semi-reversed grid with the top nine finishers from race two being turned upside down, so Adam started fifth on the grid. With some brave driving on the opening lap he charged up into second place exiting the tricky double-apex right-hander of Coppice Corner. At the end of the opening lap, a safety car period bunched up the field leaving Adam on the tail of race leader Ash Sutton ready for the restart.

By lap eight, Adam was ahead, diving through on the inside at the Chicane. Behind him was race one winner Josh Cook (Vauxhall Astra) who chased Adam to the very end, the pair split by never more than a few tenths of a second. Adam, however, never put a wheel wrong to secure victory, the fifth different BTCC winner in the opening six races, and closing the Ciceley man to within seven points of championship leader Ingram.

“When you get fired off in race one and finish 23rd, you don’t expect a fifth and a win from the weekend!” said Morgan post-race. “The car was just fantastic here and I was really determined to get a win and it all gelled. I am so happy for all the Mac Tools with Ciceley Motorsport team because we didn’t get a win last season but we have fought back over the winter. The car feels fantastic and proof of the pace of the Mercedes is that Aiden Moffat in the Laser Tools Racing car, built by Ciceley, took third so for the second time we had two Mercedes-Benz A-Classes on the podium.”

Ciceley Motorsport’s Tom Oliphant enjoyed yet another solid weekend, securing his first top ten finish with pace in all three races comparable to that of the top three drivers. Oliphant’s intelligent, aggressive and determined driving style is already paying dividends for Ciceley Motorsport and its partner Hexathron engineering – headed by the vastly experienced Marco Calovolo.

 His interpretation of data and his technical input is assisting with the setup of both of the team's cars. Oliphant was the third driver home on hard tyres in race two and in race three, a fantastic drive saw him gain 16 places after being caught up in a crash at Craner Curves and having to pit under the safety car.

Ciceley Motorsport’s Commercial Director Norman Burgess said: “What a weekend! You can never predict the BTCC and we have seen that again today. Adam was gutted after race one as he felt his day was over but he knuckled down and fought back like he has never done before.

"It proves that you just can’t give up because you never know how your day will turn out and to come away from race two with a fifth was astonishing but a win at the end of the day was exceptional.

"We are very proud to have Adam driving for Mac Tools with Ciceley Motorsport because he gets better all the time. Our many Mac Tools, Fuchs Lubricants, Lunar Caravans and Pallex guests were given the perfect result and we go to Thruxton, a circuit kind to our car, in optimistic mood.”

Double podium joy for Moffat and Laser Tools

Aiden Moffat added to the Merc magic with two visits to the Donington Park podium, coupled with an Independent-class victory at the famed circuit.

The site of his maiden BTCC victory last year, Donington is proving to be a circuit the young Scot relishes visiting. Fifth in qualifying, in difficult, mixed conditions showed straight-off-the-bat that Moffat was a challenger top threes and come race one, it rang true as he stormed to third.

"That was an important result. We were all a bit deflated after Brands Hatch,” explained Aiden. “The car has been developed a lot of over the winter and it felt so good, so planted.

"As it gets older, the car just gets better! It felt great and gave me the confidence to push.”

Third place meant a second row grid-start for race two and it was damage limitation for Moffat with the harder-compound Dunlop SportMaxx rubber and 57kg of success ballast to contend with. A point and 15th spot wasn't the end of the world.

Race three, without the weight and the more optimal Dunlop rubber for the conditions, Moffat flew by 12 cars to finish on the podium once again, moving him up to sixth in the Drivers' standings and third in the Indy running.

“The car feels better than ever,” added Moffat. “Our qualifying pace is often not as good as race pace but this weekend we were well up on the grid and we could race at the front.

"That made me both more determined and confident and to go away with three trophies and two bottles of Champagne is a great feeling! It is the consistent pace across the weekend that is most reassuring: we can deliver wet or dry, with weight or not.

"We know that Thruxton, where we go next, is a good track for our car so we will hope to build on this weekend’s results.”

Ingram picks up where he left off

Tom Ingram left Leicestershire on Sunday evening with an extended gap at the head of the Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship, and another victory to his tally as well as a strong points haul in the bag having travelled to Donington Park with the maximum 75kg of success ballast aboard his Toyota Avensis.

The Speedworks Motorsport man drew level with motorsport legend Jim Clark in the all-time BTCC winners' list following his race two triumph. Points with 14th and eighth in Rounds 4 and 6 respectively, ensured he would take a seven point lead to Thruxton, with an 18 point gap at the top of the Independents' standings. Speedworks, too, holds an enviable position in its championships with third in the Teams' table – the best of the single-car entrants – to go with a 16-point lead in the Independent Teams' running. Quite the start to the season for the 2017 Indy champions.

“To come away with another very solid points haul and still leading three of the four championships, I would call that a pretty successful weekend,” said Team Principal, Christian Dick.

“We knew we needed to get rid of the ballast and hard tyres as quickly as possible if we were going to fight for a decent result, so we took a double hit in race one. Fourteenth probably exceeded our expectations in the circumstances, and with most of our main championship competitors finishing in roughly the same area, it was the perfect exercise in damage limitation.

“With the weight gone and the faster tyres back on the car for race two, Tom produced a truly stunning drive. We had been thinking the top six may be possible and were hoping to luck into the reversed grid draw for race three, so to storm through the way he did and make it look as easy as he did was simply breathtaking.

“The last one was more of a struggle again with the ballast back; the extra weight means you work the tyres harder, which increasingly hurts your performance and whilst that prevented Tom from being able to attack, to keep pace with the battle for the final podium position I thought was very impressive.

“I’m incredibly proud of the way all the Speedworks boys are approaching each race weekend, and to arrive carrying more weight than anybody else and leave having increased our advantage is testament to the fantastic job that each and every one of them is doing. We’re in good shape right now and of all the circuits on the calendar, Thruxton is arguably the one that punishes ballast the least due to its fast, flowing nature. Having taken two podiums there last year, I think we can go back feeling quietly optimistic about pushing for a strong set of results.”

“Another very positive weekend,” echoed Ingram, “And one over the course of which we learnt a lot. We genuinely struggled on Saturday, although I’m pretty confident in saying that at least seven tenths of our nine-tenth deficit to pole was due to the weight.

“That left us out-of-position and slightly on the back foot going into race day, and we deliberately decided to take the bullet as early as possible by putting the hard tyres on for race one. It was a strategic gamble, but it was one that had paid off last year and it worked again. I knew I would be super-vulnerable so just wanted to stay out-of-trouble and get to the end. We managed to hold on to bag a couple of points, and then effectively our weekend started from there.

“Race two was very similar to the one we won at Brands Hatch. We knew we had the pace with the weight taken out and it was great fun scything through. The Avensis was so hooked-up – simply incredible to drive. I fully expected Chris [Smiley] to be a tough nut to crack but I could see I was stronger in a couple of areas and once I got a little bit of an overlap, I didn’t need asking twice!

“Our speed there went to show just how much of a factor ballast plays at Donington – and that was evident again in race three, with the weight back on-board. I made up ground wherever I could, but after that, with everybody around me being significantly lighter, I was a bit powerless really.

“Still, to finish eighth was a decent result and looking back overall, it’s pretty cool to have now won the same number of BTCC races as Jim Clark, who is an absolute legend of the sport. While I couldn’t ever dream of going on to achieve the same kind of results as he did in his career, it’s still a nice statistic to have and gives me even more motivation to carry on winning and hopefully emulate another of his accomplishments in ultimately taking the series title.

“Next we go to Thruxton, which is one of my favourite circuits on the calendar – a truly awesome, old-school challenge. It’s likely to be another uphill battle on Saturday, but then hopefully we can pull it back on Sunday – and besides, we went there last season carrying full ballast and came away with three top four finishes. I’ve got a fantastic team behind me who give me one hell of a car every time we take to the track, and it keeps on getting better and better – so let’s see what we can do!”

Table Toppers!

Power Maxed TAG Racing left Donington Park top of the pile in both the Manufacturers' and Teams' running after following up its maiden victory at Brands Hatch at the hands of Senna Proctor with another – this time via team-mate Josh Cook.

Cook managed to secure a first pole position on Saturday, to get things off in the best possible manner. The Bath racer favours the tricky, slippery conditions thrown up by a wet track surface and revelled in them as he stormed to P1. The outfit's work over the winter looks so far to be paying off as it entered season two with the new Vauxhall Astra.

On Sunday, Donington Park dried out, and some feisty to-and-fro on the opening lap saw Cook retain his advantage after briefly losing out to fellow front-row starter Chris Smiley. From there, he never looked back and took the win. An unfortunate incident in Round 4 left Proctor starting Round 5 from the back of the grid after receiving a third strike, despite finishing eighth. His finale was curtailed by another incident at the Craners, through little fault of his own.

“What can I say, other than it’s been a long time coming?" said Josh Cook, now third in the Drivers' standings. "Once I saw the times in FP1 and 2 I knew we could be on for a pole, which gave me that little extra push right at the end. Other than a little challenge from Smiley, who drove really well, leading Race 1 from grid to flag was a dream come true.

"I was happy with second in Race 3 too. Adam Morgan made that Mercedes super-wide, and I just couldn’t quite get the opportunity to pass him to chalk up a second win. I can’t thank my engineers and the whole of PMR enough for giving me what is a fantastically set up car, and I’m glad that I’m doing Euro Repar Car Service, Glide Parking and my other sponsors proud this early in the season.”

Team Principal Adam Weaver is understandably excited about the season ahead given the way things have started: “In just two events, we’ve seen both Josh and Senna take their first win, our first pole in the hands of Josh, and witnessed Martin Broadhurst cry with happiness!

"We’ve spent the last three seasons working relentlessly, building the right team and doing things the right way, and it’s really paying off. I’m immensely proud of Josh for what he achieved this weekend, and equally proud of Senna for keeping his head when the day went against him. I couldn’t imagine two better drivers representing us.”

Team Manager Martin Broadhurst was equally as positive: “I’m over the moon with Josh’s performance this weekend. From the get-go he was posting consistently quick times, and his feedback on the car and what it was doing was, as always, top notch.

"What happened with Senna was unfortunate, but when racing at this level you have to take the rough with the smooth. Every single member of the team put their lives into making sure these cars are at the front, and we’re proving that the hard work and dedication is completely worth it.

"To be out front in both the Manufacturers' and Teams' standings is a huge boost for us, and is exactly where we want to be.”

Senna Proctor, added: “The only word I can use to describe it is ‘frustrating’. The car was absolutely on the pace, but we were just marred with bad luck from the outset. The racing incident with Turkington in Race 1 set us back massively, and I truly believe that if we hadn’t lost eighth for the start of Race 2, I would’ve been up on that podium with Josh during Race 3.

"Unfortunately, that’s motorsport, and with Thruxton less than three weeks away, I’m confident I’ll be spraying that champagne by the end of the weekend! I’d just like to say thanks again to my sponsors-Bee Health, Matrix and LAPD for continuing to support me.”

Hill claims #ForeverForward honours at Donington Park

Following a remarkable opening trio of encounters at Brands Hatch, the second event on the 2018 Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship calendar proved a more than worthy sequel with three more captivating races at Donington Park. It was Trade Price Cars with Brisky Racing's Jake Hill that made the most passes on a thrilling race weekend.

Rain prevented teams from utilising the Dunlop SportMaxx prime or option hard tyres during Saturday’s running, creating a level playing field on a green track for Sunday’s races.

Following BTCC organisers' objectives for Dunlop to create a 0.8-1.0 second delta between the option and prime tyres, a range of strategies came into play over the three races, treating fans to gripping drives throughout the field.

With only six drivers opting for the harder compound in the opening race, it provided the perfect opportunity for those who had not qualified as expected to make their way through the field. Both Jake Hill and Rob Collard made their way to the sharp end of the grid, overtaking 14 cars apiece. Upfront, Josh Cook continued his dream weekend, converting his maiden pole to his first ever BTCC win.

The second race of the day proved to be a valuable recovery drive for the Motorbase team. With problems in the first race for both Sam Tordoff and Tom Chilton, the pair carved their way through the field to gain 20 and 18 places respectively. The Mercedes-Benz of Adam Morgan also recovered from earlier incidents to finish fifth, which would prove pivotal for the final race of the day. After electing to run the hard compound tyre in the opening race to limit the damage of carrying success ballast, championship leaders Tom Ingram and Jack Goff decisively made their way onto the podium. The pair made the most of the medium compound while others were still bringing the harder compound tyre up to temperature in the cold conditions.

Fourteen drivers ran the harder compound in the final race of the day, which saw Morgan and Aiden Moffat utilise the prime tyre to their advantage to finish first and third respectively, while Josh Cook took his second podium of the day. Following an engine change after the second race, James Nash rewarded his team’s hard efforts by gaining 20 positions from the final spot on the grid to come home in 12th.

A number of drivers will have wished they could have run the hard compound for more than one race, with Ollie Jackson gaining 13 places, Matt Simpson (11 places), Colin Turkington and Rob Austin (10 places), throwing a spanner in the works for those that thought the prime was the only competitive tyre at Donington Park.

#ForeverForward – Donington Park

  1. Jake HILL, 27pts
  2. Andrew JORDAN, 24pts
  3. Rob COLLARD, 23pts
  4. Ollie JACKSON, 21pts
  5. Adam MORGAN, 21pts
  6. Matt NEAL, 20pts
  7. Sas TORDOFF, 20pts
  8. James NASH, 20pts
  9. Tom CHILTON, 19pts
  10. Senna PROCTOR, 17pts

#ForeverForward – Overall

  1. Jake HILL, 50pts
  2. Senna PROCTOR, 43pts
  3. Ollie JACKSON, 41pts
  4. Mike BUSHELL, 41pts
  5. Matt SIMPSON, 40pts
  6. Adam MORGAN, 39pts
  7. Matt NEAL, 38pts
  8. Rob AUSTIN, 8pts
  9. Tom BOARDMAN, 37pts
  10. Sam TORDOFF, 33pts

Super-fan Steve soaks in BTCC weekend with PMR

This past weekend at Donington Park, Power Maxed TAG Racing welcomed super-fan Steve Rogers into their garage for the full Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship VIP experience.

Steve, who fully lost his sight at the age of 30, is a lover of all things motorsport and a long-time admirer of the BTCC and he was treated to the whole hog by the team at PMR – including a chance to meet both of the outfit's drivers, Josh Cook and Senna Proctor, breakfast and lunch as well as a garage tour.

In addition, right at the very top of his bucket list was to get an opportunity to meet the team at ITV – the guys painting the picture for everyone tuning in.

Duly, Paul O'Neill, David Addison and the ITV crew took the time out to chat to Steve, and give him a little tour of the pit-lane and paddock in the process!

Event Review: Donington Park

Three different winners from the three Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship races at Donington Park today (29 April) continued the trend of the country’s tin-top young guns taking it to the series’ more experienced drivers.
 
A win apiece for Josh Cook (Power Maxed TAG Racing), Tom Ingram (Speedworks Motorsport) and Adam Morgan (Ciceley Motorsport) – with an average age of just 26 – wowed the crowds at the famous Leicestershire circuit.
 
Cook claimed a maiden BTCC victory in the opener – becoming the 19thdriver on the current grid to have won a BTCC race – with a commanding drive from pole position.
 
The Power Maxed TAG Racing star had to fend off an early charge from fellow front-row starter Chris Smiley, who he briefly lost the lead to through the Craner Curves on the first lap, but the Vauxhall Astra man immediately fought back to retake the advantage.
 
Cook never looked back as Smiley became the cork in the bottle, having elected to run the harder Dunlop tyre compound in race one. Halfords Yuasa Racing’s Dan Cammish nipped by Smiley, as did Sam Tordoff’s Ford Focus RS and a gaggle of others, but BTC Norlin Racing’s Smiley eventually settled in seventh.
 
Cammish’s challenge faded as the race drew to a close, leaving Cook to cross the finish line well clear of his rivals. 
 
Yorkshireman Cammish claimed second, securing a maiden trophy score for both the driver and the all-new Honda Civic Type R, whilst Laser Tools Racing’s Aiden Moffat completed the podium, from Brett Smith and James Cole.
 
Race two went the way of championship leader Ingram as the Toyota star muscled his way through the pack from 13thon the grid. Smiley grabbed second – his first ever podium in the BTCC – and Jack Goff took third in his Honda Civic Type R.
 
It was rookie Cammish that blasted into the lead off the line as his Honda got the better of Cook’s pole-sitting Vauxhall. 
 
As per race one, however, cars running the harder compound struggled to maintain front-running pace and it was soon those on the Dunlop SportMaxx Prime tyre storming through the field.
 
That list of drivers included both Smiley and Ingram as they ganged up on Cammish at mid-distance, with the Toyota Avensis following the BTC Norlin Honda through. Smiley then ran wide on the exit of Coppice on lap ten, and Ingram eyed his opportunity on the run down to the final chicane. The 25-year-old made his move stick before going on to take his eighth career BTCC victory – also becoming the first double race-winner of 2018.
 
WIX Racing with Eurotech’s Goff completed the podium, after he too made huge progress from 12th on the grid, while Cammish came home fourth.
 
Ciceley Motorsport’s Morgan then made his mark with a storming race three success.
 
Rory Butcher initially held onto his pole position advantage off the line, but reigning champion Ash Sutton and Morgan had nipped by the AmD with AutoAid/RCIB Insurance Racing MG6 before the end of the first lap.
 
There was drama further behind, which saw Senna Proctor, James Cole, Sam Tordoff, Brett Smith and Josh Price tumble out of the race. The multi-car collision left several machines stricken all over the track, and a safety car was subsequently called.
 
The all-important challenge for the lead came on lap eight as Morgan scythed his way past Sutton’s Adrian Flux Subaru Racing Levorg at the final chicane, with the latter immediately falling into the clutches of the chasing pack.
 
When the dust settled, it was Morgan who claimed victory from a charging Cook, whilst Moffat made it two Mercedes’ on the podium for the first time.
 
Team BMW’s Rob Collard claimed fourth from his fired-up stablemate Andrew Jordan, after the BMW Pirtek Racing man surged through from 18th on the grid.
 
With another exciting day of racing in the BTCC over, it is Ingram leading the Drivers’ standings by seven points from Morgan, with Cook a further eight in arrears.
 
The Power Maxed TAG Racing-run Vauxhall squad head the Manufacturers’ standings, and unsurprisingly the same outfit top the Teams’ order.
 
Ingram and Speedworks Motorsport hold the advantage in the Independents’ categories, whilst Cammish currently leads the Jack Sears Trophy.
 
Jake Hill is P1 in Dunlop’s #ForeverForward standings, having made the most passes so far this season. The Kent driver was at it again today with his top ten finish in the final race being a particular highlight.
 
The Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship returns for rounds 7, 8 and 9 at Thruxton in three weeks’ time (19/20 May).

Josh Cook said: “It’s a little bit easier starting from the front, that’s for sure! I’m over the moon for the guys and everyone who’s put all the hard work in. Senna (Proctor) got his last weekend and I needed mine. We were quick yesterday and I had to battle for the lead. I’m really glad to have brought it home and hopefully it’s the first of many! We’ve always had strong pace over the years but there’s been a bit of bad luck perhaps. We’ve worked so hard over the winter to make sure we’ve nailed our qualifying setup and the Vauxhall’s an amazing drive now – the best car I’ve driven out of the box and every thanks to my engineers for it!”

Tom Ingram said: “That was absolutely crazy! It was very similar to the one back at Brands Hatch and the car was just so hooked up. It’s just incredible without the weight. I was really confident heading into the race, as I was losing that ballast. Spirits were high and we had the confidence in the car to make our way through. Chris (Smiley) is driving incredibly well – I knew he’d be a difficult man to pass, but I was delighted to have made the move stick. We really do have one hell of a car here, and it keeps getting better and better! We really struggled in qualifying, but we knew it would come back to us on race day.”

Adam Morgan said: “When you end up P23 after race one after contact through no fault of your own, you don’t expect to end up with a fifth and a first in the next two. The car’s been fantastic, so a massive thanks to everyone at Cicely Motorsport. Two Mercedes’ on the podium – that’s not happened before. I was very determined there. I didn’t get a win last year, so it’s nice to get one so early on this year. I started to lose the front end towards the end of the race and Josh (Cook) was charging. Points make prizes! It’s always beneficial when you’re on the top step but just to get three results in the top ten is what you need. I’m buzzing!”

Micky Butler, Manager, UK and One Brand Motorsport Events, said: “Overall we’re very pleased with the weekend. The BluResponse wet tyre worked well in difficult conditions on the very slippery, low grip Donington track surface. We’re also pleased with the delta time, we were set a target by the organisers of keeping the difference between the available compounds between 0.8-1.0 seconds, and that’s exactly what we had this weekend. Both tyres performed as intended and mixed up the action throughout the field.”

2018 Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship – Round 4 – Donington Park

1 Josh COOK (GBR) Power Maxed TAG Racing 16 laps
2 Dan CAMMISH (GBR) Halfords Yuasa Racing +3.449s
3 Aiden MOFFAT (GBR) Laser Tools Racing +5.520s
4 Brett SMITH (GBR) WIX Racing with Eurotech +6.105s
5 James COLE (GBR) Team Shredded Wheat Racing with Gallagher +11.642s
6 Matt NEAL (GBR) Halfords Yuasa Racing +13.489s
7 Chris SMILEY (GBR) BTC Norlin Racing +16.971s
8 Senna PROCTOR (GBR) Power Maxed TAG Racing +17.176s
9 Tom OLIPHANT (GBR) Ciceley Motorsport +17.995s
10 Colin TURKINGTON (GBR) Team BMW +18.464s

2018 Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship – Round 5 – Donington Park

1 Tom INGRAM (GBR) Speedworks Motorsport 16 laps
2 Chris SMILEY (GBR) BTC Norlin Racing +0.834s
3 Jack GOFF (GBR) WIX Racing with Eurotech +3.484s
4 Dan CAMMISH (GBR) Halfords Yuasa Racing +6.214s
5 Adam MORGAN (GBR) Mac Tools with Ciceley Motorsport +6.555s
6 James COLE (GBR) Team Shredded Wheat Racing with Gallagher +7.696s
7 Josh COOK (GBR) Power Maxed TAG Racing +7.873s
8 Ashley SUTTON (GBR) Adrian Flux Subaru Racing +8.396s
9 Rory BUTCHER (GBR) AmD with AutoAid/RCIB Insurance Racing +12.803s
10 Tom CHILTON (GBR) Team Shredded Wheat Racing with Gallagher +14.495s

2018 Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship – Round 6 – Donington Park

1 Adam MORGAN (GBR) Mac Tools with Ciceley Motorsport 19 laps
2 Josh COOK (GBR) Power Maxed TAG Racing +0.368s
3 Aiden MOFFAT (GBR) Laser Tools Racing +9.500s
4 Rob COLLARD (GBR) Team BMW +10.023s
5 Andrew JORDAN (GBR) BMW Pirtek Racing +10.266s
6 Ashley SUTTON (GBR) Adrian Flux Subaru Racing +11.831s
7 Matt NEAL (GBR) Halfords Yuasa Racing +12.109s
8 Tom INGRAM (GBR) Speedworks Motorsport +12.577s
9 Tom CHILTON (GBR) Team Shredded Wheat Racing with Gallagher +14.932s
10 Jake HILL (GBR) Trade Price Cars with Brisky Racing +15.147s

Penalties

Race 1

Mike Bushell received a verbal warning for gaining an unfair advantage in an incident involving Jason Plato

Tom Oliphant received a verbal warning for gaining an unfair advantage in an incident involving Adam Morgan

Senna Proctor was officially reprimanded and his licence was endorsed with two penalty points for an incident involving Colin Turkington. As this was his third strike of the season, Proctor started race two from the back of the grid
 
Race 2

Jack Goff received a verbal warning for an incident involving Josh Cook
 
Race 3

Chris Smiley received a verbal warning for an incident involving Jack Goff

Morgan makes his mark with race three win

Ciceley Motorsport's Adam Morgan claimed victory in the final Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship contest at Donington Park, making it three different winners from the three races at the Leicestershire circuit.

Pole-sitter Rory Butcher held on initially off the line, but reigning champion Ash Sutton and Morgan had nipped by the AmD MG6 before the end of the first lap.

There was drama further behind, which eventually sent Senna Proctor, James Cole, Sam Tordoff, Brett Smith and Josh Price out of the race. The multiple car collision left several machines stricken all over the track, and a safety car was subsequently called.

The all-important challenge for the lead came on lap eight as Morgan scythed his way past Sutton's Subaru Levorg at the final chicane, with the latter immediately falling into the clutches of the chasing pack.

Rob Collard and Aiden Moffat were busy making progress as they both muscled their way by Tom Ingram's Toyota in a duel attack for fourth, whilst Josh Cook's Vauxhall was now in second.

When the dust settled it was Morgan claiming victory, just from Cook, whilst Moffat made it two Mercedes' on the podium for the first time.

Collard claimed fourth from his charging stablemate Andrew Jordan, after the BMW Pirtek Racing man surged through from 18th on the grid.

Sutton secured seventh at the finish, ahead of another spirited drive from Matt Neal – the three-time champion leaving his best performance until last on the day.

Ingram was bullied down the order late on and finished eighth, with Tom Chilton and Jake Hill completing the top ten positions – the latter having made a number of eye-cathing passes.

The only other incident of note was a clash between Dan Cammish and Chris Smiley at the Craner Curves whilst battling for fourth – contact firing both cars into retirement.

2018 Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship – Round 6 – Donington Park

1 Adam MORGAN (GBR) Mac Tools with Ciceley Motorsport 19 laps
2 Josh COOK (GBR) Power Maxed TAG Racing +0.368s
3 Aiden MOFFAT (GBR) Laser Tools Racing +9.500s
4 Rob COLLARD (GBR) Team BMW +10.023s
5 Andrew JORDAN (GBR) BMW Pirtek Racing +10.266s
6 Ashley SUTTON (GBR) Adrian Flux Subaru Racing +11.831s
7 Matt NEAL (GBR) Halfords Yuasa Racing +12.109s
8 Tom INGRAM (GBR) Speedworks Motorsport +12.577s
9 Tom CHILTON (GBR) Team Shredded Wheat Racing with Gallagher +14.932s
10 Jake HILL (GBR) Trade Price Cars with Brisky Racing +15.147s
11 Rob AUSTIN (GBR) DUO Motorsport with HMS Racing +18.964s
12 James NASH (GBR) BTC Norlin Racing +19.046s
13 Rory BUTCHER (GBR) AmD with AutoAid/RCIB Insurance Racing +19.513s
14 Matt SIMPSON (GBR) Simpson Racing +22.747s
15 Mike BUSHELL (GBR) Trade Price Cars with Brisky Racing +24.411s
16 Ollie JACKSON (GBR) AmD with Cobra Exhausts +25.453s
17 Stephen JELLEY (GBR) Team Parker Racing +25.647s
18 Jason PLATO (GBR) Adrian Flux Subaru Racing +27.450s
19 Michael CAINE (GBR) Team HARD with Trade Price Cars +28.110s
20 Bobby THOMPSON (GBR) Team HARD with Trade Price Cars +28.497s
21 Colin TURKINGTON (GBR) Team BMW +29.002s
22 Tom OLIPHANT (GBR) Ciceley Motorsport +38.524s
23 Jack GOFF (GBR) WIX Racing with Eurotech +42.987s
24 Sam SMELT (GBR) AmD with Cobra Exhausts +55.817s
NC Chris SMILEY (GBR) BTC Norlin Racing +4 laps
DNF Dan CAMMISH (GBR) Halfords Yuasa Racing +8 laps
DNF Tom BOARDMAN (GBR) AmD with AutoAid/RCIB Insurance Racing +9 laps
DNF Senna PROCTOR (GBR) Power Maxed TAG Racing +18 laps
DNF James COLE (GBR) Team Shredded Wheat Racing with Gallagher +19 laps
DNF Sam TORDOFF (GBR) Team GardX Racing with Motorbase +19 laps
DNF Brett SMITH (GBR) WIX Racing with Eurotech +19 laps
DNF Josh PRICE (GBR) Autoglym Academy Racing +19 laps