Power Maxed TAG Racing's Josh Cook returned the favour on Dan Cammish by setting the pace in the second Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship Free Practice session at Donington Park.

Cammish topped Cook in the opening session earlier this morning, but this time it was the Vauxhall Astra man clocking a 1:19.863s benchmark – the quickest of the day so far. With rain still falling on the Leicestershire venue it was the young duo again showing their credentials in tricky conditions. 

"I was trying hard!" confirmed Cook. "The pace seems to be in the car but I'm still unhappy with the balance so we've got things to work on as everyone will be going faster in quali with the conditions. If it's mixed I'll be copying Senna (Proctor)! We're overdue a weekend where we don't hit bad luck.

"Qualifying's the one that counts – FP1 and 2 mean little to an extent in regards to times. It's great being back here at PMR and it's nice to have continuity – I know everybody in the team and on the car. It's a great car and we've showed pace in all weathers."

Chris Smiley impressed hugely for BTC Norlin Racing with third, ahead of Laser Tools Racing's Aiden Moffat, who is himself steadily becoming a regular contender in the BTCC.

Sam Tordoff and Rory Butcher completed a relatively surprising looking top six, with the latter again showing his form and that of the revitalised AmD MG6.

Tom Chilton set the seventh fastest time for Team Shredded Wheat Racing with Gallagher, but was also responsible for the only red flag stoppage of the day so far. Chilton's Ford Focus RS ground to a halt on-track midway through the 40-minute session but was soon back on its way after a technical reboot.

Toyota star Tom Ingram was eighth, whilst the Ciceley Motorsport pairing of Tom Oliphant and Adam Morgan completed the top ten.

The wet and wild session was a test for all drivers but most escaped relatively unscathed. Brett Smith was one to recover from a lurid slide across the grass in his Eurotech-run Honda, although manufacturer man Matt Neal wasn't so lucky. The three time BTCC champion had his own moment leading to some damage to his new Honda Civic Type R, although he'll be expected back-on-track later today.

Qualifying for Round 4 of the 2018 Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship takes place at 1520 and will be streamed live and exclusively via www.itv.com/btcc.

2018 Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship – Free Practice 2 – Donington Park

1 Josh COOK (GBR) Power Maxed TAG Racing 1m19.863s
2 Dan CAMMISH (GBR) Halfords Yuasa Racing +0.379s
3 Chris SMILEY (GBR) BTC Norlin Racing +0.463s
4 Aiden MOFFAT (GBR) Laser Tools Racing +0.871s
5 Sam TORDOFF (GBR) Team GardX Racing with Motorbase +1.067s
6 Rory BUTCHER (GBR) AmD with AutoAid/RCIB Insurance Racing +1.085s
7 Tom CHILTON (GBR) Team Shredded Wheat Racing with Gallagher +1.100s
8 Tom INGRAM (GBR) Speedworks Motorsport +1.102s
9 Tom OLIPHANT (GBR) Ciceley Motorsport +1.109s
10 Adam MORGAN (GBR) Mac Tools with Ciceley Motorsport +1.114s
11 Matt SIMPSON (GBR) Simpson Racing +1.126s
12 Ashley SUTTON (GBR) Adrian Flux Subaru Racing +1.153s
13 Senna PROCTOR (GBR) Power Maxed TAG Racing +1.252s
14 James NASH (GBR) BTC Norlin Racing +1.335s
15 Jack GOFF (GBR) WIX Racing with Eurotech +1.364s
16 Ollie JACKSON (GBR) AmD with Cobra Exhausts +1.406s
17 James COLE (GBR) Team Shredded Wheat Racing with Gallagher +1.492s
18 Brett SMITH (GBR) WIX Racing with Eurotech +1.522s
19 Colin TURKINGTON (GBR) Team BMW +1.555s
20 Rob AUSTIN (GBR) DUO Motorsport with HMS Racing +1.675s
21 Andrew JORDAN (GBR) BMW Pirtek Racing +1.774s
22 Josh PRICE (GBR) Autoglym Academy Racing +1.822s
23 Stephen JELLEY (GBR) Team Parker Racing +1.838s
24 Jake HILL (GBR) Trade Price Cars with Brisky Racing +1.865s
25 Tom BOARDMAN (GBR) AmD with AutoAid/RCIB Insurance Racing +1.872s
26 Matt NEAL (GBR) Halfords Yuasa Racing +1.967s
27 Mike BUSHELL (GBR) Trade Price Cars with Brisky Racing +2.119s
28 Rob COLLARD (GBR) Team BMW +2.228s
29 Bobby THOMPSON (GBR) Team HARD with Trade Price Cars +2.617s
30 Jason PLATO (GBR) Adrian Flux Subaru Racing +2.643s
31 Sam SMELT (GBR) AmD with Cobra Exhausts +2.993s
32 Michael CAINE (GBR) Team HARD with Trade Price Cars +3.378s

Multiple BTCC race-winner Rob Collard powered a host of media around Donington Park ahead of this weekend's latest rounds of the Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship.

German marque BMW brought its latest Championship Edition of its M140i M Sport road car to the Leicestershire circuit, which was recently launched to commemorate its participation and achievements in Britain's biggest motorsport series.

BMW UK confirmed that the Championship Edition will be built in just 30 units as per the 30 rounds of racing in the series and comes with a twin-turbocharged 3.0-litre straight six engine that sends 335bhp and 369lb ft of torque to the rear wheels.

But yesterday was all about the BTCC as Donington Park's local media got a taste of what all 32-drivers will get this weekend when the full grid roars into town.

"What a great bit of kit," beamed Collard. "It's always nice and fun giving the media a bit of an insight into what we experience every race weekend. The BMW M140i Sport road car is a great car and now I can't wait to get into my Team BMW machine – bring on the weekend!"

BTCC partners Dunlop were there to soak up the action and atmosphere, whetting the appetite for the event ahead!

This weekend at Donington Park, the striking Power Maxed Tag Racing Vauxhall Astra will be immortalised forever as a Popbangcolour artwork created solely using radio-controlled cars and Dunlop tyres, live at a weekend-long performance at the MSV circuit.

Popbangcolour – the brainchild of automotive artist Ian Cook - will be producing an image from Senna Proctor’s race win at Brands Hatch. The image the artwork is being based on is of Proctor powering down the iconic Paddock Hill bend, on the way to achieving his first BTCC victory.

 “The new TAG livery on the PMR cars looks great, and to create an artwork of Senna’s historic win at Brands is something of an honour," said Proctor. "I’m really looking forward to getting stuck into the Astra at Donington Park.”

Team Principal Adam Weaver is equally excited: “I’ve been a massive fan of Ian’s work for years, and have been looking to have the cars immortalised in his unique style for some time now.

"We were waiting for something special, and Senna’s historic win at Brands Hatch is the perfect excuse. I’m looking forward to seeing the finished piece, and it’ll take pride of place in my office at PMR HQ.”

For the 2018 BTCC season, Cook is working with Dunlop tyres, the sole tyre supplier to the popular race series, to create touring car artworks at selected rounds.

Visitors can watch Ian work his magic all through the weekend within the trade area, located in the centre of MSV’s newest acquisition.

Halfords Yuasa Racing's Dan Cammish has continued his impressive start to life in the Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship by setting the pace in the opening practice session at Donington Park. 

The Yorksireman set provisional pole position at Brands Hatch during the first qualifying session of the new season earlier this month, only to lose it all to a pitlane infringement, but he has underlined his pace with an early showing at Donington.

"It’s a big change for me and a very, very steep learning curve in a very short period of time," said Cammish. "We’ve got the speed there in the car, we just need to refine it. The racing’s very different to what I’m used to – it’s elbows out and all about getting stuck in then seeing where you go from there. The aim over the three races is just to go forward and I’m only going to get stronger – I’m in with a great team."

Wet conditions meant all 32-cars ran on Dunlop BluResponse wet tyres for the full 40-minute duration and it was the all-new Honda Civic Type R that showed its class around the 1.98-mile circuit.

Power Maxed TAG Racing enjoyed a breakthrough victory with Senna Proctor at Brands Hatch, but this time it's his team-mate Josh Cook grabbing the early headlines. The former Jack Sears Trophy winner was second fastest here in his Vauxhall Astra, as he pipped the BMW of Andrew Jordan and Subaru of Ash Sutton on the timesheets.

Brett Smith (Eurotech) and Aiden Moffat (Laser Tools Racing) were next up in the order, ahead of James Cole (Motorbase) and Rory Butcher (AmD).

Jack Goff was ninth in his older shaped Honda, whilst Adam Morgan's Ciceley Motorsport Mercedes completed the top ten.

Free Practice Two will take place at 1235 before qualifying commences at 1520, where the action can be viewed live and exclusively via www.itv.com/btcc. 

2018 Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship – Free Practice 1 – Donington Park

1 Dan CAMMISH (GBR) Halfords Yuasa Racing 1m19.925s
2 Josh COOK (GBR) Power Maxed TAG Racing +0.027s
3 Andrew JORDAN (GBR) BMW Pirtek Racing +0.432s
4 Ashley SUTTON (GBR) Adrian Flux Subaru Racing +0.490s
5 Brett SMITH (GBR) WIX Racing with Eurotech +0.554s
6 Aiden MOFFAT (GBR) Laser Tools Racing +0.576s
7 James COLE (GBR) Team Shredded Wheat Racing with Gallagher +0.609s
8 Rory BUTCHER (GBR) AmD with AutoAid/RCIB Insurance Racing +0.704s
9 Jack GOFF (GBR) WIX Racing with Eurotech +0.823s
10 Adam MORGAN (GBR) Mac Tools with Ciceley Motorsport +0.843s
11 Tom CHILTON (GBR) Team Shredded Wheat Racing with Gallagher +0.895s
12 Matt SIMPSON (GBR) Simpson Racing +0.908s
13 Tom OLIPHANT (GBR) Ciceley Motorsport +0.923s
14 James NASH (GBR) BTC Norlin Racing +1.121s
15 Matt NEAL (GBR) Halfords Yuasa Racing +1.191s
16 Chris SMILEY (GBR) BTC Norlin Racing +1.202s
17 Tom INGRAM (GBR) Speedworks Motorsport +1.203s
18 Colin TURKINGTON (GBR) Team BMW +1.457s
19 Senna PROCTOR (GBR) Power Maxed TAG Racing +1.549s
20 Sam TORDOFF (GBR) Team GardX Racing with Motorbase +1.643s
21 Rob AUSTIN (GBR) DUO Motorsport with HMS Racing +1.677s
22 Tom BOARDMAN (GBR) AmD with AutoAid/RCIB Insurance Racing +1.688s
23 Ollie JACKSON (GBR) AmD with Cobra Exhausts +1.762s
24 Mike BUSHELL (GBR) Trade Price Cars with Brisky Racing +1.785s
25 Josh PRICE (GBR) Autoglym Academy Racing +1.976s
26 Stephen JELLEY (GBR) Team Parker Racing +2.294s
27 Sam SMELT (GBR) AmD with Cobra Exhausts +2.589s
28 Rob COLLARD (GBR) Team BMW +2.925s
29 Jason PLATO (GBR) Adrian Flux Subaru Racing +3.004s
30 Bobby THOMPSON (GBR) Team HARD with Trade Price Cars +6.645s
31 Michael CAINE (GBR) Team HARD with Trade Price Cars
32 Jake HILL (GBR) Trade Price Cars with Brisky Racing

The AmD with AutoAid/RCIB Insurance Racing team can today announce the launch of a special competition to win a road-going version of the MG6 GT being raced in the Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship this season.
 
Born from an idea put forwards by joint title sponsors AutoAid and RCIB Insurance – which is providing the major prize – the competition will run throughout the 2018 season with the winner being chosen in a unique shoot-out to be held at Brands Hatch during the final meeting of the year in late September.
 
Prior to the season finale, a number of competitions will take place through AutoAid and RCIB Insurance’s social media channels with a total of eight winners picking up a pair of VIP tickets to join the team at Brands Hatch.
 
Each individual winner will also receive a signed Scalextric model of an RCIB-backed race car.
 
During the Brands Hatch race 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 a road-going MG6 GT featuring the same Joyce Designs livery that is displayed on the race cars of Rory Butcher and Tom Boardman 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.

To be in with a chance of winning the MG6 GT, potential entrants will need to follow both AutoAid and RCIB Insurance Racing on Facebook and Twitter, where the various qualifying competitions will take place.

AutoAid:
www.facebook.com/autoaidbreakdown
www.twitter.com/autoaidbreakd
 
RCIB:
www.facebook.com/RCIBInsuranceRacing
www.twitter.com/RCIBRacing

Shaun Hollamby, AmD with AutoAid/RCIB Insurance Racing Team Principal, said: “This competition is a fantastic opportunity for a BTCC fan to win a unique prize unlike anything that has gone before.
 
“When the idea was put forwards by AutoAid and RCIB Insurance, we had no hesitation in helping to bring it together and it is a fantastic way for them as a sponsor to give something back to the fans who come along every weekend to cheer on the team.
 
“The car will undergo the full AmD treatment before being handed over to the new owner when we get to Brands Hatch and the battle to win it is sure to be as frantic as the racing will be on track.”
 
Mike Joseph, AutoAid & RCIB Insurance Managing Director, said: “We are truly very excited about this extremely unique competition, not only because there is such a great prize but also because of the exciting final shoot-out.

"As major sponsors of BTCC teams for the past seven years, it’s great to give something very special back to one lucky fan and we hope that many touring car fans will take the chance to enter this competition.
 
“We would also like to thank both AmD and Scalextric for supporting this idea as we couldn’t have done it without them. The global appeal of the BTCC continues to grow and we are sure the winner will get lots of media coverage. We’d like to wish all of those who enter the best of luck.”

Power Maxed TAG Racing secured its maiden Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship victory at Brands Hatch two weeks ago, and the Warwickshire-based squad is understandably feeling positive ahead of Rounds 4, 5 and 6 from Donington Park (28/29 April).

Josh Cook and Senna Proctor, both of whom are Jack Sears Trophy winners with PMR, are optimistic about their chances at the Derbyshire circuit and Team Principal, Adam Weaver, says the team is still yet to come down from the highs of the opening race weekend of 2018.

"We’re still on a high after the spectacular win at the hands of Senna (Proctor) at Brands Hatch," said Weaver. "Both he and Josh (Cook) have now proved themselves as experienced BTCC drivers and we’re confident of achieving more strong results this year.

"Martin (Broadhurst) and the team have been working relentlessly on getting the absolute best from the cars, and we make no bones about the fact that we’re looking to stay consistently in the points.”

Last year, the Vauxhall Astras alluded to their underlying promise throughout the campaign. Built from the ground up at PMR's base near Stratford-upon-Avon over the off-season in 2017, they fought through the pack on numerous occasions, culminating in Rob Huff leading at Silverstone, and eventually securing a then best-yet second spot.

Both Proctor and Cook posted fastest laps back at Brands. Add to that Proctor's victory, and Team Manager Martin Broadhurst has strong expectations for Donington Park.

“Senna’s win at Brands Hatch was phenomenal and has proved to everyone that we’re here to win. Both Josh and Senna have demonstrated that they can take the Astras to the front, and that’s where we’ll be aiming. The whole team has been buoyed by it, and it’s made the late nights and hard work worthwhile.”

The Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship season-opener at Brands Hatch Indy proved a mixed weekend for Aiden Moffat, with two points-scoring finishes and the race lead in Round 2 tempered by the end result of that second bout, which could have yielded much more for the young Scot had luck been on his side.

Moffat's searing drive through the field in race two, having plumped for Dunlop SportMaxx dry tyres in changeable conditions, saw him head the pack at two-thirds distance only for contact to see him shuffled down the order, with significant damage to his Laser Tools Racing Mercedes-Benz A-Class. 

“It really was a gamble,” admitted Moffat at the time. “Many fellow competitors had chosen the wet tyres but we went with slicks, aware that on the initial few laps we may lose a few places with the track still wet in places.

“It felt like that was a win I had taken away, given the way I'd scrapped through the field and the pace we had in the car. I was defending well and there was contact. In those conditions there wasn't much I could do. It wasn't my mistake and while fifth sounds okay on the face of it, I know it could have been so much more.

Moffat was in the wars again in race three, and with a front-row start in the reverse grid draw Moffat was hopeful. Bad luck found its way to him once more, however.

“We sustained damage and the car just wouldn't do what we asked of it after that,” said Moffat. “Again, it makes you wonder what might have been, because I was confident that if I defended the race would come to me, but I never got that chance.

“However, we left Brands Hatch having proved the car is fast and that I can race at the front, defend when leading and not make mistakes under pressure, but we could have had one, maybe two wins."

The Scotsman's trip to Leicestershire last year couldn't have gone any better, though, and Moffat is keen for a repeat after scoring his maiden BTCC win here 12 months ago.

“Now we have regrouped for Donington Park, where I won last year, and this is one of my favourite tracks. We’ve been practicing our race starts and that has really paid off. I’m very confident in the car and both the team and I are really looking forward to positive results this coming weekend.”

Motorbase Performance heads to Donington Park this coming weekend with silverware firmly on the agenda as the Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship reconvenes at the Leicestershire circuit.

Fired-up by the pace shown during the season opener at Brands Hatch earlier this month and Team Shredded Wheat Racing with Gallagher's Tom Chilton and James Cole are looking to capitalise on their ballast-free advantage and work their way up the championship standings with a strong showing in the Ford Focus RS.

“Brands Hatch proved to be a bit of a topsy-turvy weekend throughout the grid,” said Team Manager Oly Collins. “Our performance was strong, but the results didn’t come our way. The weather played a big part in that but our qualifying performance shows the outright pace of the new RS.

“Having all the cars in the top 14 and less than two tenths off the front row, we know we are very much in the ball park and that gives us confidence going into this weekend.”

The Kent outfit has an excellent record on the world-renowned track and Donington Park has been the scene of success for the Kent-based squad in past seasons, with its former Ford Focus ST charge tasting victory here in 2011, 2012 and 2016.

“On paper, Donington should suit the RS better than the Brands Indy circuit,” added Collins. “It’s a little faster and the aero and chassis improvements that we’ve made to the Focus should make a big difference there.

“We went well at the Season Launch test last month and it’s been a happy hunting ground for us in the past, so we’re aiming to continue that trend this weekend and hopefully bag ourselves some new silverware to take home on Sunday night!”

“Donington Park is always a great circuit to race at," said Chilton. "I took my first race win there, way back in 2004 and I have a lot of happy memories of racing there over the years.

“I was second fastest there on media day and we showed at Brands Hatch that we have the pace to be challenging for wins. I can’t wait to shake off the run of bad luck we had at Brands Hatch and get our championship challenge off the ground this weekend.”

“I think the pace we’ve shown so far during pre-season and also at Brands demonstrates the potential of where we should be," added Cole. "We’ve reset after the bad luck we had during the opening rounds and it’s time to show what were capable of this weekend.

“I don’t think that the championship contenders have shown their hand yet, Brands Hatch was an odd weekend and I think the championship battle will really come to life at Donington. We should be in for some exciting battles!”

Tordoff: 'The car's clearly very quick'

Sam Tordoff in the Team GardX Racing with Motorbase Focus RS is similarly looking to make good on the promise he and his machinery showed back at Brands Hatch – promise enough for a front-row qualifying berth.

"I think the car's very good but regarding Brands we just needed to forget about it and move on," said Tordoff. "The car's clearly very quick, as qualifying showed, and we were quick in the dry and the wet.

"We just had a bit of bad luck and made a wrong tyre call in race one and unfortunately our weekend unravelled from there. I'm not going to worry about it though, nobody scored big points and there's a long way to go in this championship.

"I don't think Ash Sutton scored any points at the opener either but look where he ended up.

"Donington's a circuit I enjoy and go well at. We went well at Season Launch so I'm hoping we can go and get another front-row qualifying result and score some points."

West Surrey Racing heads to Donington Park this weekend with the aim of strengthening its advantage atop the Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship Manufacturers' standings.

Andrew Jordan, in BMW Pirtek Racing colours, is shooting for more this time out on home soil, with the BMW 125i M Sport's pace, he believes, conducive to better results than those achieved at Brands Hatch – though he did score the 100th BTCC podium finish for a WSR-run BMW there.

“I always look forward to racing at Donington Park," said Jordan."It’s the closest circuit to where I live and I can always feel fantastic local support from the fans. I also have some great memories of this place, like my first BTCC pole and my two wins here.

"It was great to start the year with a podium at Brands Hatch, but ultimately the results of the weekend weren’t a reflection of the speed we had. On the positive side, I head to Donington without success ballast and aiming to make BMW winners for a third straight season.”

Over on the Team BMW side of the garage, Colin Turkington and Rob Collard are determined to chalk up more valuable points for the Sunbury-on-Thames-based team at the demanding 1.9-mile East Midlands venue.

Turkington lies sixth in the Drivers’ Championship and carries 33kg of success ballast as a result.

The two-time BTCC champion took the first victory for the BMW 125i M Sport at Donington in 2013 and has two pole positions and four wins at the circuit – including one last year – to his name.

“It was great to secure a podium on our first race of 2018 at Brands Hatch but an unfortunate issue with the car had me fighting back for races two and three," said Turkington.  

"Despite this, we left feeling optimistic about the pace and potential of the BMW. It’s a long season ahead!

"It’s time to look ahead to Donington now and I’m aiming for a similar trio of results to last year. It was here I collected my first win of 2017 and took two further top-five finishes. This year looks more competitive than ever though so we must ensure we’ve done our homework before the weekend.”

Hampshireman Collard scored his first BTCC podium at Donington in 2005 with WSR and has recorded two wins and five rostrum finishes there – including a charging drive from sixth to second last year.

Having endured a challenging weekend at Brands Hatch, Collard is confident of a better time at Donington as he aims to climb the championship table and elevate Team BMW from their current eighth spot in the Teams’ title race.

“I’m treating Donington as the start of my season. I’ve had some great results there in the past, including my first BTCC podium, a second-place finish last year and two wins.

"We’ve certainly been able to show the BMW’s speed there over the past couple of seasons to a greater level than before, which shows the top job the team’s doing. I’m not carrying any success ballast into the weekend so that will help as I aim to make a big jump up the championship table.”

Dick Bennetts, Team Principal, added: “Brands Hatch was a mixed weekend. On the one hand, we’re pleased to have started the defence of BMW’s Manufacturers’ title by being the top scorers at the opening round, but we also suffered some unfortunate issues that meant we weren’t able to build on Colin’s and AJ's podiums in race one.

"Since then, we’ve had a solid test at Thruxton and we now head to Donington – where we’ve won three times in the past five years with the BMW 125i M Sport – in good shape. Traditionally it’s been a track that’s favoured the front-wheel-drive cars, but we have a strong engineering team and they’ve helped us close the gap in recent years."