Mac Tools with Ciceley Motorsport's Adam Morgan enjoyed a stellar weekend at Thruxton, notching a second win of the season in the Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship which moved him into the lead of the ultra-competitive series.

Morgan's Mercedes-Benz A-Class headed into the weekend second in the title race and as a result had to carry the regulation 66 kilograms of success ballast for qualifying and the opening race. The extra weight certainly made its presence felt as Morgan battled to the 12th fastest time around the ultra-fast Hampshire speedbowl in qualifying.

“The weight certainly hurt us, but we were happy,” said Morgan. “I was aiming for the top 15 so the outcome was good and the lap I did was a committed one – I was hanging on for dear life through the fast bits!”

In sweltering temperatures, Morgan's car bogged down off the line and lost ground to the pack but he soon battled his way back into contention, diving past the sister Fuchs Lubricants-backed Mercedes-Benz A-Class of Tom Oliphant at the ultra-fast Church Corner before setting off in pursuit of the pack ahead.

“I completely messed up the start,” said the Lancashireman. “By the time I had worked through the traffic, the gaps had opened up ahead of me and with the weight I was carrying, I just couldn’t catch them.” He finished a frustrated 14th but would run without success ballast as a result in race two.

Morgan charged his way up to seventh in the second bout. That result put him in contention with the reverse grid draw and when the magic number was revealed, the Ciceley man's ball was drawn, meaning he'd start the final race from pole position.

Now carrying 27kgs of success ballast after taking seventh place in race two, Morgan drove the race of his life – building a gap on the opening lap then preserving his advantage while protecting his tyres on the unique, abrasive track surface. Behind him, a charging Jack Goff brought his Honda Civic Type R into second place with a couple of laps to go, but Morgan stretched the margin to score a sixth career win and his second of the 2018 campaign. With that, he also assumed the championship lead by a point heading into his home event at Oulton Park in three weeks' time.

“I’d gone through the race in my head,” said a delighted standings leader post-race. “My plan was to get a good start and try to lead to the Complex and then just go! I pushed hard for the first six or seven laps but I had Senna Proctor pushing hard behind me. I panicked a bit when I saw Jack Goff closing after he got past Proctor but when I realised he wasn’t going to catch me, I actually enjoyed the last lap and I'm really chuffed for the team.

https://www.facebook.com/OfficialBTCC/videos/1978251568882950/

“We made some adjustments for race three with the hotter temperatures and although Thruxton has never been our best track we were good for straight-line speed today. Now we go to Oulton Park, which has never been that kind to us, with the full 75 kilograms of success ballast on-board as championship leaders, so that will be a challenge…”

Ciceley Motorsports Tom Oliphant endured a frustrating raceday in Hampshire. After qualifying a creditable 16th, Oliphants’s race pace looked in good shape after he finished 17th in race one on his first visit to the fastest circuit in the country in a front-wheel drive car.

Oliphant was looking forward to moving up the order in race two but unfortunate contact broke the suspension on his Phillips-backed Mercedes and he was forced to retire and start the final round of the day from the back of the grid. Oliphant’s pace saw him move from 32nd to finish a fantastic 19th and although disappointed with his race two incident, he was left optimistic and looking forward to the opportunity to show his ability on home turf at Oulton Park.

Ciceley Motorsport Commercial Director Norman Burgess added: "To be the championship leader in a series as competitive as this is just awesome. Adam’s performance in that last race was exemplary – he never looked under pressure and never put a wheel out of line.

"It was a brilliant drive and one richly enjoyed by our Mac Tools, Lunar Caravans and Pallex guests who enjoyed the sweltering conditions and the perfect finale to their BTCC experience at Thruxton. Oulton Park will be a challenge for us but we go there more optimistic than ever and hope to avenge last year’s bad luck.

“Tom Oliphant has had some terrible luck so far this year. He has immediately taken to the Ciceley Motorsport Mercedes and his lap times are right up there. Once he gets the rub of the green he will be fighting at the front, of that we have no doubt.

"Hopefully, Oulton will be the end of his wretched luck and he can show his supporters exactly what he is capable of! Tom has still had a great start to the season and is more than holding his own with the championship's established drivers. Watch this space!”

Morgan’s results move him in the lead of the Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship a point and into the lead of the Independents’ Trophy by five points. Mac Tools with Ciceley Motorsport now lead the Independent Teams’ running.

Sam Tordoff celebrated a return to the Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship rostrum this weekend with two Independent race wins and three top four finishes in the Team GardX Racing with Motorbase Ford Focus RS at Thruxton.

The Yorkshireman’s consistent pace and race-craft was finally rewarded, launching the Leeds-based driver into the top half of the championship standings and kick-starting his 2018 campaign.

Setting the sixth fastest time in qualifying on Saturday, Tordoff stated his intent early on with a flying start in the opening race. A brave lunge up the inside on the first corner fired the #600 Focus RS up into fifth on the opening lap before setting his sights on former BTCC champion Andrew Jordan in fourth. Tordoff skipped past the BMW on lap three as the duo headed down the start-finish straight on his way to fourth come the chequered flag and his first Independents' race win of the season.

Carrying 48kg of success ballast on-board the RS, Tordoff made his way beyond Cammish’s Honda on the opening lap of race two to pinch third. Defending hard against his lighter counterparts, Tordoff’s steadfast efforts yielded just one further overtaking manoeuvre as the laps unfolded, crossing the line in fourth and collecting his second Independents' victory of the weekend.

Continuing his fine form into the final race of the day, the GardX-sponsored racer’s controlled run was repaid with a third top four finish of the weekend, helping to ignite Tordoff’s championship challenge, pushing him into 14^th in the Drivers' standings and seventh in the Independents’.

“It’s been a really good weekend, which is exactly what we needed to kick-start our championship and overcome the disaster that we’ve had at the start," said Tordoff.

“I was really pleased with qualifying and we’ve backed it up with three solid races; I can’t ask for any more than that really. The temperature has certainly made it more difficult for us this weekend, I didn’t really think that at any point we had the car to fight for the lead but overall I’m really happy.

“We’ve had three fourth place finishes and that’s a great points haul, and one that I’ve not had in a long time. It’s propelled us right up there in the championship but still outside the top ten which means we’ll go to Oulton Park again with no ballast, and that’s where we really need to make it count to get back into the fight for the championship.”

The weekend’s points haul also saw Team GardX Racing with Motorbase move up into 10^th place in the overall Teams’ standings and seventh in the Independent Teams' running.

David Bartrum, Team Principal, added: “It was a great weekend for Sam. He’s had three really great qualifying sessions so far this season but this is the first weekend that he’s been able to convert that into points. He has been very consistent this weekend and I’m really pleased with the way that the team has worked and that they’ve finally been rewarded with some points and silverware!

“Sam’s got some new trophies to polish now – he’s worked hard for those. He came here to get points this weekend to kick start his championship and he’s achieved that. We have two northern rounds coming up next, either one of which really could be classed as Sam’s home circuits and I look forward to seeing what he can do there.”

BMW Pirtek Racing’s Andrew Jordan is on the mend after producing a battling performance on track at Thruxton, securing a brace of top six finishes from the third meeting of the Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship season.
 
Andrew went into the weekend looking to rebound from a tough weekend on track at Donington Park, where the undoubted pace in his West Surrey Racing-run BMW 125i M Sport wasn’t reflected in the end results – with a mechanical issue in qualifying preventing him from fighting at the sharp end of the grid.
 
At one of his favourite circuits on the calendar, Andrew was on the pace from the moment that the cars hit the track and was well inside the top ten in both free practice sessions.
 
Shortly ahead of the start of qualifying however, the 2013 champion started to feel unwell but battled bravely on track to secure ninth place on the grid for the opening race of the weekend.
 
Despite still feeling the effects of a virus on Sunday morning, Andrew was able to take his place on the grid for the opening race and a storming start when the lights went out saw him rocket up to fourth place on the first lap – despite being forced to take action to avoid a slow starting car ahead off the line.
 
Andrew would battle hard throughout the race and although he would lose out to two of the front-wheel drive cars behind, a sixth place finish was a good way to kick-start his day.
 
Another solid start in the second race saw Andrew again make up two places on the opening lap before he eventually settled into fifth spot, and it was a place he would maintain through to the finish to add more solid points to his tally.
 
The reverse grid draw put Andrew third on the grid for the final race of the weekend but the ongoing effects of the virus left him with no option but to take the difficult decision to withdraw from the race.
 
Andrew would be taken to a local hospital for treatment before being released later on Sunday evening to return home.
 
Despite the disappointment of missing race three, the strong results earlier in the day mean Andrew has now moved up to eleventh in the championship standings ahead of events at Oulton Park and Croft that have traditionally favoured his rear-wheel drive car.
 
“It turned out to be an interesting weekend at Thruxton – and not in the way I expected!” he said. “We were confident that we could pick up some good points and after two decent practice sessions, it was all going to plan heading into qualifying.
 
“Shortly before the session I started to feel unwell but once I got in the car and hit the track, I just focused on the job at hand and P9 was okay considering we didn’t quite have the car right for the conditions.
 
“I did my best to rest overnight and I was determined to try and make sure we got as much as we could from race day despite not feeling 100 per cent. I really gave it everything that I had in the first two races and to bring home a pair of top six finishes in those circumstances is something I’m really pleased with.
 
“It’s a shame that I couldn’t take part in the final race considering where we were on the grid, but I had nothing left to give and there was no option but to withdraw from the event.
 
“I want to say a huge thank you to the medical staff at the circuit and in hospital for keeping an eye on me, and also to everyone who sent messages asking how I was. When we get to the end of the season, the points I managed to score this weekend could prove to be vital and I’m looking forward to the events to come, which I know will play to our strengths.”

BTCC wins Matt Neal, Josh Cook and Adam Morgan at Thruxton

Mac Tools with Ciceley Motorsport's Adam Morgan moved to the summit of the 2018 Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship standings with victory in the final race in front a record crowd at Thruxton today (20 May), following on from points scoring finishes in the first two bouts in Hampshire.
 
Matt Neal claimed the early bragging rights as he converted pole position into a race one win, before Josh Cook scored his second victory in as many BTCC meetings with victory in the next contest.
 
Halfords Yuasa Racing’s Neal produced a commanding lights-to-flag performance in the opening race, after seeing off race-long pressure from Team BMW’s Colin Turkington.
 
Despite the season so far largely being dominated by a number of young drivers, it was the multiple BTCC champion duo of Neal and Turkington that fought back at the UK’s fastest circuit.
 
Neal took a maiden pole position for the all-new Honda Civic Type R during qualifying on Saturday, and he duly converted that advantage into a 62nd BTCC career victory. Turkington pulled his BMW 125i M Sport alongside the Honda off the line, but Neal hung on at the Complex as all 32-cars made it through for the first time.
 
Turkington kept Neal honest throughout the 16-lap duration, but their positions remained the same until the finish. 
 
The Team GardX Racing with Motorbase Ford Focus of Sam Tordoff hounded down Dan Cammish’s Honda for the final place on the podium, but the latter fended off every advance, and grabbed the second outright rostrum of his debut season.
 
Power Maxed TAG Racing’s Cook then followed up his recent Donington Park success with another stellar display at the Hampshire speedbowl.
 
Pole-sitter Neal couldn’t hang on off-the-line as Turkington’s BMW blasted ahead of the Honda Civic Type R on the run down to the Complex.
 
Cammish’s Honda bogged down at the start, which allowed Tordoff’s Ford Focus and Andrew Jordan’s Pirtek Racing BMW by in a tussle for third.
 
Progress was soon being made behind, however, as the Power Maxed TAG Racing duo of Cook and Senna Proctor slipped past Team Shredded Wheat Racing with Gallagher’s Tom Chilton. Proctor’s advances were halted at that point but team-mate Cook was on a charge as he saw off Tordoff and Jordan in quick succession.
 
Cook’s Astra then surged around the outside of Neal’s Honda at the final chicane and by lap 10 the local hero was challenging for the lead. The moment of truth came at the end of the next tour as the Bath driver pulled an almost identical move on Turkington’s BMW 125i M Sport.
 
Team GardX Racing with Motorbase’s Tordoff held on to fourth from Jordan and Proctor.
 
Morgan's second win of the season came in dominant fashion as he commanded the final race from start-to-finish in his Mercedes-Benz A-Class.
 
The Lancastrian driver got a good getaway from pole position and he was able to defend well from an early attack from the Vauxhall Astra of Proctor.
 
Morgan's job was made slightly more comfortable when a charging Jack Goff hauled his Honda onto the back of Proctor's Astra, and a squabble for second ensued.
 
Goff made his move stick on Proctor in the final third of the contest, but it was too late to make any inroads into Morgan's advantage. The 29-year-old took the chequered flag and with it the lead in the overall drivers' standings.
 
Tordoff completed a solid day for Team GardX Racing with Motorbase by taking fourth, whilst Team BMW's Turkington fired himself back into championship contention with another top five finish, following on from his double podium earlier in the day.
 
Morgan leads the standings by just a point from Cook, with previous championship leader Tom Ingram a further ten points in arrears. Speedworks Motorsport’s Ingram endured a challenging day after a non-finish in the opener, but the Toyota star provided some respite with a seventh place and a brand new lap record in the finale.
 
Yvan Muller’s 2002 Thruxton benchmark was the longest standing lap record on the BTCC calendar, but it was beaten a number of times today. Eventually it was Ingram who earned the ultimate accolade – his 1:17.060s setting a new marker.
 
Vauxhall lead the Manufacturers’ standings, as well as the Teams’ table for the Power Maxed TAG Racing squad. Morgan and his Mac Tools with Ciceley Motorsport team hold the advantage in both Independents’ standings, whilst a trio of top ten finishes for BTC Norlin Racing’s Chris Smiley pushed him to the top of the Jack Sears Trophy.
 
The Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship returns in three weeks’ time for Rounds 10, 11 and 12 at Oulton Park.
 
Matt Neal said: “That was very special – this one’s for Henry Hope-Frost. We’ve certainly got the fever today. It’s the first win for the new Honda Civic Type R, and on Yuasa’s 100th Anniversary weekend. I think the warm weather suited us and helped us to get the power down with front-wheel drive, and I got the best start I’ve made in a couple of years. We did a race simulation yesterday and knew we were pretty solid over a race distance. Still, I thought Colin would come back at me, but one of the new Civic Type R’s key strengths is its speed through the quick corners out the back of the lap and that allowed me to stretch my legs a bit.”
 
Josh Cook said: “That was really good fun. To win my first race at Donington Park was obviously enjoyable, but to do it from the middle of the pack like that was even better. It’s the first time I’ve been round here this weekend without any weight in the car. The Astra was on rails at the front and we were really strong through Church, which allowed us to carry good momentum onto the back straight. That said, the rear was moving around quite a lot which caused plenty of big sideways moments! All credit to the Power Maxed Racing guys – qualifying didn’t quite go our way, but we knew we had the pace and when the points are available, we’ll certainly take them.”
 
Adam Morgan said: “I didn’t expect this, to be honest, because I knew Senna [Proctor] and the Vauxhall would be quick so I was anticipating being put under a bit of pressure, but I was confident and I got the start really hooked-up. After getting through the Complex for the first time, it was just qualifying lap after qualifying lap – it was, ‘let’s get on with this and go’. Senna kept me honest and pushed me all the way, and Jack [Goff] did the same later on but I was able to manage the gap and on the last lap, I was able to calm it down a bit and enjoy the moment. It’s a credit to all the Ciceley guys, who have worked their socks off over the winter and early part of the season. To be leading the championship is a first for us, so now we’ll go to our favourite track carrying full ballast, and I’m looking forward to it.”

2018 Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship – Round 7 – Thruxton

1 Matt NEAL (GBR) Halfords Yuasa Racing 16 laps
2 Colin TURKINGTON (GBR) Team BMW +0.860s
3 Dan CAMMISH (GBR) Halfords Yuasa Racing +3.699s
4 Sam TORDOFF (GBR) Team GardX Racing with Motorbase +4.040s
5 Tom CHILTON (GBR) Team Shredded Wheat Racing with Gallagher +5.290s
6 Andrew JORDAN (GBR) BMW Pirtek Racing +8.922s
7 Senna PROCTOR (GBR) Power Maxed TAG Racing +9.361s
8 Brett SMITH (GBR) WIX Racing with Eurotech +9.725s
9 Josh COOK (GBR) Power Maxed TAG Racing +14.929s
10 Chris SMILEY (GBR) BTC Norlin Racing +15.436s

2018 Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship – Round 8 – Thruxton

1 Josh COOK (GBR) Power Maxed TAG Racing 16 laps
2 Colin TURKINGTON (GBR) Team BMW +1.325s
3 Matt NEAL (GBR) Halfords Yuasa Racing +5.285
4 Sam TORDOFF (GBR) Team GardX Racing with Motorbase +6.287s
5 Andrew JORDAN (GBR) BMW Pirtek Racing +6.595s
6 Senna PROCTOR (GBR) Power Maxed TAG Racing +7.005s
7 Adam MORGAN (GBR) Mac Tools with Ciceley Motorsport +7.419s
8 Jack GOFF (GBR) WIX Racing with Eurotech +7.816s
9 Tom CHILTON (GBR) Team Shredded Wheat Racing with Gallagher +9.114s
10 Chris SMILEY (GBR) BTC Norlin Racing +10.203s

2018 Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship – Round 9 – Thruxton

1 Adam MORGAN (GBR) Mac Tools with Ciceley Motorsport 16 laps
2 Jack GOFF (GBR) WIX Racing with Eurotech +2.433s
3 Senna PROCTOR (GBR) Power Maxed TAG Racing +3.147s
4 Sam TORDOFF (GBR) Team GardX Racing with Motorbase +5.045s
5 Colin TURKINGTON (GBR) Team BMW +5.994s
6 Josh COOK (GBR) Power Maxed TAG Racing +6.544s
7 Tom INGRAM (GBR) Speedworks Motorsport +6.922s
8 Matt NEAL (GBR) Halfords Yuasa Racing +7.722s
9 Chris SMILEY (GBR) BTC Norlin Racing +12.985s
10 Rob COLLARD (GBR) Team BMW +13.205s

Penalties

Race 1
Michael Caine received a verbal warning and two penalty points for an incident involving Tom Boardman
 
Race 2
Josh Cook received a verbal warning for gaining an unfair advantage in an incident involving Andrew Jordan
 
James Cole received a verbal warning for an incident involving Tom Oliphant

Weekend
Adrian Flux Subaru Racing have been deducted 10 points from the Manufacturers’ and Teams’ totals as it has exceeded the engine allowance for the season

Mac Tools with Ciceley Motorsport's Adam Morgan has moved to the summit of the 2018 Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship standings with victory in the final race at Thruxton, following on from points scoring finishes in the first two bouts in Hampshire.

Morgan's second win of the season came in dominant fashion as he commanded the race from start-to-finish in his Mercedes-Benz A-Class.

The Lancastrian driver got a good getaway from pole position and he was able to defend well from an early attack from the Vauxhall Astra of Senna Proctor.

Morgan's job was made slightly more comfortable when a charging Jack Goff hauled his Honda onto the back of Proctor's Power Maxed TAG Racing's machine, and a squabble for second ensued.

Goff made his move stick on Proctor in the final third of the contest, but it was too late to make any inroads into Morgan's advantage. The 29-year-old took the chequered flag and with it the lead in the overall drivers' standings.

“I didn’t expect this, to be honest, because I knew Senna [Proctor] and the Vauxhall would be quick so I was anticipating being put under a bit of pressure, but I was confident and I got the start really hooked-up," said Morgan. "After getting through the Complex for the first time, it was just qualifying lap after qualifying lap – it was, ‘let’s get on with this and go’. Senna kept me honest and pushed me all the way, and Jack [Goff] did the same later on but I was able to manage the gap and on the last lap, I was able to calm it down a bit and enjoy the moment.

"The car was on rails, which is credit to all the Ciceley guys, who have worked their socks off over the winter and early part of the season. To be leading the championship is a first for us, so now we’ll go to our favourite track carrying full ballast, and I’m looking forward to it."

Sam Tordoff completed a solid day for Team GardX Racing with Motorbase by taking fourth, whilst Team BMW's Colin Turkington fired himself back into championship contention with another top five finish this afternoon.

Josh Cook backed up his earlier win with a sixth place in the final race, and the Power Maxed TAG Racing ace now sits just one point behind Morgan at the top of the standings.

Speedworks Motorsport's Tom Ingram provided some respite with seventh on a challenging day, having worked his way through the order after a non-finish in the opener. 

Honda legend Matt Neal claimed eighth, which followed pole position, a race one win and a further podium in the second contest – underlining his desires to challenge for the title once more.

BTC Norlin Racing's Chris Smiley scored a hat-trick of top ten finishes with ninth in the final race, with Team BMW's Rob Collard completing the top running order.

2018 Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship – Round 9 – Thruxton

1 Adam MORGAN (GBR) Mac Tools with Ciceley Motorsport 16 laps
2 Jack GOFF (GBR) WIX Racing with Eurotech +2.433s
3 Senna PROCTOR (GBR) Power Maxed TAG Racing +3.147s
4 Sam TORDOFF (GBR) Team GardX Racing with Motorbase +5.045s
5 Colin TURKINGTON (GBR) Team BMW +5.994s
6 Josh COOK (GBR) Power Maxed TAG Racing +6.544s
7 Tom INGRAM (GBR) Speedworks Motorsport +6.922s
8 Matt NEAL (GBR) Halfords Yuasa Racing +7.722s
9 Chris SMILEY (GBR) BTC Norlin Racing +12.985s
10 Rob COLLARD (GBR) Team BMW +13.205s
11 Tom CHILTON (GBR) Team Shredded Wheat Racing with Gallagher +15.230s
12 Matt SIMPSON (GBR) Simpson Racing +16.601s
13 Dan CAMMISH (GBR) Halfords Yuasa Racing +16.809s
14 Rory BUTCHER (GBR) AmD with AutoAid/RCIB Insurance Racing +17.120s
15 Aiden MOFFAT (GBR) Laser Tools Racing +17.350s
16 Rob AUSTIN (GBR) DUO Motorsport with HMS Racing +17.830s
17 Jake HILL (GBR) Trade Price Cars with Brisky Racing +21.896s
18 Tom BOARDMAN (GBR) AmD with AutoAid/RCIB Insurance Racing +24.707s
19 Tom OLIPHANT (GBR) Ciceley Motorsport +25.488s
20 Ashley SUTTON (GBR) Adrian Flux Subaru Racing +26.026s
21 Stephen JELLEY (GBR) Team Parker Racing +26.399s
22 Bobby THOMPSON (GBR) Team HARD with Trade Price Cars +26.805s
23 James NASH (GBR) BTC Norlin Racing +27.100s
24 James COLE (GBR) Team Shredded Wheat Racing with Gallagher +27.368s
25 Michael CAINE (GBR) Team HARD with Trade Price Cars +27.587s
26 Sam SMELT (GBR) AmD with Cobra Exhausts +34.620s
27 Mike BUSHELL (GBR) Trade Price Cars with Brisky Racing +1 lap
28 Josh PRICE (GBR) Autoglym Academy Racing +6 laps
29 Ollie JACKSON (GBR) AmD with Cobra Exhausts +7 laps
30 Brett SMITH (GBR) WIX Racing with Eurotech +13 laps
DNS Andrew JORDAN (GBR) BMW Pirtek Racing
DNS Jason PLATO (GBR) Adrian Flux Subaru Racing

Josh Cook has won his second BTCC race in as many meetings, following up his recent Donington Park success with another stellar display here at Thruxton.

Pole-sitter Matt Neal couldn't hang on off-the-line as Colin Turkington's BMW nipped in front of the Honda Civic Type R on the run down to the Complex for the first time.

Dan Cammish's Honda bogged down at the start, which allowed Sam Tordoff's Ford Focus and Andrew Jordan's BMW by in a tussle for third.

Progress was soon being made behind, however, as the Power Maxed TAG Racing duo of Josh Cook and Senna Proctor slipped past Team Shredded Wheat Racing with Gallagher's Tom Chilton. Proctor's advances were halted at that point but team-mate Cook was on a charge as he saw off Tordoff and Jordan in quick succession.

Cook's Astra then blasted around the outside of Neal's Honda at the final chicane and by lap 10 the local hero was challenging for the lead. The moment of truth came at the end of the next tour as he pulled an almost identical move on Turkington's BMW 125i M Sport.

The Bath driver never looked back as he took the win on-the-road from Turkington and Neal.

"That was really good fun," said Cook. "To win my first race at Donington Park was obviously enjoyable, but to do it from the middle of the pack like that was even better. It’s the first time I’ve been round here this weekend without any weight in the car. The Astra was on rails at the front and we were really strong through Church, which allowed us to carry good momentum onto the back straight.

"That said, the rear was moving around quite a lot which caused plenty of big sideways moments! All credit to the Power Maxed Racing guys – qualifying didn’t quite go our way, but we knew we had the pace and when the points are available, we’ll certainly take them."

Team GardX Racing with Motorbase's Tordoff held on to fourth from Jordan and Proctor.

Mac Tools with Ciceley Motorsport's Adam Morgan made solid ground to take seventh from fellow championship challenger Jack Goff. Chilton had to settle for ninth at the finish, whilst BTC Norlin Racing's Chris Smiley claimed his second top ten result of the day.

More to follow...

2018 Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship – Round 8 – Thruxton

1 Josh COOK (GBR) Power Maxed TAG Racing 16 laps
2 Colin TURKINGTON (GBR) Team BMW +1.325s
3 Matt NEAL (GBR) Halfords Yuasa Racing +5.285
4 Sam TORDOFF (GBR) Team GardX Racing with Motorbase +6.287s
5 Andrew JORDAN (GBR) BMW Pirtek Racing +6.595s
6 Senna PROCTOR (GBR) Power Maxed TAG Racing +7.005s
7 Adam MORGAN (GBR) Mac Tools with Ciceley Motorsport +7.419s
8 Jack GOFF (GBR) WIX Racing with Eurotech +7.816s
9 Tom CHILTON (GBR) Team Shredded Wheat Racing with Gallagher +9.114s
10 Chris SMILEY (GBR) BTC Norlin Racing +10.203s
11 Ashley SUTTON (GBR) Adrian Flux Subaru Racing +11.049s
12 Tom INGRAM (GBR) Speedworks Motorsport +12.177s
13 Rob AUSTIN (GBR) DUO Motorsport with HMS Racing +14.844s
14 Matt SIMPSON (GBR) Simpson Racing +15.289s
15 Aiden MOFFAT (GBR) Laser Tools Racing +15.741s
16 Rob COLLARD (GBR) Team BMW +16.154s
17 Ollie JACKSON (GBR) AmD with Cobra Exhausts +21.203s
18 Jake HILL (GBR) Trade Price Cars with Brisky Racing +22.390s
19 Rory BUTCHER (GBR) AmD with AutoAid/RCIB Insurance Racing +25.204s
20 Bobby THOMPSON (GBR) Team HARD with Trade Price Cars +29.488s
21 James NASH (GBR) BTC Norlin Racing +30.606s
22 Tom BOARDMAN (GBR) AmD with AutoAid/RCIB Insurance Racing +30.914s
23 Josh PRICE (GBR) Autoglym Academy Racing +35.311s
24 Sam SMELT (GBR) AmD with Cobra Exhausts +38.749s
25 Stephen JELLEY (GBR) Team Parker Racing +41.190s
26 Dan CAMMISH (GBR) Halfords Yuasa Racing +1m15.410s
DNF Michael CAINE (GBR) Team HARD with Trade Price Cars +2 laps
DNF Brett SMITH (GBR) WIX Racing with Eurotech +2 laps
DNF Mike BUSHELL (GBR) Trade Price Cars with Brisky Racing +3 laps
DNF James COLE (GBR) Team Shredded Wheat Racing with Gallagher +13 laps
DNF Jason PLATO (GBR) Adrian Flux Subaru Racing +13 laps
DNF Tom OLIPHANT (GBR) Ciceley Motorsport +14 laps

Halfords Yuasa Racing's Matt Neal secured a lights-to-flag victory in the opening Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship race at Thruxton, after seeing off race-long pressure from Team BMW rival Colin Turkington.

Despite the season so far being dominated by a number of young drivers, it was the multiple BTCC champion duo of Neal and Turkington that stepped up to the plate at the UK's fastest circuit.

Neal claimed a maiden pole position for the all-new Honda Civic Type R during qualifying yesterday, and he duly converted that advantage into a 62nd BTCC victory. Turkington hauled his BMW 125i M Sport alongside the #25 Honda off the line, but Neal hung on at the Complex as all 32-cars made it through for the first time.

Turkington kept Neal honest throughout the 16-lap contest, but their positions remained the same until the finish. BMW man Turkington scored an extra point, however, as he smashed the longest-standing lap record in the BTCC – a 1:17.243s lap time beating Yvan Muller's benchmark from way back in 2002.

"That was very special – this one’s for Henry Hope-Frost," said Neal. "We’ve certainly got the fever today. It’s the first win for the new Honda Civic Type R, and on Yuasa’s 100^th Anniversary weekend. I think the warm weather suited us and helped us to get the power down with front-wheel drive, and I got the best start I’ve made in a couple of years.

"We did a race simulation yesterday and knew we were pretty solid over a race distance. Still, I thought Colin would come back at me, but one of the new Civic Type R’s key strengths is its speed through the quick corners out the back of the lap and that allowed me to stretch my legs a bit. I’ve now got to carry 75kgs in race two, but ballast gives you traction, doesn’t it, so bring it on!”

"No BTCC race is easy and you can never take anything for granted, but that was a great start to our day," responded Turkington. "Once again, the BMW was very strong over a race distance, but we just didn’t quite have the legs on Matt – we had the pace to begin with, but three-quarters of the way through, he started to leave me a bit through the quicker corners, just as my car was beginning a bit of rear stability.

"Still, I kept pushing to the last lap and whilst we didn’t quite have enough there, we look forward to the next one. Everybody knows in this championship that you’ve got to be consistent and keep scoring points – and uncharacteristically, that’s what we haven’t done so far this year, but the whole BMW team is really strong and hopefully we can build from here."

The final place on the podium wasn't so clear cut as Brett Smith made a sticky getaway from third on the grid. The WIX Racing with Eurotech man slipped down the order as Honda rookie Dan Cammish inherited fourth ahead of a fast-starting Andrew Jordan in the BMW Pirtek Racing car.

Sam Tordoff joined the battle shortly after and the Motorbase-run Ford Focus was soon by Jordan, who has himself been struggling with a stomach bug during the weekend.

Tordoff hounded down Cammish, although the latter fended off every advance for the duration of the race, and grabbed his second outright rostrum of his debut season.

"Matt [Neal]’s pole lap yesterday was pretty special – that certainly taught me a thing or two – and Sam [Tordoff] was really quick towards the end of the race," said Cammish. "I had to dig deep to hit every mark. What a great result for Honda, Halfords and Yuasa – and now we’ll aim to build on this."

Tom Chilton took a lonely fifth behind stable-mate Tordoff, after the Team Shredded Wheat with Gallagher driver also got the better of a fading Jordan.

Power Maxed TAG Racing's Senna Proctor and Josh Cook were seventh and ninth respectively, with the recovering Smith in-between the two Vauxhalls, and the spirited Chris Smiley in the BTC Norlin Racing Civic rounding out the top ten.

It was a race with little by way of incident although championship leader Tom Ingram was forced out of the race with an electrical issue following contact with Cook's Astra. Tom Boardman and Michael Caine arguably produced the most dramatic moment of the bout with a clash at the final chicane sending both into retirement. Caine received a verbal warning and his licence was endorsed with two penalty points for his part in the incident.

2018 Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship – Round 7 – Thruxton

1 Matt NEAL (GBR) Halfords Yuasa Racing 16 laps
2 Colin TURKINGTON (GBR) Team BMW +0.860s
3 Dan CAMMISH (GBR) Halfords Yuasa Racing +3.699s
4 Sam TORDOFF (GBR) Team GardX Racing with Motorbase +4.040s
5 Tom CHILTON (GBR) Team Shredded Wheat Racing with Gallagher +5.290s
6 Andrew JORDAN (GBR) BMW Pirtek Racing +8.922s
7 Senna PROCTOR (GBR) Power Maxed TAG Racing +9.361s
8 Brett SMITH (GBR) WIX Racing with Eurotech +9.725s
9 Josh COOK (GBR) Power Maxed TAG Racing +14.929s
10 Chris SMILEY (GBR) BTC Norlin Racing +15.436s
11 Rob COLLARD (GBR) Team BMW +15.591s
12 Matt SIMPSON (GBR) Simpson Racing +16.620s
13 Jack GOFF (GBR) WIX Racing with Eurotech +16.780s
14 Adam MORGAN (GBR) Mac Tools with Ciceley Motorsport +17.787s
15 Ashley SUTTON (GBR) Adrian Flux Subaru Racing +18.096s
16 Rob AUSTIN (GBR) DUO Motorsport with HMS Racing +18.529s
17 Tom OLIPHANT (GBR) Ciceley Motorsport +19.922s
18 Aiden MOFFAT (GBR) Laser Tools Racing +21.773s
19 James COLE (GBR) Team Shredded Wheat Racing with Gallagher +23.602s
20 Jake HILL (GBR) Trade Price Cars with Brisky Racing +24.888s
21 Mike BUSHELL (GBR) Trade Price Cars with Brisky Racing +26.893s
22 Josh PRICE (GBR) Autoglym Academy Racing +27.155s
23 James NASH (GBR) BTC Norlin Racing +27.766s
24 Rory BUTCHER (GBR) AmD with AutoAid/RCIB Insurance Racing +28.022s
25 Ollie JACKSON (GBR) AmD with Cobra Exhausts +30.185s
26 Bobby THOMPSON (GBR) Team HARD with Trade Price Cars +38.299s
27 Stephen JELLEY (GBR) Team Parker Racing +38.648s
28 Sam SMELT (GBR) AmD with Cobra Exhausts +38.965s
DNF Jason PLATO (GBR) Adrian Flux Subaru Racing +3 laps
DNF Tom BOARDMAN (GBR) AmD with AutoAid/RCIB Insurance Racing +3 laps
DNF Michael CAINE (GBR) Team HARD with Trade Price Cars +4 laps
DNF Tom INGRAM (GBR) Speedworks Motorsport +11 laps

Championship leader Tom Ingram has had his fastest lap time removed post-qualifying for Round 7 of the 2018 Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship.

The Race Director took the decision after Ingram, driving the #80 Toyota Avensis, was adjudged to have exceeded track limits. Speedworks Motorsport appealed the judgement, but stewards upheld the original decision of the Race Director. 

Subsequently Ingram has dropped down to tenth on the grid.

An official amended grid will be released tomorrow morning.

After six rounds there is an unfamiliar and fresh look to the front-running order of the Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship.

Tom Ingram at just 24-years-old currently leads the way from Adam Morgan (29), Josh Cook (26) and Jack Goff (27). The trend continues throughout the top eight drivers with reigning champ Ash Sutton (24), Aiden Moffat (21), Dan Cammish (29) and Chris Smiley (26) completing the line-up.

The result is an average age of under 26 in the current top eight drivers – a certain first for Britain's best championship. Whilst there are a host of talented experienced racers already fighting back here at Thruxton this weekend it seems the future is now in the BTCC!

Download your 'Young Guns' poster below:

Experienced heads fight back in BTCC qualifying

Halfords Yuasa Racing's Matt Neal produced a mind-blowing lap during qualifying for Round 7 of the 2018 Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship, smashing his own lap record by nearly half a second to grab pole position at Thruxton. 

In a season that has so far been largely dominated by the ever-growing number of emerging young talents in the field, it was elder statesman Neal who produced the goods at the UK's fastest circuit.

Team BMW's Colin Turkington – another of the experienced heads in the ultra-competitive 32-car line-up – looked to have taken pole when he dipped under Neal's 2017 benchmark, but the Ulsterman still secured an impressive place on the front row for tomorrow's opener.

Brett Smith admitted he was literally sick with nerves prior to the session, with few predicting his high-rise finish. The WIX Racing with Eurotech man was confident however, and the 26-year-old duly obliged with a stellar lap to take third.

Dan Cammish was among a number of drivers to lose their fastest lap times, due to track limit infringements, but the BTCC rookie bounced back well to claim fourth at the flag – making it three Hondas in the top four of the final classification. 

Power Maxed TAG Racing is enjoying something of a breakthrough season in the BTCC – with Senna Proctor and Josh Cook having taken a maiden win apiece at Brands Hatch and Donington Park respectively – and both young racers also starred today at a sun-baked Thruxton. With a ballast-laden Vauxhall Astra for Cook, however, it was this time left to Proctor to perform well during qualifying.

The Yorkshireman grabbed fifth, ahead of championship leader Tom Ingram – the Toyota marksman taking sixth place on-the-road despite his Avensis carrying maximum weight. Ingram, however, was later adjudged to have exceeded track limits. Speedworks Motorsport appealed the post-qualifying judgement, but stewards upheld the original decision of the Race Director. Subsequently Ingram dropped down to tenth on the grid.

Ford duo Sam Tordoff and Tom Chilton were next up in the timesheets, with the Motorbase-run machines showing solid pace around the Hampshire speedbowl. BMW Pirtek Racing's Andrew Jordan is looking to ignite his championship challenge and he'll have to do so from eighth on the grid, whilst Chris Smiley was ninth – another notable result from the fledgling BTC Norlin Racing squad.

There was little by way of off-track incidents during the 30-minute session but there were a number of notable front-running absentees from the top ten, including Adam Morgan (12th), Jack Goff (14th), Josh Cook (15th) and Ash Sutton (18th).

Rounds 7, 8 and 9 of the Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship will take place at Thruxton tomorrow (20 May) with a huge crowd expected to descend onto the sunny grass banks of Hampshire, and many more watching the action live and exclusively on ITV4 from 11:15.

Matt Neal said: "I was hanging everything out there! I honestly didn’t think we had that kind of pace in the car, but it just shows that this new Civic Type R is really up for it. I’m well-chuffed. This event is like a home grand prix for us, with Honda and Yuasa based just up the road in Swindon and a different livery on the car this weekend in recognition of Yuasa’s 100^th Anniversary. Things haven’t gone our way so far this year, but we always remain hopeful. We did a good race simulation this morning, and the car was really kind to the tyres. The trouble, obviously, is I’ve got Colin [Turkington] alongside me with his fast-starting rear-wheel drive BMW, but it would be nice to break our 2018 duck tomorrow..."

Colin Turkington said: "I’m really pleased. The BMW has been fantastic all day. Thruxton is not somewhere that is generally one of our best tracks – it tends to be a little bit more difficult for us here – so all credit to Team BMW for this effort. They’ve kept improving the car bit by bit, and whilst it’s tough for us to match the front-wheel drive guys here over a single lap, this is the fastest time I’ve ever done at Thruxton. We are hoping the race will come to us, and the warmer the better for us tomorrow. It’s not going to be won at the first corner – it will be all about tyre management. We need to think long and hard tonight about how to optimise the car over a race distance, and hopefully we will come out firing on all cylinders."

Brett Smith said: "I knew coming into this weekend that Thruxton would be my best chance for a podium so far. This has always been a Honda circuit – it tends to favour front-wheel drive anyway, but I think the Honda is the best chassis on the grid – and I’m chuffed to bits with P3, right behind the pole man. I knew it was in the car and me, but I got myself so worked up beforehand that I ended up being sick. I was that nervous – proper James Hunt style. I’ve not got any ballast on-board, so the goal has to be to get a podium tomorrow – at the very least."

2018 Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship – Qualifying – Thruxton

1 Matt NEAL (GBR) Halfords Yuasa Racing 1m15.612s (112.17mph)
2 Colin TURKINGTON (GBR) Team BMW +0.235s
3 Brett SMITH (GBR) WIX Racing with Eurotech +0.435s
4 Dan CAMMISH (GBR) Halfords Yuasa Racing +0.477s
5 Senna PROCTOR (GBR) Power Maxed TAG Racing +0.533s
6 Sam TORDOFF (GBR) Team GardX Racing with Motorbase +0.609s
7 Tom CHILTON (GBR) Team Shredded Wheat Racing with Gallagher +0.644s
8 Andrew JORDAN (GBR) BMW Pirtek Racing +0.706s
9 Chris SMILEY (GBR) BTC Norlin Racing +0.783s
10 Tom INGRAM (GBR) Speedworks Motorsport +0.795s
11 Matt SIMPSON (GBR) Simpson Racing +0.845s
12 Adam MORGAN (GBR) Mac Tools with Ciceley Motorsport +0.901s
13 Rob COLLARD (GBR) Team BMW +0.911s
14 Jack GOFF (GBR) WIX Racing with Eurotech +0.926s
15 Josh COOK (GBR) Power Maxed TAG Racing +0.991s
16 Tom OLIPHANT (GBR) Ciceley Motorsport +1.020s
17 Rob AUSTIN (GBR) DUO Motorsport with HMS Racing +1.029s
18 Ashley SUTTON (GBR) Adrian Flux Subaru Racing +1.078s
19 Mike BUSHELL (GBR) Trade Price Cars with Brisky Racing +1.154s
20 James COLE (GBR) Team Shredded Wheat Racing with Gallagher +1.167s
21 Aiden MOFFAT (GBR) Laser Tools Racing +1.193s
22 James NASH (GBR) BTC Norlin Racing +1.215s
23 Josh PRICE (GBR) Autoglym Academy Racing +1.282s
24 Jason PLATO (GBR) Adrian Flux Subaru Racing +1.306s
25 Jake HILL (GBR) Trade Price Cars with Brisky Racing +1.325s
26 Rory BUTCHER (GBR) AmD with AutoAid/RCIB Insurance Racing +1.471s
27 Stephen JELLEY (GBR) Team Parker Racing +1.722s
28 Michael CAINE (GBR) Team HARD with Trade Price Cars +1.958s
29 Ollie JACKSON (GBR) AmD with Cobra Exhausts +2.056s
30 Bobby THOMPSON (GBR) Team HARD with Trade Price Cars +2.161s
31 Tom BOARDMAN (GBR) AmD with AutoAid/RCIB Insurance Racing +2.501s
32 Sam SMELT (GBR) AmD with Cobra Exhausts +2.659s