BMW Pirtek Racing’s Andrew Jordan says he is confident of challenging at the front of the field as the Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship heads to Oulton Park this weekend for the fourth event of its 60th Anniversary year.

Jordan makes the trip to the picturesque Cheshire circuit aiming to kick-start his title challenge after a mixed start to the year at the wheel of his West Surrey Racing-run BMW 125i M Sport.

Having taken a podium finish in the opening race of the campaign at Brands Hatch, the Midlander has shown strong pace at all three meetings run so far but has also endured more than his fair share of misfortune, which leaves him sitting 11th in the Drivers' standings.

What that does mean, however, is that the 2013 title winner goes into this weekend running without additional success ballast on his car at a circuit where rear-wheel drive machinery traditionally goes well.

That was certainly the case twelve months ago, when Jordan qualified on the front row of the grid before taking victory in the opening race of the weekend – adding a further podium finish to come away from the meeting with the biggest points haul of the 32 competing drivers.

With Oulton Park having been the circuit where he secured his maiden BTCC podium back in 2008 – and with ten trips to the podium in total – Jordan goes into the weekend in optimistic mood and confident of adding a big points haul to his tally.

“We’ve shown really good pace in the car so far this season and hopefully this weekend will be the one when we start to get the points we deserve – as was the case last year,” he said.

“Oulton is a circuit where I have always gone well and I really enjoy it because it is so old school and packed with character.

“Rear-wheel drive cars have traditionally been strong at Oulton Park, as we were last year with a front row start, a win and more points than anyone else was able to manage.

“Considering that we are running ballast free going into Saturday, I have to aim for similar results this time around and want to qualify well to make sure we are right in the mix to fight for some trophies.”

Forgive me if I get more nostalgic than normal here but Oulton Park is next for the Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship, and for me, Oulton is where the motor racing bug bit.

I was five, it was noisy, and I was grumpy. I remember walking over the old Eagle Star footbridge at Deer Leap as a grid of loud, modified sports cars accelerated away.

I mention this because, a few months later at the start of 1978, I was back, less grumpy, and captivated by my first look at what was then the Tricentrol British Saloon Car Championship. There were four classes based on engine size and they were split so that the bigger two got a race and the baby classes did battle separately. There were these wailing Ford Capris with the likes of Gordon Spice and Stuart Graham up front.

I was there in 1985 when Andy Rouse debuted his Ford Merkur, the American-marketed car rebadged as an XR4Ti. He took the lead after Brian Chatfield’s Ford Capri faded, the last time I can recall a Capri leading a BTCC round. It was later thrown out for being as bent as a coat hanger.

I stood at Clay Hill watching Rouse and the pack in their Ford Sierra Cosworths, the ill-fated Super Touring-spec Sapphire and, and, and...

The Ford story in the BTCC is a long one and could perhaps have another successful chapter in the offing, as the Motorbase Performance-run Ford Focus RS trio is due a win. They have shown pace this year, although stymied thanks to bad luck or niggling problems depending upon your point of view. Motorbase can win, should win more arguably, and the new Focus fleet should be up front at Oulton this weekend. James Cole's at his local circuit and, having returned to David Bartrum’s team, is displaying good race craft, so should be in the mix.

Having Ford on the grid, as a mainstay of the BTCC’s heritage, is a good thing. It is one of the most recognisable car brands, it has a long and successful history in the series and many of the Blue Oval's products carry fans to the circuit. It is a people’s car irrespective of whether it has the performance RS badge on or not.

The trouble for Bartrum and his team is that the opposition is at a very strong level. It has certainly been an intriguing start to the season and while much has been said on ITV’s coverage (I hear it’s very good, by the way) about the changing of the guard in terms of drivers, the same is true of teams isn’t it? Ciceley Motorsport, Speedworks Motorsport, Power Maxed TAG Racing are all currently showing Team Dynamics, West Surrey Racing, BMR and Motorbase the way. Just as the list of drivers at the pointy end is a different one this season, so are the teams that they represent. That, surely, shows that plugging away and learning pays dividends, whether you are a driver or team. 

I am not suggesting that will be the way it will go all season, but nine faces in, the rest are already playing catch-up, to an extent. Winning a championship requires a good points haul each time out. Small wonder that Sam Tordoff was pleased to have finally garnered points at Thruxton. 

A Ford win at Oulton? Possibly. It is hard to overtake around the narrow, technical circuit, so a good qualifying session is important, but so too is survival. The hairpin at Island Bend and that frustrating chicane at Hislop’s are pinch-points, and with 32 cars on track it will be busy. It will be a crucial and fascinating 30-minute qualifying session and that point for pole may well be crucial come the end of the season.

Get it wrong this weekend and it may not just be five-year-olds in a grump!

Daniel Lloyd will replace James Nash at BTC Norlin Racing from this weekend's Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship event at Oulton Park (9-10 June).

BTC Norlin Racing were quick to sign the talented young gun and series returnee, following the announcement earlier today (6 June) that the squad had parted ways with Nash. 

Lloyd has contested 24 races in his BTCC career so far, making his debut in Britain’s biggest championship with Triple Eight back in 2010.

2016 proved to be his standout campaign, when the Yorkshireman produced a number of eye-catching performances in the Eurotech Honda, most notably with a front-row start at his home circuit Croft.

Armed again with a Honda Civic Type R – this time with the fledgling and impressive BTC Norlin Racing outfit – there is every chance that Lloyd will be quick straight out of the box at this weekend’s Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship event at Oulton Park.

The 26-year-old will contest the remainder of the season running under competitor number 26.

"I’ve not had any time in the car yet," confirmed Lloyd. "FP1 on Saturday will be my first run out so I’ve no expectations at the moment. As a new driver to the championship, I will be carrying the 45kg of late entry ballast into the first race so it’ll be a big challenge.

"It’s nice to come back at Oulton Park, which is one of my local rounds. I’m just looking to find my feet on this year’s grid, have a solid weekend and get to know the team and the car."

BTC Norlin Team Boss Bert Taylor said: "I’ve been impressed with Dan’s performance in the TCR UK Championship so far this season. We’re really pleased to welcome him to the BTC Norlin family and back onto the BTCC grid. I’m looking forward to seeing what he can do once he gets up to speed."

 

The Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship, alongside The Goodwood Festival of Speed, can this morning announce that the BTCC will return to the event this summer as part of the series' 60th Anniversary, Diamond Jubilee celebrations.

The Goodwood Festival of Speed will host a thrilling BTCC shootout, taking place over 12-15 July outside Goodwood House, headlining the Festival’s Diamond Jubilee celebrations of saloon car racing in Britain, which will also feature a stunning collection of cars spanning six decades of door handle-to-door handle action.
 
A shootout was last held in 2016, when Goodwood’s resident track tester Andrew Jordan beat strong competition to take his Ford Focus ST to the top step of the podium and earn the bragging rights.
 
Jordan will be back in 2018 with the West Surrey Racing-prepared BMW Pirtek Racing 125i M Sport – the BMW was the fastest off the line in 2016 but could not convert it to winning pace at the top of the Hill.

Returning to the Festival alongside the 2013 BTCC champion will be three-time champion Matt Neal in the all-new Halfords Yuasa Racing Honda Civic Type-R and Adam Morgan in the MAC Tools with Ciceley Motorsport Mercedes-Benz A-Class, while Power Maxed TAG Racing will bring the on-form Vauxhall Astra with a yet-to-be-confirmed driver.
 
Making their Festival of Speed debut will be two of the championship’s most popular drivers in the shape of reigning Independent champion Tom Ingram with the Speedworks Motorsport Toyota Avensis and Rob Austin in the Alfa Romeo Giulietta of HMS Racing with DUO Motorsport.
 
Alongside the BTCC shootout will be a celebration class of some of the most iconic saloon cars to grace British motor circuits including the Alfa Romeo 155, Mini Cooper S, Volvo 850 Estate and the car which took Jack Sears to championship glory in 1958, the Austin A105.

Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship Series Director, Alan Gow, has been speaking with the series’ official website regarding all things BTCC, as he discusses the season so far, the rude health of the championship and how he would ideally like to reduce the grid size to 26 cars in the future.

In a fascinating interview, Gow also talks about the unpredictability of the racing and the ‘changing of the guard’ at the front of the field. The legendary BTCC boss regards the driver quality to be the best of the century, but there are a number of reasons why he feels the current 32-car grid capacity leaves Britain’s biggest championship ‘bursting at the seams’.

Oulton Park in Cheshire is the next stop for the Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship this weekend and Team Shredded Wheat Racing with Gallagher has its sights set on the podium.

Three convincing points finishes for the Motorbase-run squad at Thruxton last month helped to bolster the squad’s position in the standings, with Tom Chilton leading the charge for the Kent-based outfit. The 33-year-old secured an good haul of points for the title campaign and is eager to carry that momentum forward on the challenging 2.26 mile Island configuration.

“The best thing about Oulton Park is the fans," said Chilton. "We’re really on the limit there and it’s great for them to get so close to the action and really feel a part of it. It always has a great atmosphere there.

“We need to keep moving up in the championship. We were really happy to grab some strong points at Thruxton and I’m hoping to carry that form into this weekend.

“We should be confident that we had a great qualifying car at Donington Park and the tyre and track temperatures are going to be a lot more similar at Oulton. I think we’ll have a strong qualifying and the aim for me is get two podiums this weekend and give our championship campaign a real boost. I’d love to get back into the top 10 in the standings by the end of this weekend.”

Team-mate James Cole had a weekend to forget last time out but nonetheless the Liverpool-based racer has reset after the trip to his bogey circuit and is looking to reclaim his impressive early round form and put claim to some silverware on his home circuit.

“Oulton Park is a special circuit for me; it’s where I first started racing and also where I won the Formula ford championship back in 2007 which set me on the career path to BTCC," said Cole. "It’s a great circuit and I can’t wait to attack it again. It’s a special meeting that always has a great festival feel to it which makes the racing even more fun and enjoyable.

“It’s a challenging place to go and hopefully the weather will be in our favour. We’ve learnt a lot over the last couple of rounds and racing in the high temperatures at Thruxton means we can take that data into Oulton Park. I’m looking forward to picking up from where I left off at Donington Park, getting back into the top six and staying there.”

Oly Collins, Team Manager, added: “Thruxton was another positive learning weekend for us with the RS, which resulted in some decent points finishes.

“It’s the first time that we had run the RS and our 2018 driver line up in the higher temperatures. With track temps nearing 40 degrees it was somewhat different to what we’ve been running in this year. So going into Oulton Park, we’re ready for whatever the English weather can throw at us.”

Both Chilton and Cole are ballast-free heading into Saturday’s qualifying session, so hopes at the outfit are high in the search for a strong starting position ahead of Sunday’s three contests. Chilton in particular has set competitive lap times in the Focus RS - securing top eight qualifying spots during all three meetings so far this season.

“Oulton Park is definitely a circuit where qualifying is key. Qualifying has been one of our best attributes this season so hopefully that pays dividends,” added Collins. “If it’s dry all weekend it can be difficult to overtake there. Oulton is hard on brakes so we’ll be keeping an eye on that area of the car.

“Historically, Oulton Park has suited the rear wheel drive cars, but hopefully we can change that. We’re light so there is no reason why we shouldn’t be right up the front. James and Tom are both looking forward to it as it’s a circuit they’ve both gone well at in the past.

“With the pace that we’ve shown so far this season, the podium can’t be far away!”

Halfords Yuasa Racing heads to Oulton Park for the fourth round of the Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship on 9/10 June looking to maintain its forward momentum following a landmark first pole position and win for the new Honda Civic Type R. 

Team Dynamics had cause to celebrate last time out at Thruxton after Matt Neal powered to a lights-to-flag victory from the top spot in race one. He claimed a second podium of the weekend in race two and team-mate Dan Cammish impressed with his own trip to the rostrum, no other team scored more points over the course of the weekend.

Moreover, Neal’s strong turn at Thruxton in the Civic Type R has seen him make gains in the Drivers’ standings. He joins Cammish in the top ten with the pair now classified sixth and eighth respectively, while Honda and Halfords Yuasa Racing are primed to fight for the top spot in the Manufacturers’ and Teams’ standings too. 

Onto Oulton Park, a venue regarded as one of the UK’s most demanding circuits with its challenging blend of sixth-gear stretches, undulating curves and heavy-braking points a true test of a chassis’ all-round strength. 

The Honda outfit has enjoyed significant success at over the years, winning six of the last 18 races to be held there. 

Neal himself has triumphed at Oulton Park on seven occasions over the course of his BTCC career and is bullish about Honda’s chances with the new Civic Type R around a circuit he likens to the Nurburgring.

“We head to Oulton Park in good spirits and targeting another set of strong results for Halfords Yuasa Racing," said Neal.

"Thruxton was a wonderful weekend for myself and the entire team, one that showed just how far we have progressed with the Honda Civic Type R since the start of the season.

"Though we know we still have work ahead of us, it is very satisfying to already be scoring wins in a car that is surely only going to become quicker and more consistent as it develops.

"I love racing at Oulton Park; I think of it as a Nurburgring with its combination of sweeping curves, sections where we go maximum sixth gear and tricky hairpins and chicanes.

"It requires a lot of commitment but it is a circuit that has treated myself and Honda well in the past, so it is always pleasure to return.

"As with every event this year this is new territory for the Civic Type R, but we are ready to rise to the challenge and set our sights high.” 

With two podiums already under his belt, leading BTCC rookie Cammish is targeting the top step at Oulton Park. It's proven to be a happy hunting ground for the Yorkshireman, having tasted the winners’ champagne in the Porsche Carrera Cup GB on multiple occasions, Cammish is feeling positive about his chances. 

“I’m really pleased with the start of my BTCC career," said Cammish. "It’s been a steep learning curve but I am understanding more about the championship with each round.

"It certainly helps to have a brilliant team around me and a great team-mate in Matt. There is still plenty more to come from myself and the Civic Type R, which gives me confidence heading to Oulton Park.

"We won’t have too much weight on-board and qualifying has gone well in each round so far, so I believe we can get close to the front once again.

"I claimed a podium in my first-ever race at Oulton Park and picked up several wins there in the Porsche Carrera Cup GB, so you can be sure I will be giving it my absolute best to continue my good form next weekend.” 

The Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship twisted this way and that at Thruxton a fortnight ago and it is shaping up to be anybody's game once again as the UK's biggest motorsport series heads north for a blast around Cheshire's picturesque Oulton Park circuit next weekend (9-10 June) – a fan-favourite venue, with tens of thousands set to soak in the festival-like atmosphere.

The opening three events of the BTCC's 60th anniversary Diamond Jubilee campaign have thrown up the sort of fiercely competitive, high quality racing that the championship is renowned for and its current crop of young chargers are at the fore, led by Oulton 'local', Lancashireman Adam Morgan, with Josh Cook and Tom Ingram in close company. The opening nine rounds have produced six different victors, and a host of fresh faces have joined them on the rostrum. 

A record crowd lapped up the sunshine and the first-rate on-track action back at Thruxton in Hampshire, which saw the championship's experienced heads bite back. Halfords Yuasa Racing's series legend and triple champion Matt Neal stole the initiative for the Honda outfit on home soil with a storming pole lap – smashing his previous lap record set a year prior. His pace wouldn't be denied in the opening race of the weekend, either, as he fended off the advances of another multiple BTCC champion in Team BMW's Colin Turkington on the way to a dominant lights-to-flag win.

Both Neal and Turkington took to the podium again in race two, and come the end of the weekend the latter had gathered the most points of any racer over Rounds 7, 8 and 9, with Neal notching the second-highest total, catapulting both right into the Drivers' Championship charge in fifth and sixth – hot on the heels of their younger rivals who'd made hay at Brands Hatch and Donington Park.

Oulton Park is beloved by families and campers, with thousands packing the surrounding fields ready to cheer on their favourite drivers, teams and local heroes, and there's always a unique feel when the BTCC comes to town. Everything's broadcast live and free-to-air by the BTCC's longstanding partner ITV, on ITV4 the ITV Hub and online at itv.com/btcc. You'll be covered down to the finest detail wherever you are – be it kicking back in the campsite or enjoying the action from your living room.

Tight at the top
The gap between Adam Morgan's Mercedes-Benz out front in the Drivers' standings and the Power Maxed TAG Racing Vauxhall of Josh Cook in second spot is just a solitary point. In fact, there are only 18 points between the championship's top five drivers with 22 up for grabs in any single encounter. When one considers that 17 points stood between the top two in the table at this same point last season, it's clear to see just how keenly fought the battle for the most coveted prize in British motor racing is this time around. 

Morgan's leading tally heading to Oulton is some 35 points shy of Ingram's benchmark this time last year – it's been a tooth-and-nail scrap so far for the Ciceley Motorsport man to hit top spot. There's also half the number of points between the championship leader and tenth spot in the running, currently harboured by Chris Smiley, as there was in 2017. The battle for top honours has scarcely been more fierce.

Local heroes
Oulton Park lies in a catchment area encompassing Cheshire and Lancashire and has proven to be something of a hotbed for BTCC talent with a number of teams and drivers calling the circuit home – starting with table-toppers Adam Morgan and Ciceley Motorsport.

The Lancashire racer hasn't had much cause to celebrate in his back-yard in recent years – with last year getting particularly toasty for Morgan as his Mercedes caught fire in spectacular fashion. He leads the charge this season heading to the Cheshire circuit and as a result carries the maximum complement of success ballast – meaning a doubly difficult prospect for the weekend to come. Ciceley also head the way in the Independent Teams' standings.

"For once, I'd love to go to Oulton Park and have a good result," said Morgan. "Our history there is not so very good but we're confident we'll go there this year on the best form we've ever been in and get a result. It's never been that kind to us and with the full 75 kilograms of success ballast on-board as championship leaders, it will be a challenge but we're hopeful we'll make the best of it this time around."

Tom Oliphant's a Cheshire lad and the local racer is hoping to push on in front of his home support after points scores in just his second weekend in Britain's top-tier tin-top series back at Donington Park.

“It’s always brilliant to go back to my home circuit, and for me, the Oulton Park weekend is one of the best BTCC events of the year,” said Oliphant.

“The crowds are always huge and really passionate. Driving round, you can barely see the green grass as the banks are packed and that’s a great feeling for a driver.

“I’m confident that I can build on everything I’ve learned so far this season and make Oulton Park a successful weekend for me and the Ciceley Motorsport team.”

Incumbent Independent champions Speedworks Motorsport hails from just down the road in Sandbach and they're right in touch in the Drivers' and Independents' running once again this season, with the outfit's self-proclaimed goal being to go one better this year and propel driver Tom Ingram to the overall BTCC title.

Team Shredded Wheat Racing with Gallagher's James Cole hails from Liverpool, while AmD with AutoAid/RCIB Insurance Racing's Tom Boardman is from Forton, Lancashire.

Timetable and tickets 
All three BTCC races on Sunday, 10 June – and many of the day’s other races – will be broadcast live and in high-definition on ITV4 and over at itv.com/btcc. Those in attendance at the circuit can stay in touch with circuit commentary and live timing from every session, available at btcc.net/live throughout the weekend.
 
The support series on the TOCA package are also guaranteed to thrill with a double digit total of races set to entertain the crowds. Porsche Carrera Cup GB, Renault UK Clio Cup, MSA Formula Championship and the Ginetta championships will all be in attendance in Cheshire, making for a weekend of truly unmissable racing.
 
Discounted advance tickets are on sale online from just £28 for Sunday, 10 June and they are available on the gate at £16 for Saturday, 9 June, with weekend tickets including a Paddock Pass available for just £37.
 
They can be purchased online at www.oultonpark.co.uk, by calling 0843 453 9000 or from the ticket office. Accompanied children aged 13 and under are admitted free.

Motorsport News Editor Matt James talks us through what was another first-rate weekend's racing back at Thruxton a little under a fortnight ago, and takes a look ahead to the next event on the Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship calendar at Oulton Park (9-10 June)...

Ciceley Motorsport's Tom Oliphant heads to home soil for Rounds 10, 11 and 12 of the Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship at Oulton Park next weekend (9-10 June) with the aim of pushing on as he gathers more top-tier tin-top experience.

Oliphant joined the BTCC for 2018 after four years on the support package – two in Ginetta GT4 Supercup, where he became the 2015 champion, followed by two in Porsche Carrera Cup GB. 

The Cheshire racer challenged for points on debut at Brands Hatch Indy earlier this year, before breakthrough top ten qualifying and race results back at Donington Park.

Oliphant was once again in the mix for points at Thruxton but found himself 17th and 19th with a non-finish. He sees it all as a learning process, though, and is buoyed by the quality of the machinery beneath him.

“I’m loving the BTCC," he said. "The racing is close, fast and exciting, and I’m out there battling wheel-to-wheel with some of the best touring car drivers in the world. I couldn’t be enjoying it more.

“I knew it was going to be a huge challenge but I feel like I’ve adapted well to the series considering it’s the first time I’ve competed in front-wheel drive machinery and the style of racing is completely different to what I was used to.

"I’m pleased with my progress so far, especially breaking into the top ten in only my second meeting.

“I certainly believe there’s much more to come as I gain more experience with the car and the championship.

"As my team-mates are proving, the Mercedes is a fantastic package and I’m confident that as we progress through the season, my time to get up on the podium will come.”

Raised in Tarporley, just down the road from Oulton Park, Oliphant used to marshal at the circuit and work there on experience days. Next weekend, he'll be racing in support of the George Heath Foundation which supports local causes.

“It’s always brilliant to go back to my home circuit, and for me, the Oulton Park weekend is one of the best BTCC events of the year," Oliphant continued.

“The crowds are always huge and really passionate. Driving round, you can barely see the green grass as the banks are packed and that’s a great feeling for a driver.

“I’m confident that I can build on everything I’ve learned so far this season and make Oulton Park a successful weekend for me and the Ciceley Motorsport team.”