Halfords Yuasa Racing pairing Matt Neal and Dan Cammish are in fighting form as the Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship heads to Donington Park for the second outing of 2018 this weekend (28/29 April).
 
Spurred on by the disappointment of a frustrating Brands Hatch curtain-raiser earlier this month, where pace and promise in qualifying for the new Honda Civic Type R (FK8) was undone by a variety of race day misfortunes, from unavoidable contact to changeable weather – Neal and Cammish will both arrive at Donington carrying zero ballast and in prime shape to kick-start their challenge.
 
The pair will also be aiming to play ‘home’ advantage at Team Dynamics’ local circuit – one where Neal famously celebrated his maiden BTCC victory 19 years ago, in so doing scooping a £250,000 bonus as the first Independent entrant ever to win a BTCC race outright.
 
Cammish similarly has an excellent record around the popular Leicestershire track, and is keen to extend his early advantage in the Jack Sears Trophy standings – as well as scoring strong points for Honda and Halfords Yuasa Racing in the Manufacturers’ and Teams’ battles respectively.
 
“Donington is my home circuit, so I always get a lot of friends and family coming along to support me, which is great," said Neal. "I have good memories there, too, which invariably gives me an extra boost going back. We learned a bit more about the new Civic Type R at Brands Hatch. It’s quite a different beast to its predecessor and we still have more work to do to fully refine it, but I’m hopeful that with its strong engine and sleek silhouette, it will prove well-suited to Donington, especially through the high-speed stuff.

"The weekend will be the first time we run the hard-compound tyres this year, which requires you to change the way you drive slightly, so that will be an extra unknown element. We’ll have to keep an eye on how the weather unfolds as well – it was a bit of a lottery at Brands Hatch, and it could play a part again. Whilst I’d obviously rather have the points in the bag, the disappointment at Brands means I won’t be carrying any weight in qualifying or race one, so I need to make sure I take advantage of that and really capitalise on the situation. The aim is to come away with three solid points finishes.”
 
“We showed really good speed at Brands Hatch, especially in qualifying; to post what would have been a new lap record on my debut in the BTCC, in a brand new car and with everybody on zero ballast was obviously very encouraging for both myself and the team – particularly as there is still plenty of development to come on the FK8," said Cammish.

"The races unfortunately didn’t pan out brilliantly for either myself or Matt, but by the same token, the constantly changing weather meant it wasn’t what you might call a typical day. I had driven the car very little in those conditions prior to the weekend and it was the first time I had ever got a front wheel-drive car off the line so there was a lot to take in, but we brought it home in all three races and I certainly learnt a great deal along the way.

"Donington is a circuit I really enjoy and one where I have traditionally gone well. With its mixture of medium and high-speed corners and its fast, flowing nature, I also think it will play to our strengths. Hopefully, the conditions will be a bit kinder than they were at Brands so we can properly assess our race pace, and with another chance to shoot for pole position in qualifying, this time, I want to make it stick!”
 

The Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship's 60th Anniversary campaign could have scarcely kicked off in more exciting fashion back at Brands Hatch earlier this month, and now all eyes are on Leicestershire as the BTCC heads to Donington Park next weekend (28/29 April).

Three thrilling races produced three different winners with a victory for each of Jack Goff, Senna Proctor and Tom Ingram. Not only was the top step fiercely fought over – with no one driver wresting control over the weekend with more than a single win – but so too were steps two and three on the rostrum, as nine different drivers sprayed the champagne. 

Leaving the curtain-raiser in Kent, the top ten championship positions show just how competitive Britain's premier motorsport series is across the board, with ten different marques operated by ten different teams filling those positions – illustrating the BTCC's level playing field throughout its capacity 32-car grid. In qualifying, the level of competition was such that 30 of those cars qualified within a second of Jack Goff's pole position time.

On top of all this, ever-changing conditions, gutsy tyre choices and enthralling battles up and down the field threw up one of the most incredible races in the storied 60-year history of the championship in just the second round of the campaign.

Donington Park is a favourite for fans and drivers alike, and the world-renowned circuit is sure to yield yet more first-rate action as the hunt for the biggest prize in British motorsport continues with Tom Ingram leading the early running. For 2018, a host of improvements have been enacted at the venue by new owners MotorSport Vision and as a result, spectators can expect a best-yet trackside experience with new grandstanding, restaurant and facilities.

Burgeoning crowds watched all of the action unfold at Brands Hatch and Donington Park is sure to see strong numbers descend to enjoy what will be a fantastic weekend's entertainment. Everything, as always, is broadcast live and free-to-air by the championship's longstanding partner ITV on ITV4, the ITV Hub and online at itv.com/btcc. Whether you're in the grandstands or relaxing in your front room, you're covered and you won't miss a second. Amid the uncertainty and competition of a BTCC weekend, the only thing you can be sure of is drama!

Fresh faces lead the way in stunning Round 2
Much of the talk leaving Brands Hatch was of that stunning second race. It was quite the spectacle as changing conditions favoured the brave. Proceedings got underway in tricky wet conditions but as the race progressed, the track surface began to dry. Ahead of time, a third of the field had taken a punt on Dunlop SportMaxx dry tyres and in the latter stages, their gamble began to pay off.

Early pace-setters – on Dunlop's BluResponse wet rubber – Tom Ingram in the Toyota, BMW's Andrew Jordan and the Honda Civic Type R of Jack Goff looked to have things under control. Within a single lap, though, it all changed with a dry line forming on the circuit.

Lap 22 was the tipping point. Aiden Moffat in the Laser Tools Racing Mercedes flew through the pack and even with a half-spin, he had the pace inherent to take the lead. Senna Proctor was close behind in his Vauxhall Astra while Jake Hill in the Team HARD VW was joined by Ollie Jackson's Audi and Tom Boardman's MG to make it five line-astern out front.

The young Scot had stolen the initiative but, contact on the exit of Druids meant he lost grasp of the lead and Yorkshireman Proctor duly took advantage. Hill and Jackson followed through past Moffat, with the trio able to break clear and cross the line as you were – meaning all three would enjoy emotional maiden podium finishes.

What made it even more incredible were their starting positions with Proctor scything through the pack from 27th and Hill 25th.

“I don’t think it’s quite sunk in yet,” said race winner Proctor. “I didn’t even know that I’d won until I pulled into Parc Ferme and realised that no one was there in front of me – it was a very surreal moment.

“I can’t thank Martin (Broadhurst – Team Manager) and the team enough for putting together an incredible package, and the decision to bring Rob Peacey (engineer) in is definitely going to stand us in good stead for the season.

“Starting at the back of the grid, being the furthest down of the nine cars that made the decision to run on slicks, we didn’t expect to take the victory, but it’s proved that we’re here to win.

“I’m looking forward to this season even more than I was before and I know that between Josh Cook (Proctor's team-mate) and I, we’ll be seeing a lot more podiums. Thanks again to all my sponsors – we literally wouldn’t be here without you.”

A revitalised Donington Park
Huge improvements have been made to the legendary East Midlands circuit over the winter months, as part of the multi-million pound investment by new owner MotorSport Vision.

One of the biggest additions is the large new restaurant, cafe and bar situated right in the heart of the paddock. Garage 39, constructed in the former Paddock Suite has been designed to be the best motorsport circuit restaurant in the country, will be open throughout the event and late into the night with entertainment, too.

Significant improvements can be found in the spectator areas as well. A huge new grandstand has been built atop a raised viewing area at Hollywood, with one of the most spectacular views of any motorsport venue in the country. Fans at the Donington BTCC round will be able to take in views of pretty much all the national circuit from the grandstand, making these very much the best seats in the house.

In several of the most popular spectator areas, large new toilet blocks have also been built, finally replacing the ageing units that had stood since the circuit’s reopening in the late 1970s. These new blocks, with improved capacity and with much better disabled and baby changing facilities can be found at Hollywood, the Old Hairpin and on the infield.

Other additions and improvements include a smartened up main entrance, resurfaced internal access roads, a brand new circuit office and a fully surfaced paddock area.

Home advantage
BTCC legend and triple champion Matt Neal pilots Halfords Yuasa Racing's all-new Honda Civic Type R (FK8) and hails from Stourbridge. He counts Donington Park as his home circuit and as is well known by now, it's a venue that holds a special place in his heart, having taken £250,000 from Series Director Alan Gow as the first Independent driver to win a race outright in the modern era.

“Donington is my home circuit," said Neal. "So, I always get a lot of friends and family coming along to support me, which is great. I have good memories there, too, which invariably gives me an extra boost going back. We learned a bit more about the new Civic Type R at Brands Hatch. It’s quite a different beast to its predecessor and we still have more work to do to fully refine it, but I’m hopeful that with its strong engine and sleek silhouette, it will prove well-suited to Donington, especially through the high-speed stuff."

It's not only Neal's back yard but Team Dynamics' too. The outfit run the Halfords Yuasa Racing operation and is itself an iconic name in the series' history. With new team-mate Dan Cammish alongside Neal for 2018, the team are keen to kickstart their year with a strong points score.
 
Another champion calls Donington Park home in BMW Pirtek Racing's Andrew Jordan (Lichfield). He enters the second race weekend of the year with a podium under his belt and he'll be looking for more of the same.
 
WIX Racing with Eurotech's Brands Hatch was a stormer, with Jack Goff notching pole, a race one win and enough points to fire him second in the Drivers' standings. Brett Smith, from Coventry, also scored a hatful of points, ensuring the Midlands-based outfit sets the early pace in the Teams' standings.

“It couldn’t have gone much better than that,” said Goff. “You never really know what to expect when it rains like it did overnight but to come away with a win from Round 1, it’s taken a lot less time than it did last year, so I’m chuffed with that. It’s all thanks to the fantastic guys here at WIX Racing with Eurotech who’ve given me a fantastic car."

Team Principal Jeff Smith added: “What an amazing way to start our 2018 campaign, pole positon and all three cars in the top ten for qualifying, followed by a great win by Jack Goff in the opener. We are looking to continue scoring results like this."

Team Parker Racing's Stephen Jelley also hails from the area.

Timetable and tickets 
The second race day of the 2018 Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship takes place on Sunday 29 April, with all three BTCC encounters – and many of the day’s other races – broadcast live and in high-definition on ITV4. Those in attendance at the circuit can stay in touch with the commentary and live timing from every session, available at btcc.net/live throughout the weekend.
 
In addition to the BTCC, the support series on the TOCA package are set to bring even more action to Donington Park. Sportscar racing fans will get their fix with races from the Porsche Carrera Cup GB, Michelin Ginetta GT4 SuperCup and Simpson Race Products Ginetta Junior Championship. The Renault UK Clio Cup – often seen as a stepping-stone to reaching the BTCC – will also feature on the huge bill of top-line British racing, as will the F4 British Championship, the single-seater launchpad for the next generation of aspiring Formula One world champions.
 
Tickets for the Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship’s annual visit to Donington Park on 28/29 April are available in advance from just £28 for race day and £37 for the full weekend's action, with free entry for children aged 13 and under.

For more information, visit www.donington-park.co.uk. All admission includes access to Sunday morning’s Pit Lane Walkabout and autograph session with the BTCC's stars (limited spaces) and the racing paddocks, as well as free parking and giant TV screens on Sunday.

The Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship's North American TV partner, CBS Sports Network, has released the opening scheduling of its programming for the 2018 campaign.

The BTCC signed a record television deal for North America back in 2015, with a multi-year deal that sees all the very best of the action broadcast to more than 60 million households across the United States and Canada via CBSSN.

One-hour highlights programmes are screened on CBSSN in prime time (Eastern Time) slots and re-aired soon thereafter.

The huge CBS Sports Network televises nearly 600 live events and over 3,000 hours of live programming every year.

Further dates will be added as CBS releases details of its scheduling – keep an eye on our BTCC on TV tab so you can be sure not to miss a thing!

BTCC on CBSSN: 

AIR DATE                                        AIR TIME

Wednesday, 9 May 2018           7:00 PM ET, 12:00 AM ET

Sunday, 27 May 2018                9:00 PM ET, 12:00 AM ET

Sunday, 17 June 2018               12:00 PM ET, 4:00 PM ET

A significantly revamped Donington Park is next up on the BTCC calendar (28/29 April), with spectators, drivers, teams and all other visitors set to be treated to a new-look venue.

Huge improvements have been made to the legendary East Midlands circuit over the winter months, as part of the multi-million pound investment by new owner MotorSport Vision, with many of these completed since the Season Launch Day held at the circuit three weeks ago.

One of the biggest additions is the large new restaurant, cafe and bar situated right in the heart of the paddock. The modern ‘Garage 39’, constructed in the former Paddock Suite has been designed to be the best motorsport circuit restaurant in the country, and will be open throughout the event, and late into the night with entertainment also.

Significant improvements can be found in the spectator areas too; a huge new grandstand has been built atop a raised viewing area at Hollywood, with one of the most spectacular views of any motorsport venue in the country. Fans at the Donington BTCC round will be able to take in views of pretty much all the national circuit from the grandstand, making these very much the best seats in the house.

In several of the most popular spectator areas, large new toilet blocks have also been built, finally replacing the ageing units that had stood since the circuit’s reopening in the late 1970s. These new blocks, with improved capacity and with much better disabled and baby changing facilities can be found at Hollywood, the Old Hairpin and on the infield.

Other additions and improvements include a smartened up main entrance, resurfaced internal access roads, a brand new circuit office and a fully surfaced paddock area.

BTCC fans have until midday on Thursday 26 April to purchase discounted advance tickets and make savings compared to gate prices. For full information and to book, visit https://doningtonpark.msv.com/DP-18-BTCC-1.

• Volvo’s famous 850 Estate added to special 60^th anniversary celebrations
• Touring car legend Rickard Rydell reunited with nineties tin top icon
• Twenty years on: Swedish star to race his title winning Volvo S40
• Silverstone celebrations a warm-up to BTCC Snetterton race weekend

Hailed as one of the most iconic touring cars of all times, the Volvo 850 Estate is the latest addition to the special BTCC Diamond Jubilee Parade at this summer’s Silverstone Classic (20-22 July), that will feature 60 great cars to celebrate the 60^th anniversary of the ever-popular MSA British Touring Car Championship.

Adding to the sense of occasion, the truly whacky Volvo wagon will be reunited with Rickard Rydell who, along with team-mate Jan Lammers, raced the pair of idolised headline grabbers back in 1994.

Moreover, Rydell will be marking another key tin-top milestone at the Classic. Exactly 20 years after winning the BTCC title, the Swedish touring car legend will be coming out of retirement to race the very same Volvo S40 which took him to the coveted crown back in 1998.

The title winning S40 – originally built by the legendary TWR team – was subsequently raced by privateers in various Scandinavian championships. In 2014, however, it was purchased by experienced historic racer Jason Minshaw and painstakingly restored before returning to the track to win one of the spectacular JET Super Touring Car Trophy races at last year’s Silverstone Classic.

Now, however, Minshaw has graciously stepped aside and invited Rydell to contest both spectacular Super Touring showdowns on this summer’s packed Classic race-card.

“I’m really looking forward to it,” confirmed the personable Swede who became a fans’ favourite during a super-successful seven-year spell in the BTCC during which he won 21 races, a winning record only topped by Alain Menu in the hallowed Super Touring era.

“I retired from being a professional racer a few years ago but I’m always happy to do some more races for fun and this, for all the obvious reasons, will be a very special occasion for me. We are hoping to get some of the 1998 TWR team back together for a reunion, too.”

With fellow BTCC stars from the nineties such as John Cleland and Patrick Watts also reliving their glory days on the rekindled Super Touring grid, Rydell will find plenty of familiar faces with whom to share some great memories at Silverstone in July.

While the super-Swede’s crowning moment came with the S40, his BTCC introduction came five years earlier racing one of the two zany 850 Estates.

“It was a pretty unique step,” recalled Rydell now aged 50. “I went straight from having dreams of being a Formula One driver to racing an estate car! When I signed up around Christmas 1993, I had no idea about these secret plans to use the estate – had they told me, I might have thought twice about making the switch. I’d never driven anything quite so big.”

Somewhat predictably, the cumbersome beast proved to be quite a handful, though Rydell did qualify third at Snetterton and posted a top five finish at Oulton Park. But, while never a victor on track, the decision to race an 850 cargo carrier was certainly a big winner when it came to grabbing the headlines.

“Publicity-wise it was an incredible stunt by Volvo,” recalls Rydell. “Indeed, people still talk to me today about racing the 850 estate. It was pretty scary at first as we had done virtually no pre-season testing, but we made it more driveable and somewhat more competitive as the season progressed.”

More importantly, joining Volvo turned out to be a career defining moment and Rydell stayed with the TWR-run team for a further five seasons peaking with in his title-winning campaign in 1998.

“Those Super Touring years were, without a doubt, the highlight of my career,” he admitted. “We had big budgets, lots of testing, the cars were great to drive and it was a fantastic championship. One year I did 38 return flights from Sweden.”

And now Rydell will be retracing those footsteps with another flight to the UK come July – this time to race the S40 and to join the amazing line-up of past and present BTCC stars and cars gathering for the special BTCC Diamond Jubilee Parade on Tin Top Sunday at the world’s biggest classic motor racing festival.  

The Silverstone Classic parade is part of the BTCC's 60th Anniversary celebrations and falls just a week before the highly-anticipated 2018 Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship event at Snetterton (28/29 July), which will include the exciting Diamond Double race.

Tickets for the Silverstone Classic must be purchased in advance. As has proved so popular in the past, all admission provides free access to both Silverstone racing paddocks, all open trackside grandstands, live music concerts on Friday and Saturday evenings (topped by Soul II Soul and UB40 respectively), air shows, Drive Live test drives, funfair rides and the vast majority of the family entertainment on offer. Options for camping and hospitality are also available. Full details of all 2018 ticket prices are detailed on the silverstoneclassic.com website.

Rob Austin steered his brand-new DUO Motorsport with HMS Racing Alfa Romeo Giulietta to a podium finish on the opening weekend of the Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship back at Brands Hatch, sealing third spot in Round 3.

Added to a storming sixth place finish, from 29th on the grid, in the preceding wet-but-drying race where an inspired gamble on slick Dunlop tyres paid dividends, the Evesham racer departed Kent fourth in the outright BTCC championship standings.

Marking a strong start to life in the BTCC for the team’s Alfa Romeo, the result at the 1.2-mile Indy Circuit sparked emotional celebrations with Austin dedicating the performance to the memory of late team mechanic Shane Stokes.

“It’s for Shane,” said an emotional Austin immediately after the final race, “It’s very mixed emotions to be here [on the podium], we miss him a lot – a lot – and this is for him. He’s looking over us and gave us that luck in race two with the reverse grid draw.

“We didn’t have the front tyres to win it, this is the first time we’ve put soft tyres on it, so we’ve still got a huge amount to learn with this car but it’ll come. It’s a great base car, the engineering that’s gone into this is the best I’ve seen on this grid.”

“We just need to figure out how to get it to work, we need a couple of test days and a bit of development to do that. We’ve got great support from DUO, Northgate, Close Brothers, and with their help I’m sure we’ll get it there.”

“The early laps in race two were very difficult on slicks,” explained Austin, “When I saw [Senna] Proctor and [Matt] Simpson go past me I wondered what was going on as I knew they were on slicks as well, but I didn’t realise they were on the soft slicks so they were massively beneficial in those conditions. The Alfa did a good job and I was just gutted I ran out of cars to overtake – it was very enjoyable!”

Reflecting on an impressive start to 2018, DUO Motorsport with HMS Racing Team Principal Simon Belcher said: “I’m obviously super proud of the whole team, everyone has done an incredible job with the Alfa and there have been a lot of late nights to get us to this position – and this is only the start. 

“To see Rob on the podium on our first weekend with a brand new car, which only had three days of running prior to coming to Brands, is more than we could have dreamed of. Obviously, we’re all thinking of Shane (Stokes) this weekend who is so dearly missed by everyone at the team. This result is for him, he’ll always be a massive part of whatever DUO Motorsport with HMS Racing achieves.”

Testing and development

Following a successful TOCA Support Test day at Thruxton for the outfit, Austin sounded more than happy with how things are progressing with his new Italian steed and feels there's far more to come, starting at Donington Park in a week-and-a-half's time.

"Last year when we came here we had to make a lot of changes to our car to get things balanced out but we’ve got a good baseline here. We’re not there yet with balance yet and it’s very different to the Toyota.

"We’ve not even scratched the surface of the potential in the car yet. To leave Brands with the results we had we were over the moon, fourth in the championship, with a car that’s three days old effectively.

"We thought we may have gone the wrong way a little bit in qualifying but you can’t moan too much about being 0.2s off the pole time and lap record in a car that’s as new as it is. I thought it would be much easier to translate setup from the Toyota to the Alfa Romeo as there are a lot of common components but it’s surprised me how different this car is.

"We were quick at Donington Park at Season Launch, I gel well there too – I’ve always gone well there throughout my career and it just flows. It will be a bit of a learning experience qualifying with ballast on-board. We know we’ll get there though and I feel confident we’ll be winning races this year."

Bobby Thompson hailed his maiden Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship weekend a 'truly unforgettable experience' as he and Team HARD with Trade Price Cars rode a rollercoaster of emotions throughout the opening Brands Hatch Indy weekend.

Whilst, by his own admission, a best finish of 19th wasn't something the 2018 BRDC Rising Star would ordinarily be pleased with, in the overall context of the day, making a dream debut in a series he's always aspired to reach, Thompson saw numerous positives.

“I won both Volkswagen Cup races and set a new lap record in the process at Brands last year," said Thompson. “I knew I wouldn’t be in a position to repeat those results on my first BTCC weekend and although not everything went exactly as planned, the day as a whole was truly unforgettable.”

Starting 27th for the opening race of the season, Thompson was able to navigate his way through the pack and pick off several rivals, including multiple champion Jason Plato, as he moved into the top 20.

“Greasy conditions like we had when the track isn’t fully wet are the type of conditions I like the most and it felt really good to be able to attack with confidence,” he said. “I knew I was faster than Tom (Boardman) but he was defending well and I could feel my tyres starting to go off.

"I was a bit worried that Jason (Plato) would catch us but I had enough of a gap to hold him off in the end. There was no point trying a risky move on the last lap and I’m really pleased for the whole team.”

For race two, a dry line started to appear for the first time during the day on circuit with several drivers gambling on slick tyres – Thompson opted for wets.

“It’s such a lottery when the track looks like it could dry out,” added Thompson, who had made it as far as 14th position.

The track continued to dry and it wasn’t long before those who had gambled on slicks suddenly found themselves in a class of their own, going four to five seconds per lap faster than those on wets.

“I thought wets were the way to go but on my out lap I could already see that a dry line was starting to appear. It was a big decision to make and maybe if I was a bit more experienced I would have made a different call but we decided to stay on wets as most of the drivers starting around me were also on wets.

“I was able to make up a couple of places on lap one and just like the first race it was just intense all the way round. The crew told me I was in the points but I knew that it was only a matter of time before the tyres started to go off. When they did there was nothing I could do.”

With his chances of a points scoring finish gone, Thompson was trying to secure the best possible starting spot for the third and final race when his battery cried enough.

The final round in Kent would prove to be another learning experience, as Thompson found himself following team-mate Michael Caine and he did, briefly, make a move stick.

“I could see where I was faster than Cainey but as he is being a real mentor to me this year the last thing I wanted to do was put us both off,” said Thompson, who slipped-up at Graham Hill Bend, allowing Caine and several others back ahead, leaving him to cross the line in 26th position.

Thompson admitted to being mentally exhausted by the rigours of a BTCC weekend.

“Physically, I am fine as I train in the gym two hours a night but nobody can really make you understand how demanding the BTCC is until you experience it. Apart from the three races you have the autograph session, the drivers parade and the team’s own Q&A session in their hospitality unit for all our sponsors Tony (Gilham, Team HARD Team Principal) makes sure that as many fans and supporters can see inside the garage there are always lots of well-wishers and fans who want to chat and wish you luck.”

“For my first weekend it has been incredible. I have had so much support from the fans and I know that I will be a lot stronger at Donington Park for the next three races just because I have had the whole BTCC race weekend experience under my belt.

"I know that the team have a really good package that is capable of being on the podium as we proved with Jake (Hill) and I’ll be pushing harder than ever for stronger results next time.”

Thruxton welcomed the Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship to Hampshire yesterday as the majority of the grid took the opportunity to rack up the miles ahead of their competitive return to the UK’s fastest race circuit, 19-20 May.
 
The BTCC celebrates its 60^th, Diamond Jubilee, anniversary this year and the country’s premier motor racing series has already shown signs that it will be another vintage, and fiercely competitive campaign after a storming opening race weekend at Brands Hatch – with nine different drivers making the podium, three different winners and 10 marques represented in the standings’ top ten.
 
Thruxton itself celebrates its 50^thAnniversary, and the beloved circuit, affectionately referred to as the Hampshire Speedbowl, always yields an unparalleled weekend’s action. Its flat-out characteristics are so unique that TOCA runs an annual test-day for the BTCC and its support series – Renault UK Clio Cup, the Ginetta championships and the F4 British Championship – ensuring all involved are up to speed ahead of their return in five weeks’ time.
 
Twenty-five of the BTCC’s finest drivers jumped at the chance to rack up the laps (over 1,100 in all on the day), among those, incumbent champion Ashley Sutton (Adrian Flux Subaru Racing) and his team-mate – BTCC legend Jason Plato, Halfords Yuasa Racing’s triple title-winner Matt Neal and Dan Cammish, plus past champs Colin Turkington and Andrew Jordan in the West Surrey Racing BMWs.
 
At the end of the day it was Sutton atop the timesheets, commenting later that evening that his heart rate had finally returned to normal levels after the high-speed Hampshire test!
 
“That was unexpected, I’ll be honest,” said Sutton. “It’s been a fast day in general and everyone’s been quick. We’ve come here looking for track time and I think we’ve found a few key things. It’s been a general test, not just a Thruxton test.
 
“We hadn’t done mileage prior to Season Launch at Donington Park, then Brands Hatch later that week but that was rained off. We’ve come to make up time on the others and we’ve achieved some key things and we hope some of those will carry over to Donington.”
 
Between the two sessions, eight drivers ran inside 2017’s BTCC qualifying lap record time set by the Honda Civic Type R of Matt Neal, so all signs are pointing to a fastest-ever race weekend come May.
 
Parts of Thruxton’s stunning new £2 million state-of-the-art hospitality facility, The Thruxton Centre, will be open for business by the time the BTCC makes its entry ahead of an official opening at 12:00 midday on Sunday 3 June amid a weekend of 50^thAnniversary celebrations. Highlights there include 15 special races as well as high-speed demonstrations from Williams’ 1983 FW08C and other iconic racing cars and bikes. There will be appearances, too, from a number of high-profile guests including Murray Walker and Nigel Mansell.
 
“It’s always a delight to welcome Britain’s biggest championship on four wheels back to Thruxton,” said Thruxton Group Managing Director, Bill Coombs. “It's a series that continually produces a fantastic weekend’s racing, with 32 cars and some of the best tin-top protagonists around throwing up a real treat. The test yesterday gave us a little glimpse of what’s to come – it’s going to be a quick one this year, that’s for sure. 
 
“Having had a keen eye on its opening race weekend a fortnight ago, it looks like it’ll be an even more fascinating prospect around the quick stuff here come May. I wouldn’t dare try and pick a winner!
 
“The track itself is a favourite of many of the drivers, it’s a fast and flowing test of balance, bravery and poise plus a healthy dollop of slipstreaming!
 
“For 2018, in our 50^thAnniversary year, we’re extremely proud to be able to open The Thruxton Centre – our brand-new, top-of-the-line facility comprises a restaurant and bar, exhibition spaces, function rooms, hosting and hospitality suites and a spectacular viewing terrace. 
 
“Parts of the centre will be open for use at the BTCC race weekend but its official opening takes place over the weekend of 2/3 June – as part of a special meeting commemorating our golden anniversary.”

Advance tickets for the BTCC’s visit, 19-20 May, are available from £12, with weekend passes with paddock access running to just £40. Saturday grandstand seats are an additional £5. Accompanied children aged 15 and under will be admitted free of charge. 
 
For further information or to buy tickets, see https://thruxtonracing.co.uk/racing/btcc or call 01264 882200 and select Option 1. For details on ticketing for Thruxton’s 50^th Anniversary meeting, head to https://thruxtonracing.co.uk/racing/50th-anniversary.
 
For more information on Thruxton’s race meetings and driving experiences, visit: www.thruxtonracing.co.uk/
 
For season or individual race meeting accreditation, please e-mail: press@barc.net

As I type, I am en route from Oman to Malaysia. A nice lady from Oman Air has brought me a large gin and tonic and there are all sorts of movies to occupy me for the next seven hours.
 
Sadly, there isn’t a channel showing me race two from Brands Hatch which I need to watch again to try to piece together who did what! It’s a bit like some complicated crime drama where the culprit is unveiled and then you have to watch it again to spot all the clues… What a race!
 
Thankfully, Tim Harvey and I don’t have to nominate a driver of the day, as there were several candidates for that mantle on Sunday. Take Jack Goff as one: that opening race drive was fantastic – error-free despite the pressure of a greasy track, a safety car restart and having Colin Turkington behind him all race long.

Jack has always looked a smooth driver, but on occasions I admit to being frustrated that he doesn’t (or didn’t) get stuck in more. Easy for me to say but when a driver has to pay his own reparations it is understandable.

On Sunday, for me, there came that tipping point where Goff delivered what he has always been capable of and while he deserves a big cheer, so does WIX Racing with Eurotech which was on it all weekend, across all three cars, repaying Jeff Smith’s and Marvin Humphries’ efforts in style. There is nothing to suggest that Goff won’t be a factor all season and the wasp-liveried Honda looks set to be a regular front-runner, as the young guns start to take over at the top.
 
We’ve had Andrew Jordan and Ash Sutton winning championships in the last five years and more young guns winning races, with Tom Ingram again looking impressive in race three as he battled up from 11th. Tom’s race-craft has stepped up a gear in the last 18 months and he looked the 'real deal' on Sunday, whilst Adam Morgan looked good in race three as well.
 
Then there was Senna Proctor’s astonishing win from 27th on the grid in race two. Let’s just ponder that for a moment. The 14th row is so far back he was nearly delayed at the main gate paying to get back in. I can’t recall anyone coming from so far back to win a race, which was impressive in itself. Plus, it was the first win for Power Maxed TAG Racing, which proves as Speedworks has done, that the longer you stay in the championship, the more you learn and the better you get. Adam Weaver and his team deserved the success. Oh, and Proctor is still only 17…
 
One thing we missed was the chance to see what would have been an epic scrap between Aiden Moffat and Proctor for another lap and a half. Moffat is a very good defender and his oval racing roots means he has impressive car control, which he needed after a day in which contact found him more than once.
 
Ah, Mike Bushell. Another young gun up the front. Yes, I accept that the weather and tyre choice helped, but he looked far more suited to the BTCC than when we first saw him two seasons ago. Mike admits it too, and will only get better.
 
And what of Dan Cammish? Much was written and broadcast beforehand and expectations were high. You don’t come into the BTCC with a CV like his and expect not to be noticed, especially in a drive like the one he has secured at Halfords Yuasa Racing, but after having a quick car in qualifying, neither Dan nor Matt Neal’s car quite looked at the races on Sunday.

Clearly, Dan expected more given his frustrations on Sunday, though they were nothing compared to his mood on Saturday after he lost his best qualifying lap. He wanted to shine on his debut, understandably, and in a way he did because he proved what he is capable of, when it all clicks together. The wins will come, surely, and that will add yet another young gun up at the front. Then there was Jake Hill coming oh-so close to a maiden win and Ollie Jackson’s maiden podium and… the list of impressive drives goes on.
 
So where does this leave Jason Plato and Matt Neal? Their BTCC careers span three decades and still both are capable of winning. The answer to where this leaves them is… we don’t know. Given the pace of the Hondas in qualifying, I can’t believe that Matt won’t win races this year, and the Jason Plato story doesn’t end here, does it? Look at the way he races, the way that he has historically over-delivered in cars that had no business being near the podium. I don’t know, genuinely, what it is that has hampered JP since the start of last season as one hears so many conflicting stories, but one thing is for sure – he hasn't forgotten how to drive.
 
We know Jason wants to win, it is what makes him tick. He isn’t a go-for-points man, he goes for wins and he will want to go from the BTCC, whenever that may be, with wins, not midfield placings. I can’t believe he won’t bounce back, but with every weekend that he struggles, so the spotlight begins to shift to others.
 
Now, teams. Bravo BTC Norlin Racing. Its new Honda Civic Type Rs looked increasingly impressive and Chris Smiley is becoming more of a factor as he is given the machinery with which to do the job. James Nash will be up there too, once he has a handle on NGTC equipment.
 
Disappointments? One could possibly argue West Surrey Racing's weekend wasn’t as good as it should have been as Rob Collard struggled and Colin Turkington had his limp-home moment at the start of race two. His car did suffer the odd electrical hiccup last season and in the current climate, you cannot afford a bad race. You have to score. That, perhaps is why stringing together a championship-winning season is so difficult now.
 
If we were shown one thing at Brands, it is that we are in for another epic season. When I stood at Old Hall Corner on Good Friday 1978 and watched my first Tricentrol British Saloon Car Championship race, I fell in love with noisy, sideways saloons. The racing, though, wasn’t a patch on what we saw on Sunday and with a few, no, a lot of drivers hoping to bounce back at Donington Park, we are in for another storming weekend.
 
Now, how do I access the ITV Hub at 35,000 feet….?

Matt Simpson enjoyed his best start to a Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship season to date back at Brands Hatch, leaving the Berkshire racer brimming with confidence heading to Donington Park.

Simpson Racing now sits inside the WIX Racing with Eurotech stable, with Jeff Smith's outfit now running a third Honda Civic Type R. Simpson feels everything has fallen into place nicely for him this off-season, and his results over the Brands weekend – a pair of highest-ever seventh place finishes – have only bolstered his optimism.

"We set ourselves a goal this year with the new team at Eurotech to try and qualify and finish in the top ten positions over the course of the season," said Simpson. "Obviously, that wasn’t necessarily expected to be the case right from the off at Brands Hatch but it was a fantastic weekend.

"I was some six-tenths quicker in the car in places over the off-season than through last year, and around Brands Hatch in practice, I was quicker than I ever had been there before. In qualifying I tend to over-drive and that tends to make you slower but we managed eighth, which was a strong starting point.

"It was a shame about the first race really. I was in the right place at the right time around the outside of Tom Chilton and Sam Tordoff but contact unfortunately ended the chance of what I think could have been a top five finish – my wet pace has been really good."

Yesterday, at the TOCA Support Test, Simpson toured Thruxton Circuit for the first time in a Eurotech-engineered Honda. The learning process, for him, continues in what he sees as the perfect environment with buckets of support from his stablemates as well as his engineers.

"I’d never driven the Eurotech-engineered Honda around Thruxton before, so I was a little apprehensive and didn’t know how the car might feel," he continued. "I got my eye in though and it was a productive day with setup changes and some good things learned.

"Every team sets the car up in different ways, so although it’s the same package, the engineering and setup side of things has been a dramatic change.

"I really feel at home with these guys and I’m brimming with confidence. I get on with my engineer Richard Owen really well, he’s been great, so hopefully we can push on, try and improve and set ourselves some new goals.

"I’m learning a lot from Jack (Goff) and Brett (Smith) as well as Jeff (Smith) with all of his experience. We have debriefs together and we’re all as one. It’s great – they’ve definitely got this Civic ticking, that’s for sure.

As far as Donington Park is concerned, Simpson wants to build some momentum, and carry on where he left off in Kent.

"Media day was really good at Donington Park in the damp conditions but I didn’t get a new tyre run when it dried out in the afternoon.

"I’m hoping for more of the same – just to keep building on my confidence and get myself some more top ten finishes. Hopefully then, the rest will fall into place. It’d be nice to come into Thruxton with a bit of ballast on-board, you never know! That would be mega."