Scottish driver Ronan Pearson came close to more overall championship points, as his debut season in the Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship hit the half-way stage at Oulton Park.

The Kelty-based racer made the trip to the Cheshire circuit targeting three strong results at the wheel of his Hyundai i30N, with the car having won two of the three races at the venue twelve months earlier.

A productive run in the two free practice sessions saw confidence high as Pearson headed into qualifying - which is seen as more important than ever at Oulton Park due to the tight nature of the circuit.

Whilst he would manage a best time just three-tenths of a second away from the top ten, Pearson had to settle for 19th place on the grid for the opening race of the weekend on Sunday morning.

During the opening bout, Pearson recovered from a tricky opening lap to climb up towards the points-scoring positions. An unfortunate mistake at the hairpin saw him run wide and lose places, but he would recover four places in the final handful of laps to take the flag in 18th.

Running the soft tyre again in race two, the 22-year-old quickly made up ground in the early laps to sit in 16th spot, however, an incident saw him drop away from the top 15 positions to finish in 17th.

Although, a penalty for Stephen Jelley (Team BMW) ahead meant he then moved up to 16th in the results – just missing out on a point.

Bolting on the hard tyre for race three, Pearson capped the weekend with a solid run to 17th place and whilst that meant he was unable to break into the overall points, three solid scores in the Jack Sears Trophy helped the Scotsman to retain fifth in the points going into the summer break.

"We had a really good run in practice, but I was left with mixed emotions after qualifying," said Pearson. "Only being three-tenths of a second away from the top ten was good, but things were so close that it meant we were back in 19th place – around a circuit like Oulton Park, it meant we had work to do going into race day.

"Despite that, I knew the Hyundai would be strong and we were having a good run in race one before I made a mistake at the hairpin and ran wide. That was frustrating but at the same time, it was my own error and I can deal with that happening because it’s all part of the learning process.

"The incident in race two was more frustrating because it ultimately cost us a points finish, which I think we would have deserved as in both races, we had the legs on the cars ahead but didn't have track position.

"Race three on the hards was more difficult - as it was for everyone - but we brought the car home for another top 20 finish. Points would have been nice but it's been another weekend where we have banked a lot of knowledge and now I can spend the summer break looking at everything I’ve learned so far ready to come out fighting when the season resumes."

Autobrite Direct with Millers Oils driver Daniel Lloyd scored the best result of his Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship season so far as the 2023 campaign reached the half-way stage at Oulton Park.

The Huddersfield-based racer was returning to the scene of his significant accident last season seeking to push into the top ten at the wheel of his Team HARD Cupra Leon.

In qualifying, Lloyd secured the 15th best time, which left him well-placed to fight for points come race day.

Running the soft tyre in the opening bout, Lloyd would work his way forwards to the fringes of the top ten and fought hard to secure an eleventh-place finish.

Once again on the soft tyre for race two, the 31-year-old made a demon start to jump up into eighth place and displayed impressive pace throughout, moving up into seventh when he nipped ahead of Ricky Collard’s Toyota on lap 13.

However, the strong pace of the BMW of Adam Morgan saw him overhaul Lloyd before the finish, and he took the flag in eighth for his first top ten result of the campaign.

A technical issue in race three forced Lloyd to dive into the pits. As the team worked to replace the part and the race got underway, the decision was taken to gamble on also changing onto wet tyres as light rain started to fall - with heavier rain having been predicted to hit the circuit in time for the race.

However, the weather held through to the finish, and Lloyd was unable to make any forward progress as he finished up in 23rd place.

At the half-way stage of the season, the Team HARD driver sits 17th in the overall standings and third in the Independents’ Trophy.

"We didn’t manage to piece the lap together in qualifying but when race one came around, I feel we did a really good job to make up four places and get into 11th considering how hard it is to pass around Oulton Park," said Lloyd.

"We worked to make changes for race two and had a great run up into the top seven before losing a place to Morgan, which meant we just missed the reverse grid. Despite that, I felt confident for race three but on the way to the grid we had a technical issue.

"We had no option but to pit to fix it so having dropped half a lap, we rolled the dice and bolted on wets considering it was starting to spit with rain. The heavier rain never came so the gamble didn’t pay off, but we had nothing to lose by doing it and had the weather changed, we’d have been ending the weekend as heroes! In hindsight, it might be a good thing we didn’t get pole as I’d have been gutted to have the problem in that situation.

"The pace was really good all through race day and it was only down to that one issue in the final race that we haven’t come away with top ten finishes and three solid points results.

"All in all, despite race three, we can go away from the weekend with a lot of positives to take into the summer break."

Ash Sutton entered the annual Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship summer break at the top of the Drivers’ standings, after producing a double podium performance at Oulton Park (17/18 June).

Two second place finishes, coupled with a retirement in race three, saw the NAPA Racing UK driver leave the Cheshire venue holding a six-point advantage heading into the second half of the season.

Arriving at the fifth meeting of the year having won six of the last eight races, the 29-year-old laid down his marker as he smashed the lap record on his way to pole position; the tenth of his career in the UK’s premier motorsport series.

Topping the times in the opening segment, the three-time champion then upped the ante during the Top Ten Showdown as he punched in a best time of 1:24.832 to claim outright honours by two tenths of a second.

Race day would see the front-wheel-drive racer add to his silverware collection as he tallied a pair of measured drives across races one and two.

Blasting off the line for the opening encounter, Sutton dropped behind the fast-starting BMW of Jake Hill (Laser Tools with MB Racing) to cruise to the second step on the rostrum.

Race two proved to be a carbon copy result as Sutton again shadowed Hill all the way to the chequered flag; albeit this time he had to withstand pressure from reigning champion Tom Ingram (BRISTOL STREET MOTORS with EXCELR8) at times.

Sutton's race day came to a premature end in the reverse grid finale, as contact with Ingram on the run down to the first corner resulted in an early DNF.

Ashley Sutton: “It’s frustrating to be going into the summer break off the back of a non-finish and basically having seen all of our hard work over recent weeks be undone immediately because of one incident.

“Since Donington Park we’ve been playing catch up and there’s no denying that we've been on a mega run of results. I’d been chipping away at things and finishing in front of Tom [Ingram] in those first two races had got the gap up to a number that I was happy with.

“Despite seeing the lead cut to six points there are plenty of positives to take away from the weekend. The car and team are working at a phenomenal level and I’m feeling better than ever behind the wheel.

“We’ve got a nice summer break to hit the reset button, see what more performance we can extract and then its off to Croft – a place I absolutely love – to kick off the second half of the season. This title battle is only going to get tougher but I’m more than ready for the fight.”

The Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship returns to action on 29/30 July, when the series makes its annual trip to Croft Circuit for Rounds 16, 17 and 18.

The One Motorsport with Starline Racing crew celebrated a lock-out of the winners’ silverware in the Independents Trophy division of the Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship at Oulton Park last weekend (17/18 June).
 
Josh Cook took two victories at the picturesque Cheshire track during Rounds 13 and 14, while Aiden Moffat collected a battling triumph during the meeting finale in his Japanese hatchback. It was another challenging weekend for the team’s third driver Will Powell, after an opening race which had delivered much promise.
 
Cook broke into the front positions in qualifying, and was part of the Top Ten Shootout for pole position; he lined up on the fourth row of the grid for the opening bout.

The Bath racer made progress in the opening 15-lapper for a competitive sixth spot at the flag and underscored his pace with fifth in the second race, which was his second Independents’ glory of the meeting – his success extended his advantage at the head of the Independents’ Trophy points table to a whopping 60 points at the halfway stage.
 
In race three, where most drivers were using the harder tyres, Cook then grabbed his third top-10 finish of the weekend, with a fighting seventh place at the flag.
 
“That was a good weekend in terms of consistency and banking the points, but I always want more,” said Cook. “It is always so hard to overtake at Oulton Park because of the nature of the track and so I was a bit stuck in the races themselves.
 
“Despite that, it is clear that the One Motorsport with Starline Racing crew and I are making the right kind of progress with the car. We have had so much learning to do over the start of the season with what is effectively a new chassis to us and a new engine, and that means every event is a journey for us all, but solidly banking the points while we aim to get to the front is very positive.
 
“While it is nice to get onto the podium and collect the trophy for the Independents glory, I am always going to be striving to be on the very top and first overall. So long as we keep pushing and working in the way we have already been, I am very confident we will get there.”
 
Moffat started the opening race on the seventh row. However, opting for the hard tyre in race one whilst most others were on the softer compound, as well as a technical issue, meant he came home in 20^th spot.
 
The Scotsman then bolted on the more favourable softer tyres for race three and produced one of the drives of the event as he cut through the pack to sixth at the flag, right on the bootlid of the leading pack.
 
“It is strange, because I overtook nine cars and landed the Independents’ Trophy win, but I was still left slightly frustrated," Moffat admitted. “I thought an overall podium might have been on the cards. But, because I had been so aggressive at the start to get up the order, the tyres started to wear out at the end and I had to bank what I had.
 
“While that was a bit disappointing, I am happy with the steps forward we are making. I have had two strong meetings at Thruxton and now at Oulton Park, and we are getting into the sort of positions that I want to be in. There is a lot to build on and things are moving in the right direction.”
 
Powell lined up in 26^th place after a spin in the qualifying session but chopped his way through the lower order in race one to climb to an impressive 19^th position at the flag. However, mid-pack contact in race two broke the steering on his Honda and he went off. He rebounded with a 21^st place finish in the weekend’s finale.
 
“Race one was how things should go,” explained Powell. “I got hit in race two but the One Motorsport with Starline Racing team did a great job, as ever, to put the car back together again.
 
“In race three, we were starting from the back on the harder tyres. That meant making progress was always going to be a tough ask. The entire race was a struggle.
 
“It is all about putting a weekend together across qualifying and all three races, and I feel like that hasn’t come to me yet. Despite that, I have enjoyed the learning. I am taking all the positives I can from my experiences in touring cars.”
 
The Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship now enters a five-week break before it resumes at Croft in North Yorkshire on 29/30 July.

• 

• 

The BRISTOL STREET MOTORS with EXCELR8 team grabbed two more podium finishes in their quest for the Championship title. 

The Suffolk-based outfit went into the weekend bidding to replicate the strong form it had displayed at the circuit last season. 

Tom Ingram headed the times at the wheel of the #1 Hyundai i30 Fastback N, whilst there was also encouraging pace from Tom Chilton, Ronan Pearson and Nick Halstead; the latter pair appearing at Oulton Park in a touring car for the first time. 

After more solid running in FP2, confidence was high going into qualifying - although the two-part session would prove to be a challenge. 

Whilst Ingram made it into Q2 with ease, during the final top ten showdown he placed sixth on the times, with Chilton also enduring a tricky session that left him 21st. 

That was two places behind Pearson, who was the final driver to lap within a second of the fastest Q1 time, Halstead put himself in 25th. 

Ingram’s performance in the opening race saw him rise to third place to secure a spot on the podium behind title rival Ash Sutton (NAPA Racing UK), whilst Chilton made up five places on the first lap and fought his way up to twelfth. 

Pearson had a tough first lap that dropped him outside the top 20 and then an error at the hairpin saw him run wide and cost him places, with the Scot classified in 18th place at the finish. Battling throughout with Nic Hamilton (Go-Fix with Autoaid Breakdown) and Jade Edwards (Re.Beverages and Bartercard with Team HARD), Halstead finished 23rd. 

Race two would see Ingram replicate his earlier result as he secured another third-place finish, with Chilton tried to recover from mid-race contact at the hairpin and finished 11th. Pearson as he ended up in 17th place having earlier been fighting for a place in the points, with Halstead enjoying another trouble-free race in 24th. 

With the expected rain not arriving for the reverse grid race three, all four drivers were on the hard tyre alongside most of the field, with Ingram and Sutton making contact off the line and confusion when an early safety car was called. He made a fourth-place finish. 

Chilton would spend the early stages in the top ten before dropping back to twelfth place, with Pearson just missing out on the points in P17. Halstead meanwhile took the flag in 19th place for a third top 20 result of the season. 

Tom Ingram said: "This should really have been our weekend like it was last year, but we were left playing catch up after Q2 when we just couldn’t get the tyres hooked up for whatever reason.” 

"Yet again we’ve scored good points this weekend and whilst it might not be the most exciting way to go racing, our approach has served us well again and allowed us to close the gap at the top ahead of the summer break." 

Tom Chilton said: "It’s good to come away from the weekend with three points finish, especially after a difficult qualifying session where we just weren’t quick enough. In race trim, the car was brilliant and I showed that it is possible to overtake round Oulton Park in race one to come through to P12.” 

"Three points finishes is a good way to head into the summer break, but I hope to be fighting higher up the order when racing resumes and pushing to get back on that podium." 

Ronan Pearson said: "We’ve been able to learn a huge amount this weekend but there are things that happened on track that ultimately didn’t allow us to get the results. It’s a shame as the car felt really good and we were quicker than the cars around us, but this is a circuit where track position really is key.” 

"We showed that you can overtake and it would have been nice to go into the summer break with more points on the board, but I’m pleased with how I performed." 

Nick Halstead said: "I love Oulton Park and this weekend has been a similar story to a number of rounds this year. By the end of the third race, I was up to speed and to get a top 20 finish without it being down to mixed weather was mega and something I really enjoyed. 

"I think my starts hurt me this weekend, but my race craft was good and it’s a positive that I found myself being held up as it shows we were on the pace. I’m getting closer to the position I want to be in, where I can turn up for race one and be able to fight, but I’m thoroughly enjoying the whole experience." 

• 

• 

• 

Ricky Collard led the TOYOTA GAZOO Racing UK charge as the Championship concluded the opening half of its 2023 campaign at Oulton Park in Cheshire last weekend (17/18 June), achieving his best result of the season to-date on Speedworks Motorsport’s home soil.  

Collard and team-mates Rory Butcher and George Gamble entered qualifying aiming to progress through to the second part of the session – the ‘Top Ten Showdown’ – in the knowledge that grid position at Oulton is often key, given the difficulty of overtaking around the 2.26km circuit.  

All three drivers were in the mix as the clock ticked down in Q1, with Collard and Butcher safely booking their spots in Q2 while Gamble missed out by a tenth-of-a-second. Collard then maintained his Q1 form in the shootout to secure a season-best third on the grid, with Butcher winding up ninth and Gamble 14th.  

The next day, Collard initially held position before conceding a place to defending champion Tom Ingram (BRISTOL STREET MOTORS with EXCELR8). Thereafter, the 26-year-old battled multiple race-winners Dan Cammish (NAPA Racing UK) and Josh Cook (One Motorsport with Starline Racing) to cement fourth at the chequered flag behind the wheel of his British-built Toyota Corolla GR Sport.  

Having advanced to eighth, a five-second penalty for a false start and a minor error demoted Butcher outside of the points, while Gamble had climbed to 12th when a technical problem forced him into the pits and retirement approaching mid-distance.  

Collard ran up at the sharp end again in race two, until he touched the grass in the closing stages, costing him positions and leaving him a frustrated ninth. Butcher was next up in tenth as the Kirkcaldy native battled back from his earlier disappointment. Nottinghamshire driver Gamble similarly gained ground from the tail-end of the grid after his race one DNF to wind up 20th. 

The Toyota trio subsequently ran together for a while in the day’s finale, with Collard and Butcher ultimately replicating their race two results in ninth and tenth respectively, as Gamble picked up a handful of points just behind in 11^th. 

Rory Butcher said: “It was a steady if unspectacular weekend, I would say. We were missing a little bit in the top ten shootout in qualifying, and at Oulton, your race day is so often conditioned by your starting position. I was on the back of the second pack of cars in race one and thought we might be able to make some inroads, but unfortunately, the penalty and small mistake then dropped us out of the points, which was frustrating.   

“I was pleased to climb back into the top ten in race two, and race three was something of a journey into the unknown on the hard tyres. Still, we managed to come away with another top ten finish, and now the focus shifts to unlocking that last little bit of performance over the next few weeks that will allow us to really take the fight to the front-runners in the remaining rounds.” 

Ricky Collard said: “I was really happy with third place in qualifying. The team gave me an absolutely unreal car – the Corolla was just fantastic – and it was a proper lap, one of the best I’ve ever done around Oulton. That put us in a really good position for the races, when I was looking forward to getting my teeth stuck in.”  

“I think race one was the maximum we could do. The car felt good and I managed to keep [Dan] Cammish behind me, which was positive, although I was hoping it would come to me slightly more towards the end.” 

George Gamble said: “After struggling at Thruxton, Oulton Park was a much stronger weekend all-round. Right from the outset, we had solid pace and it was nice to be back inside the top ten in free practice, although obviously disappointing to miss out on progressing through to the shootout in qualifying by such a tiny margin. That’s the BTCC, though – it’s not the country’s toughest championship for nothing.” 

“Sunday was then a bit eventful, all-in-all. I was gutted to have to retire from race one with a technical issue as we were moving forwards, but to make up nine positions in race three and fight our way into the points was a mega end to the day and a very positive way to go into the summer break.”

Following a six-week break, the BTCC will continue at Croft in North Yorkshire on 29/20 July.  

• 

• 

Last weekend (17/18 June), the 2023 Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship was hosted by Oulton Park, for its fifth event of the season.

The Cheshire circuit saw both some promising, and tough moments for all three Team HARD. outfits; a notable result including how Dexter Patterson continues to lead the Jack Sears Trophy competition into the midseason break.

Hear what the drivers had to say...

Autobrite Direct with Millers Oils:

Bobby Thompson: “I’m absolutely delighted that we were able to spend the whole of Saturday in the top 5, it’s where the car deserves to be but of course, it’s a shame we weren’t able to carry those results into Sunday.

“There were multiple situations that didn’t go our way on race day but the team did a great job across the weekend to keep our heads held high despite a tough race day.

“We go into the summer break knowing what we need to adapt and develop on the car to make that next step. This is the first time since the start of the season we have time to really go through everything with a fine tooth comb and perfect our package so we can keep our top five pace for the rest of the season.”

Dan Lloyd: “Lots of positives to take away but we ran into some bad luck in the third race. Otherwise, we would easily have had three top 10 finishes which would have been a great points haul. We also just missed out on the reverse grid pole which was a shame but ultimately it didn’t matter in the end due to the issue.

“We made some good improvements with the car which will put us in good stead for Croft which is promising. I feel really positive, the team is doing a great job and as soon as we hit a little bit of good luck, I really think we are going to be well in the mix.

“I’m remaining positive and it was a good weekend other than the bad luck in the final race of the day.”

• 

Re.Beverages and Bartercard with Team HARD:

Dexter Patterson: “A strong, competitive weekend for me at Oulton Park. I was really happy to finish in the points in races 1 and 2. The car was competitive and I felt that I could push hard and stay on the tail of the cars in front which is positive as I’m looking to break into the next pack of cars more consistently.

“Race 3 was looking to be another finish in the points but I was hit heading into the chicane which spun me around and effectively ended my chances of making it a hat-trick of points finishes.

“I’m really happy with the car and I come away still leading the Jack Sears Trophy so I have to be happy.”

Jade Edwards: “Overall, a positive weekend. After having some issues in both practice sessions, we were worried that it was going to turn into another difficult weekend but qualifying was much better and we headed into Sunday with a positive mindset.

“We gambled on race day and ran the slower, hard tyre for the first race knowing that if it didn’t rain, we would have a big advantage in race 3. Sadly, contact in race 2 meant that we didn’t finish the race and had to start the final race day from the back of the grid.

“We made a good start and gained a fair few places before more contact dropped us back to last once again. The car felt awesome and I was able to get back through the pack which was fun and ultimately used the advantage of the soft tyre to pick my way into 16th. If I was offered 16th after FP1 I would have snapped your hand off but we still leave Oulton Park thinking ‘what could have been’ if we didn’t have that contact on lap 1 which set us back.

“A big step forward and a solid weekend for my side of the garage which was much needed after a tough start.”

• 

Go-Fix with Autoaid Breakdown:

Jack Butel: “I felt like the weekend was actually very successful despite not getting the results we deserved. In FP1 we struggled but rectified that in FP2 with a 7th place finish. Qualifying didn’t go how we hoped but that’s Motorsport.

“Onto race day and we went into race 1 feeling good. I got a great start which helped me get a 16th place finish. In race 2 we dropped back after contact but we recovered well to 17th which I was happy with.

“In the last race, we finished 18th on the slower, hard tyre. We were expecting rain to feature for at least some of the day but it never came. In hindsight we should have used the hard tyre in race 1 to get it out of the way.

“Overall though, I’m really happy with the weekend. I’m ready for a break to reflect and come back stronger at Croft.”

Nic Hamilton:  “It was an okay race day from my side of the garage. It wasn’t the Sunday we wanted but it also wasn’t terrible.

“In race 1 and 2 we had good pace in the car and we have definitely taken steps forwards lately, the chassis feels really nice. We are just struggling with raw pace from our engine which is holding us back a bit.

“For race 3 we started 22^nd so decided to take a gamble for wet tyres as it started to rain on the grid but unfortunately it never came. We eventually boxed for the hard tyre and whilst it dropped us way back, the pace was really strong. Looking back through the data and times our pace was good enough for the top 15 which is encouraging and we are in a good place.

“All in all, not a disaster of a weekend, there’s a lot we can take from it and a good way to finish with the car so we can work on it over the summer break at the tyre test.”

• 

CarStore Power Maxed Racing banked another Jack Sears Trophy win after highs and lows over Oulton Park’s race weekend (17-18 June). 

The Bidford-on-Avon team arrived at the 2.2-mile Cheshire venue keen to close the gap in both the JST and Independent Teams’ standings. 

Andrew Watson seemed to be on track for fifth and a spot in the ‘Top Ten Showdown’ during qualifying, however, a track limits breach meant his time was wiped. 

In his absence, Aron Taylor-Smith put in the effort on his final flying run to put his Vauxhall Astra on the fourth row, in P8. Mikey Doble would start P16 and Watson in P17. 

In the opening race, Taylor-Smith was in the battle for a top ten finish, before contact with a rival on the final lap ended that possibility.  

The whole team worked hard to repair car #40 for the second contest 90 minutes later, but it would be a tall order for Taylor-Smith to go on and add to the points scored by Doble and Watson in the opener, the duo taking the chequered flag in P13 and P15. 

The pair repeated their points-scoring in the second race, this time P12 and P13. It also set up a final-race shootout for the Jack Sears honours, with a healthy gap to the next-best challenger. Taylor-Smith set about making amends, and a series of boisterous passes promoted him to P19. 

Watson was able to sneak the final points-paying position in P15. A last-lap power steering failure for Doble left him P22 and would crucially hand the JST honours for Oulton to Watson. 

The pair have both closed the gap on the current class leader, with the top three now blanketed by just ten points. Their efforts have also promoted the team to second spot in the Independent Teams’ standings, the gap to the top now 35 points. 

The Championship now heads into a six-week summer hiatus, with Croft Circuit in Yorkshire due to host the next three rounds on 29-30 July. 

Andrew Watson (#11) said: 

“I’m delighted to win the Jack Sears Trophy here at Oulton Park, it’s great to be back. 

“The Vauxhall Astra was great, and the whole team at CarStore Power Maxed Racing performed well. You can’t take podiums and trophies for granted, so I’m delighted for myself and the team, and we move forward to Croft after the summer break.” 

Aron Taylor-Smith (#40) said: 

“Unfortunately, an incident with Daniel [Rowbottom] at Druids ended my race early.

“It’s definitely one that falls under ‘frustrating’, but I’m big enough and bold enough to lick my wounds, process the weekend and start analysing where we go from here to keep progressing at Croft after the break.” 

Mikey Doble (#88) said: 

“It’s been a very steady, very satisfying weekend for me at Oulton Park. We’ve scored a lot of good points overall, and in the Jack Sears, and if not for an unlucky failure in the last race, I think we’d have been up there fighting with Andrew [Watson] for top spot. 

“It’s clear to me, the progress we’re making round-on-round. We’ve gone from the back of the midfield at the start of the season, to now being firmly in the fight at the front of that group.” 

Last weekend (17/18 June), the 2023 Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship headed to Oulton Park for its fifth event, marking the halfway point of the 2023 campaign.

Rounds 13, 14 and 15 offered plenty of action, however, it was West Surrey Racing who came out on top, as Jake Hill (Laser Tools Racing with MB Motorsport) and Colin Turkington (Team BMW) helped the squad claim a clean sweep of victories for BMW.

Here is what some of the drivers had to say about the action...

“Right now Oulton Park may be my new favourite track! Super, super proud of everyone at West Surrey Racing and Laser Tools Racing and MB Motorsport – they’ve just done an absolutely mega job” said Hill, 

“This one will take a while to sink in, it’s an amazing feeling. I think I’ve driven the best I have all season and it’s something to enjoy and savour.”

Stablemate Turkington began the day at the back of the grid. However, a sensational turnaround throughout the rounds saw him take the top spot during the closing bout.

“Last night I was not expecting to win a race – I really didn’t know what sort of a day I was in for" explained Turkington, "I set myself a target of P15 in race one as that seemed realistic or even a bit difficult, but I think I got up to P9. 

“The key thing was we are just making the car better in each race and I just felt confident I could go forward and make the moves. It’s always that bit more difficult when you are racing your teammates because they have the same strengths as you have, so the move on Adam [Morgan] had to be something different and quite brave. 

“I’m really pleased with that race three win – I don’t think I’ve ever had to work as hard to win a race!”

Ash Sutton (NAPA Racing UK) remains in the lead for the Drivers' Championship, after securing pole position and two second place finishes across in Rounds 13 and 14. The BTCC media team caught up with the 29-year-old after race one...

"Well done to BMW, Jake [Hill] and the team. I’m still happy – ultimately we are not fighting them at this stage, we are fighting Tom [Ingram], so we are in a good place collecting those points," said Sutton.

“Obviously I’m not going to settle, so I did have a little look round the outside of Cascades and turn three. But you do just have to assess the situation…it’s alright, we have a to make a few changes and come back fighting.”

BRISTOL STREET MOTORS with EXCELR8's Tom Ingram is now just six points behind Sutton in the standings, after rounding out the rostrum in races one and two, as well as a fourth place finish in Round 15.

Ingram reflected: "Another one we just ended up scoring points in but nothing too crazy. We just been consistently there or thereabouts all weekend. I think we should have been further forwards after the issue I had with the tyres in the Top Ten Showdown. But given that we started sixth this morning, to end up with two thirds and a fourth is something I’m fairly chuffed with.'

For more quotes and insight from the whole first half of the season, check out the BTCC audio page here. The second half of the campaign will resume at Croft in North Yorkshire on 29/30 July.

Bavarian marque fights back in the BTCC at Oulton Park

West Surrey Racing won each of the Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship races at Oulton Park earlier today (18 June), as Jake Hill and Colin Turkington helped the squad claim a clean sweep of victories for BMW.

Hill almost completed a perfect day individually as the Laser Tools Racing with MB Motorsport star took two wins, a second place and three fastest laps.

Turkington produced a sensational turnaround throughout the day, having started last on the grid for the opener. The four-time champion made stunning ground in the first race, improved even further in the second, before charging to his 65th BTCC career triumph in the reverse grid finale.

There were podiums on the day for Ash Sutton, Tom Ingram and Adam Morgan as the title race took a massive twist as it reached its midway stage.

Sutton’s advantage in the Drivers’ Standings has been reduced to six points from Ingram, whilst Hill and Turkington remain in close contention.

The second half of the BTCC campaign will resume at Croft in North Yorkshire on 29/30 July.

Jake Hill led BMW charge with race one win 
A fantastic victory in the opener kickstarted Hill’s 2023 campaign. 

The Laser Tools Racing with MB Motorsport racer has driven consistently at the sharp end during the season so far, with three second place finishes being his best result up to that point, but a deserved visit to the top step of the podium elevated his title challenge.

A brilliant start from Hill saw his BMW 330e M Sport blast past pole-sitter Sutton around the outside on the run down to turn one, and a robust defence followed on the opening laps as the rear-wheel drive car gradually brought its tyres up to temperature.

After a high-pressured start Hill then gradually settled into his stride and pulled away from championship leader Sutton in his #116 Napa Racing UK Ford Focus.

BRISTOL STREET MOTORS with EXCELR8's Ingram completed the podium as he shook off the frustrations of qualifying to come through from sixth on the grid.

Hill does the Oulton Park double
Hill then claimed his first ever BTCC double on the same weekend, as the BMW star followed up his opening win with a lights-to-flag success in the second bout at the picturesque Cheshire venue.

In truth, Hill was never troubled in the contest – despite an early safety car period – and eventually pulled clear to secure another win ahead of Sutton.

The fight for the final place on the podium was an intriguing one as Ingram held off a late charge from Team BMW’s Turkington, with the latter again performing brilliantly to come through the order.

Turkington’s fightback began with a charge from 27th to ninth in the opening race and the four-time champion improved yet further in the next encounter.

With a total improvement of 23 places across the first two races, Turkington looked to be a contender for victory in the final reverse-grid race.

Turkington completes classic comeback
Team BMW’s Turkington grabbed victory in the final reverse grid race, completing a phenomenal comeback.

Turkington is no stranger to victory of course, but this was arguably one of the best days of his illustrious career, having produced superb drives in each of the three contests.

As mentioned, the #4 BMW 330e M Sport was disqualified from Qualifying yesterday after the car failed post-session scrutineering checks, which meant a starting berth on the last row of the grid for Turkington.

Having charged through the order in the first two races, he saved his best until last to take his second victory of the season.

It was a BMW 1-2-3 at the finish as Turkington prevented stablemate Hill claiming an historic hat-trick, whilst Team BMW’s Adam Morgan completed the podium – his 40th in the BTCC.

The moment of truth came shortly after an early safety car period as Turkington ran around the outside of Morgan through turn one, as Hill also followed him through when the move was completed down at Cascades.

The aforementioned safety car spell also proved dramatic as the Ford Focus of championship leader Ash Sutton grounded to a halt on the opening lap after contact with Ingram’s car squeezed the former into the pit wall.

BMW’s memorable day helped the Bavarian marque claim top spot in the Manufacturers’ Standings, whilst NAPA Racing UK maintained its position at the head of the Teams’ order.

Josh Cook and his One Motorsport with Starline Racing continued its command of the Independents’ tables, whilst Dexter Patterson tops the Jack Sears Trophy although Andrew Watson claimed the JST honours at Oulton Park.

Sutton’s recent qualifying dominance ensured he holds sway in the Goodyear Wingfoot Award as the BTCC heads into its mid-season break.

Jake Hill, Laser Tools Racing with MB Motorsport, said: “It’s been a blinder of a race weekend! To take two wins, three podiums and three fastest laps is brilliant and I can’t say much more than that. This car and the team are true heroes, and we have really turned it around this weekend. The car was monstrous – I am not saying that it is going to be rapid everywhere, but it is currently a lovely place to be. I must say a huge thank you to Laser Tools Racing with MB Motorsport, everyone in the team at West Surrey Racing and of course BMW UK for all of their support.

“Unfortunately for Adam [Morgan], Colin [Turkington] just had a really good run coming out of Old Hall on the outside and it just set me up really to dive down the inside at the next turn to take second. Huge credit to both of them to complete a 1-2-3 for the BMWs – it’s an amazing feeling.”

Colin Turkington, Team BMW, said: “It’s been the most amazing day. I was a bit down in the dumps last night knowing I had to start right at the back in P27 – right in the dip here! I did not think we could make the progress we have, though. Oulton Park has been quite a good track for the BMW previously and although it can be tough to pass we played our cards right and in each race it kept getting better and better.

“This victory means so much. I had to really graft for it, having started right at the back at the beginning of the day in the doldrums to the top step of the podium. It really means a lot.

“There are not too many opportunities to overtake against a car which is the same as your own, so you have to try something different. It was maybe a move which Adam [Morgan] wasn’t expecting. I got a really good run on the hybrid coming out of the last corner to start the lap which really set me up to make the move. Having three BMWs on the podium is a fantastic feeling. Jake [Hill] was on my case, but I could see where we were strong and where we were not – so it was nice in the last few laps to stretch my legs at the front.”

2023 Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship – Race 1 – Oulton Park

1. Jake Hill, Laser Tools Racing with MB Motorsport 15 laps
2. Ashley Sutton, NAPA Racing UK +1.874s
3. Tom Ingram, BRISTOL STREET MOTORS with EXCELR8 +2.563s
4. Ricky Collard, TOYOTA GAZOO Racing UK +10.181s
5. Dan Cammish, NAPA Racing UK +10.583s
6. Josh Cook, One Motorsport with Starline Racing +11.090s
7. Bobby Thompson, Autobrite Direct with Millers Oils +11.566s
8. Adam Morgan, Team BMW +17.674s
9. Colin Turkington, Team BMW +18.676s
10. Stephen Jelley, Team BMW +21.899s

2023 Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship – Race 2 – Oulton Park

1. Jake Hill, Laser Tools Racing with MB Motorsport 17 laps
2. Ashley Sutton, NAPA Racing UK +1.773s
3. Tom Ingram, BRISTOL STREET MOTORS with EXCELR8 +4.302s
4. Colin Turkington, Team BMW +7.796s
5. Josh Cook, One Motorsport with Starline Racing +8.731s
6. Dan Cammish, NAPA Racing UK +10.162s
7. Adam Morgan, Team BMW +11.679s
8. Daniel Lloyd, Autobrite Direct with Millers Oils +12.610s
9. Ricky Collard, TOYOTA GAZOO Racing UK +13.726s
10. Rory Butcher, TOYOTA GAZOO Racing UK +18.970s

2023 Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship – Race 3 – Oulton Park

1. Colin Turkington, Team BMW 18 Laps
2. Jake Hill, Laser Tools Racing with MB Motorsport +1.762s
3. Adam Morgan, Team BMW +4.305s
4. Tom Ingram, BRISTOL STREET MOTORS with EXCELR8 +4.709s
5. Dan Cammish, NAPA Racing UK +6.176s
6. Aiden Moffat, One Motorsport with Starline Racing +7.179s
7. Josh Cook, One Motorsport with Starline Racing +9.306s
8. Daniel Rowbottom, NAPA Racing UK +9.512s
9. Ricky Collard, TOYOTA GAZOO Racing UK +11.786s
10. Rory Butcher, TOYOTA GAZOO Racing UK +17.512s

Penalties:
Race 1
Adam Morgan received a three place grid penalty for an incident involving Aron Taylor-Smith. The penalty was served in Round 14.

Dexter Patterson received a three place grid penalty for an incident involving Aiden Moffat. The penalty was served in Round 14.

Race 2
Josh Cook penalised by means of a three place penalty for the next race, for an incident involving Bobby Thompson. The penalty was served in Round 15.

Dan Rowbottom was verbally warned for an incident involving Jade Edwards.

Race 3

An incident involving Sam Osborne and Bobby Thompson will be reviewed at Croft, ahead of the next race weekend.

An incident involving Sam Osborne and Jade Edwards will be reviewed at Croft, ahead of the next race weekend.

An incident involving Dexter Patterson and Aron Taylor-Smith will be reviewed at Croft, ahead of the next race weekend.