Corolla star denies Turkington BTCC qualifying hat-trick at Donington Park

LKQ Euro Car Parts with SYNETIQ's Josh Cook came out on top of a breathless qualifying session for Round 22 of the 2024 Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship at Donington Park (24 August).

The 20-time BTCC race winner claimed his first pole position in more than two years and on Toyota UK's home soil, with the road-going Corolla produced less than 15 miles away at Toyota Motor Manufacturing UK (TMUK) in Burnaston.

The final session had a host of the BTCC's big hitters involved with Team BMW's Colin Turkington chasing an incredible hat-trick of successive pole positions – and potentially his fourth of the season – but the four-time champ had to settle for second following a fantastic effort.

Evans Halshaw Power Maxed Racing has been one of the star squads of the season so far and the success continued around the legendary Grand Prix circuit, as Mikey Doble backed-up his pace-setting practice performance with third during qualifying. Team-mate Árón Taylor-Smith also made it into the headlining 'Quick Six' finale, finishing sixth after the final segment.

Title chasers Ash Sutton (NAPA Racing UK) and Tom Ingram (Team BRISTOL STREET MOTORS) also progressed to the 'Quick Six', eventually having to settle for fourth and fifth respectively.

Laser Tools Racing with MB Motorsport's Jake Hill was just slightly further back in seventh, ensuring that a number of the championship challengers are closely positioned on the grid for tomorrow's opener.

Adam Morgan (Team BMW), Dan Cammish (NAPA Racing UK) and Tom Chilton (Team BRISTOL STREET MOTORS) rounded out the top ten positions.

Ingram leads Hill by three points in the overall Drivers' standings, with reigning champion Sutton a further 17 points in arrears. Cammish, Turkington and Cook remain in contention to win the most coveted prize in British motorsport, but each of them will need a strong day tomorrow to maintain their challenge.

Rounds 22, 23 and 24 of the 2024 Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship take place on Sunday with the entire race day being broadcast LIVE across the UK on ITV4 from 1045, whilst every race will be streamed LIVE globally via the ITV Sport TikTok channel.

Josh Cook, LKQ Euro Car Parts with SYNETIQ, said: “The car was really good. I could make it do what I wanted, make it dance around, and get a lap time out of it. I’m still trying to catch my breath because it was all going on inside the car.

“Making the changes to the car to give me what I want is really crucial for any driver, but making sure we hit the right spot and move in the right direction is credit to the team – we need to convert this tomorrow now.”

Colin Turkington, Team BMW, said: “That was a really tough session. I’m happy but it could have been a pole. P2 is still a great result. Every lap you’re just trying to make a bit, find a bit, and it was our first real dry running today. You make a mistake one lap, correct it the next lap.

“You have to roll the dice a little bit, and think of loads of different scenarious, but I think we made the right calls. It was still tricky out there, I’d say 98% dry, but still easy to make a mistake.”

Mikey Doble, Evans Halshaw Power Maxed Racing, said: “I knew we were strong in FP1 and FP2, but you never really know what the other teams are doing, so to see that pace progress into qualifying was a mega relief – I’m really happy for everyone in the team.

“The journey that Árón (Taylor-Smith) and I have been on with the team over the last few years, to help pick them up from where they were at the start of last season to where we are now – to have both cars in the ‘Quick Six’ has been a real team effort and we all want the same goal.”

Donington Park GP - Qualifying - Final Classification