The second half of the Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship kicks off at Croft this weekend, with the popular combination of soft and hard tyres in action on race day. The circuit will host rounds 16, 17 and 18 of the season.

Located in North Yorkshire, Croft is one of the most challenging rounds of the season with a mix of fast flowing corners, long straights and slow technical sections all ready to test driver accuracy and bravery. 

At the midpoint of the season, it’s all to play for at the top of the championship. Jake Hill leads the way in his Laser Tools Racing with MB Motorsport BMW, but the fight is still on in a battle that will likely conclude at the final rounds at Brands Hatch in October. The top three in the championship are currently covered by just 24 points. 

Just like at Oulton Park last time out, Goodyear has nominated the soft (white sidewall) and hard (red sidewall) tyres for this weekend. One set of yellow-branded mediums will be available for Saturday practice. Only one set of hard compound tyres will be available per driver, so the first experience of it at Croft will be in race trim if teams decide not to put laps on it during practice. 

Drivers will run the soft during qualifying and two of Sunday’s races, while the hard tyre will be used once by each driver. Those on the soft tyre during race one must use the hard tyre in race two if they finish inside the top ten. 

“Whenever we come to Croft we get incredible racing,” explains Michael Butler, Goodyear’s BTCC Event Leader. “There are several places where thrilling overtakes are possible, particularly if drivers have superior confidence in the tyres during the heavy braking zones. We’ve nominated the most extreme tyres in the Goodyear range to give drivers the most interesting strategic options, so expect that to be a key talking point on Sunday.

“We look forward to the second half of the season after a brilliant first five events. In true BTCC style, the championship is wide open.”