The 2026 TOCA Night of Champions at Silverstone in November will celebrate the standout moments from this year's Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship, with the Fans' Choice Award once again giving you the opportunity to decide which achievement deserves recognition.
This year, five unforgettable moments are in contention, from emotional triumphs and long-awaited victories to breakthrough podiums and landmark wins. Today, we're looking back at one of the most heartwarming occasions of the season: Nic Hamilton's maiden Jack Sears Trophy triumph at Snetterton.
Team VERTU's Nic Hamilton claimed the first silverware of his racing career following three determined performances around the 2.97-mile Norfolk circuit, sparking one of the most emotional podium celebrations in recent BTCC history.
The Hyundai i30 N driver had already opened his overall championship points account at Brands Hatch, and continued that progress during Saturday's Qualifying Race, climbing to 15th to add another point to his tally.
Sunday's opening encounter saw Hamilton recover from a difficult getaway to finish 17th overall, battling his way ahead of race winners Aiden Moffat (LKQ Euro Car Parts with Power Maxed Racing) and Árón Taylor-Smith (Laser Tools Racing with MB Motorsport).
Whilst Restart Racing's James Dorlin claimed the opening Jack Sears Trophy victory, Hamilton continued his progress in Race 2, fighting back after a slow start to take 16th overall and second in class behind NAPA Racing UK's Lewis Selby.
It was a similar story in the reverse grid finale, as the #28 once again recovered from a challenging getaway to finish 16th overall and second amongst the JST contenders, this time behind Selby's teammate Sam Osborne.
Despite not claiming an individual class victory across the three encounters, Hamilton's consistency was enough to secure the overall Jack Sears Trophy honours for the weekend, marking the first podium appearance of his BTCC career.
What followed was an unforgettable scene as an enormous crowd gathered to celebrate the achievement, with multiple champions Gordon Shedden (Laser Tools Racing with MB Motorsport), Ash Sutton (NAPA Racing UK) and Tom Ingram (Team VERTU) joining fans and fellow competitors in cheering Hamilton onto the rostrum.
The trio, boasting nine BTCC Drivers' titles between them at the time, joined the celebrations as the Team VERTU driver received his trophy, with the emotion of the occasion clear throughout the paddock.
Born with cerebral palsy and having been told as a child that he would never walk, Hamilton had achieved a lifelong ambition, with the 34-year-old later admitting that he had never expected to leave Snetterton as a Jack Sears Trophy winner.
Reflecting on the occasion, Hamilton said: "I've always said that I wanted to win a trophy, but I didn't want to just be gifted it."
It was a special moment for Hamilton and the wider BTCC community, as years of hard work and determination culminated in a maiden trophy and a celebration that brought the house down at Snetterton.
Click here to vote for Nic in the 2026 BTCC Fans' Choice Award NOW!
