Up next in the Round Recap series is the second bout at Oulton Park (17/18 June). See below for the full race report…
Laser Tools Racing with MB Motorsport’s Jake Hill has completed his first ever BTCC double on the same weekend, as the BMW star followed up his opening win with a lights-to-flag triumph in the second bout at Oulton Park.
In truth, Hill was never troubled in the contest – despite an early safety car period – and eventually pulled clear to secure the win ahead of NAPA Racing UK’s Ash Sutton.
The fight for the final place on the podium was an intriguing one as Tom Ingram (BRISTOL STREET MOTORS with EXCELR8) held off a late charge from Colin Turkington (Team BMW), with the latter again performing brilliantly to come through the order.
Turkington’s fightback – following his disqualification in qualifying yesterday – 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 two races, Turkington could be a contender for victory in the final reverse-grid race later today.
Josh Cook (One Motorsport with Starline Racing) was heavily involved in some feisty action as he grabbed fifth ahead of Dan Cammish (NAPA Racing UK) and Adam Morgan (Team BMW).
With the BMWs showing fantastic race pace throughout the day, Morgan will start on pole position for the reverse grid race ahead of Cammish, Cook and Turkington, giving the Bavarian marque a great opportunity of a clean sweep at the picturesque circuit.
Daniel Lloyd (Autobrite Direct with Millers Oils) and the TOYOTA GAZOO Racing UK pairing of Ricky Collard and Rory Butcher. Collard had been part of the scrap further up the order but he was eventually shuffled back following contact.
The final race will take place at 1725 and will be live on ITV4.
Jake Hill said: “What a feeling! Thank god for that – again a huge credit to Laser Tools Racing with MB Motorsport and everyone at WSR, BMW, for giving me this amazing car. It’s just been faultless in these first two races, so fast, so controllable, I’m over the moon!
“The start was as good as gold, a lot less pressure than race one. In the restart I knew where I was good, and I just thought I would go earlier and surprise everyone and it worked. I pretty much got back to the same gap I had pre-safety car. I’m chuffed to bits.”
Ash Sutton said: “For us, second, we are still out-scoring the people we need to so I can’t complain. NAPA Racing UK made a few changes to the car then and made some improvements.
“At the start I made a couple of errors and sort of gifted the time away to Tom [Ingram] and he kept closing the gap down. Not quite close enough to show his nose but I think we were both looking in the mirrors to see what was coming and [Colin] Turkington was coming at the rate of knots.”
Tom Ingram said: “It’ll be interesting to see how this last race pans out because we obviously got a little position ahead in this last race and we have to try and maximise it.
“It was a game of chess really when Colin [Turkington] came up behind so much faster. We are struggling on brakes, and you see Colin coming up behind and just think, ‘here we go’. Good we’ve at least closed the gap to Ash [Sutton] slightly.
“I was quicker in and through the corner but then he just pull that gap. Just one of those nip and tucks – we’ve got our strengths and they have theirs.”
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
11. Tom Chilton, BRISTOL STREET MOTORS with EXCELR8 +19.239s
12. Andrew Watson, CarStore Power Maxed Racing +19.671s
13. Mikey Doble, CarStore Power Maxed Racing +20.445s
14. Dexter Patterson, Re.Beverages and Bartercard with Team HARD +21.442s
15. Aiden Moffat, One Motorsport with Starline Racing +21.836s
16. Ronan Pearson, BRISTOL STREET MOTORS with EXCELR8 +22.255s
17. Jack Butel, Go-Fix with Autoaid Breakdown +23.060s
18. Stephen Jelley, Team BMW +24.041s
19. Árón Taylor-Smith, CarStore Power Maxed Racing +24.202s
20. George Gamble, TOYOTA GAZOO Racing UK +28.711s
21. Daniel Rowbottom, NAPA Racing UK +30.293s
22. Nic Hamilton, Go-Fix with Autoaid Breakdown +32.943s
23. Sam Osborne, NAPA Racing UK +35.443s
24. Nick Halstead, BRISTOL STREET MOTORS with EXCELR8 +36.152s
25. Will Powell, One Motorsport with Starline Racing +14 Laps
26. Bobby Thompson, Autobrite Direct with Millers Oils +14 Laps
27. Jade Edwards, Re.Beverages and Bartercard with Team HARD +14 Laps
