Halfords Racing with Cataclean's Dan Rowbottom topped the times in the final moments of FP1, as Brands Hatch's Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship finale weekend got underway this morning.
Rowbottom has enjoyed a breakthrough season in the BTCC, gaining two pole positions and one race victory in his maiden campaign with Halfords Racing with Cataclean.
The Kidderminster driver is also looking to wrap up the Jack Sears Trophy – a prize previously won by the likes of Ash Sutton and Josh Cook – and the Honda man has kicked off the weekend in the best way possible with a 1:31.249s benchmark lap time around the famous Grand Prix circuit.
Toyota Gazoo Racing UK’s Rory Butcher is another looking to end his season on a high and the Scotsman was second fastest in the opening practice session, whilst Adrian Flux with Power Maxed Racing’s Daniel Lloyd continued his good run with third.
A trio of champions were next in the order with Ash Sutton (Laser Tools Racing), Gordon Shedden (Halfords Racing with Cataclean) and Jason Plato (Adrian Flux with Power Maxed Racing) in fourth, fifth and sixth respectively.
BTC Racing’s Senna Proctor was seventh, ahead of Local driver – Jake Hill – in his MB Motorsport accelerated by Blue Square Ford and the Car Gods-backed BMW of Adam Morgan.
Championship contender Tom Ingram completed the top ten in his EXCELR8 Motorsport-run Hyundai.
Free Practice 2 takes place at 1200 with Qualifying scheduled to take place at 1500, which will be screened live via www.itv.com/btcc.
Dan Rowbottom said: “We came into [the season] with relatively mild expectations, so to have a couple of poles and a win and then winning the JST at Donington Park last time out was great – we want to go out on a high don’t we. So that’s a good start to the weekend.
“It would be nice to add to my win tally. That’s the goal, to get two on the board by the end of the year, and then just to go out there and do as much as I can. All of our partners at Halfords Racing with Cataclean deserve a good weekend to finish the year off and then refocus for the winter, so that’s what we’re aiming to do!
“I think that with [Gordon Shedden] returning to the team, he’s got masses of experience with the way Team Dynamics operates, so it was like going home. Whereas for me it was like going abroad on holiday for the first time without my mum and dad! So it’s been great, working with everyone and having Matt [Neal] looking over my shoulder has been fantastic. As much as I don’t like to admit it, he does know a few things!
“To sit out on the sidelines [last year] was frustrating and a little bit painful in equal measure really, but ultimately there was always a bigger plan, a bigger picture and this year is testament to that. I’ve had a few people contact me this year and say, ‘I’m not racing this year, how did you get back into it?’ I think the easiest thing to do is to just keep focussed and don’t stop pushing.”
2021 Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship – Free Practice 1 – Brands Hatch GP
1 Daniel ROWBOTTOM (GBR) Halfords Racing with Cataclean 1:31.249s
2 Rory BUTCHER (GBR) Toyota Gazoo Racing UK +0.102s
3 Daniel LLOYD (GBR) Adrian Flux with Power Maxed Racing +0.178s
4 Ashley SUTTON (GBR) Laser Tools Racing +0.332s
5 Gordon SHEDDEN (GBR) Halfords Racing with Cataclean +0.367s
6 Jason PLATO (GBR) Adrian Flux with Power Maxed Racing +0.419s
7 Senna PROCTOR(GBR) BTC Racing +0.487s
8 Jake HILL (GBR) MB Motorsport accelerated by Blue Square +0.490s
9 Adam MORGAN (GBR) Car Gods with Ciceley Motorsport +0.594s
10 Tom INGRAM (GBR) Ginsters EXCELR8 with TradePriceCars.com +0.596s
11 Tom CHILTON (GBR) Car Gods with Ciceley Motorsport +0.610s
12 Tom OLIPHANT (GBR) Team BMW +0.644s
13 Ollie JACKSON (GBR) MB Motorsport accelerated by Blue Square +0.722s
14 Jack MITCHELL (GBR) Team HARD. with Autobrite Direct +0.756s
15 Colin TURKINGTON (GBR) Team BMW +0.770s
16 Árón TAYLOR-SMITH (IRL) Team HARD. with HUB Financial Solutions +0.942s
17 Aiden MOFFAT (GBR) Laser Tools Racing +1.020s
18 Stephen JELLEY (GBR) Team BMW +1.150s
19 Sam OSBORNE (GBR) Racing with Wera & Photon Group +1.189s
20 Chris SMILEY (GBR) Ginsters EXCELR8 with TradePriceCars.com +1.206s
21 Josh COOK (GBR) BTC Racing +1.254s
22 Sam SMELT (GBR) Toyota Gazoo Racing UK +1.340s
23 Jack GOFF (GBR) Team HARD. with Autobrite Direct +1.546s
24 Andy NEATE (GBR) Racing with Wera & Photon Group +1.946s
25 Jade EDWARDS (GBR) PHSC with BTC Racing +1.966s
26 Carl BOARDLEY (GBR) Laser Tools Racing +2.196s
27 Rick PARFITT (GBR) EXCELR8 with TradePriceCars.com +2.506s
28 Nicolas HAMILTON (GBR) ROKiT Racing with iQuoto Online Trading +2.639s
29 Andy WILMOT (GBR) EXCELR8 with TradePriceCars.com +4.155s
