BTCC Round Four – Cook takes win in thrilling wet-dry race

Josh Cook took victory in Round Four of the British Touring Car Championship at Brands Hatch in a wet-dry race.

it was front wheel drive cars that locked out the podium with Tom Ingram in the Hyundai second and Dan Cammish third in his Ford. The WSR BMW trio that qualified first, second and third fell away throughout a compelling race.

The track conditions were greasy, with a mix of wet and dry portions of the Kent circuit. Rory Butcher the only driver to gamble on slicks. He went off on the formation lap down the Cooper straight but recovered to start ninth.

Jake Hill made the best start from second but Colin Tarkington retained his lead on the opening lap. Dan Lloyd went wide at Clearways as the conditions were tricky at best.

Cook in his BTC Racing Honda Civic was making his way through the order, moving into third on lap seven to break the BMW stronghold.

Halfway through the race on lap 12 Butcher’s dry tyre gamble started to pay off. He’d fallen to 26th and 24.6 seconds off the lead.

Cook took second from Hill at Paddock bend on lap 13 with a dive down the inside before replicating the move on lap 17 on Turkington to lead the race.

The BMW’s faded away, while Butcher was scything his way through the order. Making his way into the points and cutting the gap to the leaders.

Cook strolled to the win with Ingram second and Cammish third. Hill finished fourth with team mate Turkington fifth. Adam Morgan was sixth with Butcher’s incredible recovery drive ending in seventh place. Gordon Shedden was eighth in his Honda with reigning champion Ash Sutton ninth. Dan Rowbottom rounded off the top ten.