Category: Tin Top Racing

Ash Sutton took his second win of the season in round eight of the British Touring Car Championship at Oulton Park.

Rory Butcher finished second with championship leader Colin Turkington in third rounding off the podium in a wet race.

Butcher led off the start but Sutton surged into contention, passing Jake Hill around the outside at Cascades on lap two.

Turkington, Dan Cammish and Sutton were fighting for second place. The trio were getting incredibly close but it was Sutton in the Infiniti who powered into second place.

Within two laps he was on the tail of race leader Butcher, fighting for the lead and showing incredible pace. On lap eight he finally made his move as Butcher went wide into turn one. Sutton got the better exit and powered into the lead.

Honourable mentions have to be made for Matt Neal and Josh Cook, both moved into the points from starting near the back of the grid. Neal was making his 700th race start in the BTCC, an incredible achievement.

On lap 13 Turkington got past Cammish after pressuring him all race. Cammish went wide at the Island hairpin and Turkington seized the opportunity to take third place. It was disaster for BTC Racing as Michael Crees tapped Josh Cook into a spin at the chicane. Putting his teammate in the wall, and halting an incredible recovery for Cook, who’s had torrid luck this season.

Sutton took the win to endorse his title credentials, with Butcher and Turkington on the podium. Cammish, Tom Ingram, Tom Oliphant, Hill, Adam Morgan, Tom Chilton and Bobby Thompson rounded off the top ten.

Image Credit: BTCC Media

Rory Butcher inherited the win of round seven at Oulton Park as Josh Cook was excluded for failing post race ride height checks. Cook had won the first race on the road at a rain soaked Oulton in the British Touring Car Championship.

Having lost positions off the start, Cook surged back through the field to take the win on the road. Polesitter Rory Butcher was lifted to first with Dan Cammish taking second for Team Dynamics and Jake Hill third for MB Motorsport.

The start of the race was delayed as Carl Boardley crashed on the formation lap, parking his BMW in the wall on the final corner.

Once the race got underway, Turkington had a brilliant start, passing Cook and battling Butcher. Tom Oliphant in the second WSR BMW moved up to third while Stephen Jelley struggled to get off the line, falling to last. At the end of lap one Cook attempted a dive past Oliphant into the final corner not quite able to overtake.

On the next lap Cook tried the same move and passed Oliphant at the final corner before diving past Turkington on lap three in to the double right hander.  The safety car was out on lap four as Ollie Brown crashed at the first corner.

On the restart Cook passed Butcher at turn one, while Mike Bushell, driving for the returning Power Maxed Racing, went off at turn one.

Cook built a lead but it was the fight for seventh which dominated the final few laps. Tom Ingram, Adam Morgan and Ash Sutton were fighting with Sutton nearly spinning Ingram round at the final corner.

Ingram set the fastest lap and surged through past Morgan, with Sutton in ninth fighting. The Toyota of Ingram then reeled in Tom Chilton in sixth, but couldn’t quite pass him.

Cook took the win but a proverbial dark cloud hung over him as the ToCA technical team were checking his ride height in the post race scrutineering. He was then announced as excluded from the race result as the ride height rollers couldn’t fit under the car, meaning it was illegal.

Image Credit: BTCC Media

Tom Oliiphant took his first ever British Touring Car Championship win in the third and final round at Brands Hatch GP. He held off Ash Sutton all race long with Stephen Jelley taking the final podium spot.

Jelley had the best start as he moved from fourth to second, behind him mayhem ensued. Coming out of Druids Jack Goff and Senna Proctor collided, with the latter almost spinning, sending Goff onto the grass. His car span into the path of the Toyota of Tom Ingram, taking both out.

Oliphant took the lead at the end of lap one and never surrendered it, despite intense pressure from Sutton in his Infiniti.

Rory Butcher had done incredibly well to recover from his race one puncture heartbreak to be fighting for second in the final race of the day.

Dan Cammish had another miserable race as for the second time in a row his Honda Civic broke down with mechanical issues on lap nine.

Punctures were a common theme at Brands Hatch, with Jake Hill suffering a puncture on lap 11. Two laps later and heartbreak again for Butcher as he suffered a puncture going into Paddock bend. Losing all the progress he had made in race two. On the same lap Chris Smiley in his Hyundai crashed from fourth place.

Oliphant took the win by just three tenths from Sutton with Jelley finishing third. Pole sitter Aiden Moffat was fourth with championship leader Colin Turkington fifth and Matt Neal recovering from a poor weekend to take sixth.

James Gornall secured his best ever finish with Tom Chilton eighth and Proctor ninth. Sam Osborne rounded off the top ten with Ollie Brown, Jack Butel and Nicolas Hamilton all picking up points.

Image Credit: BTCC Media

Colin Turkington took a dominant win at Brands Hatch, the 53rd of his career as Tom Ingram and Ash Sutton round off the podium in a nightmare race for Honda drivers.

Of all the Honda drivers in the field, of which there are seven, only two finished, with five all retiring with various mechanical issues.

Cammish got a poor start and was leapfrogged by Turkington and Jackson, with Ingram passing the Honda driver too on the first lap. Ingram moved up into second as he passed Jackson into Sheene curve. After an encouraging weekend at Donington last weekend, Chris Smiley went off and lost a handful of places in his Hyundai.

Rory Butcher was keen to put his race one heartache behind him as he made 13 places in two laps to be 12th as the safety car came out following a collision between Bobby Thompson and Michael Crees.

On the restart after a six lap safety car period, Cammish and Ingram were chasing down Turkington. Tom Chilton passed Jackson for fourth, but his Honda broke down, with Matt Neal joining him in the pits with mechanical issues on lap ten.

Rory Butcher continued his rise up the grid as he passed Senna Proctor at Paddock, before Jake Hill became the latest Honda to retire with an engine issue coming onto the GP section.

On lap 16 Butcher passed his team mate Ollie Jackson for fifth, making it 20 places made in one race. Dan Cammish’s Honda then broke down, struggling to find any power. The Yorkshireman finally got it going again but finished way down the grid.

Turkington took the win and extended his lead in the championship over Ingram who finished second. Sutton finished third in his pacey Infiniti with Butcher inheriting fourth, and a 21 place gain off the grid. Jackson was fifth with Adam Morgan, Tom Oliphant, Senna Proctor, Stephen Jelley and James Gornall rounding off the top ten.

Dan Cammish benefited from some bad luck to Rory Butcher to win the first race at Brands Hatch. Butcher’s puncture three laps from the end saw Cammish inherit the win, with Colin Turkington second and Butcher’s team mate Ollie Jackson picking up a fantastic podium for Motorbase.

Turkington had a great start and flew up to third on the run to Paddock bend, with BUtcher holding off Cammish. Turkington’s team mate Tom Oliphant slid off later on in the lap but did well to recover and only lose a few places.

The best fight was for fifth place, which was occupied by Jake HIll in the MB Motorsport Honda Civic. Tom Ingram was first to challenge HIll, before Josh Cook slid off while fighting the pair for fifth. He returned to the pits to clear any debris out of his radiator before rejoining.

Out front Butcher and Cammish were fighting for the lead, the Honda looked more stable but Butcher’s Ford Focus ST held firm. Ingram had another go at passing Hill for fifth, and on lap 12 the Toyota driver finally passed Hill.

Meanwhile further down the grid Aiden Moffat and Matt Neal collided, Neal dove down the inside and tipped Moffat round, but the Infiniti tapped into Neal and spun his Team Dynamics Honda into the wall and out. Bringing out the Safety Car.

With a three lap dash to the flag, Cammish received a stroke of luck as Butcher picked up a puncture going out of Paddock bend and Cammish passed at Druids.

Cammish took the chequered flag and won the sixth race of his career. Turkington grabbed second and Ollie Jackson held off a speedy Ingram for the final podium slot.

Image Credit: BTCC Media

Ash Sutton rounded off a fantastic day by taking the win in the third and final race at Donington Park. Chris Smiley grabbed second in a great debut weekend for Excelr8’s new Hyundai, with Josh Cook finishing third in his Honda Civic.

Smiley’s Hyundai was drawn to start on pole thanks to the reverse grid draw. Ollie Jackson in the Motorbase Ford Focus was next to him on the grid.

Jackson made the better start and led on the run down to Redgate. Stephen Jelley made a fantastic start to be third out of the first corner. Debutants Jack Butel and Ollie Brown collided at the Craner Curves, with Butel spinning, bringing out a brief safety car period.

Jackson continued to lead on the restart, Sutton moved up to sixth as he passed race one winner Dan Cammish before taking fifth from Jelley. Jack Goff’s miserable weekend continued as he span off. He retired to the pits.

Lap six and there was a four way battle for the lead between Jackson, Smiley, Josh Cook and Adam Morgan. Jelley spun at the chicane to lose his fine progress and he finished 18th.

On lap seven and Smiley took the lead into the Auld Hairpin, meanwhile Sutton joined the battle for the lead. The 2017 champion was surging forward and was second going into lap ten.

He finally passed Smiley for the lead coming into the final chicane and pulled away.

Senna Proctor started last having had a full engine refit and missed race two. He made it all the way to 15th and the points, before going off with only a couple of laps to go.

Sutton took the chequered flag with Smiley picking up a brilliant podium in the debut weekend for the Hyundai i30N. Cook finished third with Morgan and Jackson rounding off the top five.

Tom Ingram had a solid weekend and finished sixth, with Cammish and Neal seventh and eighth in their Team Dynamics Honda Civics. The two BMW’s of Tom Oliphant and race two winner Colin Turkington finishing ninth and tenth respectively.

Sutton was undoubtedly the driver of the day with his electrifying pace and fantastic determination and daring overtakes. The action continues at Brands Hatch next weekend.

Image Credit: BTCC Media

Colin Turkington fought back from second in race one by winning race two in dominant fashion. He pulled out a massive lead before a safety car reeled him back in. The restart didn’t stop him as he took a fine win.

Rory Butcher finished second in another brilliant effort from the Motorbase team, with Tom Oliphant rounding off the podium.

James Gornall and Senna Proctor failed to make the start after their mechanical failures in race one. Jake Hill managed to fix his issues and get out for race two.

Turkington got the better start and took the lead on the run to Redgate. Stephen Jelley had a fantastic start and moved up to sixth by the end of the first lap.

While Turkington pulled away, Cammish came under pressure from third placed Butcher. and finally got past him on the straight towards the final chicane. Cammish struggling with the maximum ballast on his Honda Civic.

Next to pass the Honda were Tom Ingram and Tom Oliphant, who took third and fourth respectively from the Yorkshireman on lap five.

One man who was on fire was Ash Sutton, he was storming through the grid and set the fastest lap of the race before the safety car came out for the second time today. Nicolas Hamilton went wide at Coppice and once he put a tyre on the grass his VW CC spun and beached into the gravel. Turkington had a three second lead before the safety car.

On the restart Sutton battled Jelley for seventh, Tom Chilton joined the battle and the trio went three abreast going into the chicane. Sutton on the outside with the latest of late braking to pass both without incident.

His resurgence continued on lap 16 as he passed Matt Neal for sixth and then Cammish’s slide down the order continued as Sutton passed him on lap 17 for fifth.

Oliphant passed Ingram for third place making it two BMW’s on the podium as Sutton battled the Toyota of Ingram on the final lap.

Turkington took a dominant win, with Butcher and Oliphant rounding off the podium. Ingram and Sutton had a photo finish on the line but Ingram’s Toyota took it by a tenth.

A special mention to the MB Motorsport cars of Jake HIll and Sam Osborne. Hill fought from the back of the grid to be in the points before pulling into the pits a couple of laps from the end. Osborne was in the top ten and looked for another brilliant result. But he was in the pits four laps from the end with a mechanical issue.

Aiden Moffat finished 15th on the road but received a ten second penalty for a false start. Meaning Carl Boardley in the BMW 125i took the final point.

Dan Cammish struck first blood as he won the first round of the British Touring Car Championship at Donington Park.

The Team Dynamics driver won by just seven tenths from reigning champion Colin Turkington in his WSR BMW. Rory Butcher grabbed a fantastic third place finish to round off the podium.

Turkington led off the grid, with Sutton moving up into second passing Dan Cammish at Redgate. The first lap wasn’t without its drama however as Jake Hill and Josh Cook collided, with the BTC Racing Civic of Cook falling to the back.

Sutton was taking the fight to Turkington’s BMW, and crept up the inside at Coppice, but couldn’t quite make the move stick. A lap later on lap four Sutton took the lead, albeit briefly as an initial nudge by Turkington was met with a second tap which spun Sutton’s Infiniti round. Cammish profited most from the impact as he took the lead.

Cammish was controlling the race, holding off Turkington with a lead of just under a second. However on lap 11 a safety car was called as Senna Proctor suffered an unfortunate failure while battling for tenth. This was coupled with Nicolas Hamilton going off at the final chicane.

After a four lap safety car break the green flag waved and the fights up and down the field continued. Sutton had a fantastic recovery from his early spin as he moved back up to finish 14^th. Setting the fastest lap in the process.

Cammish took the chequered flag with Turkington close behind. A star drive from Rory Butcher who finished third. Tom Ingram took fourth in his Toyota before Matt Neal in the second Dynamics Honda Civic came fifth. Tom Oliphant was sixth in his WSR BMW, with Sam Osborne grabbing his best ever finish in his new MB Motorsport Honda Civic. Chris Smiley gave the new Excelr8 Hyundai i30N an eighth place finish on its debut, with Stephen Jelley and Tom Chilton rounding off the top ten.

A brilliant beginning to the 2020 British Touring Car Championship season.

Image Credit: BTCC Media

Colin Turkington’s British Touring Car Championship title defence began in the best way possible as he took pole position for the season opening round at Donington Park. The top three were separated by just a tenth of a second.

The West Surrey Racing driver broke the lap record with a 1:08:998. Team Dynamics’ Dan Cammish was just 0.087 seconds behind with Ash Sutton in his new Laser Tools Infiniti 0.097 seconds behind Turkington’s BMW.

The track was greasy which played into the hands of some drivers. Rory Butcher had a lucky escape into the Auld Hairpin as the rear of his Ford Focus stepped out. The scot recovered after an off track excursion. Nicholas Hamilton was next to catch the eye as the pins holding down his bonnet failed, resulting in the bonnet flying up and hanging off. The Team HARD driver failed to set a time in the session.

The Toyota of Tom Ingram set the early pace, with Butcher and Turkington close behind. With 12 minutes left in the session Turkington set his fastest time and he claimed pole position.

After a stoppage due to a red flag, the cars came out for ten more minutes of fighting for position for tomorrow’s opening race.

After dominating the two practice sessions, Turkington and his BMW were fastest in qualifying, with Cammish and Sutton close behind.

Ingram finished fourth two tenths behind Turkington, with the second BMW of Tom Oliphant fifth. Butcher recovered from his off to claim sixth on the grid, with Jake Hill in the MB Motorsport Honda Civic sitting seventh for tomorrow.

The top ten was rounded off by BTC’s Josh Cook, the second Team Dynamics car of Matt Neal, and Adam Morgan in his Ciceley Motorsport Mercedes A Class.

Image Credit: BTCC Media