Thruxton hails record BTCC weekend after stunning event
Thruxton Circuit delivered a fabulous spectacle of BTCC racing over the weekend, drawing record numbers to the Hampshire venue to witness the excitement. As the sun shone and the ice cream melted, the spectator banks and grandstands were packed out, thanks to a 17% increase on the weekend’s attendance figure compared to 2022.
“It was an amazing weekend,” said Ben Taylor, BARC Chief Executive. “The weather was incredible, the racing was great and the off-track entertainment kept everyone busy. All the visitors that I spoke to were having a brilliant time and having now crunched the numbers, it’s great to be able to say that it was definitely the most successful BTCC round at Thruxton of the past 15 years.
“There is such a lot of hard work that goes into making events like this happen and every member of the team did a magnificent job. We thank them all.
“The circuit has never looked so well presented and that is a huge tribute to Pat Blakeney and his team who put in all the hours to make it look first class. Sadly they’ve got quite a bit of work to do now to put right what the drivers got wrong! I am sure it will be pristine again by the time the Thruxton Historic comes around in two weeks’ time.”
Tickets for the Thruxton Historic (17/18 June) are available to purchase here
BTCC Event Review
Sutton celebrates sixth win of the season
Rowbottom also triumphs at a scorching Thruxton Circuit
Ash Sutton claimed his fifth and sixth race victories of the 2023 Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship at Thruxton earlier today (4 June), as the NAPA Racing UK star extended his advantage in the overall Drivers’ standings.
The final reverse grid race was won by team-mate Dan Rowbottom to complete a fantastic day for the Ford Focus squad at the UK’s fastest circuit, which welcomed a huge crowd basked in glorious sunshine throughout the weekend.
Tom Ingram and Josh Cook completed the podium positions in each of the first two races, before Adam Morgan and Aiden Moffat claimed silverware in the finale.
Sutton now holds a 14-point lead in his quest to win a record-equalling fourth BTCC title, whilst Ingram and Colin Turkington maintained second and third in the standings respectively.
Race 1 - Commanding win for Sutton in Thruxton opener
Sutton secured a routine lights-to-flag triumph in the opener at the Hampshire venue, as the NAPA Racing UK star kept both Ingram (BRISTOL STREET MOTORS with EXCELR8) and Cook (One Motorsport with Starline Racing) at arm’s length throughout the contest.
Cook clocked the fastest lap early on with the fight for second threatening to ignite at different stages of the race, but in truth the top three places were never in doubt.
Jake Hill blasted his BMW past CarStore Power Maxed Racing’s Mikey Doble off the line and briefly ran side-by-side with Cook on the opening tour, before the Laser Tools Racing with MB Motorsport man settled into fourth until the finish.
NAPA Racing UK’s Dan Cammish was the biggest mover in the order as he came from ninth on the grid to claim fifth, although team-mate Rowbottom wasn’t so lucky as a late race puncture halted his charge.
Race 2 - Six of the best for Sutton
Sutton then completed a double race victory for the third consecutive Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship weekend, as the three-time champ continued his imperious form.
Having already bagged a brace at both Brands Hatch and Snetterton, Sutton controlled proceedings in the first two contests at Thruxton to record his sixth success of the campaign.
Sutton pulled a gap of nearly a second on the opening lap as the likes of Ingram, Cook and Hill squabbled behind for second.
An almost carbon copy getaway to the opening bout saw Cook and Hill run side-by-side going into the Complex for the first time, with Ingram’s car also getting slightly tagged in the tussle.
When the dust settled it was the same quintet at the top of the order with the gaps between them remaining relatively stable until the finish.
Sutton secured the victory by 2.234s from Ingram, Cook and Hill, with Cammish again coming home in fifth.
Race 3 - Rowbottom romps to race three win
Kidderminster driver Rowbottom then rounded off an incredible weekend for NAPA Racing UK as he won the reverse grid race – his second BTCC career victory.
Pole-sitter Morgan made a stellar getaway and immediately pulled away from the chasing pack, as Moffat (One Motorsport with Starline Racing) initially proved to be the cork in the bottle with a gaggle of cars bulked up behind him.
Team BMW’s Morgan scurried off into the distance, whilst Rowbottom was busy making progress from fifth on the grid and up to third.
On lap five, Rowbottom’s Ford Focus dispatched of Moffat’s Honda Civic Type R through the Complex and he took six tenths of a second out of Morgan’s advantage on the very next lap.
The gap kept shrinking and Rowbottom eventually made his move down the inside of Morgan’s #33 BMW 330e M Sport before the cars reached Church on lap ten.
It was a great comeback throughout the day from Rowbottom, which had begun with disappointment in race one.
Morgan held on to second whilst Moffat defended valiantly to fend off Team BMW’s Turkington to complete the podium.
The Motorbase-Ford/NAPA Racing UK outfit top both the Manufacturers’ and Teams’ standings, whilst Josh Cook and his One Motorsport with Starline Racing lead the Independents’ tables.
Dexter Patterson is the new Jack Sears Trophy leader after a solid weekend, whilst Sutton heads the Goodyear Wingfoot Award as the top qualifier so far this season.
Support Races
Edge-of-the-seat entertainment continued across the TOCA support bill on Sunday as a number of championships took centre stage around the home of the British Automobile Racing Club.
Robert de Haan and Charles Rainford shared the spoils in the Porsche Carrera Cup GB whilst Jack Byrne closed out what was a frenetic weekend for the Vertu Motors MINI CHALLENGE Trophy by charging to victory.
Wheel-to-wheel slip streaming was in full affect courtesy in the Mini 7 Racing Club as its bumper grids of mighty machines captivated those in attendance. Andrew Jordan reigned supreme in the Mini Miglia Challenge contest whilst Mike Jordan triumphed in the Mini Se7en Challenge bout.
Rounding out the weekend’s action were two more races - won by Noah Lisle and William Macintyre - from the ROKiT F4 British Championship certified by FIA.
Next Race Meeting
Thruxton’s next event will see the venue step back in time to the sounds and sights of the finest Historic and Classic motor racing in the country for the annual Thruxton Historic on June 17/18.
Thruxton Historic tickets on sale now