Donington Park is our local track so its a no brainer that every year we head out and take in the BTCC, as is always the way the weather is cold with a constant threat of rain... Yesterday was no different but the on track action more than made up for that!
The Leicestershire circuit always produces great racing, the fast flowing layout is a drivers favourite and with 4 great over take spots, Redgate, Old Hairpin, McLeans and Roberts chicane your never far away from some bumper to bumper action.
The Leicestershire circuit always produces great racing, the fast flowing layout is a drivers favourite and with 4 great over take spots, Redgate, Old Hairpin, McLeans and Roberts chicane your never far away from some bumper to bumper action.
This weekend we were guest of TeamHARD and their driver Kieran Gallagher who had kindly offered us the chance to spend some time with the team and gave us access all areas in the garage.
Being able to have a nose round a purpose built racer is a rare opportunity and its wonderful to be able to get under the skin of a modern NGTC spec BTCC racer
How many of you knew that the front of all the NGTC cars has a spec engine cradle and frame and look at the front suspension set up! You wont find that on an Avensis road car!
The brakes are the same for all, standard issue AP racing calipers. How much do you want these?
Being the opportunists we are.... Kieran isnt afraid of getting his hands dirty.
Thats worth a second a lap for sure!
For race 1 we got to experience the BTCC from a completely new angle, out for the grid walk waiting for Kieran come to come round and take up his position. Watching the other drivers head to the grid slots this close is something else.
Hearing the cars spinning the wheels up and coming off the power to noise of turbo chatter and waste gates is what every petrol head loves. The Team Dynamics Type R's had a very distinct turbo flutter.
Being able to get this close to the action, seeing the cars and the teams going to work was brilliant! Aiden Moffat's Merc... Best looking car on the grid?
Once the car is on the grid the mechanics go to work, a few last checks and the car is ready to go. The experience of being on the grid is all to brief but one we are very thankful for.
Race 1 got under way with 3rd place man Jason Plato jumping Gordon Shedden and then BMR team mate Colin Turkington to take the lead. A position he would hold and build a very comfortable lead, simply managing the race to take his first win of the season.
For race 2 the grid is made up of the drivers fastest laps from race 1. This gave Gordon Shedden pole with Colin Turkington lining up along side him on the front row. Adam Morgan and Jason Plato made up row two with the two 888 MG's of Andrew Jordan and Jack Goff completing the top six.
The second race will be remembered for Matt Neal's charging drive who fought his way through the pack to take second behind BMR driver Colin Turkington, the VW CC proving very handy around Donington. Jason Plato who was loaded up with maximum ballast managed to hold onto a very impressive fifth place.
Race 3 is always where the action his, the reverse grid can make it a fascinating encounter with the chance for the top 10 to be reversed. In the draw were Rob Collard, Josh Cook, Jack Goff, Sam Tordoff and Andy Priaulx. The number drawn? Seven! Josh Cook would line up for his and Power Maxed first ever BTCC pole position. Along side would be the fast starting BMW of Rob Collard.
We had a small down pour just before race 3, most of the fans we're wishing it had come 15 minutes later just to throw another spanner into the mix. unfortunately the track was bone dry for the start and slicks would be the order of the day. No matter, Josh Cook would provide all the entertainment you could ask for.
The race got under way with Rob Collard unsurprisingly leading into Redgate, the BMW's and Audi's have been pegged back a bit at the starts for this year but they still have a very obviously advantage off the line.
The sharp end of the BTCC can be a daunting place for any driver, especially a rookie. Josh Cook was up there in the mix with the established stars of the series, did he panic? No! Second after the first corner he settled in and hunted down Rob Collard, pressuring and passing the vastly more experience BMW driver. Could he win it?
We certainly thought so! Josh was building a nice buffer over the chasing pack, the battle for third giving the Chevrolet driver a chance to open out a lead but then disaster... Safety car. Jack Goff and Sam Tordoff came together at the chicane and ended up stuck in the gravel trap, Aron Smith was also working his way up the order.
With the race now neutralised and the pack bunched up the race for the win was back on. Josh Cook made a good restart holding his lead but with Aron Smith now in second and driving the very quick VW CC he'd soon have his mirrors full!
As is the way in the BTCC contact will happen and on lap 14 Cook and Smith came together at the top Hollywood forcing both of them across the grass and back onto the circuit. The crowd held its breath as amazingly they managed to avoid any further contact. The pair continued to battle but now it was for fifth and not the lead. Collard now had the lead back... but not for long.
Matt Neal passed Rob Collard on lap 17 for the lead while Cook caught back up to the lead pack. Behind Neal the battle was still on Andrew Jordan and Rob Collard dicing between then and getting quite sideways through the Craners.
Aiden Moffat was another surprise in race 3, taking a fantastic career best fifth and set fastest lap in the process, his Cicely built A Class allowing him to race at front and show just how good he is. One for the future for sure!
Matt Neal would hold on to take his second win of the season and put himself at the top of the championship standings, with Jason Plato scoring well to give himself fifth in the standings, he was the one driver who needed a good score to get his championship up and running after a poor Brands Hatch.
Our host's for the day Team HARD would score 3 race finishes with Kieran Gallagher, 21st in race 1, 20th in race 2 and 18th in race 3. Breaking into the points and battling in the midfield will obviously be the teams targets and we're sure they'll get there!
The BTCC grid is tough place to be and just being there and competing is an achievement in itself, with the Toca License's only issued to credible teams who can field a car the entire season. Team HARD and Kieran will be back out and hoping to push on up the grid at Thruxton on the 9th and 10th May.
A Massive thank you to Kieran for the kind offer and to Team HARD for the hospitality. We hope to do it again soon!