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BTCC Donington Park Report

7th August 2020
Posted by Gateway 97.8

The 2020 Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship sprung into life with R1, R2 and R3 being held at Donington Park in Leicestershire. The three races were held behind closed doors due to the Covid-19 pandemic and drivers and teams practiced social distancing whilst face coverings were mandatory in the paddock.

A new team has been added for the 2020 season. Former BTCC racing driver Mark Blundell has set up his own team for the 2020 season. The team is known as MB Motorsport Accelerated by Blue Square which will use Honda Civic Type R’s. The Civic Type R’s will be driven by Sam Osbourne and Jake Hill.

Round 1 provided a barnstorming start to the 2020 championship. Halford’s Yuasa Racing’s Dan Cammish was victorious in the Honda Civic Type R with defending champion Colin Turkington second for WSR BMW. Rory Butcher finishing a fantastic third driving the all new Ford Focus ST MK4 for Motorbase Performance. Ash Sutton was racing hard with Dan Cammish nudging his way past at Mcleans however as Sutton battled on through Coppice, Colin Turkington’s BMW 330 I M Sport clipped the front left of Sutton’s car and spun the Infiniti around. Sutton then went on a charge setting the fastest lap in each of the three races.

Round 1 top 3 results:

  • 1st: Dan Cammish (Halford’s Yuasa Racing)
  • 2nd: Colin Turkington (WSR Team BMW)
  • 3rd: Rory Butcher (Motorbase Performance)

Round 2 was a dominant one for Colin Turkington as the WSR Team BMW driver won that race. The podium was completed by Motorbase Performance’s Rory Butcher and Tom Olliphant of WSR Team BMW. Tom Ingram finished fourth for Toyota Gazzo Racing UK with Ginsters ahead of the hard charging Laser Tools Racing Infiniti of Ash Sutton in fifth and the ballast laden Honda Civic of Dan Cammish in sixth. For the reverse grid race, Excelr8 Motorsport’s Chris Smiley would start on pole in the all new Hyundai I30 N Fastback.

Round 2 top 3 results:

  • 1st: Colin Turkington (WSR Team BMW)
  • 2nd: Rory Butcher (Motorbase Performance)
  • 3rd: Tom Olliphant (WSR Team BMW)

Round 3 featured lots of great action as 2017 champion Ash Sutton claimed his first win for Laser Tools Racing in the hard charging Infiniti Q50. Excelr8 Motorsport’s Chris Smiley surrvived a late charge from the BTC Racing Honda of Josh Cook to claim second whilst Cook settled for third in the Honda Civic Type R. The highlight of that race was on the first lap after RCIB with Fox Transport’s Ollie Brown and Carlube Triple R Racing’s Jack Butel made contact at old hairpin.

Round 3 top 3 results:

  • 1st: Ash Sutton (Laser Tools Racing)
  • 2nd: Chris Smiley (Excelr8 Motorsport)
  • 3rd: Josh Cook (BTC Racing)

Rounds 4, 5 and 6 will take place at Kent’s iconic Brands Hatch GP circuit on 8th-9th August 2020. See you next week for another update on the 2020 Kwik Fit BTCC.