Our BTCC drivers, though still leading the championship, found themselves in a weekend of mixed conditions and mixed results. With the sun shining on Saturday, all four of our drivers finished in the top 15 to score points with Ash Sutton and Dan Cammish taking to the podium in 1st and 3rd.

On the other hand, a cold and gloomy Sunday made for a day of highs and lows, with Ash Sutton continuing a run of podiums in every race of the season. The other three did not have luck on their side as the rain came out, and the track became greasy.

Race 1 — Sutton Hits 50 Wins

Ash Sutton opened the day in perfect style, converting pole into a controlled and clinical victory — his 50th BTCC win, achieved in greasy, rain‑threatened conditions.

• Sutton launched cleanly and managed the early safety‑car interruption after Adam Morgan’s off.
• Ricky Collard briefly snatched the lead, but Sutton immediately countered with a decisive move at Surtees.
• Dan Cammish ran strongly in the sister NAPA Ford, battling inside the top four before a late‑race shuffle.
• Sutton’s pace and composure delivered a flag‑to‑flag‑style win, marking a major milestone for both driver and team.

NAPA Highlights:

• P1 – Ash Sutton
• P4 – Dan Cammish
• P6 – Sam Osborne

Race 2 — Sutton Fights to P2 in the Chaos

Race 2 unfolded in classic Brands Hatch drizzle — unpredictable, slippery, and incident‑filled.

• Sutton led early from pole but was shuffled back as Ricky Collard attacked and Charles Rainford applied pressure.
• Contact between Ingram and Sutton at Clark Curve cost momentum, but Sutton regrouped superbly.
• Árón Taylor‑Smith’s charge from P13 stole the headlines, but Sutton’s measured drive secured P2, keeping NAPA’s points haul strong.

NAPA Highlights:

• P2 – Ash Sutton
• Strong mid‑pack recovery pace from Osborne and Cammish before late‑race incidents.

Race 3 — Sutton Charges to Second

Starting seventh in the reverse‑grid finale, Sutton delivered one of the drives of the day.

• A bold outside move at Paddock Hill immediately launched him into podium contention.
• He then engaged in a fierce but clean battle with Mikey Doble for third, eventually securing P2 behind race‑winner Tom Ingram.
• The result capped a weekend of relentless pace and consistency.

NAPA Highlights:

• P2 – Ash Sutton
• Strong early pace before incidents for Cammish
• Consistent midfield progress for Osborne
• A points finish for Selby

Weekend Summary — NAPA Racing UK

Sutton’s Results

• Race 1: P1
• Race 2: P2
• Race 3: P2

A near‑perfect weekend that strengthens his push toward a potential fifth BTCC title.

Cammish results

• Qualifying Race: p3
• Race 1: P4
• Race 2: P14
• Race 3: P16

Osborne results

• Qualifying Race: p12
• Race 1: P6
• Race 2: dnf
• Race 3: P14

Selby results

• Qualifying Race: p11
• Race 1: P16
• Race 2: DNF
• Race 3: P15

Team Performance

• The Ford Focus Titanium package showed superb balance in both dry and slippery conditions.
• NAPA Racing UK consistently fought at the front, with Sutton leading the charge and Cammish showing podium‑capable pace despite setbacks.
• The team leaves Brands Hatch with one of the strongest points hauls of the season so far.

MINI CHALLENGE JCW

Across the paddock, the MINI Challenge boys had an equally challenging weekend. Joe Tanner had a strong start, taking P4 in Race 1 and carrying that momentum into Race 2. Race 3 saw an unfortunate DNF as the number 11 found himself in the gravel.

Cam Richardson had a consistent weekend, finishing in the teens across all three races and securing himself more championship points. He is looking to take learnings from the weekend and come back stronger at Snetterton (23-24 May).

The post A RACE WEEKEND OF TWO HALVES | BRANDS HATCH INDY appeared first on Alliance Racing.

The Fightback: Race 1

Saturday’s qualifying race didn’t go to plan, with Ash Sutton finding the gravel early, forcing him to start the season’s first race from the very back of the grid. However, Sutton showcased his trademark aggression and race craft, carving through the field in a frantic Race 1 to secure an improbable 2nd place finish. Teammates Dan Cammish and Sam Osborne also banked solid points. Debutant Lewis Selby also scored a point on his BTCC debut.

Total Dominance: Race 2

Race 2 belonged entirely to the NAPA blue and yellow. Starting from the front row, Sutton and Dan Cammish immediately gapped the field. The duo operated in perfect formation, managing the new turbo deployment regulations to perfection. The result was a commanding NAPA 1-2 finish, with Sutton taking his first win of the season and Cammish securing a vital podium.

Victory number 2: Race 3

Even with the reverse-grid draw, there was no stopping the Ford Focus saloon. Starting from the middle of the pack, Sutton navigated a chaotic opening few laps before picking off the leaders one by one. He took the chequered flag for his second win of the day, marking a near-perfect points haul and a victory in Sutton’s 300th race. A late race penalty demoted Cammish to 10th. Another points scoring finish added to Osborne’s points tally for the weekend.

Ash Sutton, said: “What a day! 24 hours ago, we were sat in the gravel trap so to turn this around is awesome. The car has been on fire, we also got a first one-two of the season for NAPA Racing UK, so it’s just been an incredible day. The Audis have looked good and so have the BMWs but of course the Hyundais will also be there. It’s early days of course. The new format will really take hold at Brands Hatch, which will spice things up, I’m sure.”

Team Performance & Standings

Sam Osborne: Showed flashes of front-running pace, contributing to NAPA Racing UK leading the Teams’ Championship.

Ash Sutton: 2 Wins, 1 Second Place.

Dan Cammish: Consistent top-five pace and a podium in Race 2.

Lewis Selby: A strong debut for the newcomer, keeping the car clean and scoring points in all three rounds.

The post A trophy laden weekend for Alliance racing at donington appeared first on Alliance Racing.

While the car is not currently sold in the United Kingdom, one element of the forthcoming 2027 BTCC homologation requirements (i.e. that which permits the use of cars not currently sold in the UK) has been brought forward a year, allowing the team to use the saloon version of the Focus.

This was unanimously approved by all the existing teams and TOCA, prior to the team embarking on the project.

Antonio Carrozza, NAPA Racing UK Lead Engineer, commented: “This is an exciting time for the entire team. It was a lengthy process to come to this decision, such were the options we had, but we feel like the saloon version of the Focus is the way to go.

The ultimate goal is to reduce aerodynamic drag. We highlighted that as an area we wanted to address last season, and this move to a different shape allows us to do just that; there are many elements that remain the same to the car, however, there will be some fine-tuning required.

Everyone involved in this project has done a fantastic job, and now the exciting bit comes next: to head out on track and begin dialling the car into what we hope will be a championship challenger.”

Pete Osborne, Alliance Racing Team Owner, said, “I can’t wait to get going. We’ve had a very busy winter with the team behind the scenes working relentlessly on reworking the Focus into a virtually new car, one that looks stunning.

“We’ve got a good test programme scheduled in for March, where the drivers and engineers will get to work on understanding the changes to the new car. Everyone is very excited for this year, and we’ll be doing our best to get the number one back on our car.”

Steve Richardson, Managing Director of NAPA UK / Alliance Automotive Group UK&IE Ltd, said: “Having seen the methodical process in selecting this year’s car, I’m delighted with the progress we’ve made during the off-season. Being able to continue with Ford, having had so much success in previous years, along with Mountune, means we have the cornerstones of what is shaping up to be an exciting season on track.”

It’s not just the BTCC challenger that has been overhauled in recent months either, as changes have been afoot when it comes to the MINI CHALLENGE JCW car too.

Both cars – which will be driven by Joe Tanner and Cameron Richardson this season – have been fitted with the new F66 body kit, which is being rolled out across the grid after debuting on a development car last year.

The 2026 Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship season commences at Donington Park on April 18-19.

The post NAPA Racing UK brings saloon version of Ford Focus to BTCC grid in 2026 appeared first on Alliance Racing.

Preparing to embark on his fifth season with the team, Sutton spearheads the line-up as he looks to become the first driver in the series’ illustrious history to lift the coveted Drivers’ crown on five separate occasions.

The 32-year-old, who this year will surpass 300 race starts in the BTCC, remained in contention right the way throughout the 2025 season and after a winter reset, he’s determined to go one better this time around.

“It goes without saying that the team and I are hungrier than ever to win that fifth title,” says Sutton. “I’ve been in contention in each of the past two seasons, but I feel that now is the time to get back on top and rewrite the BTCC history books.

Everyone at NAPA Racing UK has been working tirelessly over the off-season. I feel like I’m in a good place too, so all the ingredients are there for us to go and achieve the things that we’re targeting. I can’t wait to get back out on-track.”

Cammish also heads into his fifth year running under the Alliance Racing banner and after enjoying one of his strongest campaigns to-date last year, the Yorkshireman is looking to join Sutton in being a season-long challenger for the overall title.

“I’m really looking forward to the new season,” said Cammish. “There’s a lot of change, we have new rules as well as new team and driver pairings to contend with, all of which means there are plenty of opportunities.

It promises to be an exciting season, and the aim is to retain the Teams’ title, take back the Manufacturers’ title and on a personal level, I’ll be giving it my all to clinch that elusive first Drivers’ Championship.”

In addition to NAPA Racing UK clinching a fourth successive Teams’ title, one of the undoubted feel-good stories of the 2025 season was the emergence of Osborne as he scored a sublime maiden victory at Silverstone – something he is keen to build on this term.

“I’m really eager to get back on track,” said Osborne. “Getting that first win last year was such a great feeling, now I want to make that trip to the podium more!

I’ve seen the cars as they’ve been taking shape, and they look fantastic. Full credit to the guys back at base for all their hard work, and hopefully we can repay that work with another good season.”

Completing the four-driver line-up for NAPA Racing UK is Lewis Selby, who will make his debut in the UK’s premier motorsport series this year.

Having become a regular fixture towards the front of the MINI CHALLENGE JCW field in recent years, winning the Directors Cup in 2024, Selby will now make his long-awaited touring car bow with the team, where he will be eligible to battle for Jack Sears Trophy honours.

“It’s a dream come true, to race in the British Touring Car Championship with the brand I’ve dedicated so much time to will be a very proud moment,” says Selby.

“I never really considered the BTCC as an option, but due to various events, I was asked and immediately said yes! I can’t thank Pete Osborne and Steve Richardson enough, and I look forward to doing the best job I can for them, the team, and all my many colleagues at NAPA Auto Parts. I can’t wait to get started!”

NAPA Racing UK will soon reveal its new livery and race suits ahead of the opening round of the 2026 Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship, which commences at Donington Park on April 18-19.

The post NAPA Racing UK lock in driver line-up for 2026 BTCC season appeared first on Alliance Racing.

NAPA Racing UK brought the curtain down on its 2025 KwikFit British Touring Car Championship season in style at Brands Hatch this past weekend by wrapping up the Teams’ Championship for a fourth successive year.

On what was a thrilling end to the campaign around the legendary Grand Prix circuit, the Alliance Racing squad produced a battling display over the course of Sunday’s three races – winning once and finishing on the podium in the other two contests – to spark title celebrations.

Victory in race one allowed Dan Cammish to cement third place in the Drivers’ Championship and the silverware didn’t stop them as Ash Sutton then tallied a brace of podiums to be crowned vice-champion.

Sam Osborne, who was riding a wave of momentum after claiming a popular maiden win last time out at Silverstone, ended his campaign by achieving his highest-ever points total in the UK’s premier motorsport series.

BTCC Practice & Qualifying:

With three titles on the line, the drivers wasted no time in dialling in their Ford Focus ST machines during free practice on Saturday – which in-turn set them up for the all-important final qualifying session of the year later that afternoon.

Three drivers successfully made it through the first stage of qualifying – although Osborne would be knocked out of his group, leaving him 18th on the grid.

Struggling to extract the maximum performance out of the soft tyre, Sutton would be the next to be knocked out, as he finished 11th in Q2. The Quick Six results in two NAPA Racing Fords lining up second and third on the grid.

BTCC Race 1:

The final day of the season began in sublime style for the team as Cammish took a lights-to-flag victory, his third of the season. Starting on the outside of the front row, the Yorkshireman delivered a routine performance to lead every lap on his way to the chequered flag.

Sutton battled valiantly to score points in ninth, having opted to run the less preferable medium compound.

Further back, Osborne ensured that all four cars finished inside the points as he hustled his front-wheel-drive up the order to cross the line in 15th.

BTCC Race 2:

The penultimate race of the season saw the team’s pursuit of title glory further bolstered as Sutton produced an overtaking masterclass. Starting ninth of the medium tyre, the multiple title winner got his elbows out as he fought his way up to second place.

Dan Cammish finished within the top six with Osborne once again fighting forward to finish on the fringes if the top ten.

BTCC Race 3:

With both the Teams’ Championship and Manufacturer/Constructors’ Championship on the line, the final race of the season saw high drama play out as Sutton – now on the optimum soft tyre – delivered another podium performance.

Starting eighth, Sutton charged up to fourth by the end of the first lap and following two more feisty moves, he progressed up to second. With limited TOCA Turbo Boost though, Sutton was unable to close down eventual winner Josh Cook and instead settled for runner-up laurels.

That result however, was good enough for the team to secure a fourth consecutive Teams’ Championship.

With the Teams’ title sewn up, Osborne ended his weekend with yet another brilliant drive, this time finishing inside the top ten.

MINI Challenge:

Brands Hatch also saw the Vertu MINI Challenge JCW season come to a close with Lewis Selby, Alex Solley, Cam Richardson and Le Mans 24-Hour winner Nick Tandy – who was drafted in to replace Jamie Osborne – sign off the season.

With Osborne sadly once again ruled out on medical grounds, Tandy’s guest appearance was a breath of fresh air as he showcased all of his skill and talent by scoring a podium in his miaden outing on Saturday.

Things would get even better for the experienced racer on Sunday as he ruled the roost by charging to a brace of race wins.

Elsewhere Selby closed out a challenging finale by ending the year third in the Drivers’ Championship with Solley and Richardson claiming a hat-trick of race finishes each to cement themselves inside the top six of the Rookie Cup.

The countdown to the 2026 KwikFit British Touring Car Championship now begins with the opening rounds scheduled to take place at Donington Park on April 18-19.

The post ITS TIME FOR THE FINALE appeared first on Alliance Racing.

NAPA Racing UK will contend for title honours on three fronts at next month’s British Touring Car Championship finale after an action-packed weekend at Silverstone, culminated in Sam Osborne claiming a first-ever win in the series.

Sam Osborne produced the drive of his career in the final race of the weekend to clinch a sensational breakthrough victory, whilst four-time champion Ash Sutton dug deep to tally a brace of podium finishes. Meanwhile, both Dan Rowbottom and Dan Cammish endured their fair share of bad luck but produced some sensational drives through the pack to claim some valuable championship points.

Leaving the home of British motorsport, the squad now head to Brands Hatch in less than two weeks’ time, in contention for the Drivers’, Teams’ and Manufacturer/Constructors’ Championship.

BTCC Practice & Qualifying:

Saturday’s two free practice sessions were largely spent with all four drivers finding the sweet sport in their Ford Focus ST machines ahead of that afternoon’s all-important qualifying session.

In challenging weather conditions, Rowbottom led the line for the team as he comfortably progressed out of Q1, but then narrowly missed the cut on making it into the Quick Six – settling for seventh as a result.

Championship contender, Ash, meanwhile was another to advance from the first portion of qualifying, however with a lack of TOCA Turbo Boost at his disposal, he was left to qualify 12th for Sunday’s opening encounter.

Sam was 20th, whilst Cammish would be forced to start from the back of the grid after being excluded for failing post-session ride height tests.

BTCC Race 1:

Sunday’s opening contest saw all four drivers bolt on the medium compound tyre and it was Ash that led the line for the team as he fought his way forward to finish in eighth, one place ahead of Rowbottom who had become embroiled in several wheel-to-wheel battles early on.

Further down the order, Cammish showcased his overtaking prowess as he fought his way from the back of the grid to finish 12th.

In his 200th start in the BCC, Sam crossed the line of the fringed of the top-ten however, a ten-second time penalty for exceeding track limits saw him drop down the order.

BTCC Race 2:

Race two once again saw all four drivers select the medium tyre, with Ash maintaining his quest for a record-breaking fifth title as he valiantly charged onto the podium.

Making a sublime start, the four-time champion pulled off a number of late moves down the inside of his rivals at Brooklands to take third place before the safety car made an appearance at mid-distance. On the restart, Ash wasted little time finding a way past Jake Hill for second, however with limited deployment available to him, he ultimately settled into a groove and took the chequered flag in second place.

Further back, Sam progressed through the filed to finish 12th to secure the reverse grid pole position. Both Rowbottom and Cammish saw their races come to an unfortunate early end due to mechanical issues.

BTCC Race 3:

The weekend’s third and final bout at Silverstone saw Sam Osborne then become the latest driver to stand on the top step of the podium.

Starting from pole position, Sam enjoyed a perfect launch and quickly established a commanding lead at the head of the field. Utilising every ounce of performance that his soft tyre was giving him, the front-wheel-drive ace maintained his advantage out from for much of the race.

As the laps ticked by, Sam soon started to come under pressure from Josh Cook, however his defence remained resolute and not putting a wheel wrong, he held on to take a popular and emotional maiden win.

There was a further reason to celebrate for the team too, as Ash made the most of his soft tyre to charge onto the final step of the podium. Starting from the back of the field, after their race two dramas, Rowbottom and Cammish scythed through the field to ensure all four cars finished inside the points, claiming valuable points for the Team and Manufacturers championship standings.

BTCC Standings:

Leaving Silverstone, Sutton sits 33 points off the top of the Drivers’ Championship while Cammish and Rowbottom remain in the fight for third. Alliance/Ford head both the Teams’ and Manufacturers’ Championship by a slender margin.

MINI Challenge:

Silverstone also saw the penultimate round of the Vertu MINI Challenge JCW play out, although the weekend began in less-than-deal circumstances as, championship leader, Jamie Osborne was ruled out of competing on medical grounds. The good news is that Jamie is on the mend and all being well, should be back in the #77 car for Brands Hatch.

With Jamie on the sidelines, Lewis Selby, who was sporting a special livery to celebrate the partnership between NAPA and Valvoline, led the challenge for the team by scoring a podium in race one. A mechanical issue in race two saw Lewis DNF, before a spirited driver to fourth in race 3. The results see Lewis draw level with Osborne in the standings heading to Brands Hatch.

Alex Solley underlined his pace towards the front of the field, just missing out on a podium in the first race of the weekend. Elsewhere Cam Richardson – who was also running a special one-off livery to celebrate the recent rebrand of Carlyle Tools – showed pace and potential as he contended for the points-paying positions in the midfield.

After being sidelined for Silverstone’s three races, for the first time this season, Jamie relinquished the championship lead. He heads to Brands Hatch on equal points with teammate Lewis Selby, 70 points behind the new leader. With three races to go, and 50 points available for a win, anything is still possible. Despite Jamie’s absence, NAPA Racing UK still lead the Teams Championship.

The post A CHARGE TO VICTORY appeared first on Alliance Racing.

The Alliance Racing-run squad headed into round eight of the season holding a slender lead in both the Manufacturers’ and Teams’ Championships with Ash Sutton, Dan Cammish and Dan Rowbottom all inside the top four in the standings.

BTCC Practice & Qualifying:

Having scored two wins around the Donington Park Grand Prix layout last season, the team was optimistic about its chances of further success and started out well after Rowbottom topped the opening practice session, with Ash Sutton and Dan Cammish also lapping inside the top ten.

In celebration of the technical partnership between NAPA and Valvoline, Ash and Dan Cammish’s Ford Focuses sported a one-off livery inspired by the 1995 Ford Mondeo.

All four drivers would be drawn in Group 2 for the first stage of qualifying, with Rowbottom leading the way ahead of Sutton and Cammish as the trio progressed to Q2, with Sam Osborne having to settle for 17th on the grid.

Rain that had been in the air as qualifying kicked off then started to fall during Q2 and it would result in disappointment as the three remaining NAPA Racing UK driver failed to make it through to the Quick Six, with Cammish and Rowbottom in seventh and eighth place, and Sutton in eleventh.

BTCC Race 1:

Although Osborne bolted on the hard tyre for race one, the remaining three drivers went with the medium compound and made the most of the pace in the Ford Focus ST to storm through the pack.

Rowbottom led the challenge as he raced his way to third spot for a seventh podium of the year, with Sutton and Cammish close behind in 4th and 5th. Osborne meanwhile finished just outside of the points in 16th, but having got the slower tyre option out of the way.

BTCC Race 2:

Rowbottom was forced onto the hard tyre for race two and slipped behind Sutton at the start, with Cammish holding onto fifth when the safety car was called after an incident at McLeans.

Drama on the restart saw both Sutton and Rowbottom lose ground after they got caught up in a clash at turn one, with Cammish taking advantage to nip through into second spot. From there, he wasted little time in overhauling leader Tom Ingram and was leading his 200th race in the series before a sudden downpour with three laps to go.

That rains saw Cammish – and much of the field behind – go off track at McLeans but having managed to retain the lead, he wrapped up victory as the race ended behind the safety car.

Despite dropping down to 13th, Sutton fought his way back through the field to end up in eighth with Rowbottom in twelfth, whilst Osborne recovered from being caught up in the lap one incident to fight his way back into the points in 13th.

BTCC Race 3:

The reverse grid put Sutton on pole for race three, but he faced a challenge to stay out front on the hard tyre.

Despite that, he produced a battling drive to go wheel-to-wheel with title rival Ingram, before finishing in second, with Rowbottom benefitting from the switch back onto the medium tyre to battle his way through to third place and a second podium finish of the weekend.

Cammish would end his weekend on the hard tyre in twelfth, with Osborne two spots back to bag more championship points of his own.

BTCC Standings:

Sutton, Cammish and Rowbottom end the weekend still holding second, third and fourth in the standings with the Alliance Racing team a point clear in the Manufacturers’ title race.

MINI Challenge:

Although NAPA Racing UK’s JCW class weren’t in action at Donington Park, driver Cam Richardson made a second outing in the Cooper category with the Wera Alliance Racing Academy team.

Having earned a place on the front row despite being forced to park his car early in qualifying with a holed radiator, Richardson battled his way to a best finish of second in the final race of the weekend, which marked the first time he had stepped onto the Cooper podium.

The post DOUBLE FIGURES AT DONINGTON appeared first on Alliance Racing.

The Alliance Racing-run squad was looking to defend the top spot in the Manufacturer’s and Teams’ standings, with Ash Sutton, Dan Rowbottom and Dan Cammish all bidding to strengthen their own positions in the top four of the Drivers’ Championship.

Meanwhile, Sam Osborne was eager to close the gap to the top two in the race for the Jack Sears Trophy.

BTCC Practice & Qualifying:

Sporting a special livery in honour of Race Against Dementia, the quartet showed solid pace in free practice, and all progressed through to the second phase of qualifying. Dan Cammish, Ash Sutton and Sam Osborne departed Q2 to end up seventh, eleventh and twelfth, whilst Dan Rowbottom advanced to the Quick Six.

Despite qualifying fourth, Rowbottom was then excluded when his car was found to be underweight, dropping him to the back of the grid, and promoting the other three drivers up a place ahead of race one.

BTCC Race 1:

Cammish would be the leading Ford driver in the opening race of the weekend, with a straightforward run to fifth, closely followed by Sutton in seventh.

Osborne grabbed tenth on the final lap after an action-packed race. Rowbottom was able to rise from the back of the grid to finish 14^th and gain valuable championship points.

BTCC Race 2:

In the early stages of race two, Cammish climbed to second place, with Sutton recovering from a difficult opening lap to follow him up the order into third. The two swapped places at the finish to allow Sutton to score the extra points on offer.

Rowbottom’s recovery from qualifying continued as he races his way through to ninth. Although a trip off track for Osborne saw him skitter through the gravel, he got back on track to come home in 22^nd.

BTCC Race 3:

The reverse grid saw Cammish and Sutton in P4 and P5 respectively. Cammish climbed to second, a position he would retain through the chequered flag, with Sutton holding off pressure to round out the podium places.

Rowbottom took sixth after a frenetic race long battle, with Osborne just missing out on the final point in 16^th.

BTCC Standings:

Sutton remains second in the standings, with Cammish having now moved up to third and Rowbottom following in fourth.

NAPA Racing UK still remains at the top of the Manufacturers’ and Teams’ championships.

MINI Challenge:

All four NAPA Racing drivers displayed strong pace across the three races, again showing support for Race Against Dementia with their own special edition liveries.

An impressive qualifying session saw the drivers within the top ten, with points leader Jamie Osborne missing out on pole by just 0.058s and Lewis Selby heading up the second row. Cam Richardson took seventh, his best qualifying performance to date, with Alex Solley following in ninth.

Osborne and Selby battled their way to a double podium in race one, having taken the flag in second and third place. Solley rose to seventh spot and Richardson took ninth, before being drawn for pole in race two.

Richardson slotted into second at the start of race two but would drop out of the battle towards the front when a clash at Clark’s saw him run across the grass.

Solley instead took the mantle with a fine drive that saw him cross the line in second place however, a ten second penalty for being out of position at the start dropped him down to ninth.

Osborne took the second spot for the second successive race to extend his points lead but then endured a difficult weekend finale after early contact resulted in a puncture that forced him to pit.

It was Selby who led the NAPA team, fighting for the win before ultimately crossing the line in second after being caught out in traffic late on.

Solley and Richardson rounded out the weekend in seventh and tenth places, having shown stronger pace than their weekend results would suggest.

Race Against Dementia:

There’s still time to get involved and join the Race Against Dementia. Click here to learn more. 

The post A SCORCHING SCOTTISH WEEKEND appeared first on Alliance Racing.

The Alliance Racing-run team was looking to maintain its advantage at the top at the Cheshire circuit after a double win a fortnight earlier at Thruxton, with the Ford Focus ST starting the weekend well in first practice.

Daniel Rowbottom topped the times ahead of points leader Ash Sutton with Dan Cammish in third to complete a lock-out of the top three spots, with Sam Osborne a fraction of a second away from the top ten.

Oulton Park also saw the end of an era, with BTCC anchor man Steve Rider hanging up his microphone. Steve has been the voice of the BTCC since 1988 and has been hugely influential in creating the opportunity for broadcasting the championship on television. Thank you, Steve, for all you have done for the team, drivers and championship.

BTCC Qualifying:

Although Cammish was the only one of the quartet to then make it into the top ten in FP2, it was a session that took place on a drying circuit, and which provided little indication of what to expect in qualifying.

Sutton and Rowbottom ran in the first qualifying group in Q1 and whilst Sutton was able to make it through by a tenth of a second, Rowbottom narrowly missed the cut and end up 15th on the grid for race one. Cammish then topped group two, with Osborne missing out on going through by just 0.004s to qualify one spot ahead of Rowbottom.

Making it to the Quick Six fight for pole, Cammish and Sutton locked out the second row of the grid to leave them well placed for race day.

BTCC Race 1:

The two lead NAPA Fords went for the soft tyre in race one and were both able to clear the Hyundai of Chris Smiley on lap one – with Cammish moving into second at turn one before Sutton claimed third at Cascades.

After an early caution period, the pair held station in second and third place through to the final lap. Ash and his team decided to take a calculated risk to drop behind Smiley’s Hyundai into fourth, thereby allowing him to run the faster, soft tyre option again in race two. With the top 3 being forced to run the harder tyre, the aim was to collect the maximum number of championship points over the three races. Dan Cammish finished in a fine 2^nd place, and his 5^th podium of the season.

Both Osborne and Rowbottom elected to run the hard tyre in race 1, with Rowbottom able to finish the best of the hard tyre drivers in 14^th place. Sam was again forced to settle for 20th, having been tipped into a spin early, exiting the Island Hairpin by Stephen Jelley.

BTCC Race 2:

Sutton’s gamble in race one paid off in race two as he made the most of having the better tyre to score a fourth win of the season. Moving up into second on lap one, Sutton grabbed the lead from his title rival Ingram on lap two and was never headed en-route to victory, even after a lengthy safety car period that backed up the pack behind.

Rowbottom, now on the soft tyre, made the most of the pace in his Focus to fight his way to a strong sixth place. Dan Cammish, being forced to start on the hard tyre, put up a strong fight to bring his car home to the points in tenth.

Sam was also in fighting form as, like Rowbottom, he was able to make up eighth places from where he started in twelfth, putting himself in contention for the draw for the race 3 grid and leading Jack Sears finisher.

BTCC Race 3:

The forecasted rain struck Oulton Park, just before the start of race three, which benefited Ash Sutton as he no longer had to run the hard tyre. Starting P9 he took advantage, battling his way through to finish second place to slightly extend his lead at the top of the standings.

Dan Rowbottom would join him on the podium, finishing in third, to cap a strong recovery from where he had qualified, with Cammish completing a solid points scoring weekend with sixth. Osborne ended the weekend on a high, with his strongest result as he took tenth spot to put all four NAPA Racing cars inside the top ten and gain some valuable points, moving up to 3^rd in the Jack Sears Trophy overall standings.

Going into the mid-season break, Ash Sutton extended his championship lead, with Dan Cammish leapfrogging Dan Rowbottom to sit in 3^rd place, split by just two points. With all 4 drivers performing well, the NAPA Racing UK team also extended its lead in both the Manufacturers’/Constructors’ standings and the Team’s Trophy.

Watch the full race CLICK HERE

MINI Challenge:

In the MINI CHALLENGE, Jamie Osborne retained his lead in the championship standings, although it was Lewis Selby who was the big scorer as he opened his win account for the season.

A fuel pump issue in qualifying and a late red flag meant Osborne was unable to set a timed lap and was consigned to the back of the grid for both races, although Selby was able to qualify third quickest, with Alex Solley also impressing to take eighth on the times.

MINI Race 1:

Cameron Richardson had qualified in 14th and gambled with a change to wet tyres when rain fell before the start. These calls can be moments of genius or disaster, and with the rain subsiding early in the race, it would prove to be the wrong call as conditions dried out. Starting 3^rd, Lewis Selby enjoyed a race-long battle with the leading duo, and in the challenging conditions brought his car home in third spot.

Alex Solley showed his class, securing his best result since stepping up from the MINI Cooper class in fifth, although Osborne would end up way down the order when his car got stuck in sixth gear. This result was further compounded by a ten-second penalty for being out of position at the start.

MINI Race 2:

The on-off rain created tricky conditions for Sunday’s second race as well. However, Selby raced superbly at the front to lead, holding off a charging Jamie Osborne, who scythed his way through from the back of the JCW grid.to complete a NAPA Racing 1-2.

Richardson also drove well in the conditions to take a strong ninth, although Solley had an early retirement after falling foul of the conditions, sliding into the gravel at turn one at the start.

Jamie continues to lead the standings after three rounds, with Selby remaining in third. The combined points from the pair put NAPA Racing UK on top of the Teams’ Championship.

It’s been a fantastic start to the year for both NAPA Racing UK’s MINI and BTCC race teams. A testament to the incredible work from all the crew in front and behind the scenes. Now heading into the traditional mid-year break, the NAPA Racing factory will be working hard to ensure that when they return to action at the Yorkshire circuit of Croft on 2^nd and 3^rd of August, the fight for honours can continue.

The post NAPA RACING RETAINS LEAD AT HALF-WAY STAGE appeared first on Alliance Racing.

On a weekend of vastly contrasting weather conditions in Hampshire, Ash Sutton and Dan Rowbottom both made it to the top step of the podium, with the Alliance Racing-run team ending the fourth meeting of the year on top in three of the four championships it is eligible for.

Sutton topped the Drivers’ Championship going into the weekend and led the way in mixed weather conditions during the opening practice session on Saturday, although it was team-mate Dan Cammish who would see the fastest lap amongst the four NAPA Racing drivers ahead of qualifying, having gone fourth fastest in FP2.

QUALIFYING

Qualifying itself would be a massive challenge as torrential rain that had been forecast arrived just before the session got underway.

Although Sam Osborne dropped out in Q1 to qualify in 21st place, Sutton, Cammish and Rowbottom all made it through the first part of the session unscathed, although Rowbottom was then knocked out in Q2 to leave him tenth on the grid for the opening race.

Sutton then stormed to an impressive pole position in the Quick Six shootout to put himself at the front of the field for Sunday’s opening race, with Cammish only missing out on making it a front-row lock-out by 0.020s.

Watch the BTCC Qualifying HERE 

RACE 1

Conditions couldn’t have been any different for race day, with Sutton leading the field away at the start before an early caution period, unfortunately caused by Max Hall’s spinning Cupra, collecting the innocent Sam Osborne.

After the restart, Sutton went wheel-to-wheel with title rival Tom Ingram before slight contact between the pair at the final chicane, with Ingram managing to get ahead into the lead. Sutton kept him honest, with Cammish following behind, until a loss of power mid-way through the race saw him slip back down to fourth spot.

Instead, it was Cammish who emerged as the best of the NAPA Racing drivers in second spot, with Rowbottom putting on a strong showing as he climbed his way through to finish in fifth.

Race 2

Race two would be decided at the start, and in favour of Sutton as he rocketed away from the line to jump from fourth to first within half a lap of the lights going out.

Once at the front, he quickly used a lap of turbo boost to break away from the chasing pack and was never at risk of being overhauled as he scored a third win of the campaign.

A difficult opening lap for Cammish had seen him shuffled back down to seventh, with Rowbottom amongst those drivers to have got ahead of the #27 car on the first tour. Battling throughout with Jake Hill, Rowbottom would come out on top of that fight to snare fourth spot, with a recovering Cammish also getting ahead of the BMW late on to take fifth.

Both would then gain an additional place after the race when Josh Cook was excluded for a technical infringement, giving Rowbo and Cammish a double podium for NAPA Racing.

It was a tricky race for Sam, with contact forcing him off the road and into pits to remove debris from his radiator, which saw him finish a lap down in 20th spot.

Race 3

With the top six on the grid reversed for race three, hopes were high of another strong result to finish the weekend, and so it proved with Rowbottom fighting his way to a second win of the campaign.

From fifth on the grid, he enjoyed a strong opening lap to climb into second spot before overhauling Hill on lap two and was never headed despite a safety car period backing up the field at the half-way stage.

Cammish would also make forward progress and cleared Hill after the restart to sit in second spot before losing out to Ingram late on when the Hyundai driver was able to benefit from having additional boost in reserve, with Cammish having to settle for the final step of the podium.

Sutton had also been firmly in contention for the podium places before contact from Hill’s BMW at Noble resulted in a high-speed spin across the grass. Ash collected his Focus and managed to recover through to fifth at the finish. Sam Osborne was finally able to score the kind of result his pace deserved as he worked his way from the back of the pack to finish in eleventh.

BTCC STANDINGS

Leaving Thruxton, Ash Sutton continues to lead the championship standings, with both Dan Rowbottom and Cammish climbing the championship into third and fourth position and Sam in 15th.

After strong results from the whole team, NAPA Racing now leads the Teams’ Championship. The Alliance Racing squad also heads the Manufacturers’/Constructors’ title ahead of the next round at Oulton Park.

You can watch the BTCC races and highlights on the ITV Sport YouTube or ITV-X website.

The post THRUXTON DOUBLE appeared first on Alliance Racing.