Following on from his third win of the campaign last time out at Thruxton, memorably achieved in his 200th BTCC race, reigning champion Ash Sutton is second in the Drivers Championship ahead of the penultimate event of the year after accruing a big haul of points.

Only six points shy of current leader Colin Turkington, Sutton’s season in the No.1 Ford Focus ST is really beginning to come together and a record-equaling fourth BTCC crown is an increasing reality in his first year with NAPA Racing UK, and his first season since 2016 in a front-wheel drive car.

Team-mate Dan Cammish was finally able to cast aside the misfortune which had blighted the bulk of his season during the second visit of 2022 to Thruxton last month, and in the best way possible too with NAPA Racing UK’s maiden pole position and a superb lights-to-flag victory in race one.

In the second contest, Cammish aced the start again and was on course to make it two wins from two. But as the incredible team player he is, the three-time Porsche Carrera Cup GB Champion enabled Sutton to move through on the penultimate lap to take the victory and the vital extra points for his title bid. Cammish heads to Silverstone eighth in the standings and eyeing more success.

Such was the points haul last time out in the NAPA Racing UK camp, the highest scoring team at Thruxton, the squad is second in the BTCC Teams Championship. Motorbase Performance/Ford is also second in the Manufacturers/Constructors Championship.

Ollie Jackson and Sam Osborne will both be pursuing consistent points finishes at Silverstone for Apec Racing with Beavis Morgan, with Jackson looking to build on the strong drive to 14th place achieved in the last of the Thruxton races and also the season-best ninth place he secured during the previous race meeting at Snetterton. He is, of course, a former BTCC race winner at Silverstone.

Osborne had an unfortunate conclusion to the Thruxton weekend, with contact on lap two pitching his Ford Focus ST into retirement. While somewhat frustrated with the event’s results, as Thruxton is one of his least favoured tracks he is now relishing the trip to Silverstone where he will be targeting a return to the outright top 15 for the first time since the BTCC first visited Thruxton back in May.

Oly Collins – Motorbase Performance Team Manager:
“With two race meetings to go this is the time you have more than one eye on the championship standings. We had an outstanding weekend last time out at Thruxton, with multiple wins and podiums with both NAPA cars, and that’s put Ash right in the mix at the top end of the title fight. Hopefully we can replicate that form at Silverstone and make sure we go into Brands Hatch with a really good chance. Silverstone is always so close on times with such a short and relatively simple lap. We’ve been strong there in the past so we’re looking forward to seeing what the weekend will bring! The teamwork throughout the whole crew is very evident this year and that’s a big help when you’re in this position.”

Ash Sutton – NAPA Racing UK, No.1:
“I’m looking forward to Silverstone this weekend. We’re getting down to the climax of the season now and I’m relishing what lies ahead. Three wins in as many events means we head into the weekend with some real momentum behind us, and despite Silverstone being a completely different challenge to Thruxton I’m confident we can be in the mix. The car is feeling awesome so let’s get after it and see what we can do.”

Dan Cammish – NAPA Racing UK, No.9:
“I am feeling confident for Silverstone, we actually turned a corner at Snetterton but you just had to look a bit deeper. Then we turned up at Thruxton, put it on pole, won race one and had the speed to win race two. Winning a BTCC race is a huge achievement, so to give the [race two] win away like we did at Thruxton shouldn’t be underestimated. As a team we’re fighting for three titles though, so it was the right thing for me to do. It’s all about the bigger picture for NAPA Racing UK and Motorbase, not just this year but going forward. I’m excited ahead of Silverstone and looking forward to it.”

Ollie Jackson – Apec Racing with Beavis Morgan, No.48:
“Looking forward to Silverstone, traditionally the car has been strong there and I’ve usually been competitive. We’ve been getting stronger and stronger in the second half of the season as our understanding of the car builds, so hopefully this is the one where we crack it and get back up into the top 10. Quali is the key so that’s what we’re going to be focusing on. If we get lucky on the reverse grid I could bring back some silverware, or perhaps even repeat my win!”

Sam Osborne – Apec Racing with Beavis Morgan, No.77:
“I always look forward to racing, so looking forward to Silverstone! Since Thruxton I’ve spent some time on the sim, refining things, and it should be mega close in qualifying – just a couple of tenths lost and you’re way down the grid. Ash and Dan have their cars in a really good place, so we’ll try to work from their base and challenge for the top 10 – that’s always my aim. I think it’s achievable, there’s been a lot of ‘shoulda, coulda’ this season so we just have to make it all come together.”

Opening free practice for the touring cars will get underway at 09.25 on Saturday, 24th September, with the second session beginning at 12.05 ahead of qualifying at 15.05 – the latter to be streamed live at www.itv.com/btcc

On Sunday, 25th September, round 25 of the BTCC season will start at 11.40, round 26 will follow at 14.25 and round 27 will conclude the on track action at 17.10. All three races will be streamed online and screened live on ITV4.

2022 BTCC Drivers Championship
2nd Ash Sutton, 305pts; 8th Dan Cammish, 155pts; 22nd Ollie Jackson, 21pts; 25 Sam Osborne, 1pt

2022 BTCC Manufacturers/Constructors Championship
2nd Motorbase Performance/Ford, 576pts

2022 BTCC Teams Championship
2nd NAPA Racing UK, 453pts; 13th Apec Racing with Beavis Morgan, 27pts

2022 Jack Sears Trophy
4th Sam Osborne, 268pts

The post MOTORBASE AIMING HIGH FOR SILVERSTONE AS BTCC TITLE RACE ENTERS CRUCIAL STAGE appeared first on Alliance Racing.

Travelling to the Hampshire speedbowl off the back of its second victory of 2022 with NAPA Racing UK’s Ash Sutton just over a week ago at Snetterton, the Wrotham squad is also returning to a track where reigning champion Sutton chalked-up a hat-trick of podiums during the previous visit in May.

Fourth in the championship ahead of the eighth race meeting of the campaign, Sutton is just a single point shy of third position and only 10 points adrift of second place. In total, the Ford Focus ST racer has nine podiums to his credit this year.

Dan Cammish was the fastest of the Motorbase qualifiers at Snetterton a week ago, and was on course for a strong event until being caught-up in a luckless incident early in race two. He will be more determined than ever to get back to where his ability and pace deserve – the BTCC podium.

Likewise, the NAPA Racing UK driver – who has been stateside in recent days working with Australian single-seater racer Marcus Flack – was the top Motorbase performer in qualifying at Thruxton in May, third fastest and just 0.081 seconds shy of pole. Cammish is long overdue some good fortune.

Apec Racing with Beavis Morgan’s Ollie Jackson produced a superb season-best result of ninth place in the third of the scorching hot Snetterton races the weekend before last, capping an impressive event where he made great progress across the board and raced well.

Off the back of his strongest showing of the campaign to date, Jackson will clearly be hoping to harness that and move further forward at Thruxton where there is unfinished business from the May visit – power issues and an enforced engine change badly hampering the third meeting of the year.

Returning to the scene of his first points finish of the season, Sam Osborne is hungry to add more in the sister Apec Racing with Beavis Morgan Ford Focus ST and goes to Thruxton increasingly happy with the direction of travel in terms of set-up

Getting the second half of the season off to a solid start at Knockhill at the end of July, almost making it back into the points-paying top 15, at Snetterton the end results may not have been what he wanted but Osborne raced well and was only prevented from more after some robust contact.

Oly Collins – Motorbase Performance Team Manager:
“We’re getting to the business end of the season now! Another win for Ash last time out was great, now we look to the final three events of the championship. It’s all pretty close at the top between ourselves, BMW and the Hyundais and the Focus was pretty good last time we were at Thruxton earlier this year. We’ve made some clear improvements to the cars since then, so there is no reason why we shouldn’t be right up there. It’s a unique circuit which all drivers seem to love, probably because it needs 100% commitment which, in turn, requires the drivers to have 100% confidence in the car being underneath them. We’re looking forward to it!”

Ash Sutton – NAPA Racing UK, No.1:
“I’m looking forward to heading to Thruxton this weekend! We’re coming off the back of two wins in as many race weekends so confidence is high and everyone at NAPA Racing UK is pushing so hard. We were strong at Thruxton earlier in the year and came away with a hat-trick of podium finishes so I’m feeling confident, especially as we have really moved the car on since then. We’re at a critical point in the season now and we’ve got a little ground to make up so it’ll be maximum attack!”

Dan Cammish – NAPA Racing UK, No.9:
“I’m really looking forward to heading back to Thruxton this weekend, we were fast there earlier in the season and it is a track I’ve always gone well at and really enjoy. We had some good speed at Snetterton and should’ve come away with much more than we did, but as has been the story this year it didn’t work out for us due to factors out of our control. We need a big, consistent weekend and that’s the absolute focus. I’m determined to be back on the podium and get some momentum.”

Ollie Jackson – Apec Racing with Beavis Morgan, No.48:
“Hopefully we’ll be able to start where we left off at Snetterton with a good balance and competitive pace, although Thruxton is a very different track. Our last visit there earlier in the season was pretty challenging with some mechanical issues that set us back but, in reality, we had enough pace to stage a fight from the back of the grid almost into the points, so I’m optimistic. Our understanding of the Hybrid car is growing round by round and I’m now getting to grips with the driving style needed, so I’m positive about turning out some points finishes and stay in the running for the reverse grid.”

Sam Osborne – Apec Racing with Beavis Morgan, No.77:
“We’ve been making good steps recently, I’ve been racing well and we’ve had good pace in the car so hopefully that can continue at Thruxton. We obviously got into the points when we were there in the Spring, and had a good run into the top 12 at Thruxton last year, so we have put in some good performances there. There’s no other track on the calendar like Thruxton, you need the car working well to provide the confidence to take it to the limit – hopefully we’ll have that.”

Free practice at Thruxton will start at 09.30 on Saturday, 27th August, with the second session following at 12.05 and qualifying – which will be streamed live online at the www.itv.com/btcc website – getting underway at 15.25.

Round 22 of the season will begin at 11.45 on Sunday, 28th August, round 23 will commence at 14.35 and round 24 is set to start at 17.20. All three races will be streamed live online and screened live on ITV4.

2022 BTCC Drivers Championship
4th Ash Sutton, 257pts; 12th Dan Cammish, 109pts; 22nd Ollie Jackson, 19pts; 25th Sam Osborne, 1pt

2022 BTCC Manufacturers/Constructors Championship
3rd Motorbase Performance/Ford, 480pts

2022 BTCC Teams Championship
3rd NAPA Racing UK, 364pts; 13th Apec Racing with Beavis Morgan, 24pts

2022 Jack Sears Trophy
4th Sam Osborne, 240pts

The post MOTORBASE CHARGING BACK TO THRUXTON WITH CONTINUED SUCCESS IN SIGHTS appeared first on Alliance Racing.

Just over a week ago at Knockhill in Scotland, reigning and three-time BTCC Champion Ash Sutton brilliantly hustled his No.1 Ford Focus ST to a stunning win in round 17 – the first ever success in touring cars for entrant NAPA Racing UK.

Notably too, he will arrive in Norfolk a few days from now only six points shy of championship leader Colin Turkington and a single point behind second place. With four events still to run, including the visit to Snetterton, his bid for a remarkable fourth BTCC crown is very much a reality for Sutton in his maiden season with the Motorbase-run, Mountune powered Ford.

In the sister NAPA Racing UK car, class act Dan Cammish is still awaiting the turnaround in fortunes he so richly deserves after a character building season to end all character building seasons! As he proved at the mid-season Goodyear tyre test at Snetterton last month, where he was second fastest overall to Sutton but the quickest driver using the regular BTCC race tyre, Cammish has the speed.

While yet to truly unlock his potential in the No.9 Ford Focus, the reigning and three-time Porsche Carrera Cup GB Champion and multiple BTCC race winner is long overdue some good fortune and a competitive weekend, with a return to the podium, would be popular up and down the pitlane.

Sam Osborne produced some impressive drives at Knockhill, only just missing out on his second top 15 of the season, and the Apec Racing with Beavis Morgan entered driver was happy with his own performance. Striving for a bit more pace from his set-up, Osborne is hoping to put into practice all he learned at the Snetterton tyre test where he was coached by Le Mans winner Nick Tandy.

Much-like Cammish, Ollie Jackson has endured more than his share of bad luck and Knockhill was no exception when a power steering issue spoiled qualifying and an incident in race two led to a pit visit. He hit back well, though, and a strong recovery gave a clear indication of his true potential. With positives to take too from the tyre test, Jackson is looking forward to Snetterton’s races and aiming for points.

Oly Collins – Motorbase Performance Team Manager:
“On the back of the win at Knockhill, we’ve had the taste and now we’re hungry for more. We know the 2022 Focus is good around Snetterton from the recent test there, now we have to back that up when it matters. The forecast is that temperatures should be similar to when we were there last month, so what we all learned will be valid. Hopefully, Snetterton will also fair better for FWD cars than Knockhill did – we’ll see. I think Hybrid will be quite effective at Snetterton too, with plenty of opportunities to deploy on a long lap, so that will be interesting to manage over the weekend.”

Ash Sutton – NAPA Racing UK, No.1:
“It was nice to kick-start the second half of the season in a nice way at Knockhill, it’s a track I like and we managed to get the car in a good place. We learnt things good and bad at the Snetterton tyre test so we’ll just make sure we avoid the bad and, ultimately, we need to look at it more with an eye to what Dan [Cammish] was doing on the race tyre as he was quickest. When we did our ‘standard’ tyre run, if you like, we weren’t a million miles away so hopefully it can be a good weekend.”

Dan Cammish – NAPA Racing UK, No.9:
“The tyre test at Snetterton a couple of weeks ago went well for us, two very good and positive days, so that should give us a strong base to build from at the weekend. I’m looking forward to getting back to Snetterton, it’s a circuit I enjoy driving and I’ve gone well there in the past so we’ll be aiming for everything to come together and deliver a strong weekend. We’ve had some knocks this season so far but we’re all staying positive, keeping our focus – no pun intended – and looking forward.”

Ollie Jackson – Apec Racing with Beavis Morgan, No.48:
“During the recent tyre test at Snetterton we gained a lot of understanding of the set-up and so I’m hopeful we can put that into practice at the weekend. Knockhill was a disappointing weekend for us, but we had some terrible luck and it is such a unique track that it is always challenging to turn up with a fresh set-up and expect to hit the ground running. Snetterton is my old local circuit and has been one of my strongest tracks in the past with a win and a couple of podiums, so I’m optimistic we should get back up to where we deserve to be; in the points and challenging for the reverse grid.”

Sam Osborne – Apec Racing with Beavis Morgan, No.77:
“We had some good positives to take away from Knockhill, I was happy with how I was driving and the car was working well in the first two races. We did struggle for pace overall, though, so that’s something we need to try and change for Snetterton so we can get that much higher up the grid and have a fighting chance. We did make some good steps forward at the tyre test a few weeks back, so I’m hoping to put into practice what we learnt with Nick Tandy and push on from there.”

Free practice at Snetterton 300 will get underway at 09.30 on Saturday, 13th August, with session two following at 12.10 and qualifying commencing at 15.20 – the latter with live streaming online at www.itv.com/btcc

On Sunday, 14th August, round 19 is scheduled to start at 12.08, round 20 will follow at 14.15 and round 21 closes out the day’s track action at 17.10. The first two races will be screened live on the main ITV channel, with race three covered live on ITV4, and all will be streamed online as well.

2022 BTCC Drivers Championship
3rd Ash Sutton, 221pts; 11th Dan Cammish, 100pts; 22nd Ollie Jackson, 9pts; 25th Sam Osborne, 1pt

2022 BTCC Manufacturers/Constructors Championship
3rd Motorbase Performance/Ford, 414pts

2022 BTCC Teams Championship
3rd NAPA Racing UK, 321pts; 13th Apec Racing with Beavis Morgan, 14pts

2022 Jack Sears Trophy
4th Sam Osborne, 205pts

The post MOTORBASE HUNGRY FOR CONTINUED PROGRESS AS BTCC HEADS TO SNETTERTON appeared first on Alliance Racing.

On his maiden qualifying outing in the Motorbase Performance prepared No.1 Ford Focus, the reigning BTCC Champion was a mere 0.023 seconds shy of a dream pole position and just five 1000ths of a second away from the front row with a time of 1m08.441 seconds (104.09mph).

Team-mate Dan Cammish who, like Sutton, had been quick during free practice earlier in the day, thankfully emerged unscathed from a worrying car fire around 10 minutes into qualifying which devastated his start to the season.

Just embarking on his first flat-out lap, as the No.9 Ford headed through Schwantz Curve flames began to appear from beneath the bonnet and Cammish swiftly pulled off the track into the gravel on the outside of McLeans. The damage was extensive and the Motorbase mechanics have a long night ahead to try and repair the car for raceday. Cammish will line-up 28th and last on the grid.

Sam Osborne was very impressive in the No.77 Apec Racing with Beavis Morgan entered car, lapping second fastest of the Jack Sears Trophy class contenders and 13th overall with a time of 1m09.108 seconds (103.09mph) – just 0.7 seconds shy of the outright pole.

In the sister Apec Racing car, Ollie Jackson posted a best time of 1m09.397 seconds (102.66mph) and will therefore line-up 17th on the grid for round one. Jackson was the last of the drivers to lap within a second of pole position, underlining the BTCC is as competitive as ever in the new hybrid era.

Race one of the 2022 BTCC season will get underway at 11.50 tomorrow morning, with round two following at 14.40 and round three ending the day’s track action at 17.25. Watch all of the action live on ITV4 or online at www.itv.com/btcc

The post SUTTON THIRD ON GRID FOR FIRST RACE OF BTCC SEASON AT DONINGTON appeared first on Alliance Racing.

Renowned for providing a one-of-a-kind experience for the most successful drivers from Goodyear supported junior championships, the fantastic prize drive in a Motorbase Performance engineered and prepared Ford Focus BTCC car has become highly coveted since it was established in 2014.

During the past eight years, some of the country’s most deserving young racers have benefited from the opportunity to experience a full day of testing and learning with leading Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship squad Motorbase thanks to the long-standing association with Goodyear Dunlop.

Notably the coming BTCC season will see two of the prize’s past winners go full circle, with reigning and three-time Porsche Carrera Cup GB Champion Dan Cammish and current and three-time BTCC Champion Ash Sutton competing with Motorbase-run NAPA Racing UK this year.

Cammish was the first recipient of the inaugural prize drive in 2014, getting his first taste of the BTCC with Motorbase after absolutely dominating the Formula Ford Championship the season prior, while Sutton took part in the prize drive in 2015 after starring in the Renault UK Clio Cup, winning the title in his maiden ‘tin top’ season.

Other drivers to have been awarded the prize test, and therefore gain their first experience of a BTCC car, include three-time TCR Champion Josh Files, double TCR UK Champion Lewis Kent, BTCC racers Ant Whorton-Eales and Mike Bushell, both former Renault UK Clio Cup Champions, and last year’s MINI CHALLENGE Champion Dan Zelos.

As well as providing a day of BTCC testing behind the wheel of one of Motorbase’s Ford Focus ST cars, the prize also includes insight and understanding of data analysis, tyre technology knowledge, driver coaching and immersion into the Motorbase ‘family’ during an unforgettable experience.

Eligible championships for the Goodyear Motorbase Prize Drive this year include BTCC support category the MINI CHALLENGE, the Focus Cup and the BRSCC Fiesta Championship. The prize test will take place at Snetterton 300 Circuit in Norfolk towards the end of 2022.

Mickey Butler – Sales Account Manager Goodyear Racing EMEA:
“At the time we started the prize drive there were no prizes or rewards like it, and the pinnacle for most people in the UK is British Touring Cars, so I got in touch with Motorbase – it was the only team I wanted to do something with. It’s not just about the test and the track time, it’s about learning how to interpret the data, understanding the tyres and engineering, it’s one of a kind. It’s become so well established and is one of the proudest things I’ve done since I joined Goodyear Dunlop back in 1992.

“When you sit back and see where the drivers who have done the prize test have gone on to, it’s amazing. Now we’ve got Dan Cammish, a three-time Porsche Carrera Cup Champion and who should’ve already been a BTCC Champion, and Ash Sutton, the three-time BTCC Champion and a champion from [Renault] Clios when he won the prize, going full circle by racing with Motorbase and NAPA Racing this year. Who would’ve thought that all those years ago?

“There have been some great drivers over the years and I’m very proud about that fact, but just as proud – if not more so – of the drivers who will never be able to attain those heights but who have had the opportunity to experience a dream come true BTCC test with Motorbase. The reward I get from seeing so many drivers coming through, benefiting from the prize, is second to none. We’ve partnered with Motorbase from day one for this and that’s how it will stay for as long as Motorbase want to be involved, the team brings a real family feel to things and do such a fantastic job.”

Oly Collins – Motorbase Performance Team Manager:
“The Goodyear prize drive has always been a fantastic event to be part of, Goodyear support championships in motorsport at every level and we get to reward their best drivers by giving them a day testing and being part of the Motorbase BTCC team.

“We get drivers at varying levels of their careers, some are starting out their journey and BTCC is very much on their radar for the future. Others get to live their dream of driving a current BTCC car which they otherwise would never get the chance to do. It’s also nice to see where the drivers progress to, so it’s obviously fantastic to see two of the drivers have not only proven themselves to be worthy champions, but we also now get to continue that journey with them – Dan and Ash.”

The post GOODYEAR AND MOTORBASE PRIZE DRIVE CONTINUING TO DISCOVER BTCC STARS OF FUTURE appeared first on Alliance Racing.

Since confirming its arrival into the country’s premier motor racing category with top team Motorbase Performance late last year, NAPA Racing UK has garnered huge attention with fans around the world eagerly awaiting the launch of the entry’s livery for its maiden season in the BTCC.

NAPA Racing’s iconic blue and yellow features prominently, with a truly striking design ensuring the twin hybrid-powered front-wheel drive Fords will be absolutely eye-catching on the capacity 32 car grid. If there’s an early award for the best-looking car in BTCC 2022, NAPA Racing UK wins it!

NAPA, the number one brand of Alliance Automotive Group, is breaking new ground this year as part of the BTCC having famously enjoyed a rich and incredibly successful history in US motorsport with partnerships in both NASCAR and IndyCar.

Cammish and reigning BTCC Champion Sutton undoubtedly form the strongest and most capable driver pairing on the grid for the new season, with both set to push each other on to new heights as part of Motorbase-run NAPA Racing UK. One thing is for sure, if the No.1 and No.9 Ford Focus cars go as fast as they look, all of the ingredients are there for a tremendous season.

Pete Osborne – Motorbase Performance Team Owner and Team Principal:
“Introducing NAPA Racing UK – what a fantastic livery! We’re all so pleased with how it’s come out, the car image, the launch and the general vibrancy brought to the grid by NAPA. Everyone at NAPA has been fantastic to work with, they’ve brought a new energy with them. Everything is bright and exciting and marks the perfect way to start this relationship with Motorbase in the BTCC.

“All of the guys and girls at Motorbase have been hard at work all winter with the development of the cars, which has been going on behind the scenes, and this is just part of what they’ve been working on. We are also aiming to hit the track for the first time with the 2022 car this week, so it’s all exciting stuff as we prepare for a huge season ahead.”

Steve Richardson – Alliance Automotive Group UK Managing Director/ NAPA Racing UK:
“We’re delighted to finally reveal the NAPA Racing UK livery for this season’s Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship. Since the day we announced the partnership, the livery has been eagerly anticipated. We hope fans agree it’s been worth the wait. The iconic NAPA branding is undoubtedly going to stand out on the grid and this is just the start of what we expect to be an exciting season.”

Donington Park National Circuit in Leicestershire will host the first three races of the Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship season on Sunday, 24th April. The championship will reach its conclusion at Motorbase’s home track, Brands Hatch Grand Prix Circuit in Kent, on Sunday, 9th October.

The post SUPERTEAM CAMMISH AND SUTTON REVEAL SCORCHING HOT NAPA RACING UK LIVERY appeared first on Alliance Racing.

In headline-grabbing news of gigantic proportions, the 27-year-old driver from Bishops Stortford will team-up with multiple race-winning touring car returnee Dan Cammish at NAPA Racing UK in, what will arguably be, the most exciting driver pairing on next year’s capacity BTCC grid.

Sutton, of course, needs no introduction to fans of the UK’s premier motor racing category – not simply due to his three sensational title triumphs, in 2017, 2020 and 2021, but also thanks to his incredible, all-attack driving style which has made him one of the most popular drivers in the UK.

Next season will certainly bring new challenges for Sutton with a switch to front-wheel drive in the NAPA Racing liveried Ford Focus ST. Having won all three of his titles in the BTCC in rear-wheel drive, he is hungry to show he can achieve similar success in FWD.

Aiming to make it four championship victories and three back-to-back, if he can achieve the latter Sutton will become the first BTCC driver since Andy Rouse in the mid-1980s to do so. Intriguingly, Rouse’s last BTCC crown in 1985 came at the wheel of a Ford…

Sutton debuted in the BTCC in 2016, as the reigning Renault UK Clio Cup Champion, and quickly proved he was a star in the making with a maiden race win. In his sophomore season, he claimed a famous championship victory and in doing so became the youngest BTCC title winner since 1966.

Winning races and claiming numerous podiums over the next two seasons, in 2020 he won his second championship crown – as well as the Independents Trophy Championship – and sealed his third outright BTCC title in style just a couple of months ago with victory in the final race of the 2021 season at Brands Hatch Grand Prix Circuit.

NAPA Racing has certainly set its stall out impressively ahead of its maiden year as an entrant in the BTCC, and with Sutton and Cammish set to push each other on throughout the 2022 season there is immense potential for the Motorbase-run squad. The Wrotham-based team’s four car line-up for next season is now complete, with Ollie Jackson and Sam Osborne piloting the other two Fords.

Founded almost 100 years ago, NAPA is one of the most prominent and successful automotive parts brands in North America and was introduced in the UK in 2019 by Alliance Automotive Group. NAPA arrives in the BTCC with a rich and glowing history as a sponsor within motorsport in the USA at the highest level, in categories such as NASCAR and Indycar.

Pete Osborne – Motorbase Performance Team Owner and Team Principal:
“Wow…isn’t this just the icing on the cake! Ash is the kind of driver who is on everyone’s radar. This will be a different challenge for him compared with recent years, swapping from RWD to FWD, it was quite a decision for him to make but I’m really glad he did! So, to have secured his signature to Motorbase alongside Dan, Ollie and Sam is a really big deal. Joining NAPA Racing at such an exciting time probably helped clinch the deal.

“I really couldn’t ask for a better driver line-up. I think we’ve got a few people’s attention, this is an indication of our intent to challenge for the BTCC title in 2022 and beyond. Let’s face it, we’re not aiming for anything but success with these guys in the driving seat. The team is as strong behind the scenes as it is at the forefront and it’s simply buzzing in the workshop. There’s a lot of hard work still to do, and we’re not underestimating that, but I’m pretty sure the right ingredients are in the pot!”

Ash Sutton – NAPA Racing Driver:
“I’m buzzing to have signed a multi-year deal with NAPA Racing and Motorbase Performance! This feels like the start of something very exciting and I am ready for the challenge that lies ahead, they are all a great group of people and just pure racers at heart. Having got to know Pete Osborne more over the last year, I saw the hunger he has to win and his ambition to drive Motorbase in that direction. This is something I love, a new challenge set out with the same goals I personally have.

“The deal was made a little sweeter by securing NAPA Racing as a sponsor, for such an iconic brand in motorsport to be hitting the BTCC grid in 2022 and becoming a part of that was a big draw to me. Motorbase haven’t just made me feel welcome they have also welcomed onboard the car crew I have worked with over the past three years. They are all now part of the Motorbase family which means we have all the key elements to go out and retain that title together.

“Jumping back into front-wheel drive is going to be interesting, but something I am looking forward to. I can’t wait to get stuck into the Ford Focus package with my engineer Antonio Carrozza. With a solid pre-season testing plan, and a team mate like Dan Cammish, allows us to fast track a lot of development required to hit the ground running in the new hybrid era. Lining up with someone who has a pedigree like Dan really is an exciting prospect. I am sure we will be pushing each other’s limits and unlocking more potential within ourselves.

“I’m incredibly proud to be representing NAPA Racing, to go out and secure not just my fourth title but also the Teams and Constructors Championship with this newly formed partnership would be fantastic. This brings me one step closer to my goal of becoming the most successful driver ever in the BTCC.”

Steve Richardson – Alliance Automotive Group UK Manager, NAPA Racing UK:
“This partnership is everything we have been building towards. With Ash in our team along with Dan [Cammish], NAPA Racing has made a significant statement of intent to help grow the NAPA brand in the UK. We cannot wait to see how Ash’s talents as the reigning BTCC Champion will contribute to what will no doubt be an action-packed season.”

For all the latest news regarding Motorbase Performance visit www.motorbaseperformance.co.uk

To find out more about NAPA visit https://napaautoparts.eu/en/

The post REIGNING AND THREE-TIME BTCC CHAMPION ASH SUTTON JOINS NAPA RACING FOR 2022 TITLE DEFENCE appeared first on Alliance Racing.