Last weekend saw the cars and support races of the BTCC 2016 at Thruxton, in blistering hot sunshine. It felt a very different weekend from the last round at Donington, with the changeable weather swapped for constant warmth, although there was still plenty of exciting and unpredictable racing. Practice on Saturday saw Andrew Jordan and Tom Ingram top a session each before qualifying, where Tom Ingram took pole position, with Aiden Moffat and Matt Neal taking the next two places.
Sunday morning saw a large crowd at the circuit, no doubt swelled by the rather pleasant weather. Before the first race, Team BMR announced that they would not be racing at Thruxton, after the fuel leak from James Cole’s car at Donington, meaning that Jason Plato, Colin Turkington, Warren Scott and James Cole were not on the grid. The temperatures were soaring as the race started, and there was the usual close racing that is a hallmark of the BTCC series. However, the weather that had brought the spectators also brought incidents, with tyres appearing to struggle in the heat. There were a couple of tyre failures in quick succession with cars returning to the pits before Matt Neal suffered a tyre issue joining the main straight and, unable to get to the pits, ended up the centre of a series of collisions that saw a red flag and the end of the race, with the ever popular Adam Morgan winning the race, becoming the first driver to take two BTCC victories in 2016.
The next race for the Halfords Yuasa Racing team was to get their pair of Hondas on the grid for race two after both sustaining a significant amount of damage in the first race, a heroic effort for the team saw both cars on the grid. I was standing beside them as the team prepared them for the race.
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The second and third races had been reduced in length to twelve laps given the tyre issues, with a track temperature of 33 degrees. The second race was won by Andrew Jordan, with Rob Collard and Adam Morgan making up the podium, but it was the fourth place man who provided plenty of excitement. Gordon “Flash” Shedden had started in 23rd position from the 28 cars after his first race woes, and entertained the crowds by moving through the field to take fourth place. Another few laps and I suspect we would have seen a podium finish.
The third race saw Thruxton still looking busy, and the sun still shining. The grid formed up, with an expectant crowd.
Adam Morgan sealed a good weekend with a third podium finish, on the third step, with Matt Neal’s Sunday finishing better than it started with a second place behind Mat Jackson who followed Morgan’s feat of winning a second race in the series.
The support races in the Clio Cup, the Ginetta series and of course, British Formula Four meant a spectacular weekend for those who braved the Hampshire sun. The BTCC drivers go to the next round at Oulton Park in June with Matt Neal and Rob Collard topping the table.
Adam Morgan during the BTCC Weekend at Thruxton, May 2016
Adam Morgan during the BTCC Weekend at Thruxton, May 2016
Daniel Lloyd during the BTCC Weekend at Thruxton, May 2016
Adam Morgan during the BTCC Weekend at Thruxton, May 2016
Adam Morgan during the BTCC Weekend at Thruxton, May 2016
Aiden Moffatt during the BTCC Weekend at Thruxton, May 2016
Aiden Moffatt during the BTCC Weekend at Thruxton, May 2016
Tom Ingram's grid board during the BTCC Weekend at Thruxton, May 2016
Ollie Jackson during the BTCC Weekend at Thruxton, May 2016
Kelvin Fletcher during the BTCC Weekend at Thruxton, May 2016
Kelvin Fletcher during the BTCC Weekend at Thruxton, May 2016
Jeff Smith during the BTCC Weekend at Thruxton, May 2016
Hunter Abbott during the BTCC Weekend at Thruxton, May 2016
Hunter Abbott during the BTCC Weekend at Thruxton, May 2016
Mike Epps during the 2016 Thruxton BTCC weekend
Ollie Jackson during the BTCC Weekend at Thruxton, May 2016
Aiden Moffatt during the BTCC Weekend at Thruxton, May 2016
Árón Smith during the BTCC Weekend at Thruxton, May 2016
Andrew Jordan during the BTCC Weekend at Thruxton, May 2016
Jack Goff during the BTCC Weekend at Thruxton, May 2016
Matt Simpson during the BTCC Weekend at Thruxton, May 2016
Tom Ingram during the BTCC Weekend at Thruxton, May 2016
Hunter Abbott's grid board during the BTCC Weekend at Thruxton, May 2016
Josh Cook's pit board during the BTCC Weekend at Thruxton, May 2016
Rob Collard's grid board during the BTCC Weekend at Thruxton, May 2016
Gordon Shedden's grid board during the BTCC Weekend at Thruxton, May 2016
BTCC Weekend at Thruxton, May 2016
BTCC Weekend at Thruxton, May 2016
Luis Leeds in British Formula Four during the BTCC Weekend at Thruxton, May 2016
Luke Kidsely in the Clio Cup during the BTCC Weekend at Thruxton, May 2016
Matt Simpson during the BTCC Weekend at Thruxton, May 2016
Rob Austin during the BTCC Weekend at Thruxton, May 2016
Rob Collard during the BTCC Weekend at Thruxton, May 2016
Jeff Smith during the BTCC Weekend at Thruxton, May 2016
Jeff Smith during the BTCC Weekend at Thruxton, May 2016
Martin Depper during the BTCC Weekend at Thruxton, May 2016
Dan Welch during the BTCC Weekend at Thruxton, May 2016
Dan Welch during the BTCC Weekend at Thruxton, May 2016
Mike Epps during the BTCC Weekend at Thruxton, May 2016
Mike Epps during the BTCC Weekend at Thruxton, May 2016
Matt Simpson during the BTCC Weekend at Thruxton, May 2016
Hunter Abbott during the BTCC Weekend at Thruxton, May 2016
Ollie Jackson during the BTCC Weekend at Thruxton, May 2016
Stuart Lines during the BTCC Weekend at Thruxton, May 2016
Gordon Shedden during the BTCC Weekend at Thruxton, May 2016
Josh Cook during the BTCC Weekend at Thruxton, May 2016
Kelvin Fletcher during the BTCC Weekend at Thruxton, May 2016
Mark Howard during the BTCC Weekend at Thruxton, May 2016
Rob Collard during the BTCC Weekend at Thruxton, May 2016
Kelvin Fletcher's grid board during the BTCC Weekend at Thruxton, May 2016
Matt Neal's grid board during the BTCC Weekend at Thruxton, May 2016
Aiden Moffatt's pit board during the BTCC Weekend at Thruxton, May 2016
Árón Smith's grid board during the BTCC Weekend at Thruxton, May 2016
Rob Austin's grid board during the BTCC Weekend at Thruxton, May 2016
Jeff Smith's grid board during the BTCC Weekend at Thruxton, May 2016
Tom Ingram's grid board during the BTCC Weekend at Thruxton, May 2016
Adam Morgan during the BTCC Weekend at Thruxton, May 2016
Stuart Lines during the BTCC Weekend at Thruxton, May 2016
Mike Epps during the BTCC Weekend at Thruxton, May 2016
Jack Goff during the BTCC Weekend at Thruxton, May 2016
Jack Goff during the BTCC Weekend at Thruxton, May 2016
Rob Collard during the BTCC Weekend at Thruxton, May 2016
Tom Ingram during the BTCC Weekend at Thruxton, May 2016
Adam Morgan during the BTCC Weekend at Thruxton, May 2016
Mat Jackson during the BTCC Weekend at Thruxton, May 2016
Árón Smith during the BTCC Weekend at Thruxton, May 2016
Matt Simpson during the BTCC Weekend at Thruxton, May 2016
Daniel Lloyd during the BTCC Weekend at Thruxton, May 2016
Stuart Lines during the BTCC Weekend at Thruxton, May 2016
Rob Austin during the BTCC Weekend at Thruxton, May 2016
Aiden Moffatt during the BTCC Weekend at Thruxton, May 2016
Adam Morgan during the BTCC Weekend at Thruxton, May 2016
Daniel Lloyd during the BTCC Weekend at Thruxton, May 2016
Matt Neal during the BTCC Weekend at Thruxton, May 2016
Adam Morgan in the first race at the BTCC Weekend at Thruxton, May 2016
Matt Neal during the BTCC Weekend at Thruxton, May 2016
Mark Howard during the BTCC Weekend at Thruxton, May 2016
Kelvin Fletcher during the BTCC Weekend at Thruxton, May 2016
Alex Martin during the BTCC Weekend at Thruxton, May 2016
Mark Howard during the BTCC Weekend at Thruxton, May 2016
Chris Smiley during the BTCC Weekend at Thruxton, May 2016
Jack Goff during the BTCC Weekend at Thruxton, May 2016
Daniel Lloyd during the BTCC Weekend at Thruxton, May 2016
Matt Simpson during the BTCC Weekend at Thruxton, May 2016
Chris Smiley's grid board during the BTCC Weekend at Thruxton, May 2016
Chris Smiley during the BTCC Weekend at Thruxton, May 2016
Lewis Brown in the Ginetta Juniors Race during the BTCC Weekend at Thruxton, May 2016
Charlie Fagg in the Ginetta Juniors Race during the BTCC Weekend at Thruxton, May 2016
Charlie Fagg in the Ginetta Juniors Race during the BTCC Weekend at Thruxton, May 2016
Kyle Hornby in Ginetta Juniors during the BTCC Thruxton Weekend: 8th May 2016
Sebastián Pérez in the Ginetta Juniors during the BTCC Thruxton Weekend: 8th May 2016
Cameron Roberts and Dave Wooder in the Ginetta Juniors Race during the BTCC Weekend at Thruxton, May 2016
Tom Wood in the Ginetta Juniors Race during the BTCC Weekend at Thruxton, May 2016
Stuart Middleton in the Ginetta Juniors during the BTCC Thruxton Weekend: 8th May 2016
Geri Nicosia in the Ginetta Juniors Race during the BTCC Weekend at Thruxton, May 2016
Stuart Middleton in the Ginetta Juniors during the BTCC Thruxton Weekend: 8th May 2016
Lewis Brown in the Ginetta Juniors Race during the BTCC Weekend at Thruxton, May 2016
Dave Wooder in the Ginetta Juniors Race during the BTCC Weekend at Thruxton, May 2016
Charlie Fagg in the Ginetta Juniors Race during the BTCC Weekend at Thruxton, May 2016
Harry King in the Ginetta Juniors Race during the BTCC Weekend at Thruxton, May 2016
Max Bird in the Ginetta Juniors Race during the BTCC Weekend at Thruxton, May 2016
Connor Grady in the Ginetta Juniors Race during the BTCC Weekend at Thruxton, May 2016
The Clio Cup during the BTCC Weekend at Thruxton, May 2016
Kyle Hornby in Ginetta Juniors during the BTCC Thruxton Weekend: 8th May 2016
Sennan Fielding's car during the BTCC Weekend at Thruxton, May 2016
Jeff Smith during the BTCC Weekend at Thruxton, May 2016
Rob Austin during the BTCC Weekend at Thruxton, May 2016
Tom Ingram during the BTCC Weekend at Thruxton, May 2016
Matt Neal during the BTCC Weekend at Thruxton, May 2016
Mark Howard's grid board during the BTCC Weekend at Thruxton, May 2016
Mark Howard's grid board during the BTCC Weekend at Thruxton, May 2016
Mat Jackson's grid board during the BTCC Weekend at Thruxton, May 2016
Billy Monger in British Formula Four during the BTCC Weekend at Thruxton, May 2016
Daniel Harper in the Ginetta Juniors Race during the BTCC Weekend at Thruxton, May 2016
Connor Grady in the Ginetta Juniors Race during the BTCC Weekend at Thruxton, May 2016
Dan Welch during the BTCC Weekend at Thruxton, May 2016
Matt Neal during the BTCC Weekend at Thruxton, May 2016
Rob Austin during the BTCC Weekend at Thruxton, May 2016
Gordon Shedden during the BTCC Weekend at Thruxton, May 2016
Alex Martin during the BTCC Weekend at Thruxton, May 2016
Harry Hayek in British Formula Four during the BTCC Weekend at Thruxton, May 2016
Ayrton Simmons in British Formula Four at Thruxton, May 2016
Devlin DeFrancesco in British Formula Four during the BTCC Weekend at Thruxton, May 2016
Petru Florescu in British Formula Four during the BTCC Weekend at Thruxton, May 2016
Patrik Matthiesen and Luis Leeds in British Formula Four during the BTCC Weekend at Thruxton, May 2016
Sebastián Pérez in the Ginetta Juniors during the BTCC Thruxton Weekend: 8th May 2016
Jordan Collard in the Ginetta Juniors Race during the BTCC Weekend at Thruxton, May 2016
Max Bird in the Ginetta Juniors Race during the BTCC Weekend at Thruxton, May 2016
Daniel Harper in the Ginetta Juniors Race during the BTCC Weekend at Thruxton, May 2016
Tom Wood in the Ginetta Juniors Race during the BTCC Weekend at Thruxton, May 2016
Geri Nicosia in the Ginetta Juniors Race during the BTCC Weekend at Thruxton, May 2016
Harry King in the Ginetta Juniors Race during the BTCC Weekend at Thruxton, May 2016
Sebastian Priaulx in Ginetta Juniors during the BTCC Thruxton Weekend: 8th May 2016
Will Tregurtha in the Ginetta Juniors Race during the BTCC Weekend at Thruxton, May 2016
Stuart Middleton in the Ginetta Juniors during the BTCC Thruxton Weekend: 8th May 2016
George Jackson in the Clio Cup during the BTCC Weekend at Thruxton, May 2016
Josh Price in the Clio Cup during the BTCC Weekend at Thruxton, May 2016
Mike Bushell in the Clio Cup during the BTCC Weekend at Thruxton, May 2016
Adam Morgan during the BTCC Weekend at Thruxton, May 2016
Jack Goff's grid board during the BTCC Weekend at Thruxton, May 2016
Daniel Lloyd during the BTCC Weekend at Thruxton, May 2016
Matt Neal during the BTCC Weekend at Thruxton, May 2016
Mike Epps during the BTCC Weekend at Thruxton, May 2016
Alex Martin during the BTCC Weekend at Thruxton, May 2016
Árón Smith during the BTCC Weekend at Thruxton, May 2016
Chris Smiley during the BTCC Weekend at Thruxton, May 2016
Gordon Shedden during the BTCC Weekend at Thruxton, May 2016
Rob Collard during the BTCC Weekend at Thruxton, May 2016
Hunter Abbott during the BTCC Weekend at Thruxton, May 2016
Stuart Middleton and Will Tregurtha in the Ginetta Juniors during the BTCC Thruxton Weekend: 8th May 2016
Lewis Brown and Harry King in the Ginetta Juniors Race during the BTCC Weekend at Thruxton, May 2016
Stuart Middleton in the Ginetta Juniors during the BTCC Thruxton Weekend: 8th May 2016
Stuart Lines' Grid Board during the BTCC Weekend at Thruxton, May 2016
Anthony Ayres in the Ginetta Juniors Race during the BTCC Weekend at Thruxton, May 2016
Anthony Ayres in the Ginetta Juniors Race during the BTCC Weekend at Thruxton, May 2016
Tom Wood in the Ginetta Juniors Race during the BTCC Weekend at Thruxton, May 2016
Daniel Harper in the Ginetta Juniors Race during the BTCC Weekend at Thruxton, May 2016
Greg Johnson in the Ginetta Juniors Race during the BTCC Weekend at Thruxton, May 2016
Stuart Middleton and Will Tregurtha in the Ginetta Juniors during the BTCC Thruxton Weekend: 8th May 2016
Max Bird in the Ginetta Juniors Race during the BTCC Weekend at Thruxton, May 2016
Anthony Ayres in the Ginetta Juniors Race during the BTCC Weekend at Thruxton, May 2016
Stuart Middleton in the Ginetta Juniors during the BTCC Thruxton Weekend: 8th May 2016
Cameron Roberts and Dave Wooder in the Ginetta Juniors Race during the BTCC Weekend at Thruxton, May 2016
Daniel Harper in the Ginetta Juniors Race during the BTCC Weekend at Thruxton, May 2016
Stuart Middleton in the Ginetta Juniors during the BTCC Thruxton Weekend: 8th May 2016
Lewis Brown in the Ginetta Juniors Race during the BTCC Weekend at Thruxton, May 2016
Geri Nicosia in the Ginetta Juniors Race during the BTCC Weekend at Thruxton, May 2016
Anthony Ayres in the Ginetta Juniors Race during the BTCC Weekend at Thruxton, May 2016
Kyle Hornby in Ginetta Juniors during the BTCC Thruxton Weekend: 8th May 2016
Greg Johnson in the Ginetta Juniors Race during the BTCC Weekend at Thruxton, May 2016
Greg Johnson in the Ginetta Juniors Race during the BTCC Weekend at Thruxton, May 2016
The Clio Cup during the BTCC Weekend at Thruxton, May 2016
Sebastián Pérez in the Ginetta Juniors during the BTCC Thruxton Weekend: 8th May 2016
Stuart Middleton in the Ginetta Juniors during the BTCC Thruxton Weekend: 8th May 2016
Sebastian Priaulx in Ginetta Juniors during the BTCC Thruxton Weekend: 8th May 2016
Daniel Harper in the Ginetta Juniors Race during the BTCC Weekend at Thruxton, May 2016
Geri Nicosia in the Ginetta Juniors Race during the BTCC Weekend at Thruxton, May 2016
Luis Leeds' British Formula Four car during the BTCC Weekend at Thruxton, May 2016
Adam Morgan during the BTCC Weekend at Thruxton, May 2016
Ant Whorton-Eales in the Clio Cup during the BTCC Weekend at Thruxton, May 2016
Ant Whorton-Eales in the Clio Cup during the BTCC Weekend at Thruxton, May 2016
Tom Ingram's pit board during the BTCC Weekend at Thruxton, May 2016
Luis Leeds and Zane Goddard in British Formula Four during the Thruxton weekend, June 2016
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