Cammish seals double at Donington Park season opener

It was Dan Cammish at the double during the opening weekend of the 2023 British Touring Car Championship (BTCC) season at Donington Park taking reversed Race Three honours after also winning Race One on Sunday afternoon.

Cammish sealed it lights-to-flag in a race of good fortune from the beginning as Ronan Pearson being disqualified from Race Two saw the order jumbled again and Cammish was moved onto pole. Dan Rowbottom was on the front row alongside him but again had a poor start and fell down the pack, as did Bobby Thompson after showing early resolve.

But in a true embodiment of the title challengers likely spending this season neck and neck, it was just that as with Cammish off in the distance, Tom Ingram, Colin Turkington, Ash Sutton and Jake Hill squabbled for the other podium finishes in captivating racing.

It was Ingram that managed to hold on ahead of Sutton who ended the weekend strongly after a poor Race One and being one of those caught in the wrong decision not to change tires in Race Two.

He eventually got past Turkington in the closing stages and as ever, there was a teammate talking point as Hill tapped the back of Turkington in moving through the final chicane and the Team BMW driver fell away from there albeit not in immediate danger from Thompson.

Josh Cook and race two winner, Tom Chilton were next ahead of Áron Taylor-Smith and the aforementioned Rowbottom as Andrew Watson, one of the stars of the weekend also banked more points to sit eighth in the Drivers’ Championship.

2023 Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship – Race Three – Donington Park

1. Dan Cammish, NAPA Racing UK 21 Laps
2. Tom Ingram , BRISTOL STREET MOTORS with EXCELR8 +3.044s
3. Ashley Sutton, NAPA Racing UK +3.771s
4. Jake Hill, Laser Tools Racing with MB Motorsport +3.884s 
5. Colin Turkington, Team BMW +4.683s 
6. Bobby Thompson, Autobrite Direct with Millers Oils  +12.615s 
7.Josh Cook, One Motorsport with Starline Racing +14.883s 
8. Tom Chilton, BRISTOL STREET MOTORS with EXCELR8 +15.964s 
9. Árón Taylor-Smith, CarStore Power Maxed Racing +16.192s 
10. Daniel Rowbottom, NAPA Racing UK +17.196s
11. Rory Butcher, TOYOTA GAZOO Racing UK +17.309s 
12. Andrew Watson, CarStore Power Maxed Racing +18.080s
13. George Gamble, TOYOTA GAZOO Racing UK 20.757s 
14. Ricky Collard, TOYOTA GAZOO Racing UK +24.005s
15. Aiden Moffat, One Motorsport with Starline Racing +25.906s
16. Dexter Patterson, Re.Beverages and Bartercard with Team HARD +26.183s 
17. Jack Butel, Go-Fix with Autoaid Breakdown +26.473s
18. Daniel Lloyd, Autobrite Direct with Millers Oils +28.684s 
19. Ronan Pearson, BRISTOL STREET MOTORS with EXCELR8 +29.396s 
20. Stephen Jelley, Team BMW +34.562s 
21. Nic Hamilton, Go-Fix with Autoaid Breakdown +48.236s 
22. Adam Morgan, Team BMW +1 Lap
23. Mikey Doble, CarStore Power Maxed Racing DNF
24. Jade Edwards, Re.Beverages and Bartercard with Team HARD DNF
25. Will Powell, One Motorsport with Starline Racing DNF
26. Sam Osborne, NAPA Racing UK DNF 
27. Nick Halstead, BRISTOL STREET MOTORS with EXCELR8 DNF