Thruxton Circuit – the most southerly stop on the Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship and TOCA package calendar. Since it first hosted the BTCC or its precursor the British Saloon Car Championship in 1968 – Thruxton has been the scene for many iconic moments in British tin-top racing. We take a look back down memory lane at just some of those important milestones.

It all began in Hampshire in 1968. The quiet and quaint former RAF aerodrome had gone through a significant upgrade, and the fastest circuit was ready to host its first saloon car meeting. A new venue – brought great excitement as crowds watched Brian Muir guide his Ford Falcon Sprint to the overall win with Chris Craft, Graham Janzen and Frank Gardner taking the class wins.

The halcyon days of the eighties brought plenty of variety and the star names. Gordon Spice opened the decade with two wins from two meetings in his legendary Ford Capri while the likes of fan favourites Andy Rouse and Steve Soper roared to victories in cars such as the Rover Vitesse and Ford Sierra Cosworth.

The Super Touring era is one that conjures up much excitement. Thruxton was the scene for the season opener in 1994 – with the entry of Alfa Romeo raising the stakes in competition and raising the eyebrows, with its high profile ‘bolt on’ rear wing. As others reached for the rulebook – the scarlet red machines reached the top of the timesheets with pole, fastest lap and a race win for Gabriele Tarquini. Another manufacturer to make their bow at Thruxton in ‘94 was Volvo with the infamous 850 estate car – a wonderful eclectic addition to the grid – making its competitive debut at Thruxton.

2005 marks twenty – yes twenty years since TOCA’s answer to ‘mission impossible’ was completed at Thruxton. Team Dynamics and Halfords had switched to the Honda Integra Type R with Matt Neal and Dan Eaves leading the line. Eaves used the car’s slippery shape to good effect to win not one, not two but all three races – becoming the first driver to win all three rounds in a weekend! Elsewhere, who can not forget that magnificent save from Yvan Muller in the Vauxhall Astra as well after a brief love tap from Jason Plato coming into the final chicane!

Eaves’ trio of wins helped to pave the way for the Japanese marque in the BTCC. With the UK spiritual home for Honda just 30 odd miles north in Swindon – Thruxton has been a happy hunting ground – with the Civic and Integra helping Honda racking up more wins than any other manufacturer in the modern era.

Current BTCC star Josh Cook who hails from Somerset – classes the Andover-based venue as his ‘home’ circuit and that can be clearly seen in his win tally – with half of his touring car race wins coming here. The King of Thruxton has 10 wins around the Hampshire Speedbowl, with all but one of them aboard a Honda Civic – albeit in slightly different models and evolutions. His first win came in 2018 with the last in 2022 – the last time Thruxton played host to the BTCC in one calendar year. Cook sealed three out of the six races that season and with a return to a Honda in 2025 – the home crowd will be hoping for another win or two to add to his already impressive collection.

And finally – who can forget an exciting contest last year! Three different race winners in three different cars, with Jake Hill winning in a BMW in race one, Tom Ingram in a Hyundai in race two and Ash Sutton in a Ford in race three. Ironically – they also finished in this order in the final championship standings at the end of the year.

2025 – what can we hope for. Well… plenty of close, exciting racing, history being made and maybe a new race winner? Is that asking for too much? Or is it? Only time will tell!

Tickets can be purchased from: https://thruxtonracing.ticketco.events/uk/en/e/btcc with children 13 and under going free! Every person who purchases a ticket will be entered into a competition draw, with the winner having the honour of waving the chequered flag at the end of the first touring car race.