Jake Hill and Colin Turkington helped West Surrey Racing take a clean sweep of victories at Oulton Park this past weekend (June 17/18) as the Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship reached the halfway mark of the 2023 season.

On what proved to be a weekend to remember for the BMW squad, Hill guided his Laser Tools Racing with MB Motorsport machine to two wins, a second and three fastest laps whilst Turkington produced a sensational back-to-front turnaround to claim reverse grid honours.

Before the BMW domination, Saturday’s qualifying session saw championship leader Ash Sutton sweep his way to his third – and NAPA Racing UK’s fifth – successive pole position of the year; a feat that was last achieved by Mat Jackson back in 2015.

Having been a constant presence towards the top of the times in practice, the Ford Focus ST driver headed the first segment of qualifying by more than three tenths of a second before then upping the ante in the Top Ten Showdown. 

Smashing the qualifying lap record by more than half a second, the three-time champion was in a league of his own as he headed Hill, Toyota Gazoo Racing UK’s Ricky Collard and Autobrite Direct with Millers Oils’ Bobby Thompson.

Sutton could ultimately do nothing to stop Hill in race one though as the BMW 330e M Sport driver blasted past the pole-sitter and onto his first victory of the season.

Withstanding early pressure from the three-time champion whilst his tyres came up to temperature, Hill soon settled into his stride and began to pull clear on his way to victory. Behind, Sutton cruised home to finish second whilst reigning champion Tom Ingram completed the podium in third.

Race two was to be a carbon copy of the opener as Hill powered his way to an emphatic lights-to-flag win whilst Sutton and Ingram scrapped for the remaining spots on the rostrum; with Sutton edging out Ingram to second.

Team BMW’s Turkington then came to the fore in a pulsating reverse grid bout as he completed a phenomenal comeback to lead a historic WSR/BMW 1-2-3 finish.

After being disqualified from qualifying due to his car failing post-session scrutineering checks, the four-time champion fought his way from the back of the grid in races one and two to put himself in the mix for the finale. 

Charging up to second early on, the Northern Irishman made a bold move around the outside of team-mate Adam Morgan through turn one following a safety car restart, which also opened the door for Hill to follow.

Once out front, Turkington was wheel-perfect and he cruised to his second win of the year whilst Hill and Morgan followed him home to complete the podium. 

Heading into the series’ annual summer break, Sutton holds a slender advantage over Ingram at the top of the Drivers’ Championship whilst BMW currently lead the way in the Manufacturer-Constructors Championship and NAPA Racing UK the Teams’.

Josh Cook and One Motorsport with Starline Racing head the standings in both the Independent Drivers’ and Independent Teams’ categories, with Dexter Patterson proving to be the driver to beat in the Jack Sears Trophy after five events. 

To view the full classification of results from all BTCC sessions at Oulton Park, CLICK HERE.

The Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship recommences on the weekend of July 29/30, where Rounds 16, 17 and 18 will take place at Croft Circuit.

Tickets for the BTCC’s trip to North Yorkshire can be purchased online at https://www.croftcircuit.co.uk/racing/btcc