ONE MOTORSPORT REVVED UP TO TAKE ON FASTEST CIRCUIT IN THE UK
One Motorsport is setting its sights on more silverware this weekend (June 7-8) as the Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship sets course for the fastest circuit in the UK, Thruxton.
Hot on the heels of claiming a first podium of the season at Snetterton last time out, the Brackley-based squad heads to the high-speed Hampshire venue with drivers Josh Cook and Stephen Jelley both looking to make their mark.
Renowned for its flat-out sweeping curves and unforgiving old-school nature, Thruxton has become synonymous for being the ultimate challenge for cars and drivers alike – and down the years it has proven to be a happy hunting ground for the Honda Civic Type R outfit in particular.
Since 2019 the two-time Independent Teams’ champions have tallied a total of nine race wins around the 2.356-mile track, and it is Cook that has been responsible for clinching each and every one of them.
The 33-year-old is the most successful driver in BTCC history at Thruxton and after claiming a hard-fought reverse grid podium less than two weeks ago, Cook is relishing the prospect of battling for honours around what is his favourite circuit on the calendar.
Elsewhere, Cook’s team-mate Jelley will be hoping to bounce back from a frustrating outing at Snetterton which resulted in two non-finishes – the second of which was resulted in a substantial hit with the armco barrier after being pitched sideways by a rival.
Despite that misfortune, the Leicestershire racer has shown flashes of speed as he gets reacquainted with the nuances of front-wheel-drive this season and heading to Thruxton his target is clear; to record three strong finishes.
Steve Dudman, Team Owner: “As a team we’re looking forward to seeing what we can do at Thruxton this weekend. It’s always been a circuit that we’ve gone well at and with the momentum of scoring a podium behind us, the hope is that we can be in the mix for more top results.
“So far this season we’ve been missing that last ingredient when it comes to straight line performance but with the past pedigree of the Type R, the changes we’ve made to the car and the nature of the circuit, I’m optimistic that both Josh and Stephen can have a strong showing.”
Stephen Jelley: “It’s fair to say that Snetterton was a weekend to forget for myself but it was great to see Josh get onto the podium and show that we’re moving in the right direction as a team.
“Down the years I’ve seen first-hand how potent the Honda has been around Thruxton so I’m excited to see what it’s like this weekend. It doesn’t hurt either that I’ve got someone like Josh to use as a benchmark as he’s a real specialist around there.
“After last weekend the aim for me first and foremost is to stay out of trouble and bring the car home – hopefully in the points – in all three races.”
Josh Cook: “It’s no secret that Thruxton is my favourite stop on the calendar and a place that I’ve always clicked with. As a team we’ve had some great results there down the years with the Honda and chasing more of them is of course the aim this weekend.
“Securing that podium at Snetterton was a worthy reward for everyone’s hard work and since then the guys and girls back at base have been working flat-out to ensure that we’re going into the weekend in the best shape possible
“While we’ve enjoyed a good run of results at Thruxton in the past, that doesn’t mean we’re guaranteed success. We’ll keep our heads down, work through our planned programme and see what we can do across qualifying and race day. I’m excited to get out on track, that’s for sure!”
Qualifying at Thruxton will be broadcast on the ITV Sport YouTube channel on Saturday from 15:00 before all three races are aired LIVE on ITV4 and ITVX on Sunday. Race one is scheduled to begin at 11:45 ahead of race two at 14:35 and race three at 17:05.