Paul O’Neill’s Thruxton thoughts

Six different winners from six different BTCC races – that sums up the BTCC really doesn’t it?

I even think we could see eight different winners from nine races by the time Sunday evening is upon us. Why? Well read on and see…

For a start, the revitalised Aron Smith – in the stunning new BKR team – is having an absolute corker of a season so far! He pitches up at Thruxton on the back of two great weekends with a podium finish at each event so far and he has an enviable record around the Hampshire speed bowl in the junior formulae – more often than not taking a pole, a win or both.

He turned up at Thruxton last year ninth in the BTCC standings (+15kg) and grabbed a first BTCC pole. This year he’s seventh in the standings (+21kg) but has a proven package with the GPRM components on a unique track, which has limited running for teams to get their head around the ‘new’ RML parts.

Aron’s position reminds me of when I was running in the ex-Dynamics (BTC) Integra against the S2000 cars. Overall it wasn’t the fastest, but when the stars align a small team can produce a BIG result! This may be their last chance to grab a win as the ‘RML’ teams start getting on it.

When people say Thruxton to me, I think of many things! Speed, danger and of course Andrew Jordan…

That pole lap of his on a drying track in 2012 was one of THE best things I’ve ever seen. If you ain’t seen it, here you go:

For AJ, Thruxton can’t come quick enough after a disastrous Donington. To make it worse, his team-mate Mat Jackson had a cracking weekend with a win and a second place, so pressure is mounting in one of the most fascinating duels on the grid!!

Jordan has no ballast and is armed with the best engine on the grid, which he will need around the ‘power’ circuit. The Focus wasn’t present at Thruxton last year but the last time it raced there, the Motorbase team had a double podium for Jackson and Fabrizio Giovanardi, so they should be confident of at least having Jordan starting from the first two rows.

Don’t ask me why but I have a feeling there may be quite a high rate of attrition this year at Thruxton as I’ve been speaking to a few well qualified people and it’s interesting what they’ve been saying!! As long as teams play it by the book they should be fine, but it’s a case of watch this space.

Tom Ingram is in exactly the same championship position (twelfth) heading to Thruxton as he was in 2015 but four points better off than last year. That’s disappointing reading for the round one race winner who clearly has the speed and the car, but not the luck. He struggled to break into the top ten last year but I really think this is where Tom’s season will restart.

I still believe Adam Morgan can do a ‘2013 Andrew Jordan’ if he keeps on scoring big and putting in performances like that of the Brands weekend. Donington Park saw him end his 40 race finishing streak as contact fired him into the Craner Curves gravel in race three, but he should have one of the best handling cars on the grid and the former Thruxton winner can score some big points as he’s ballast free!

Jack Goff and WSR absolutely nailed the Brands Hatch opener and then built a mahooosive extension on the side of it at Donington Park! This boy is an absolute dark horse for the championship.

I had his team-mates Rob Collard and Sam Tordoff down as outsiders for the title but I’ve changed my view as he is so strong so early in RWD. This will provide the ultimate test to JG as Thruxton is so unique and doesn’t favour the BMWs so much with its bumpy nature and fast sweeps. But if he just grabs a haul of points on the quiet with his +57kg of ballast, this lad will continue the charge!

Sam, and particularly Rob, will lead the way in qualifying and race one but I don’t expect wins for WSR unless they come in the reverse grid race.

What about BMR? They’ll be licking their wounds from Donington and Thruxton is not the place to go with an underdeveloped car that is clearly not running full power yet. That said, the car at every apex around the Donington Park circuit looked quicker than the cars around it, which obviously points to a strong chassis. The problem is, at Thruxton you need full throttle a lot! Don’t expect any top tens from them; they’ll be wanting to get to Oulton Park.

Honda, Honda, Honda.

If all the cars from the BTCC were lined up in the Thruxton pit lane (all full with +75kg) and I was asked to pick one to drive, yup you guessed it! I’d be right in there for a Type-R!! They are just the perfect all rounder; an amazing chassis, great engine and fantastic aero. With this in mind these guys should be the biggest scorers of the weekend but will be worried about punctures like the one that beset Shedden in race three at Brands with full ballast. Race one for the Honda duo will be ‘lets finish in the top six and shed some weight’.

This brings me to Eurotech – and watch out for Jeff Smith!! He’s fearless, was fast at Donington and apart from looking like a rubbish Elvis, he has no weight for Thruxton! He should be the surprise package for qualifying and race one given he was fastest in unofficial testing there back in February in both wet and dry conditions…

There’s also a new Eurotech Type-R on the grid for the weekend and I highly regard Daniel Lloyd. He was at 888 for a one-off round in 2010 and ruffled the feathers of a certain James Nash. Don’t expect too much from him at this round (top ten in race three?) as I think Jeff will show him the way, but going forward he’s a potential race winner.

Meanwhile I’m gonna put my neck on the ‘Lines’ here and say that Stewart might get a point in one of the races (if he doesn’t spin).

Lastly, one of my favourite lineups in the BTCC at the minute; Josh Cook and Ash Sutton. This battle will continue again this weekend and with the revitalised MG going well. It would be easy to say they will fly, but I think this will be a ‘blip’ in their impressive season so far. The MG has never really gelled with Thruxton, even in Andrew Jordan’s hands, so I’m only expecting some top tens from the boys!

Anyway, some predictions…

Qualifying: Andy Jordan / Aron Smith
Race 1: Aron Smith
Race 2: Gordon Shedden
Race 3: Jeff Smith

Have a great weekend duuuuuuuuudes!!