Photo: TCR UK

Callum Newsham takes TCR UK pole position at Donington Park

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JH Racing’s Callum Newsham claimed his fourth TCR UK pole position of the year, beating championship leader Max Hart by a mere 0.077s at Donington Park.

The Hyundai Elantra N TCR driver set a best time of 1m33.547 late in the session to come out just on top, as a slew of track limits infringements left others ruing missed chances.

Among them was Hart, who had initially gone faster than Newsham before losing his last time, but the Irishman still claimed five championship points with second on the grid.

Another driver left wondering what could have been, was the Jamsport Honda Civic Type-R entry of Jenson O’Neill-Going who, like Hart, topped the times in the closing stages before he too was handed a track limits infringement.

O’Neill-Going ended up third on the grid, alongside Halls Racing Honda driver Maximus Hall.

Indeed, Hart and O’Neill-Going, who split the Snetterton victories earlier in the year, had each taken turns at the top of the times in the first half of the session and looked to be the favourites for pole.

Hart initially set a best time of 1m34.093 before O’Neill-Going lowered the benchmark by a quarter of a second.

In the second runs, however, Newsham came into his own and went quicker with his first attempt before improving with his final lap to secure pole.

Hart improved to go quicker, but that time was deleted for track limits at the Esses. His final lap was good enough for the outside of the front row.

O’Neill-Going looked to have taken up the fight to Newsham and went quickest. Right behind him on the road, Newsham beat that time immediately, as O’Neill-Going dropped to third after losing his time.

With no significant improvements coming elsewhere, Hall momentarily stole the headlines by setting the best time with his last effort; his latest track limits infringement dropped him back to fourth.

Reigning champion Adam Shepherd improved with the last lap of the session to line up fifth on the grid for race one, ahead of August’s Donington Park double winner Harry Bloor.

Luke Sargeant was seventh quickest ahead of Rod McGovern, with Brad Hutchison and Barry-John McHenry completing the top 10.