Cook Dominates Thruxton Qualifying Race in BTCC
Josh Cook of Speedworks Motorsport reaffirmed his title as the 'King of Thruxton' by securing a dominant win in the British Touring Car Championship qualifying race. Starting from pole position, Cook led the entire event, showcasing exceptional control and speed. His victory at the Hampshire speedway adds another significant achievement to his record, further cementing his prowess on this particular track.
The race began with Cook in his Toyota Corolla GR Sport taking an early lead, a position he never relinquished. His advantage was partly attributed to the unrestricted TOCA Turbo Boost available to him, given his eighth position in the championship standings. This technical allowance provided a notable performance edge over competitors like reigning champion Tom Ingram, who, despite starting alongside Cook on the front row in his Excelr8 Motorsport Hyundai i30 N Fastback, had significantly less turbo boost duration.
A brief interruption occurred early in the race when a safety car was deployed to retrieve Ricky Collard's stranded Excelr8 Hyundai from the Complex. However, this did not deter Cook's momentum. Upon the restart, he skillfully managed to widen the gap between himself and Ingram, extending his lead to over a second with just six laps remaining. His ability to control the race, even with a car described as 'lively' and presenting 'moments' of challenge, highlighted his expertise and composure under pressure.
Meanwhile, points leader Ash Sutton, driving a NAPA Ford Focus Titanium, faced a tougher challenge starting from seventh due to his group's higher competition and limited turbo boost. Despite these constraints, Sutton made impressive overtakes, climbing to third place by passing Mikey Doble, Senna Proctor, and Adam Morgan, eventually securing a podium finish behind Ingram. Dan Cammish and Senna Proctor, both in Alliance Ford vehicles, finished fourth and fifth, respectively, showcasing the strength of the Ford team. Gordon Shedden in his Laser Tools-liveried Speedworks Toyota claimed sixth, closely followed by the Plato Racing Mercedes A35 Saloons of Adam Morgan and Daniel Rowbottom.
The latter stages of the race saw some shifts in the top ten, as Tom Chilton experienced technical difficulties with his Excelr8 Hyundai, forcing him out of ninth position on the penultimate lap. This allowed Mikey Doble, driving for Power Maxed Racing, and James Dorlin, representing Restart Racing, to advance into the final top ten spots. Cook’s dominant performance, leading from the outset and skillfully managing the race dynamics, underscores his mastery of the Thruxton circuit and sets a strong precedent for future races.