Dan Cammish:
“The team did an incredible job overnight. The shift they put in from the moment the car arrived back in the garage till almost four in the morning, arriving back at seven carrying on was an amazing effort just to get me out, so it’s a shame that we couldn’t deliver on what we’d shown in practice. Having tyres delaminate in race two didn’t help and we’ve just had issue after issue this weekend. We came forward in the last one from 21st to 13th, but if you don’t start at the front, you don’t finish at the front in this series.
“I’m not sure if the hybrid system changes the racing that much. We’ve all got it, but what we are seeing is that no one’s really coming through. The BMWs are completely rapid, so they can do without the hybrid, but I’m not sure if people are moving around the grid as much as they used to. Those who start at the front finish at the front, and we can’t even get there. I don’t think it’s as influential as the ballast was in that respect, but we’ve all got it, we’re all using it, so we’ll crack on.”
Dan Cammish endured a difficult weekend as the British Touring Car Championship (BTCC) season began at Donington Park (April 23/24), when a split fuel line in qualifying caused his car to catch on fire, putting race day in doubt.
However, a tremendous effort by his Motorbase / NAPA Racing UK mechanics, who worked until the early hours of Sunday morning and resumed at 07:00, ensured his car was reassembled and ready to take to the grid for the opening race of the season on Sunday morning. The Yorkshireman fought his way through the field during the first contest, making up three places before the Safety Car was called, gaining another nine positions, missing out on a points finish by an agonising 0.002s at the flag.
Starting 16th for race two, he climbed up to tenth, but started to lose pace with 12 of the 16 scheduled laps complete. Falling back several places, Dan pulled into the pits with a puncture, losing a lap, being classified 21st where he would start the final race of the weekend. Once again, he moved forward, this time gaining eight positions to finally have his and the team’s efforts rewarded with three championship points, which may seem like scant consolation but could prove vital at the end of the season.
There is now a short break in action, before the BTCC resumes battle on the Brands Hatch Indy circuit in Kent for rounds four, five, and six of the 2022 season where Dan and his NAPA Racing UK / Motorbase crew will be aiming to bounce back in style.
BTCC Drivers' Championship, after 3 rounds
1. Tom Ingram (51 points)
2. Gordon Shedden (44 points)
3. Ash Sutton (40 points)
4. Josh Cook / Adam Morgan (34 points)
17. Dan Cammish (3 points)
BTCC Manufacturers' Championship, after 3 rounds
1. EXCELR8 Motorsport/Hyundai (88 points)
2. Motorbase Performance/Ford (69 points)
3. BMW (66 points)
4. Team Dynamics/Honda (64 points)
BTCC Teams' Championship, after 3 rounds
1. Bristol Street Motors with EXCELR8 TradePriceCars.com (75 points)
2. Car Gods with Ciceley Motorsport (59 points)
3. Halfords Racing with Cataclean (53 points)
4. NAPA Racing UK (44 points)
* all points provisional pending judicial decisions
Rounds 4, 5, & 6 of the British Touring Car Championship will take place at Brands Hatch on May 14/15