Goudhurst’s Jake Hill put in three impressively feisty drives on his BTCC debut for Kent-based RCIB Insurance Racing at Brands Hatch.
After strong runs in practice Hill qualified a promising 19th out of the 32 machines, but was a little frustrated not to have been a little higher as a mid-session rain-shower meant he didn’t quite a clean run on the 1.2 mile circuit.
The first of Sunday’s 22-lap races saw Hill get a clean start and immediately pass Halford’s Andy Neate. A strong opening lap moved him past a sliding Martin Depper, then out-brake Aiden Moffat into Graham Hill and pass former team-mate Rob Austin and up into 15th place, gaining a further place on lap two when Sam Tordoff spun after contact with Rob Collard.
After a safety car period Hill began a fierce battle with Aiden Moffat’s Mercedes, passing and re-passing each other and both gaining a place when Jeff Smith ran wide, crossing the line with Hill just behind in 13th place.
“Great start and a really fun first lap then I had a great battle with Aiden – another lap I would have passed him for sure – but it’s my first points scored and means I start race two in 13th and in really good shape” said Hill.
Race two saw another strong start, Hill passing his race one nemesis Moffat off the line, then benefitting from race one Winner Ingram and BMW’s Rob Collard colliding and dropping down the order, Hill starting lap two in 10th position and closing on Collard’s team mate Jack Goff.
As the race unfolded Hill soon became involved in a scrap with a recovering Sam Tordoff’s BMW 1 Series, fending off the Yorkshire man and edging away, setting quicker and quicker lap times, when on lap 17 his Toyota Avensis suddenly coughed and stopped with a fuel pressure sensor failure.
“I had just raidioed in that the car was the best it had been all weekend! It’s hugely frustrating but also very encouraging that we have made great progress. The team have done a great job – the guy’s from our engine supplier’s Swindon have apologised which was nice, but I was on for my best ever BTCC finish”
This meant that Hill was forced to start back in 29th for the final race, and also on the Soft Compound tyres, and again a great start saw the #24 machine ahead of team-mate Chris Smiley, and out-brake Emmerdale star Kelvin Fletcher and Mark Howard, before charging past Dan Welch and Martin Depper on the opening lap.
After gaining a further place when Mat Jackson retired, Hill also benefitted from Andy Neate’s issues, and soon caught his team mate Michael Epps.
Epps fought hard but after a few laps Hill and race one winner Tom Ingram found a way past, pulling away and into the top-twenty.
Ingram put huge pressure on Hill, the pair running nose to tail and often side by side and on several occasions Ingram tagged Hill’s similar Avensis.
The pair who have race together from Ginetta Juniors back in 2009 to continued to scrap until Ingram got a good run out of Paddock Hill bend and up the Hill to the Druids Hairpin, and pushed Hill into a high-speed spin, Hill incredibly fortunate not to have a major accident, and recovering superbly.
From there Hill’s tyres were ruined hence he was happy to just bring the car home in one piece, having put in an impressive showing all weekend.
“It was going well and when Tom caught me I knew it would be a big fight. I felt I defended my position firmly but fairly, and it was a pretty wild ride when Tom spun me – I’m not quite sure how that wasn’t a huge shunt! The officials decided it was deliberate and avoidable and he was fined £500 and given 3 points on his race licence – I’d just rather not have been spun! Overall though I am really pleased with the performance and feel really confident going to Donington”
“A huge thanks to RCIB Insurance and Team HARD plus all of their partners, plus my guests Richard Wheeler, John Miskin, Roger Burgess, and everyone else who has been instrumental in making this happen. Roll on Donington!”
Next race; Donington Park April 16th & 17th
Images courtesy of: www.psp-images.co.uk