Jake Hill was back on the top step of the podium last weekend, this time at the Super Touring Power 2 event at Brands Hatch.

The two wins on Saturday take his tally to a remarkable 6 Wins from 6 Starts in the event in Richard Wheeler’s 1999 BTCC Championship winning Nissan Primera GT.

30 year-old Hill raced the sleek machine last year, taking all-four wins, and returned to race on the Brands Hatch Grand Prix circuit on Saturday, having briefly reacquainted himself with the car on Friday.

“We had an amazing weekend at Oulton Park – it feels great to be leading the BTCC championship as we head into the summer break having completed half the season. I know a lot of my rivals will be heading off on holiday or chilling out at home, but not me! I absolutely loved this event last year, and am so grateful to Richard (Wheeler) for once again giving me this opportunity”

Heading into qualifying on Saturday morning, Jake immediately set the pace amongst the 17 car entry, ultimately taking an impressive Pole Position by 2.87 seconds, with BTCC Legend Steve Soper’s BMW alongside him.

“The car was on rails, and this year Richard has sourced some Michelin tyres which felt fantastic – I just love this car and this is my absolute favourite circuit, so it was just amazing driving it again”

Hill started the 15 minute race alongside Soper and made a strong start, leading the field into Paddock Bend, the pair immediately edging away from the chasing pack.

Despite his performance in qualifying, Hill was not pulling away from the 1997 BMW 320i, and quickly it became clear that the pair would enter into a titanic battle, swapping places into and out of Paddock Bend, as well as around the high-speed sweeps of the GP circuit.

As the race ran down, a charging Richard Wheeler had driven brilliantly in the sister Nissan Primera to Hill, working his way past Hughes, Morgan and eventually Anthony Reid into third place, and onto the back of the Hill-Soper battle.

Coming through Druids Bend, Hill had edged away slightly, and Wheeler and Soper ran closely into the tight hairpin, the pair colliding on exit and clattering into the barriers with some force, immediately causing  the race to be stopped.

Fortunately neither driver was seriously hurt, although both would receive some bruising, and sadly the damage to both cars so severe that they would no longer take any part in the event.

“Wow, that was a fantastic race! Steve is a legend, a genuine superstar, so to race him like that in these cars, and on this circuit was just brilliant. Such a shame Richard and Steve tangled, I’m just glad they’re ok”

Ultimately Hill was classified as the Winner, ahead of Hughes and Morgan, and would therefore start race two from Pole Position once again.

Another good start saw Hill lead the ex-Jason Plato Vauxhall Vectra of Hughes into Paddock Bend, with the two cars pulling away, and similarly to race one changing places several times, until with around 5 minutes remaining of the 15 minute race, Hill set a blistering lap of 1.33.858 – a new lap record – and pulled clear to take his second win of the day by 6.128 seconds.

“Once again the car was mega, and it was great fun racing with Jason early on, and very special to take another win – that’s 6 Wins in 6 Races in the Primera now – and a huge ‘Thank You’ again to Richard for giving me the chance, and the whole John Danby Racing crew for looking after the car so brilliantly – John, Stuart, Tom, Louie, Pedro, Taylor and co – another superb job”

As well as the on-track action, Hill was part of the BTCC driver’s autograph sessions, featuring drivers like John Cleland, Jeff Allam and Anthony Reid, and particularly special for him was being part of a ‘Nissan Primera’ Q&A session with Reid and the driver that Won the 1999 BTCC Championship in the car, Frenchman Laurent Aiello.

Aiello also reunited himself with the car, chatting with Hill as he sat in the RML-prepared car, and later taking time to sign a Tamiya RC version of his 1997 German Touring Car (STW) winning Peugeot 406.

“My word, meeting Laurent, chatting with him about the Nissan and also my own BTCC exploits, and of course getting him to sign my Tamiya car – talk about a proper legend, and a really lovely guy too. Absolutely made my day!”

Hill was also due to race in Sunday’s event but after the incident on Saturday the car was withdrawn, Hill still attending and taking part in the Autograph Session in the morning.

“It’s been great having such a relaxed weekend, lovely meeting so many fans and having time to chat whereas it’s so frantic at a BTCC event you rarely get a chance. Big thanks to them, the marshals, organisers and media for making this brilliant event happen. I have had a fabulous time”

Hill will head to the Goodwood Festival of Speed on the 11- 14th July, once again taking part in the ‘Shootout’ in the Ric Wood-prepared Calsonic Nissan Skyline R32 GTR, then after a break the following weekend will be back in action in the BTCC at Croft on the 27-28th July.

“Goodwood is always so special – I am also driving the unique Shadow MK1 Can-Am car that I drove in the demo at the Goodwood Members Meeting, so that will be fun. Then back to business at Croft. We had a great first half of the season, it’s going to be interesting to see what happens, but we will be absolutely pushing 100% to be in that title fight in October. Let’s’ see!”

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