Hill bounces back in Donington Park BTCC thriller
Trade Price Cars Racing's Jake Hill reinforced just how competitive the 2019 Edition Audi S3 is, after two superb races at Donington Park for the second round of the Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship, taking two top-ten finishes despite being taken out in the opening race of the day.
25 year-old Hill had made a superb start in race one, when a multi-car collision resulted in him being clattered into by a spinning Ollie Jackson and forced to retire.
"I made one of my best-ever starts, and then was in clear space going into the Old Hairpin - I managed to avoid the initial carnage but then Jackson was spun into me and that was me out.'
The AmD Tuning Trade Price Cars Racing crew worked frantically to repair the Audi S3 and with just seconds to go before race two the sleek Aston Lark backed machine was ready to go.
Despite this Hill immediately found his car to be working superbly, making up four places on the opening lap, and a further two on the next lap before the Safety Car appeared.
At the restart, Moffat retired and then Hill passed Smith, Jackson and Thompson, with Tordoff being spun off and Cammish getting a drive through penalty leaving Hill now up to 17th place.
Still charging Hill passed Jelley and Proctor, then Rowbottom and Simpson, and with Smiley retiring Hill was now up to 12th place.
With Goff dropping out, Hill then sliced passed Tom Ingram before Oliphant was spun out - Hill narrowly missing the BMW 330i and now remarkably up to 9th position - an amazing 20 places gained!
"Wow! Just incredible. Rob, Stuart, Dave, Tom, Adam and the whole AmD Tuning crew did a fantastic job to not only repair the car, but give me the best handling car I think I've ever had! We just charged through the field, the car was amazing. Thanks guys'
When the reverse grid draw pulled out P10, this meant that Hill would start the final race in P2....alongside Tom Ingram's factory Toyota Corolla, but significantly on the harder 'option' tyre which had proved to be much slower than the 'prime' tyre.
"Two race weekends and two front-row starts! It will be tough on these tyres but the car is working so well we should be ok'
A strong start saw Hill retain P2, before a Safety Car neutralised the race for several laps. At the restart, Hill intelligently recognised that several cars had more pace, and driving a fast but controlled race, he allowed the faster-tyred Collard and Cook past, then Butcher and Sutton also edged by, but Hill held off double-champion Plato for a hard-fought P6 at race end.
"After being fired-off in race one things looked pretty bleak! smiled Hill. "But the car was so good in race two and three, so to take two top-ten finishes and leave Donington P8 in the Championship and P5 in the Independent category is very rewarding.'
"Huge thanks to everyone at AmD Tuning and Trade Price Cars Racing for doing such a fantastic job, and for my amazing partners Aston Lark, Lost Boys Motor Club, Ecoflam, Danfoss, ABGO and Smarttrams for joining me this weekend and for making this happen. Special mentions also to Shaun Hollamby and Dan Kirby for giving me such incredible support and believing in me. I am loving this!'
Next Race; Thruxton 19th May
25 year-old Hill had made a superb start in race one, when a multi-car collision resulted in him being clattered into by a spinning Ollie Jackson and forced to retire.
"I made one of my best-ever starts, and then was in clear space going into the Old Hairpin - I managed to avoid the initial carnage but then Jackson was spun into me and that was me out.'
The AmD Tuning Trade Price Cars Racing crew worked frantically to repair the Audi S3 and with just seconds to go before race two the sleek Aston Lark backed machine was ready to go.
Despite this Hill immediately found his car to be working superbly, making up four places on the opening lap, and a further two on the next lap before the Safety Car appeared.
At the restart, Moffat retired and then Hill passed Smith, Jackson and Thompson, with Tordoff being spun off and Cammish getting a drive through penalty leaving Hill now up to 17th place.
Still charging Hill passed Jelley and Proctor, then Rowbottom and Simpson, and with Smiley retiring Hill was now up to 12th place.
With Goff dropping out, Hill then sliced passed Tom Ingram before Oliphant was spun out - Hill narrowly missing the BMW 330i and now remarkably up to 9th position - an amazing 20 places gained!
"Wow! Just incredible. Rob, Stuart, Dave, Tom, Adam and the whole AmD Tuning crew did a fantastic job to not only repair the car, but give me the best handling car I think I've ever had! We just charged through the field, the car was amazing. Thanks guys'
When the reverse grid draw pulled out P10, this meant that Hill would start the final race in P2....alongside Tom Ingram's factory Toyota Corolla, but significantly on the harder 'option' tyre which had proved to be much slower than the 'prime' tyre.
"Two race weekends and two front-row starts! It will be tough on these tyres but the car is working so well we should be ok'
A strong start saw Hill retain P2, before a Safety Car neutralised the race for several laps. At the restart, Hill intelligently recognised that several cars had more pace, and driving a fast but controlled race, he allowed the faster-tyred Collard and Cook past, then Butcher and Sutton also edged by, but Hill held off double-champion Plato for a hard-fought P6 at race end.
"After being fired-off in race one things looked pretty bleak! smiled Hill. "But the car was so good in race two and three, so to take two top-ten finishes and leave Donington P8 in the Championship and P5 in the Independent category is very rewarding.'
"Huge thanks to everyone at AmD Tuning and Trade Price Cars Racing for doing such a fantastic job, and for my amazing partners Aston Lark, Lost Boys Motor Club, Ecoflam, Danfoss, ABGO and Smarttrams for joining me this weekend and for making this happen. Special mentions also to Shaun Hollamby and Dan Kirby for giving me such incredible support and believing in me. I am loving this!'
Next Race; Thruxton 19th May