CPRL continues winning run with hat-trick of BTCC victories

Adam Morgan completed a hat-trick of victories at Donington Park, while Dan Rowbottom added a qualifying race podium and a pair of top-five finishes as CPRL continued its recent momentum in the BTCC.

Northamptonshire-based CPRL continued its recent run of success in the British Touring Car Championship at Donington Park (August 22-23), with Adam Morgan securing two race victories on Sunday after winning Saturday's qualifying race. Dan Rowbottom added second place in the qualifying contest and a pair of top-five finishes on race day.

The Mercedes A35 touring cars showed competitive pace from the outset. Adam Morgan and Dan Rowbottom both finished inside the top five during practice before carrying that form into qualifying, where Morgan claimed a second successive qualifying race pole position and Rowbottom secured second place, earning third on the grid.

Both drivers started the race well, Dan taking second position off the line and slotting in behind Adam. The pair had to navigate two separate Safety Car periods – which extended the contest from nine to 11 laps in length – but both times they pulled away from the rest of the field when the track went green. Untroubled in the closing stages, Adam romped to another victory with Dan second in a superb start to the weekend.

Lining up one-two for the first of Sunday’s three 14 lap races, Adam had a good start to hold his lead, while Dan came under pressure for second and slipped to fourth. Refusing to settle, however, he made a bold pass into the Melbourne Hairpin to regain third just before the Safety Car was called but was forced to give the position up before racing resumed, to avoid a possible penalty.

The track went green on lap six of what was now a 17-lap race, Adam opening a small gap out front, but the Safety Car was called once more before a lap was complete. That was only a short intervention, Adam leading the field again on lap eight with yet another good restart, while Dan moved into third as a car ahead slowed. In the closing laps his tyres faded, leaving him unable to defend as he fell to fifth, but ahead Adam took the flag an impressive three seconds clear of the field.

Adam had a clean start to race two but found Ash Sutton alongside, running side-by-side down the Craner Curves, before slotting into second. Dan also had a good launch on his 200th BTCC start, fighting for fourth and then taking third and second from his teammate. On lap four, Dan continued his charge, taking the lead from Sutton and recording the fastest lap, while Adam, running the hard tyre following his earlier victory, gradually slipped back through the order to sixth.

Out front, Dan was fending off pressure from behind but after contact into Goddards, fell to second, before an electrical problem cost him speed in the closing stages. Further contact from another driver cost him time, and he was passed on the penultimate lap, taking the flag fourth, with Adam crossing the line ninth.

The reverse grid draw meant Adam lined up second for the final race of the weekend, back on the medium tyre, with Dan having to use the hard from seventh on the grid. Adam started well and swept into the lead on lap two, but Dan suffered brake problems and would be forced to retire.

By mid-distance Adam's lead had grown to almost five seconds as he recorded the fastest lap, and from there he controlled the second half of the race despite an engine misfire in the closing stages, securing his second victory of the day and completing a hat-trick of wins across the weekend.

CPRL will return to BTCC action in two weeks’ time, as the series heads to Croft in Yorkshire over September 5-6.

Adam Morgan #33

“I just want to say a massive thank you to everybody in the workshop and the garage. The Mercedes A35 was faultless all day, thanks to Ciceley Commercials for getting me to the track, and to Cataclean for ensuring the team was able to compete. Race one was very similar to the qualifying race: just do the simple things right. I picked up a little bit of a vibration, so I managed that over the last few laps and brought it home.

“In race two we had significantly less TOCA Turbo Boost and were on the hard tyre. I was happy with the car balance, but disappointed with the way I drove. Race three we didn't make any mistakes. I did have a misfire develop and I was bricking it because if there were another couple of laps, I don't think we'd have made it to the end. I've been in this championship for 15 years and I'm here because I love driving these cars, and all I want is a fast race car. We've got it, and it's allowing me to go out and do what I want to, which is to win races, score points and take home trophies.”

Dan Rowbottom #32

"There are a lot of positives to take away from the weekend, and I’d like to thank Cataclean for their commitment to funding the team while it is in administration, ensuring no jobs are at stake. We had a quick Mercedes A35 touring car from the moment we unloaded and that's something we've been working hard to achieve as a team. Finishing second in the qualifying race, running at the front and securing strong results throughout the weekend shows the progress we're making.

"It's disappointing that the brake issue prevented us from finishing the final race, and an electrical problem caused us to drop back in race two because I think there was more to come. However, the pace we've shown gives us plenty of confidence moving forward. We've got another opportunity at Croft in a couple of weeks and, if we can carry this performance into the next round, there's every reason to believe we can challenge towards the front again."