Josh Cook to start Croft Qualifying race from pole

Credit: BTCC

Josh Cook will start the Croft Qualifying race from pole position, having set the fastest time in Qualifying. Dan Cammish will start second, infront of Tom Ingram and Mikey Doble in fourth.

As per the new 2026 BTCC Qualifying format, two 15 minute sessions took place, with half the grid competing in each session. The group with the quickest fastest lap acquire the odd positions on the grid for the qualifying race (1st, 3rd, 5th etc) - which decides the order for the start of Sunday's race one.

The quickest driver from free practice, Daniel Rowbottom, set the pace early in the first group, but was unable to hold the position when the track ramped up at the end of the session. Gordon Sheddon was the first to blink, going quickest with only 40 seconds left of the session, but the position was soon reclaimed by Rowbottom.

Spoiling both their parties, Dan Cammish snatched first place on his final run, setting a lap time that would remain unbeaten in the first group. Cammish's rival for third place in the Championship, Tom Ingram, could only manage second, driving cautiously after his previous attempt was deleted for a track limit infringement.

Rowbottom continued to drop down the order, as Daryl De Leon and Adam Morgan improved to fourth and fifth respectively. After the session, every driver gained a position as Cammish's lap time was deleted for track limits, promoting Ingram to first place.

Ingram's lap lap time of 1:21.055 was quickly beaten by Ash Sutton when the second qualifying group began. Unexpectantly, Sutton himself lost his status as the driver with the fastest lap time, as Cammish's lap time was reinstated.

Regardless, Cook went better than both of them, as well as Mikey Doble who secured second place in group 2, right at the end.

Sutton was able to set a better lap time than his previous one, but was still 0.294 seconds off Cook and exactly one tenth off Doble. Aiden Moffat finished fourth from Ricky Collard, who suffered from an excursion off the track. Nicholas Hamilton also had problems, scruffy driving led to a spin and prevented the British driver from finishing anywhere but last.

Starting order for Qualifying Race:

1st Josh Cook

2nd Dan Cammish

3rd Tom Ingram

4th Mikey Doble

5th Gordon Sheddon

6th Ash Sutton