2.26 miles of undulating hills, banked corners and 120 mph straights all make Oulton Park one of the most exciting circuits on the BTCC calendar. Add a downpour to this combination and you have what promises to be an action packed day of racing.
This is my first time visiting the Cheshire based circuit and it certainly won't be my last. Circuit barriers are opened between races allowing footfall between the infield and outfield, resulting in nearly every part of the circuit being accessible. Various parts of the circuit are banked which offer great vantage points to watch the days events unfold.
There's a little story behind this weekends events that I want to share. My best friend is soon to be wed, and as part of his pre-wed celebrations (and him being an absolute touring car nut) it was only right to try and organise something a little special. Using the power of social media I managed to get in touch with the Honda Racing BTCC team who were absolutely amazing in helping me organise a meet and greet with the legends themselves...Flash and Neal! Chris (the groom) and I were over the moon to meet our heroes and we would love to say a huge thank you to Honda Racing for making the whole day unforgettable. Here's a picture of Chris with the two drivers that now lead the BTCC Championship (Congratulations guys, keep it up!)
We both feel privileged as it was great to be in the garage during the hustle and bustle of a winning team as they set about prepping the race cars:
Qualifying and practice on the day before had been dry, but unpredictable as ever the British heavens decided to open. That meant all of the teams were busy discussing and changing suspension setups ready for race 1. We all already know that the British Touring Car Championship is a fantastic series, and today really enforced that for me. With the weather ever changing, different drivers were electing for different tyre setups making it a game of chances. Those who ran wets all around showed pace in the beginning, but quickly overheated their tyres as a dry line appeared resulting in a lack of grip.
Lea Wood made his debut return to the BTCC in the Honda Integra DC5 and certainly showed that he is a forced to be reckoned with after finishing 7th in the car's first outing. This photograph is shot at Lodge Corner looking down towards Deer Leap which offers a unique perspective thanks to it being elevated.
With the usual support races consisting of the Porsche Carrera Cup, Ginetta Supercup, Ginetta Juniors, Formula Renault and Renault Clio Cup there was never a shortage of action on track. Chris and I walked the entire circuit on the day, taking advantage of all the different locations I could shoot from. This means I've got a great variations in the types of shots captured, and makes Oulton Park one of my favourite circuits to shoot at (now I just need to get my hands on a media pass!). Here's a marmite shot (meaning you'll either love it or hate it) of Championship leader Tom Ingram passing the very wet crowds at Druids:
If you're interested in seeing a full gallery of 153 images from Oulton Park, please feel free to click this link.