TCR UK raced around Donington Park three times in two days. All three were packed with fire, crashes, and great on-track battles.
Race 1:
Adam Shepard started on pole in his white Cupra Leon and led a commanding race from the front, finishing first, six seconds in front of Sam Laidlaw in the face lifted Cupra.
Brad Hutchison started the unluckiest weekend of racing I have ever witnessed. Hutchison tapped Steve Laidlaw, father of Sam Laidlaw, around. Steve Laidlaw could continue and recover to a hard-fought podium.
Callum Newsham was in second place, flying the flag for the Hyundai i30Ns, but he had an issue on the first full lap of racing. Smoke billowed under the front of his car, accompanied by a vicious orange glow like your younger sister stepping out with a fresh spray tan.
The battle for second place between Hutchison and Sam Laidlaw continued throughout the first 10 minutes of the race. A late move from Sam Laidlaw into turn one forced Hutchison out wide onto the gravel and grass, filling the blue Cupra’s intakes with mud and caused the engine to overheat.
Finn Leslie defended from recovering Steve Laidlaw like two cyclists side by side, not letting a car pass on a windy, winding country road. Leslie has proved his defending capabilities in junior categories, making it hard for Steve to get past. Still, the experienced Touring Car driver got past in the last two minutes into Copice Corner, completing the 1-2-3 for the Cupra manufacturer.
Race 2:
The first race on Sunday was on a damp track, with the field split between wet and dry tyre choices. Everyone kept it clean for the first lap, with the damp tyre choosers getting the advantage. Steve Laidlaw took the lead from a starting position of 8th.
Brad Hutchison continues his poor luck with an early retirement, later joined by Alister Camp with mechanical issues.
From P10 to win the race for Adam Shepard, winning twice in two races. The second half of the race benefitted the dry tyre choice as Shepard sliced through the pack and closed a 12-second gap in just five minutes.
Callum Newsham came home second with the dry tyre advantage. Steve Laidlaw crossed the line and was the highest finisher who started and raced on the wet tyres.
Race 3:
Callum Newsham ended Shepard’s dominance for race 3, with Finn Leslie standing on the podium for the first time in second. But that doesn’t even tell you half of the story.
Shepard spins around going up the hill after The Old Hairpin and has to get pushed out of the gravel by marshals. A red flag bunched the pack up again, allowing him to catch and pass the field to secure a podium.
Sam Laidlaw obliterated the inside barriers after spinning at the exit of the chicane. He was able to continue after some repairs during the red flag.
The red flag was raised because of an incident going into the tricky chicane. Alister Camp clipped the first inside tyre bundle, breaking his front right suspension and steering arm. This launched him into a direct path into the second inside tyre bundle, destroying the front of his Hyundai and ending his day.
On the formation lap to restart the race, Cedrich Block took his Gen 1 Audi for a spin into the barriers. Due to his disabilities, multiple ambulances had to help him out of his car. This increased the length of the red flag.
After the green flag was dropped, racing resumed, as the Laidlaws and Shepard had to drive through the pack to get some decent results. But it was Newsham taking the win.
Shepard is in the championship’s lead with two wins and a third place. But can Hutchison, the 2024 vice-champion, come back from the back, sitting last in the championship in P16 on -1 point?
MotorPost 
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