Driver’s success ends team’s barren run

RACE winner Mikey Doble admitted he was lost for words after handing Bidford-based team Power Maxed Racing their first Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship win in more than five years.

And it was a maiden victory for the Vauxhall Astra driver, who led from start to finish in the third race of the bank holiday weekend spectacular at Norfolk’s Snetterton circuit.

It was 1001 days since an independent team had taken the chequered flag in the BTCC and it was the first win for the Power Maxed Racing squad since Jason Plato topped the podium at Brands Hatch in 2019 ... 156 races ago.

Doble never put a wheel wrong, even when he had four-time BTCC champion Ash Sutton and multiple race winner Josh Cook closing him down.

Sutton made an outrageous start, coming from tenth on the grid, and attacked Doble in the closing laps only to run wide at the Wilson hairpin on the penultimate lap and the fight was over.

“I’m lost for words really,” the race winner said. “It was a fantastic race, and everyone deserves it so much.

“It’s massive for me just to be in the championship, never mind standing here as a BTCC race winner. To bring PMR their first win since Jason Plato in 2019 too… it’s been a long road to get here.”

Doble also picked up a sixth and a ninth place over the weekend and is the leading independent driver.