Dan Rowbottom delivered a landmark victory for Cataclean Plato Racing at Donington Park, winning the first ever BTCC “Race to Pole” Qualifying Race and securing pole position for the opening race of the 2026 season.
The new format, introduced over the winter, brought a fresh dynamic to Saturday’s running in the British Touring Car Championship. Instead of qualifying simply setting the grid, the leading drivers went head to head in a short, high intensity race that not only decided the front of the grid for Sunday but also awarded the first points of the campaign. With added jeopardy and little margin for error, it immediately proved to be a compelling addition.
There was little surprise to see Tom Ingram and Ash Sutton line up on the front row after their pace in the earlier session. With six titles between them, both arrived at Donington Park as early benchmarks for the season. Behind them, Rowbottom and Dan Cammish ensured the leading quartet featured a mix of proven champions and serious contenders.
The start set the tone for what followed. All four drivers ran side by side through the opening corners, with barely a car’s width separating them as they fought for track position. Ingram initially held the advantage, but the pressure from Sutton was immediate and relentless.
The key moment came at the start of lap two. Sutton made an aggressive move to the inside at Redgate, but with the space quickly disappearing his car ran onto the grass and then slid into the gravel. It brought his challenge to an abrupt end and also disrupted Cammish, who was forced to check up behind the incident. That allowed Ingram, Rowbottom and Josh Cook to edge clear at the front.
Tom Ingram - Team VERTU and Ash Sutton - NAPA Racing UK | Richard Towler
From there, the race appeared to be settling into a more conventional rhythm until news came through that would ultimately decide the outcome. Ingram was handed a five second penalty for being out of position at the start, meaning he needed to build a sufficient gap to retain victory on the road.
What followed was a measured but intense drive from both leaders. Ingram pushed to extend his advantage, while Rowbottom remained within striking distance, managing the gap with the penalty in mind. Despite Ingram’s efforts, the margin at the chequered flag was not quite enough, falling just 0.024 seconds short of what he required.
That result handed Rowbottom both the win and pole position, marking a significant milestone for Cataclean Plato Racing on its return to the championship. The reaction in the pit lane reflected the scale of the achievement, with team boss Jason Plato visibly emotional after seeing his squad deliver immediate success.
Behind the leading duo, Josh Cook produced a solid and composed drive to secure third place in the Toyota Corolla, positioning himself well for Sunday’s opening race. Mikey Doble was one of the standout performers further down the order, taking fourth on his debut weekend with Power Maxed Racing, while team mate Aiden Moffat added to the team’s encouraging showing by finishing eighth.
Charles Rainford continued his steady progress with another assured performance, finishing ahead of Tom Chilton and Adam Morgan in the midfield battle. Experienced campaigners Gordon Shedden and Dexter Patterson completed the top ten, ensuring a competitive mix of youth and experience throughout the field.
Rowbottom was quick to acknowledge that outright pace may have favoured Ingram, but emphasised the importance of execution in a race shaped by fine margins.
“We’ve made a little bit of history. We didn’t quite have the pace of Ingram, but once the penalty came into play it was about managing the gap and making no mistakes. It’s been a long winter and this is an incredible moment for the team. Now we want to build on it tomorrow.”
With the first points now on the board and the grid for Race 1 decided, attention turns to Sunday’s triple header at Donington Park. Rowbottom will lead the field away for the season opener, with the chasing pack already showing that the fight at the front of the 2026 BTCC season is likely to be as close as ever.
Jason Plato - Cataclean Plato Racing | Richard Towler
