Halfords Yuasa Racing’s Dan Cammish admitted he “shed a few tears” after taking an emotional victory in the opening British Touring Car Championship race at Brands Hatch.
The 2019 runner-up started on the front row and defended from Ollie Jackson into Paddock Hill Bend on the opening lap before setting about pressurising polesitter Rory Butcher in the other Motorbase-run Ford Focus ST.
He closed the gap down and looked to challenge for the lead before dropping back to cool his Honda Civic Type R in the high temperatures at the Brands Hatch Grand Prix circuit.
A late safety car period ultimately spelled disaster for Butcher after he suffered a similar front-left puncture to that he had in second practice yesterday, leaving Cammish to inherit the victory.
Cammish admitted to ITV that finally having luck go in his favour after the fateful season finale at the Kent circuit last year felt like poetic justice as he took an emotional second win of the season.
“What a turnaround, them last few months have been interesting, they’ve been very tough,” he said.
“To come back here yesterday I had a lump in my throat and I won’t lie I shed a few tears then. For the team to bounce back, for me mentally to recover. I’m really pleased, and so proud of everyone involved.
“What a race car they gave me, I pushed Rory [Butcher] early on and didn’t let him have it easy, I had to give him a bit of a break in the middle of the race.
“It was deja vu coming, it’s so hot today I could feel the brakes starting to welt.
“Of course they’re going to do that, it’s thirty degrees here. I gave him a bit of a break, and then went at him again just before the safety car.
“I knew if I kept pushing him what happened in practice with his blown tyre I thought maybe there’s a chance that the car can’t take it and lo and behold it just let go I think with a couple of laps to go.”
Cammish said he felt for Butcher who had defended well for the majority of the race, but noted he and his Team Dynamics squad are clearly a force to be reckoned with at the Brands Hatch GP circuit after taking his fourth victory out of seven races at the venue.
“I’m very sorry for him, it’s a shame but the pressure we put on him there made him drive the car beyond the limit I think,” he said.
“I’m really pleased with the team, they gave me a great car. It’s hot out there, it’s sweltering.
“I’m happy to get to the end of that one. It’s my third win in three years here, first race that is. I think that’s four out of seven or something, so we’ve got to be doing a good job here as a team at Brands Hatch GP.”
With Cammish already carrying 54 kilograms of championship ballast in race one, he feels adding a further six kilograms will be a “drop in the ocean” as he believes he stands a strong chance of another successful result.
“Over winter I did quite a lot of training, got myself fitter and they just keep throwing more weight at me. That wasn’t the deal!
“I’m carrying 54 [kilograms] as it is, another six is a drop in the ocean really. I’ve already got the bulk of it on board.
“It’s going to hurt but you can see here the track is suiting the front-wheel drives more than it did at Donington [Park].
“I think my driving style suits it a bit better as well, when I saw Colin coming I thought, ‘Here we go.’
“But he didn’t have enough when it mattered. I’m very pleased.”
The second British Touring Car Championship race of the weekend is scheduled to get underway at 13:30 BST.