The BTCC is Britain's largest race series. It visits nine of our best race circuits and features race-prepped sedans with 300bhp, 2 litre turbocharged engines. The cars look like their road-going counterparts but that's where the similarity ends.

Thruxton is my local circuit so when the opportunity arose to attend the British Touring Car Championship race day with Honda Yuasa Racing arose I jumped at the chance. It's also the fastest race track in the UK where the BTCC touring cars lap at an average 113mph.

The race brought plenty of action. Honda's Gordon Sheddon was tipped off track by Jason Plato in the MG on the first lap, hit the barrier and limped back to the pits. Thereafter Andrew Jordan in a privateer Honda lead the field, followed by Matt Neal in the Honda Yuasa Civic. Jason Plato was third with Tom Onslow-Cole in a VW Passat CC behind him. Until, that is, the final lap when Jordan's front left tyre exploded and Matt Neal inherited the lead. Plato and Onslow-Cole were second and third and Andrew Jordan eventually came across the line in eleventh.

I watch most BTCC races on the TV. Unlike Formula 1, which is often better to watch on the TV than at the race track, BTCC is a better experience at the track itself. The crowd, the sight and sound of the cars, the smell from the burger vans all make for a pretty magic experience - if you're a petrolhead.

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