Hako sponsored driver Aron Taylor-Smith secured another Independent win with a remarkable performance on a rain-drenched day at Snetterton in the Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship (BTCC).
The Dubliner secured his fifth in-class victory, driving his Evans Halshaw Power Maxed Racing-run Vauxhall Astra through challenging conditions on the Norfolk circuit’s ‘300’ layout.
Just two weeks after a promising but unlucky run at Brands Hatch, Taylor-Smith shifted his focus to optimising his car for Snetterton’s technical demands. Despite a truncated practice session, he showcased impressive pace, qualifying second among the Independents and P15 overall for Sunday’s three ITV4-televised races.
The first race saw Taylor-Smith on medium compound Goodyear tyres. Despite the dry but greasy track conditions from earlier rain, he made a stunning start, overtaking three cars on the first lap. This effort led him to finish P12, earning his fifth Independent win of the season.
A second thunderstorm during the lunch break delayed the second race and forced teams into a strategic tyre choice. Taylor-Smith and his team took a bold risk, switching to soft, slick tyres at the end of the formation lap. This decision almost paid off spectacularly. His pace surged, with times almost 10 seconds faster than the race leader, as he swiftly overtook reigning champions Tom Ingram, Ash Sutton, and four-time champion Colin Turkington.
However, another rain shower in the closing laps dashed hopes of a race-winning charge, and Taylor-Smith finished P12. For the final reverse-grid race, running on the less-favored Hard tyre, Taylor-Smith faced an uphill battle. Nevertheless, he delivered a gritty performance, fighting through the field to claim the last points-paying position in P15.
Taylor-Smith’s consistent results across the three races ensured he maintained his lead in the Independent Drivers’ standings over teammate Mikey Doble. Additionally, Evans Halshaw Power Maxed Racing retained their top spot in the Independent Teams’ standings.
Reflecting on the weekend, Taylor-Smith said, “Well, we can’t say that wasn’t an exciting race day! I’m really happy to pick up my fifth Independent win of the season, which has helped us maintain the Independent championship lead. We were incredibly unlucky not to secure a victory in race two. At one point, we were 10 seconds a lap quicker than the leaders. It was definitely possible… Unfortunately, the tyres couldn’t keep their performance with that second shower, but it’s still a solid haul of points.”
Looking ahead, Taylor-Smith is optimistic about the upcoming races at Thruxton, the UK’s fastest circuit, on 8-9 June. He remarked, “Thruxton has always been a favourite circuit for both myself and the Vauxhall Astra, so fingers crossed we can continue this run of collecting silverware and put on another good showing.”