Honda’s Dan Cammish says he is ‘massively relieved’ to secure his first pole position in the British Touring Car Championship, after smashing the lap record to beat a trio of BMW drivers at Knockhill.
Having been denied pole last time out after being caught in traffic on a potential pole lap, Cammish – who has the best average qualifying position of any driver this year – finally took the top spot in Scotland.
It meant that the 29-year-old was relieved to finally take a first pole in only his eighth touring car qualifying session, at a circuit expected to be better suited to rear-wheel drive cars.
“It’s a massive relief,” said Cammish to TouringCars.Net. “I was just sitting there in the pitlane thinking ‘please let this be it’. I couldn’t go any faster and I was sitting there on pole waiting for the bad news that somebody had jumped me! I had my fingers crossed, and thankfully it was enough.
“I’m really pleased with myself, but also for the team who have worked so hard in giving me a great car on more than one occasion.
“My qualifying record has been pretty good this year, so its great to finally get that pole. I say finally, because the last event at Rockingham was a big eye opener – I was a bit down on myself for being third when I thought the car should have been on pole.
“But I’ve got to adapt and realise that this is touring car racing and its not always as clear-cut as it looks. It’s not the Porsche Carrera Cup, it’s not single-make stuff. There are different cars in this.
“When I heard [Adam] Morgan say that it was his first-ever pole in six years [at Rockingham] it kind of hit me that I’m putting way too much pressure on myself.
“Since I went away and thought about that, I feel like I’ve come back in a much better frame of mind and as a much happier person.”
Cammish admits that he will face a difficult task to keep the fast-starting BWMs behind him at the first corner of Sunday’s opening race, and he admits that he would be pleased to take a podium or solid points finish away from the race.
“I’m in front of three BMWs – will I be in front come Turn 1? I don’t think anybody will blame me if I’m not, I’ve got to accept that.
“For me, points make prizes – if I can be on the podium tomorrow that’s great, but if I can also be in the top five then that’s also great.
“I want to get some points on the board, start off a strong weekend right.”
With heavy rain forecast for Sunday, Cammish is hoping that the weather is either fully wet or fulyl dry, as he does not enjoy changeable conditions.
“The wet is fine for us. I do want wet conditions, I don’t want half-and-half. I want it to rain if its going to rain, and let’s have a proper go at it.”