Rain helps Jeff Smith to shock Brands Hatch pole

Jeff Smith secured a shock pole position for the opening rounds of the BTCC season after wet weather played havoc with qualifying at Brands Hatch.

The Eurotech team boss was able to set his best time of the session just before the second of two red flag stoppages, with the arrival of rain as others started to improve their times being enough to give Smith a first BTCC pole.

It was also the first pole for Eurotech since Andrew Jordan topped the times at Thruxton back in 2014.

Having topped the times in both free practice sessions, Tom Ingram went close to a Saturday sweep in his Speedworks Toyota Avensis but could only get within 0.062s of top spot before the heavens opened and what was light drizzle turned into a proper shower that soaked the circuit.

Honda pair Gordon Shedden and Matt Neal share the second row of the grid, although both drivers were lucky to escape unscathed from spins at Surtees as conditions worsened.

Colin Turkington, the pace setter in the early stages of the session, was quickest of the rear wheel drive runners in fifth, with Adam Morgan, Jack Goff and Rob Austin rounding out the top eight.

After a tough time in practice, Subaru were again in the wars with Jason Plato the quickest of the four Levorgs down in 18th place.

Team-mate Ash Sutton would see his session end in the gravel at Paddock Hill Bend and leaves him down in 22nd as a result, although that was still better than Dave Newsham – who went off at the same corner to cause the first stoppage without setting a time.