'Dream day' for Butcher after maiden BTCC pole

Knockhill pole-sitter Rory Butcher admitted he felt a 'quiet confidence' heading to his home British Touring Car Championship race after securing his first pole position in the series.

The AmD Cobra Sport driver dominated every session Saturday had to offer after topping both free practice sessions before taking pole position by a convincing 0.243s gap ahead of Honda's Dan Cammish on home soil.

"It’s been a dream day. We’ve worked hard. In every session we’ve either found a little bit in me or in the car. It’s gone to plan," said Butcher.

"I have been quietly confident. I felt like last year I drove well in the MG. I felt coming to my home track where I feel so comfortable, this car will work really well.

"I didn’t want to say but inside I felt a quiet confidence. All I needed to do was get to qualifying and deliver it there."

Although the Honda Civic Type-R driver arrived into qualifying as the clear favourite for pole position, Butcher found himself languishing down the timesheets after an early red flag cost him the opportunity of setting a representative lap time.

Butcher ultimately maintained his composure and went on to deliver on his practice promise, but only after seeing his opening attempt compromised by traffic on the final hairpin during his first timed lap.

"I was eager to get qualifying done. I felt like I had a little bit more in the tank. I was eager to get out there and get my lap in," Butcher continued.

"It didn’t kind of go my way on the red flag and then on my first set of tyres I got held up at the hairpin by the Motorbase cars.

"On the second run, it was great. I got a really clean lap and I could see on the delta I was up so I just needed to stroke it home coming out of the hairpin."

Looking ahead to tomorrow's opening race, Butcher remains wary of the threat Cammish poses from second position, but takes confidence from starting beyond the crest of the start/finish straight.

"Both myself and Dan are going to be in the prime position. The rest of the grid are on the hill. We just need to get off to a good start, retain the lead and push. Dan isn’t going to make it easy, it’s going to be a fight."