From Jack Sears Champion To BTCC Podium: What A Way To Sign Off 2026

Two ninths, one lucky number and a late call from the stewards. Dexter’s season finale at Brands Hatch had the lot.

Here’s a funny thing about the Jack Sears Trophy. It’s the BTCC title for drivers who’ve never stood on the podium. So the moment you win it the next goal is obvious. Stop being eligible.

Dexter Patterson ticked off the first part at Silverstone. Two weeks later at Brands Hatch, he ticked off the second.

Dexter had the trophy in the bag before the finale, sealed in Race One at Silverstone with five races to spare. That left one job for the last weekend of the year: get car 17 onto the podium.

Saturday set things up nicely. He was 10th in free practice, seventh in qualifying and ninth in the Race to Pole, which his PMR team-mate Aiden Moffat won.

Sunday was all about ninth place. Dexter finished ninth in Race One, leading the Jack Sears runners home. Then he did it again in Race Two, holding position behind Aiden and ahead of Sam Osborne. Ninth kept him in the reverse-grid draw.

Then the bowl came out, and out came number nine. The Awesome-backed Audi S3 would start the final race of the season from pole.

Nobody thought it would be easy. Ash Sutton, freshly crowned a record five-time champion, was lurking. Tom Ingram had won both earlier races. Ricky Collard was hunting his first BTCC win.

Race Three kicked off in typical Race Three style, with cars in the gravel and the safety car out. Dexter fought hard at the front. Collard crossed the line first, with Dexter fourth on the road and just off the podium. For a moment, it looked like the one that got away.

Then the stewards stepped in. Collard was given a five-second penalty for an infringement at the safety car restart, dropping him to eighth. Dan Cammish took the win, Sutton was second and Dexter Patterson was third. A first BTCC podium, in the very last race of the year!

And PMR weren’t done celebrating. Mikey Doble took the Independent Drivers’ title and the team sealed the Independent Teams’ crown. That’s three championships in a season that started with the team rebuilding after the fire that destroyed its headquarters in August 2025. Proper comeback stuff.

We’re incredibly proud to have our name on car 17 this year. Our MD, Mark Ash, was on the pit wall at Silverstone when Dexter sealed the title, and the whole Awesome family has been glued to every round.

Massive congratulations to Dexter, Adam Weaver and everyone at Power Maxed Racing. What a weekend, what a season, what a team!

Catch up on every round in our  race reports, and keep an eye on our BTCC hub for what comes next.