Team VERTU had reason to celebrate at the annual Night of Champions held to celebrate the British Touring Car Championship season after Nic Hamilton secured the Fans’ Choice Award.
As the name suggests, the award is handed out each season based on a vote of BTCC fans, who are given the opportunity to select a winner from a hand-selected shortlist of drivers based on a stand-out performance during the year.
Team VERTU driver Nic Hamilton was named on the shortlist for his performance at Snetterton during the third meeting of the season.
Having already picked up an overall points finish in the previous meeting at Brands Hatch, Hamilton – who suffers from cerebral palsy and races a car specially adapted to deal with his disabilities – emerged victorious amongst the Jack Sears Trophy drivers in Norfolk.
The Jack Sears Trophy is open only to drivers who have scored no more than one overall BTCC podium in their career, with an award handed our each weekend to the JST driver who scores the most points in the class during the three races.
The on-track success saw Hamilton take to the podium for the first time in his career amidst emotional scenes in the paddock, with the result gaining coverage across the globe afterwards.
Hamilton was nominated for the Fans’ Choice Award in recognition of the performance alongside Aron Taylor-Smith, Mikey Doble, Dexter Patterson and Adam Morgan, taking the prize with an impressive 76% of the vote.
“It’s been an incredible year for me with Team VERTU and to be honest, this is the first time I have been at an awards ceremony and won one myself for motorsport,” he said.
“Usually I’m there to see Lewis pick up podiums and wins, so that moment at Snetterton meant more to me than most people can imagine. I’ve put my heart and soul into the BTCC and Team VERTU was a new team for me, so to get on the podium – albeit in the Jack Sears Trophy – was a true accomplishment for me.
“Thank you to everyone who has accepted me and my disability into the championship, and who voted for the award.”
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