© JEP / Motorsport ImagesDan Cammish, BTC Racing Honda Civic Type R
British Touring Car Championship star Dan Cammish is hoping for a return to the grid for 2022 following his cameo outing in last weekend's opener at Thruxton that netted a podium.
Cammish was left high and dry for 2021 after commercial considerations forced him out of the Team Dynamics Honda line-up, after just one season of a two-year deal.
The 32-year-old has instead lined up a return to the Porsche Carrera Cup GB, in which he is a two-time champion, but got a last-minute call-up to return to the BTCC grid at Thruxton.
Honda team BTC Racing was left with a seat vacant alongside last weekend's two-time Thruxton winner Josh Cook and Jade Edwards when 2020 Jack Sears Trophy champion Michael Crees took up an offer to compete instead in the Formula 1-supporting Porsche Supercup.
"I had a text message about it on the Friday or Saturday [a week before Thruxton] when the 'Creesy' announcement came out," Cammish told Autosport.
"They asked if I was interested because I know the track well, and I definitely know the car.
"It went quiet for a few days, and then on Wednesday morning I got a message from Steve [Dudman, team principal].
"I literally jumped out of bed and went straight to shakedown at Bicester Heritage.
"To be honest, that was more of a seatfit because I'm a tall lanky bastard!"
Cammish qualified 12th, after not getting onto slick tyres early enough in the drying session, but took advantage of a massive scrap between Rory Butcher and Jason Plato in the opening race to grab what became fourth position.
He then chased Cook through most of the second race to complete a BTC Honda 1-2.
Although Cammish got very close to Cook, few onlookers expected him to make a bid for the lead while on a one-off outing.
"I knew coming here I could do a good job, and this was the right result," said Cammish.
"It's not as if he was holding me up. Any other driver I'd have had a go, but that wasn't the right thing to do today.
"It shows that if I get an opportunity at the last minute I can do a good job and play the team game.
"This is a hiatus for me in the BTCC, but it's not the end.
"I'll regroup, I'll look at my options and come back stronger."
While BTC looks to fill the seat for the remainder of the season, Cammish insists that his priority this year is the Carrera Cup, "although I'll do the next Thruxton [where there is no Porsche round] if they want!
"They've been really accommodating and made me feel very comfortable."
Cook added: "I'm sure if we'd been with two different teams we might have been fighting.
"We've been rivals for the past three years but he's really fitted in well, so thanks to him."
© Autosport.comJosh Cook, Dan Cammish
Josh Cook, Dan Cammish
Photo by: JEP / Motorsport Images
Cammish ran sixth in the early stages of the reversed-grid finale but made an ill-timed stop for slick tyres just before the rain returned.
Crees has joined the Parker Revs Motorsport team for the Porsche Supercup alongside reigning Carrera Cup GB champion Harry King after Josh Webster was forced to stand down due to 'family matters'.
BTCC: Thruxton Race 3 in 90 seconds
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