BTCC Round Five – Ingram storms to win from 12th on grid

Speedworks Motorsports’ Tom Ingram became the first double winner of the season, winning after starting 12th on the grid in race two at Donington Park

He was joined on the podium by Chris Smiley, a first time podium finisher, and Jack Goff of Eurotech.

Josh Cook started on pole following his first race win in race one. There was drama before the race even started as Colin Turkington and James Nash both ran into mechanical issues on the way to the grid.

Nash retired and Turkington started from the pits but never recovered, retiring with just a few laps remaining.

At the start Dan Cammish made the best start from the front row and took the lead from Cook, who was suffering from the maximum success ballast of 75kg in his car. Cammish stormed into the lead with Smiley and Aiden Moffat following.

Cammish was hunting his first win in only his fifth BTCC start in his Team Dynamics Honda Civic, but he was caught by Smiley who managed to get through and into the lead. Ingram charged through the field and found himself in the top five.

Ingram’s charge through the field was impressive, but Shredded Wheat’s Tom Chilton made 17 places as he finished tenth in his Ford Focus RS. The veteran made up for lost time after finishing 29th in race one.

Rory Butcher came home in ninth in his MG following a steady drive, just behind resigning champion Ash Sutton in his Subaru. The champ hasn’t had the greatest start to his title defence but made good ground to finish eighth.

Cook struggled to the finish with a heavier Vauxhall Astra than usual, he managed seventh place with 75kg of ballast on his car. James Cole in the other Shredded Wheat Focus finished sixth after starting fifth, which is no mean feat in this ever-competitive BTCC field.

Adam Morgan in the Ciceley Motorsport Mercedes finished in fifth while stalemates Tom Oliphant and Aden Moffat finished 12th and 15th respectively.

Cammish finished fourth with team mate Matt Neal falling down the grid to finish 16th. Goff made the podium following some excellent racing with Smiley ahead of him taking his maiden podium finish.

But Ingram managed to pass everyone and storm to the win, his second of the season. The Speedworks racer drove phenomenally to take the win and extend his lead at the top of the early championship standings.

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