BTCC Oulton Park – Ingram takes dominant lights to flag win

Tom Ingram outlined his title credentials with a dominant lights to flag win in race one at Oulton Park.

The Hyundai man coasted to his 35th career BTCC win, setting a new lap record in the process. Title rival Ash Sutton could only manage fourth.

There was an extra formation lap due to series debutant Finn Leslie having a driveshaft issue on the grid. This resulted in the race being reduced by one lap to 14.

When the race got underway, Ingram made an excellent start and pulled out a nice gap heading into turn one. Chris Smiley, starting second, was jumped by the NAPA Fords of Dan Cammish and Ash Sutton.

The safety car was deployed on lap two when the unfortunate Sam Osborne was sent into the wall by Stephen Jelley coming out of the hairpin, damaging the protective barrier.

After a two lap delay, the race restarted, with Senna Proctor pulling off a stunning double overtake on Josh Cook and Charles Rainford into Cascades. Max Hall’s difficult season suffered another setback when he made contact with Un-Limited Motorsport teammate Dexter Patterson into the Hislops Chicane. Hall came worse off with a broken suspension, crabbing his way back to the pits and into retirement.

Meanwhile up front, Ingram was sailing away, setting a new lap record of 1:24:052 as he was surging clear at the front.

Throughout the race there was a battle between Josh Cook and James Dorlin, with a couple of flashpoints. The Honda man got the better of Dorlin in his Toyota, with Cook finishing ahead.

WSR’s Daryl DeLeon got his elbows out throughout the race, making contact with a couple of drivers, with the main point being pitching Aron Taylor-Smith into a spin going into the hairpin. DeLeon hadn’t done WSR teammate Aiden Moffat any favours as Taylor-Smith bumped into him, putting the Scot back a few places.

A special mention must be made for Dan Lloyd. Excluded from qualifying on Saturday after failing the ride height test, he started from the back and battled through the field to finish 12th. A fine drive.

Ingram won the race at a canter, with Dan Cammish second. There was a bit of tactics in play by Ash Sutton, as he allowed Chris Smiley to pass for third. This was so that Sutton wouldn’t be on the slower hard tyres for race two, potentially increasing his chances for race two victory.

Team Vertu pair Tom Chilton and Adam Morgan were fifth and sixth. Jake Hill was seventh in his WSR BMW with Senna Proctor eighth in the fourth Vertu Hyundai. Cook and Dorlin rounded off the top ten.

Rainford and Lloyd were next, with Taylor-Smith edging out DeLeon for 13th while Dan Rowbottom took the final point for 15th.

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BTCC – Jake Hill ignites title defence with lights to flag win BTCC – Daryl DeLeon secures maiden win in chaotic race at Brands Hatch BTCC Snetterton preview – WSR in form heading to power hungry circuit BTCC Thruxton – Rowbottom wins frantic final Thruxton thriller