BTCC Donington Park – Ingram increases title chances with win over Sutton

Tom Ingram secured victory in the final race of the day at Donington Park, with title rival Ash Sutton close behind in second after a frenetic day of touring car action.

Sutton led off the grid with the Toyota’s of Cook and Taylor-Smith close behind. Ingram surged from fifth, clearing Daryl DeLeon before dispatching Cook for third with a nice switch back out of the Goddards hairpin.

Once he’d passed Taylor-Smith, he was hunting down Sutton in the lead. The Toyotas were squabbling which brought Rowbottom into the mix.

Ingram soon caught Sutton, teeing up a three lap battle of the two title contenders. Wheel to wheel side by side action, which culminated in the Hyundai man overtaking Sutton.

By lap eight Ingram was pulling away, with Sutton not too far behind, and Rowbottom sitting third behind his team mate. Tom Chilton was one of the stars of the race, going from 15th on the grid to fifth.

On lap ten Nick Halstead’s PMR Cupra decided to spill oil at the top of the Craner Curves, which brought out the Safety Car while it was cleaned up. After a four lap delay the race was back underway.

On the restart Ingram held off Sutton, despite a little glance on lap 15 at the Melbourne hairpin. He maintained the lead and took the win, a big win in terms of the championship.

Sutton came home second with Rowbottom third. The battle for fourth was intense between Aron Taylor-Smith and Jake Hill, but the Toyota man prevailed for fourth, Hill fifth, with Chilton’s excellent drive culminating in sixth. Gordon Shedden was seventh with Dan Lloyd leading home the BMW pair of Daryl DeLeon and Charles Rainford.

Josh Cook faded during the final laps to finish 11th with race two winner Dan Cammish 12th. Aiden Moffat, Sam Osborne and Senna Proctor rounded out the points finishes.

Tom Ingram now holds a 32 point lead in the standings over Ash Sutton, and with just six races left in the season, Ingram and his Hyundai squad sit in a very strong position.

Related posts:

BTCC Oulton Park – Ingram takes dominant lights to flag win BTCC Oulton Park – Sutton’s tactical gamble pays off with race two win BTCC Croft – Ingram takes title lead with win after Sutton suffering puncture BTCC Croft – Rowbottom takes third win of season with Sutton cutting Ingram’s championship lead