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Marcus Simmons

BTCC Thruxton: Sutton continues his winning streak in race one

The three-time champion led from start to finish in his Motorbase Performance-run Ford Focus ST, and never came under serious threat. 

Behind Sutton, reigning title holder Tom Ingram similarly held second position throughout in his Excelr8 Motorsport Hyundai i30 N. 

Ingram regularly came under pressure from Thruxton king Josh Cook – the circuit’s all-time BTCC wins record holder had to shake off the fast-starting West Surrey Racing-run BMW 330e M Sport of Jake Hill over the opening corners, then set the fastest lap as his One Motorsport Honda Civic Type R closed the gap to Ingram. 

Since he came into the weekend outside the top seven in the championship, Cook had the standard eight laps use of the hybrid power boost to the two of Ingram (and one of Sutton), but even this advantage was insufficient to overcome the Hyundai in front. 

Ingram had saved his hybrid use for the final two laps, but the computer said no and he found himself locked out, yet still pulled away from Cook. 

Ahead of this duo, Sutton held the gap at just under two seconds for the majority of the distance, before taking the chequered flag 2.513s in front of Ingram. 

“I just had to maximise the beginning – we’ve been strong there the past few races,” said Sutton. 

Ashley Sutton, NAPA Racing UK Ford Focus ST (Photo by: JEP / Motorsport Images)

“Josh closing up to Tom kind of gave me the breathing space. Just looking after that tyre [the front-left in particular] is a challenge around there – they take a beating. 

Hill had a lonely race to fourth, while Dan Cammish, from ninth on the grid, worked his Motorbase Ford past the WSR BMW of Colin Turkington for fifth on lap two. 

Cammish and Turkington circulated in close proximity throughout, but the Berkshire-domiciled Yorkshireman held on. 

 Rory Butcher made good early progress from 10th on the grid in the lead Speedworks Motorsport Toyota Corolla and passed second-row qualifier Mikey Doble’s Power Maxed Racing Vauxhall Astra for seventh on lap five. 

 As Butcher pulled away, attention turned to the massive ruckus at the bottom end of the top 10. 

 Ricky Collard (Speedworks Toyota) briefly pierced the defences of Doble with a few laps remaining, but the rookie fought back at the chicane and Collard missed the turns completely. 

 But he then played ball and backed off, and once again it became a battle between Doble, Collard and Adam Morgan (WSR BMW). 

 Collard and Morgan then lost out on the final lap, and it was Aron Taylor-Smith who came through to complete a PMR Vauxhall 8-9, with Bobby Thompson 10th in his Team Hard Cupra Leon. 

 Dan Rowbottom had worked his Motorbase Ford past this group by half-distance, only to be forced to the pits with a puncture.

BTCC Thruxton Race 1 Results (16 laps):

Cla Driver Time Gap
1 United Kingdom Ashley Sutton 20'41.048  
2 United Kingdom Tom Ingram 20'43.561 2.513
3 United Kingdom Josh Cook 20'45.134 4.086
4 United Kingdom Jake Hill 20'49.554 8.506
5 United Kingdom Dan Cammish 20'51.801 10.753
6 United Kingdom Colin Turkington 20'52.176 11.128
7 United Kingdom Rory Butcher 21'02.989 21.941
8 Mikey Doble 21'08.019 26.971
9 Ireland Aron Taylor-Smith 21'08.746 27.698
10 Bobby Thompson 21'09.012 27.964
11 United Kingdom Ricky Collard 21'09.313 28.265
12 United Kingdom Tom Chilton 21'11.147 30.099
13 United Kingdom Adam Morgan 21'11.243 30.195
14 United Kingdom Aiden Moffat 21'11.553 30.505
15 Ronan Pearson 21'12.611 31.563
16 Dexter Patterson 21'12.763 31.715
17 George Gamble 21'13.544 32.496
18 United Kingdom Andrew Watson 21'13.733 32.685
19 United Kingdom Stephen Jelley 21'22.694 41.646
20 Will Powell 21'24.909 43.861
21 United Kingdom Sam Osborne 21'25.617 44.569
22 Nicolas Hamilton 21'36.327 55.279
23 Jade Edwards 21'44.273 1'03.225
24 United Kingdom Daniel Rowbottom 21'58.217 1'17.169
  United Kingdom Daniel Lloyd 21'38.539 3 Laps
  Nick Halstead 20'47.167 5 Laps
  Jack Butel 15'37.727 6 Laps
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