BTCC Donington Park: Ingram is first BTCC repeat winner in 2017
Tom Ingram has become the first double winner of the British Touring Car Championship in 2017 after taking victory in the second race of the weekend at Donington Park
The Speedworks Motorsport Toyota Avensis driver started fifth on the grid but leapt to third on the opening tour as those in front battled, and rose to second place on lap two to chase down race one winner Aiden Moffat (Laser Tools Racing Mercedes-Benz A-Class).
He made the move for the lead as the cars powered out of Redgate corner on lap four to power clear to a comfortable 3.8s win.
"I really didn't expect to be getting that [win] from fifth on the grid," said Ingram. "We had weight on but the pace of the BMWs had me worried because I knew they would be strong.
"I also knew the situation that Aiden would be in on the hard tyre, so I knew I had to get him early so he wasn't the cork in the bottle.
"I got him early and then I was able to look after my tyres."
As the fully ballasted Moffat dropped down the order, Rob Collard (WSR BMW 125i M Sport) consolidated a strong start to claim second place, but he was under pressure in the closing stages as Ash Sutton thrust his Team BMR Subaru Levorg from 13th up to the rostrum.
Collard said: "It proves how fast Ash is as a young driver - he was right on me.
"I was trying to control it all, even though he gave me a cheeky tap at Coppice on the last lap.
"But we raced towards a yellow flag period at the last corner and I knew I had enough to claim the place."
Behind Sutton, Josh Cook gave the Maximum Motorsport team its best-yet result in the British Touring Car Championship by claiming a competitive fourth spot.
Colin Turkington (WSR BMW 125i M Sport) unseated reigning champion Gordon Shedden (Team Dynamics Honda Civic) from fifth with a lap to go. Shedden led home team-mate Matt Neal.
BTC Norlin Chevrolet Cruze racer Dave Newsham came out top of a frantic fight for the lower positions in the top 10.
He eventually eclipsed Jack Goff (Eurotech Racing Honda Civic) and Tom Chilton (Power Maxed Racing Vauxhall Astra) who rounded out the top 10 respectively.
RESULTS - 16 LAPS:
Pos | Driver | Team | Car | Gap |
---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Tom Ingram | Speedworks Motorsport | Toyota | 19m09.281s |
2 | Rob Collard | WSR | BMW | 3.865s |
3 | Ash Sutton | Team BMR | Subaru | 4.085s |
4 | Josh Cook | Maximum Motorsport | Ford | 10.112s |
5 | Colin Turkington | WSR | BMW | 14.134s |
6 | Gordon Shedden | Dynamics/Honda | Honda | 15.340s |
7 | Matt Neal | Dynamics/Honda | Honda | 20.817s |
8 | Dave Newsham | BTC Racing | Chevrolet | 21.912s |
9 | Jack Goff | Eurotech Racing | Honda | 24.793s |
10 | Tom Chilton | Power Maxed Racing | Vauxhall | 27.670s |
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