The BTCC made it’s annual trip across the border to Scotland last weekend, with the return of a crowd who clearly enjoyed returning to the Knockhill circuit after missing last year’s event.
It was a potentially pivotal weekend for the Championship with Colin Turkington, Tom Ingram and Jake Hill all needing to get their challenge back on track.
Race 1
Turkington took pole on Saturday and carried on that form into Sunday by absolutely dominating race 1. The BMW driver kept the lead comfortably at the start ahead of the in-form Senna Proctor.
Turkington had already put a large gap between himself and Proctor before the Safety Car came out to clear up Dan Lloyd’s Vauxhall after crashing at the chicane.
Turkington’s command of the race continued after the Safety Car period, with the 4-time champion again putting a big gap between himself and Proctor.
Turkington eventually finished 4.254 seconds ahead of Proctor with Josh Cook completing the podium positions.
- Colin Turkington
- Senna Proctor
- Josh Cook
- Ash Sutton
- Chris Smiley
Race 2
The second race of the day started with a bang, with Nic Hamilton the unlucky driver to crash before the first corner and retire after Chris Smiley’s Hyundai struggled off the line, causing the rest of the grid to concertina behind the Excelr8 driver.
The Safety Car was brought out immediately with Turkington leading from pole ahead of Josh Cook, Ash Sutton and Senna Proctor.
Sutton picked off Cook soon after the race restart, passing the Honda driver at the final corner giving him a clear run to Turkington.
Sutton was able to close the gap to Turkington consistently before attacking on lap 17.
Turkington was forced to defend into Clark’s allowing the Infiniti pull alongside coming into the final corner, but Sutton was pushed out wide coming onto the main straight.
The second Safety Car of the race was brought out after Rory Butcher and Aidan Moffat collided at Duffus Dip, sending the Toyota driver into retirement.
Sutton stayed right on Turkington’s tail at the restart and on the final lap the pressure eventually told with the BMW going wide at the chicane handing the victory to his Championship rival.
- Ash Sutton
- Colin Turkington
- Jake Hill
- Josh Cook
- Gordon Shedden
Race 3
Race 2 winner Sutton picked ball number 9 for the reverse grid race giving pole to Stephen Jelley.
Jelley led away from Jason Plato with the soft tyre shod Tom Ingram charging up to third but Josh Cook then stopped on track bringing out yet another Safety Car.
Ingram’s tyre advantage was clear to see, with the Hyundai driver clearly looking like the faster car compared to Plato and was soon able to pass the Vauxhall through the hairpin after he locked up coming into the corner.
Jelley was then put under immediate pressure by Ingram, who despite having a major pace advantage was unable to find a way past.
That was until Ingram made a late lunge into the final corner with 8 laps remaining with Proctor able to take advantage and pass Jelley after the BMW was compromised on the exit of the corner.
Ingram went on to win comfortably from Proctor by 1.383s with Jelley holding onto the final podium position.
- Tom Ingram
- Senna Proctor
- Stephen Jelley
- Gordon Shedden
- Ash Sutton
Sutton was able to extend his Championship lead from Ingram and Turkington with Shedden, Hill, Cook and Dan Rowbottom split by just eight points setting up the second half of the season brilliantly.
Championship Standings After Round 5
- Ash Sutton 172
- Tom Ingram 158
- Colin Turkington 138
- Gordon Shedden 129
- Jake Hill 128
- Josh Cook 123
- Dan Rowbottom 121
- Stephen Jelley 113
- Aiden Moffat 108
- Adam Morgan 106
