Photo: PSP Images

James Cole leads Subaru 1-2 in Rockingham Race 1

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James Cole led a Team BMR Subaru 1-2 in the first race of the day at Rockingham, with team-mate Ash Sutton stealing second from Eurotech’s Jack Goff on the final lap to retake the lead of the drivers’ championship.

There was trouble before the start for one of the championship contenders and independents’ points leader Tom Ingram, as the Speedworks Toyota driver pitted before the start with a brake issue from third on the grid.

Cole launched his Levorg GT from pole to lead into Deene hairpin, while West Surrey Racing BMW driver Colin Turkington blasted past Ash Sutton for third at the start, but Sutton grabbed the spot back at the exit of the hairpin, with Turkington soon on the defensive, dragging around 75kg of ballast on his 125i M Sport.

Turkington was soon passed by a flying Josh Cook in the Triple Eight Racing entry, with the MG driver then passing Sutton’s Subaru at Deene, but Sutton was able to retake the spot at the next corner at Yentwood.

Matt Neal then picked off Colin Turkington also at the hairpin on lap five, with the top six then settling down for the bulk of the race.

In the midfield, championship rivals Rob Collard in the BMW and Gordon Shedden in the Honda were fighting outside of the points-paying positions. Collard was able to pass Shedden’s Honda with an aggressive pass at Yentwood on lap nine for 18th, with the three-time champion forced out wide. Shedden then suffered a front-right puncture two laps later and was forced to pit, eventually finishing 30th, where he’ll start Race 2.

The front-wheel drive cars began to fade near the end in the heat, with Jack Goff dropping away from race leader Cole and was battling to keep second from Sutton, while fifth-placed Matt Neal also fell back into the clutches of Turkington’s rear-wheel drive Subaru.

While Neal was able to defend, Goff lost out in the final sector, with Sutton swooping past to secure BMR another 1-2 finish, with Cole crossing the line to score his first victory in the BTCC in his 106th race in the championship.

Sutton’s second moves him three points clear of Turkington in the drivers’ standings, while Shedden and Collard fall behind to 25 and 30 points adrift respectively after both failed to score in the race.

Cole will start the second race from pole position, now on the hard tyre and with 75kg of success ballast, with the race scheduled for 13:57 BST.