Photo: PSP Images

Early advantage Tom Ingram after dramatic season opener

Tom Ingram will head into the second meeting of the BTCC season at Donington Park in three weeks time on top of the standings after emerging out front from a dramatic season opener at Brands Hatch.

The Speedworks driver had picked up a solid fourth place in the opening race of the weekend and then followed up with eleventh in race two despite being on the ‘wrong’ wet tyre on a drying circuit.

Race three however would see the reigning Independents’ champion make an impressive start to jump up to seventh on the opening lap, and having then moved into the top four, Ingram made light work of picking off the drivers ahead to storm to his first win of the campaign.

It means Ingram takes a three point lead away from the weekend with race one winner Jack Goff as his closest rival in a somewhat jumbled championship order.

“There was a lot of pressure on us coming into this weekend, with people expecting us to qualify on pole and win the first race, but we had a bit of an uphill battle,” he said. “We genuinely really struggled with pace in free practice and qualifying; the car didn’t feel fantastic, but my engineer Spencer and Christian [Dick – team principal] did one hell of a job to give me one hell of a race car today and it was really enjoyable out there.

“I honestly didn’t expect to win race three from that far down the grid – I’m proper chuffed. The Avensis was an absolute joy to drive, which made my life very easy – I could pick people off where I wanted. Once I had cleared Rob [Austin], my mind went into looking after the tyres and this car is just phenomenal. We’ve really found the sweet spot with the Avensis.”

Ingram also heads Goff in the Independents’ championship, with Dan Cammish the early leader in the Jack Sears Trophy.