Ash Sutton storms to race two victory
Ash Sutton produced an astonishing drive to come from 23rd on the grid and secure victory in the second BTCC of the weekend.
Armed with full hybrid, the NAPA Racing UK driver stormed through the pack from the back of the field and had moved up into the top six before a mid-race caution period to allow debris to be recovered from the circuit.
At that stage, Jake Hill held the lead of the race as he looked to double up but a misfire on his car would see him slip back after the restart as Aron Taylor-Smith’s Vauxhall hit the front from Adam Morgan and Rory Butcher – with Sutton quickly clearing Andrew Watson and Hill to move into the top four.
Sutton wasted little time in passing Butcher and then took second from Morgan before setting off after Taylor-Smith and going into the Copse for the final time, he cleared the Irish driver to secure his first-ever Silverstone win.
Taylor-Smith had to settle for second spot, with third going to Tom Ingram after a performance equally impressive as Sutton’s.
Ingram was lucky to avoid being collected by an out-of-control Jack Butel on the opening lap at Brooklands which cost him places he had made up on the opening half of the lap – leaving him in 23rd and five spots behind Sutton at that stage.
The defending champion’s podium meant he moves back into second in the points, albeit 47 down on Sutton.
Butcher took fourth place ahead of Morgan and Watson, with Josh Cook taking seventh place and with it, an unassailable lead in the Independents championship standings.
Colin Turkington, Dan Lloyd and Dan Rowbottom rounded out the top ten.
Hill’s race would unravel as a result of his misfire and things weren’t helped on the final lap when he was tipped into a spin on the exit of Luffield after contact from Aiden Moffat.
The subsequent loss of momentum dropped him down to 20 as part of a gaggle of ten cars covered by less than a second as they crossed the line.
The top twelve will be reversed on the grid for race three, putting Michael Crees on pole.
