Tom Ingram reigns supreme in frenetic Donington Park finale
Tom Ingram extended his advantage at the top of the British Touring Car Championship standings after claiming a fifth win of the season in the Donington Park finale.
The EXCELR8 Motorsport driver started fifth on the grid but with the benefit of running the more favourable medium tyre, Ingram charged up to second place by the end of lap two.
Alliance Racing’s Ash Sutton – Ingram’s chief title rival – had led the field away from pole position but with the slower medium tyre fitted to his Ford Focus ST, he always faced an uphill battle to triumph.
Breaking clear of the chasing pack relatively quickly, Sutton and Ingram spent a number of laps duelling for the lead, with Sutton showing superlative skill to fend off the rapid Hyundai.
On lap five however Ingram finally made a move stick on Sutton and once out front he edged clear to secure a vital win; one that means he heads into the penultimate event of the year 32 points ahead of the four-time champion.
Behind the top two, Aron Taylor-Smith had got the better of team-mate Josh Cook to move up to third initially but he could do nothing to stop the charging Dan Rowbottom from scything past the Toyota driver to clinch his second podium of the day.
Taylor-Smith had been holding firm in fourth but when the safety car neutralised proceedings to allow Nick Halstead’s Cupra to be recovered, it allowed the chasing pack to close up.
Race one winner Tom Chilton applied pressure to the Toyota driver but it was reigning champion Jake Hill that emerged as the one to watch as he dispatched Chilton and then set off after Taylor-Smith.
Despite his best efforts the West Surrey Racing driver couldn’t find a way past the Irishman and instead settled for fifth with Chilton, Gordon Shedden, Daniel Lloyd, Daryl DeLeon and Charles Rainford completing the top ten.
