Ash Sutton marches to victory in race two at Knockhill

Ash Sutton strengthened his advantage at the top of the British Touring Car Championship standings after claiming a commanding victory in race two at Knockhill.

The Alliance Racing driver started the contest – which was held in dry conditions – from fourth on the grid but with the soft tyre bolted on, he wasted no time in marching his way to the front and onto a seventh win of the season.

There was drama as soon as the lights went out as the Power Maxed Racing Audi of Aiden Moffat bounced down the grass of Duffus Dip while at the chicane, while Tom Ingram came to blows with the rear of Gordon Shedden’s Toyota as he checked up.

Ingram’s Hyundai came off worse from the contact and with a crumpled front end, he was forced to visit the pit lane at the end of the opening lap to ultimately retire from the race.

It had been Dan Rowbottom that leapfrogged team-mate Adam Morgan into the lead off the line but after a brief safety car period to recover Moffat’s machine, all eyes were on four-time champion Sutton in third place.

Moving past Morgan almost immediately, the Ford Focus Titanium driver then closed the gap to Rowbottom and on lap 11, he made the decisive move at the final hairpin. From there, Sutton controlled proceedings to claim a pivotal win in the title race.

Despite having to run the less preferable medium tyre and only having a handful of laps use of TOCA Turbo Boost, Rowbottom produced a sublime drive to secure a second successive podium finish.

Rowbottom had to work for his third rostrum of the campaign however as hounding him all the way to finish was Ricky Collard. The Hyundai driver had been feisty in the opening exchanges before fighting his way into third at mid-distance.

Mikey Doble maintained his push in the Independents’ Trophy as he finished fourth after getting the better of pole sitter Morgan late on.

One of the drives of the race came from WSR’s Charles Rainford as he went from 21st to sixth in his BMW 330i M Sport.

Completing the top ten was three-time champion Gordon Shedden, Dexter Patterson, Dan Cammish and Sam Osborne.

Race three from Knockhill is scheduled to take place at 17:20.