BTCC: Doble claims victory in opening race of the season

Mikey Doble claims victory in opening race of the season after Tom Ingram was disqualified.

A slow start from pole for Daniel Rowbottom would drop him to fourth allowing Ingram to take the lead from Josh Cook and Charles Rainford. The four would fight hard over the opening lap all while behind them Sutton would move up eight places in the opening lap as he charges through the field. Rowbottom jumped back up to third passing Rainford before the end of the opening lap.

Sutton makes a double overtake on lap 2 at Coppice passing Cammish and Taylor-Smith all while Cook had to fend off Rowbottom and Rainford as Ingram pulls away in the opening stages.

Chilton tried to defend against Shedden on lap four but a dive around the outside of the old hairpin to make the move stick into eighth. The two would continue to squabble into the final chicane before Sutton started to get involved on exit to pass Chilton and out pressure on the three time champion.

Sutton and Shedden would battle hard down the hill into the old hairpin, but it would be the NAPA driver who jumps ahead. It wasn't long until Sutton made another move passing Moffat.

A safety car would be deployed as Cook from second would lose the car spinning around into the barriers at the final chicane.

The race would get back underway with Sutton immediately on the move passing Morgan to make his way into the top five. Doble would take the Independents race lead passing the BMW of Rainford to move into third place overall. However, he would begin to be hunted by Sutton after he also got passed the WSR BMW not long after.

Ingram would pull the gap out to the rest of the pack giving himself enough of a margin over Rowbottom, Doble and Sutton who were all converging. Rowbottom would run wide, allowing Doble to gain ground.

Behind them, Rainford, Sutton and Morgan would battle for fourth with Sutton ultimately winning out while Morgan moved into the top five passing the BMW. Rainford would continue to struggle as Cammish would be next in line to make an attack on him in the last few laps with constant pressure from the NAPA.

A ten second time penalty for Rowbottom in third would ruin his chances of a podium finish dropping him well down the order by races end.

Ingram would come home with a lights-to-flag victory for the Hyundai. However, Ingram would end up being disqualified for the car using too much boost. This means Doble would claim race victory ahead of Sutton in second after starting twenty-first. Rainford would finish in the final podium spot ahead of Cammish, Shedden and Moffat. Patterson, Taylor-Smith, Chilton and Morgan complete the top ten after a post-race penalty for Morgan as well.