BTCC: Sutton claims victory in Race 2 at Thruxton to extend championship lead

Ash Sutton claimed victory in race 2 of the day at Thruxton, extending his championship lead to his rivals.

Josh Cook starts from pole ahead of Sutton and Daniel Rowbottom while Tom Ingram would start from fourth place on the grid. Cook would manage to defend from Sutton heading into the opening complex, but it wouldn’t be long before Sutton manages to find his way through on the exit of Church and the run through to the chicane at the end of the lap after a slide for the Toyota.

On lap three, Dan Cammish and Adam Morgan would fight into Club chicane giving Cammish fifth place on the exit, opening the door for James Dorlin to attack begin to mount pressure on the Mercedes in front.

Meanwhile, Ingram would try and find his way passed Rowbottom through all this but to no avail in the opening few laps as it would take until lap five for the Hyundai to pass the Mercedes on the run through Seagrave to make his way passed Rowbottom for the position. Dorlin would make his way into sixth place on lap six after Morgan went wide at Church forcing him onto the grass and unable to keep momentum.

The battle for fourth place would see Rowbottom having to defend from Cammish on lap seven, as Cammish would take the outside line on the run into Club to take the position by the time they reach the apex of the second part of the chicane.

Out front, Sutton would be put under pressure by Cook as the Toyota remained a constant threat in the NAPA driver’s mirror’s all while Ingram closed in on them both, it would eventually come to a head on lap twelve where Ingram and Cook would go side by side on the run into Club before contact was made between the two, forcing Ingram to cut the chicane and Cook to have to regain control all while bouncing across the curbs. This would put Cook under pressure from Cammish for the remaining laps. Ingram would end up being given a ten second time penalty for track limits throughout the race.

Sutton would come home to take another victory at Thruxton with victory in race two ahead of Cook and Cammish who complete the podium as well as Rowbottom who finishes fourth after Ingram’s penalty drops him to fifth. Dorlin would finish sixth and win in the Independents class while Morgan would finish seventh. Mikey Doble would finish eighth ahead of Árón Taylor-Smith and Tom Chilton who complete the top ten.