BTCC 2023: Sutton stars as Turkington reaches milestone

Colin Turkington reached a triumph milestone astatine Brands Hatch arsenic helium moved up to 2nd connected the all-time BTCC winners list, earlier Ash Sutton starred to assertion a treble triumph.

Team BMW prima Turkington secured his 64th vocation triumph successful the opener – 20 years aft claiming his archetypal astatine the aforesaid venue – arsenic helium present moves past Matt Neal and down the legendary Jason Plato.

Sutton past surged to 2 stunning victories successful the pursuing bouts arsenic helium got the amended of Tom Ingram and Turkington successful contention two, earlier scything his mode from 11th connected the grid to triumph a melodramatic finale.

Sutton’s NAPA Racing UK team-mate Cammish inactive leads the standings from reigning champion Ingram, portion Sutton and Turkington person present moved into 3rd and 4th respectively.

The BTCC returns astatine Snetterton successful 2 weeks’ clip (20/21 May).

Turkington takes his archetypal triumph of season

Team BMW’s Turkington enjoyed his milestone infinitesimal aft a adjacent lights-to-flag victory, pursuing a restarted contention successful the opener.

Just arsenic the leaders were completing the archetypal thigh determination was play behind, which instantly brought astir a reddish emblem stoppage to proceedings.

NAPA Racing UK’s Dan Rowbottom had squeezed down the wrong of Team BMW’s Stephen Jelley astatine Clark Curve, but interaction sent the second into the pitwall, earlier some cars yet collected the unfortunate Andrew Watson and Adam Morgan.

Re-starting from their archetypal grid positions, Cammish couldn’t bent connected from rod arsenic helium dropped to 4th down Turkington, Jake Hill’s BMW 3 Series and Sutton.

The Ford Focuses of Sutton and Cammish fought backmost by Hill soon after, with the second inactive trying to get vigor into the tyres of his rear-wheel thrust BMW.

Turkington – moving the Goodyear softer enactment tyre – had nary specified problems arsenic helium held his 3 challengers disconnected for the remainder of the race.

Sutton: “It’s bully to beryllium back!”

NAPA Racing UK’s Ash Sutton kept reigning champion Tom Ingram astatine bay to triumph his archetypal contention of the season.

The 1.21-mile Brands Hatch Indy circuit – notoriously choky and challenging for each drivers – provided battles passim the order, but it was Sutton who commanded proceedings from the outset.

Sutton snatched the pb from pole-sitter Colin Turkington connected the opening lap, but it was the fast-starting Ingram that was making waves behind.

The Hyundai operator was soon into 3rd – from 5th connected the grid – and helium sliced by Team BMW’s Turkington connected the tally done Surtees for the archetypal time.

The apical 3 positions remained unchanged until the finish, albeit with Ingram keeping Sutton honorable throughout, up of Turkington.

Collard punishment promotes Sutton to victory

Sutton inherited triumph successful the finale owed to a punishment for on-the-road victor Ricky Collard (Toyota Gazoo Racing UK).

The last reverse grid contention saw Collard’s Toyota gaffe into the pb connected the opening thigh arsenic helium passed pole-sitter Bobby Thompson, portion Sutton was surging done the bid from 11th connected the grid.

The three-time champion made walk aft walk earlier helium yet hauled successful Collard’s instrumentality by mid-distance.

Collard defended valiantly and besides utilized his further hybrid good to support Sutton astatine bay, but aggregate way bounds infringements began to beryllium incurred arsenic helium fended disconnected the #116 Ford Focus.

Unfortunately for Collard a 10sec clip punishment was yet issued by the contention stewards to the #37 Toyota, which yet gave the triumph to Sutton.

Thompson grabbed a career-best 2nd place, whilst reigning champ Tom Ingram completed the podium.