Charles Rainford became the second first-time Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship victor of the day by winning the last race of three on the Brands Hatch Indy circuit this afternoon (Sunday).

Daniel Rowbottom held the initial lead from pole position in his NAPA Racing UK Ford, just holding off the fast starting Jake Hill who launched well from the outside of the front row in his BMW. The Laser Tools Racing with MB Motorsport driver attempted to run round the outside at Paddock Hill Bend and Druids, but was unable to find a way into the lead.

This allowed Rainford to produce a strong run on his fellow BMW driver at the wheel of his LKQ Euro Car Parts liveried machine and slide past at the end of the Cooper Straight as they slotted into Surtees for the first time. Rainford then produced a strong run through Clark Curve to set up a bold move to take the lead from Rowbottom on the inside at Paddock Hill Bend the next time by.

A few laps later, Hill found a way past Rowbottom at the same corner and began to set about hunting down the sister BMW. It was during this mid-phase of the race that Tom Ingram began to set the timing screens alight with a sequence of brilliantly quick laps, including the fastest of the race.

Ingram had passed Sutton to take fifth earlier in the race and made another move to take fourth from Chris Smiley at Paddock Hill. An opportunistic manoeuvre at Clearways put Ingram past Rowbottom on lap 14, leaving the Team Vertu Hyundai racer with 10 tours of the Indy circuit to hunt those ahead down.

During the final part of the race, Hill was pressuring Rainford, but his quest to cross the finish line first came to an end when he was forced to avoid Max Hall’s backmarker Cupra which cost time. This dropped the BMW into Ingram’s clutches during the final laps. Twice did Ingram attempt to pass on the outside at Paddock Hill Bend, but reigning champion Hill held firm. Meanwhile at the front, Rainford streaked clear to pass the chequered flag first.

Behind the leading trio, Sutton cut through the pack to fourth just ahead of Chris Smiley in the first of the Restart Racing Hyundais. Josh Cook was right behind Smiley across the line in sixth, with Tom Chilton seventh. Aiden Moffat was eighth just ahead of Rowbottom who ended up ninth after sinking down from his early frontrunning showing.

Gordon Shedden rose up the order to take 10th and secure his first top-10 finish of the weekend at the wheel of the leading Toyota Corolla.

Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship, Race 3, Brands Hatch

1. Charles Rainford, LKQ Euro Car Parts Racing with WSR, BMW 330i M Sport
2. Jake Hill, Laser Tools Racing with MB Motorsport, BMW 330i M Sport, +1.983s
3. Tom Ingram, Team Vertu, Hyundai i30N, +2.374s
4. Ash Sutton, NAPA Racing UK, Ford Focus ST, +7.518s
5. Chris Smiley, Restart Racing, Hyundai i30N, +9.194s
6. Josh Cook, One Motorsport, Honda Civic Type R, +9.793s
7. Tom Chilton, Team Vertu, Hyundai i30N, +9.978s
8. Aiden Moffat, LKQ Euro Car Parts Racing with WSR, BMW 330i M Sport, +10.630s
9. Daniel Rowbottom, NAPA Racing UK, Ford Focus ST, +12.877s
10. Gordon Shedden, TOYOTA GAZOO Racing UK with IAA, Toyota Corolla GR Sport, 13.556s

Click here to view full results from this weekend.