Ash Sutton produced a Saturday masterclass to extend his Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship lead with victory in the Race to Pole. Sutton took the lead on the opening lap and drove home over 18 laps to secure the best possible starting position for Sunday’s triple-header.
It was Tom Ingram who started from first, after topping the more traditional Qualifying session earlier on. But the Team VERTU Hyundai driver was forced to defend from the fast starting Daryl De Leon in his WSR BMW. Sutton, equally rapid off the line in his NAPA Racing UK Ford, nipped through from fifth on the grid to take third behind Ingram and De Leon as the pack filed through Paddock Hill and Druids for the first time.
On the run into Graham Hill Bend, De Leon locked up while challenging Ingram and made contact with the leader. As the duo at the front recovered, the opportunistic Sutton grasped his opportunity and took the lead. It was an advantage he’d never relinquish.
De Leon slotted into second, with Ingram dropping into fifth, and it was the BMW which offered the main challenge to Sutton. But he couldn’t find a way through. In any case, he had to manage a spot of his own drama as he ran wide on the last corner on the final lap, losing momentum on the final drive to the line.
While Sutton passed the flag first, De Leon just held on to secure second on the road. Sutton’s teammate Dan Cammish was the driver just behind, leading home Ricky Collard in another of the Team VERTU Hyundais after running in that order race-long. Ingram ultimately finished fifth just behind them, the loss of ground early on proving costly.
There was more of the same just behind that, with Adam Morgan’s Cataclean Plato Racing Mercedes in sixth, just ahead of the Audis of Mikey Doble and Dexter Patterson. Much like those ahead, these three circulated the Indy circuit in that order for the duration.
Aron Taylor-Smith emerged at the head of a fierce Toyota battle in ninth, ahead of the similar Laser Tools branded entry of Gordon Shedden. They were running behind of Josh Cook’s works version late on, before he went off and dropped out of contention.
Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship, Brands Hatch, Race to Pole
- Ash Sutton, NAPA Racing UK, Ford Focus Titanium
- Daryl De Leon, WSR, BMW 330i M Sport, +1.632s
- Dan Cammish, NAPA Racing UK, Ford Focus Titanium, +2.091s
- Ricky Collard, Team VERTU, Hyundai i30N, +2.431s
- Tom Ingram, Team VERTU, Hyundai i30N, +3.065s
- Adam Morgan, Cataclean Plato Racing, Mercedes A35 Saloon, +5.566s
- Mikey Doble, LKQ Euro Car Parts with Power Maxed Racing, Audi A3 Saloon, +6.196s
- Dexter Patterson, Steel Seal with Power Maxed Racing, Audi A3 Saloon, +7.846s
- Aron Taylor-Smith, Laser Tools Racing with MB Motorsport, Toyota Corolla GR Sport, +14.147s
- Gordon Shedden, Laser Tools Racing with MB Motorsport, Toyota Corolla GR Sport, +14.609s
Click here for full results and times from this weekend's event.