Team BRISTOL STREET MOTORS' Tom Ingram held off title rival Ash Sutton in the Oulton Park opener to secure a fantastic 30th career victory in the Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship.
BTCC fans have been waiting for an on-track battle between Ingram and Sutton during the 2024 campaign and the packed banks of spectators got their wish around the picturesque Cheshire circuit.
The pair touched slightly on a couple of ocassions with the pivotal moment coming when Ingram's #80 straight-lined a chicane after receiving a nudge from the #1 NAPA Racing UK Ford Focus of Sutton.
They resumed battle but in truth Sutton's chance was over as the Hyundai i30N pulled away for the remainder of the contest.
NAPA Racing UK's Dan Cammish claimed a hard-earned fourth successive podium as he came under attack from Laser Tools Racing with MB Motorsport's Jake Hill and team-mate Dan Rowbottom.
Hill's podium challenge was scuppered after a huge lock-up going into the hairpin late on, although he did recover to finish sixth, whilst Rowbottom's car received a black and orange for flailing bodywork.
Rowbottom failed to pit before the chequered flag and received a post-race 30 second penalty, dropping him to 15th overall.
Tom Ingram said: “We would have loved some air conditioning in the car, it gets very spicy in there. We are about 25 degrees above ambient temperature so it’s pretty warm to say the least. Ash (Sutton) is obviously quick, so is Dan (Cammish), plus I could see Jake (Hill) coming too. There was a lot to try and manage but it’s good to get the win and the first one of the day under our belts.”
Ash Sutton said: “I tried to make the most of it at the start, but we were up against it with the lack of hybrid compared to those around us. Eventually we settled for the points and focus on the next one. We’re on the dreaded hard tyre now, which is going to be tough, but we’re really happy with the performance and result.”
Dan Cammish said: "I did a good job of getting in the right gap for the fastest lap. I knew if I could give them enough of a gap a lap later I could fill that gap and try and go for fastest lap which we did and that is an extra point. Good race from my side, realised quite early on we didn’t have the ultimate pace. I think we are going to see fireworks today. I want to survive, I want a lot of points and I want to get away from here with a chance of losing the gap after the summer break. I have got a plan."
