Race 1
Team BMW’s Turkington enjoyed his milestone moment after a near lights-to-flag victory following a restarted contest in the opener.
Just as the leaders were completing the first lap there was drama behind, which immediately brought about a red flag stoppage to proceedings.
NAPA Racing UK’s Dan Rowbottom had squeezed down the inside of Team BMW’s Stephen Jelley at Clark Curve, but contact sent the latter into the pitwall, before both cars ultimately collected the unfortunate Andrew Watson (CarStore Power Maxed Racing) and Adam Morgan (Team BMW).
Cammish couldn’t hang on from pole position at the restart as he dropped to fourth behind Turkington, Jake Hill’s Laser Tools Racing with MB Motorsport’s BMW and Sutton.
Race 2
Sutton then kept reigning champion Ingram’s Hyundai i30N at bay to win his first Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship race of the season.
The 1.21-mile Brands Hatch Indy circuit – notoriously tight and challenging for all drivers – provided battles throughout the order, but it was Sutton who commanded proceedings from the outset.
Sutton snatched the lead from pole-sitter Turkington on the opening tour, but it was the fast-starting Ingram that was making waves behind.
The BRISTOL STREET MOTORS with EXCELR8 driver was soon into third – from fifth on the grid – and he diced by Turkington’s #4 BMW 330e M Sport on the run through Surtees for the first time.
Race 3
Sutton inherited victory in the finale due to a penalty for on-the-road winner Ricky Collard in his TOYOTA GAZOO Racing UK Corolla.
The final reverse grid race saw Collard’s Toyota slip into the lead on the opening lap as he passed pole-sitter Bobby Thompson in the Autobrite Direct with Millers Oils Cupra, whilst Sutton was surging through the order from 11th on the grid.
The three-time champion made pass after pass before he eventually hauled in Collard’s machine by mid-distance.
Collard produced a spirited defence and also put his additional hybrid to good use to keep Sutton behind, before multiple track limit infringements incurred a ten second time penalty from the race stewards.
Sutton secured the win, whilst Thompson grabbed a career-best second place ahead of reigning champ Ingram.
Sutton’s NAPA Racing UK team-mate Dan Cammish still leads the Drivers’ standings from reigning champion Ingram – both having reached the rostrum at the 1.21-mile Indy circuit – whilst Sutton and Turkington have now moved into third and fourth respectively.
