Ash Sutton claimed his fifth and sixth race victories of the 2023 Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship at Thruxton on Sunday (4 June), as the NAPA Racing UK star extended his advantage in the overall Drivers’ standings.
Race 1
Sutton secured a routine lights-to-flag triumph in the opener at the Hampshire venue, as the NAPA Racing UK star kept both Ingram (BRISTOL STREET MOTORS with EXCELR8) and Cook (One Motorsport with Starline Racing) at arm’s length throughout the contest.
Cook clocked the fastest lap early on with the fight for second threatening to ignite at different stages of the race, but in truth the top three places were never in doubt.
Jake Hill blasted his BMW past CarStore Power Maxed Racing’s Mikey Doble off the line and briefly ran side-by-side with Cook on the opening tour, before the Laser Tools Racing with MB Motorsport man settled into fourth until the finish.
NAPA Racing UK’s Dan Cammish was the biggest mover in the order as he came from ninth on the grid to claim fifth, although team-mate Rowbottom wasn’t so lucky as a late race puncture halted his charge.
Race 2
Sutton then completed a double race victory for the third consecutive Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship weekend, as the three-time champ continued his imperious form.
Having already bagged a brace at both Brands Hatch and Snetterton, Sutton controlled proceedings in the first two contests at Thruxton to record his sixth success of the campaign.
Sutton pulled a gap of nearly a second on the opening lap as the likes of Ingram, Cook and Hill squabbled behind for second.
An almost carbon copy getaway to the opening bout saw Cook and Hill run side-by-side going into the Complex for the first time, with Ingram’s car also getting slightly tagged in the tussle.
When the dust settled it was the same quintet at the top of the order with the gaps between them remaining relatively stable until the finish.
Sutton secured the victory by 2.234s from Ingram, Cook and Hill, with Cammish again coming home in fifth.
Race 3
Kidderminster driver Rowbottom then rounded off an incredible weekend for NAPA Racing UK as he won the reverse grid race – his second BTCC career victory.
Pole-sitter Morgan made a stellar getaway and immediately pulled away from the chasing pack, as Moffat (One Motorsport with Starline Racing) initially proved to be the cork in the bottle with a gaggle of cars bulked up behind him.
Team BMW’s Morgan scurried off into the distance, whilst Rowbottom was busy making progress from fifth on the grid and up to third.
On lap five, Rowbottom’s Ford Focus dispatched of Moffat’s Honda Civic Type R through the Complex and he took six tenths of a second out of Morgan’s advantage on the very next lap.
The gap kept shrinking and Rowbottom eventually made his move down the inside of Morgan’s #33 BMW 330e M Sport before the cars reached Church on lap ten.
It was a great comeback throughout the day from Rowbottom, which had begun with disappointment in race one.
Morgan held on to second whilst Moffat defended valiantly to fend off Team BMW’s Turkington to complete the podium.
Sutton now holds a 14-point lead in his quest to win a record-equalling fourth BTCC title, whilst Ingram and Colin Turkington maintained second and third in the standings respectively.
The BTCC now moves on to Oulton Park in Cheshire in two weeks’ time (17/18 June).
