BTCC 2023: Sutton stars as Turkington reaches milestone

Colin Turkington reached a victory milestone at Brands Hatch as he moved up to second on the all-time BTCC winners list, before Ash Sutton starred to claim a double triumph.

Team BMW star Turkington secured his 64th career victory in the opener – 20 years after claiming his first at the same venue – as he now moves past Matt Neal and behind the legendary Jason Plato.

Sutton then surged to two stunning victories in the following bouts as he got the better of Tom Ingram and Turkington in race two, before scything his way from 11th on the grid to win a dramatic finale.

Sutton’s NAPA Racing UK team-mate Cammish still leads the standings from reigning champion Ingram, while Sutton and Turkington have now moved into third and fourth respectively.

The BTCC returns at Snetterton in two weeks’ time (20/21 May).

Turkington takes his first win of season

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 and Adam Morgan.

Re-starting from their original grid positions, Cammish couldn’t hang on from pole as he dropped to fourth behind Turkington, Jake Hill’s BMW 3 Series and Sutton.

The Ford Focuses of Sutton and Cammish fought back by Hill shortly after, with the latter still trying to get heat into the tyres of his rear-wheel drive BMW.

Turkington – running the Goodyear softer option tyre – had no such problems as he held his three challengers off for the remainder of the race.

Sutton: “It’s good to be back!”

NAPA Racing UK’s Ash Sutton kept reigning champion Tom Ingram at bay to win his first 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.