Colin Turkington cruised to his 70th career British Touring Car Championship race victory with a dominant lights-to-flag drive at Croft. The four-time champion started his West Surrey Racing-run BMW 330e M Sport from pole position, and got a good launch. Tom Ingram quickly got past front-row starter Dan Cammish on the opening lap and looked to be a threat to Turkington over the first few miles.
But, once the rear-wheel-drive BMW’s tyres were switched on, Turkington was able to extend an advantage, set fastest lap, and maintain the gap to the pursuing Excelr8 Motorsport Hyundai i30 N Fastback of Ingram, who was 1.746 seconds adrift at the chequered flag. “We’ve obviously had the pace this weekend – we showed that yesterday,” said Turkington, for whom this was the 15th BTCC race win at Croft.
“Having the luxury of a few extra laps of hybrid [over Ingram] made the job easier. The car was good. Tom had the pace over the opening laps, but I felt I had enough in hand.
“Once I got the front tyres in, I knew I was in a good place.” “Colin was never going to make a mistake,” said Ingram. “He’s the king of Croft and world-class.
” Ingram had got up the inside of Cammish into the second corner at Hawthorns on the opening lap. The Alliance Racing-run NAPA Ford Focus ST of Cammish then skipped the chicane and conceded the position to Ingram on the run into Tower. The sister Alliance Ford of Ash Sutton got past Aron Taylor-Smith ’s Power Maxed Racing Vauxhall Ast.