Rich Energy BTC Honda‘s Josh Cook has become the most successful driver in history at Thruxton sealing Race One honours on Sunday morning.
Known as the King of Thruxton, Cook takes the Drivers’ Championship lead by a small margin with Tom Ingram having a race to forget as he will look to build for Race Three. Initially jumped off the line by Jake Hill, Cook produced an expert move to regain the lead and momentum after the first chicane.
Hill looked to setup a thrilling conclusion to the opening race as Cook’s tyres looked to drop off after an initial gap was opened up but he saved his hybrid to hold on for the entire race distance with the ROKiT MB Motorsport driver settling for second ahead of reigning champion, Ash Sutton who was initially passed by Dan Rowbottom but the NAPA Racing UK driver produced a gutsy effort to fend off the pack including Colin Turkington.
Like alluded to, it was a race to forget for Ingram who was tagged alongside Dan Cammish and they both slid onto the grass and out of the race. After Turkington, Rowbottom and Plato, impressive drives from Adam Morgan, Dan Lloyd and Ash Hand rounded out the top ten.
2022 British Touring Car Championship – Race 1 – Thruxton
1. Josh COOK (GBR) Rich Energy BTC Racing 16 laps
2. Jake HILL (GBR) ROKiT MB Motorsport +0.900s
3. Ash SUTTON (GBR) NAPA Racing UK +8.957s
4. Colin TURKINGTON (GBR) Team BMW +9.400s
5. Daniel ROWBOTTOM (GBR) Halfords Racing with Cataclean +9.816s
6. Jason PLATO (GBR) Rich Energy BTC Racing +10.208s
7. Adam MORGAN (GBR) Car Gods with Ciceley Motorsport +14.615s
8. Daniel LLOYD (GBR) Bristol Street Motors with EXCELR8 TradePriceCars.com +15.032s
9. Stephen JELLEY (GBR) Team BMW +15.625s
10. Ash HAND (GBR) CarStore Power Maxed Racing +18.254s
11. Rory BUTCHER (GBR) Toyota GAZOO Racing UK +22.013s
12. Tom CHILTON (GBR) Bristol Street Motors with EXCELR8 TradePriceCars.com +24.513s
13. Michael CREES (GBR) CarStore Power Maxed Racing +25.387s
14. George GAMBLE (GBR) Car Gods with Ciceley Motorsport +26.601s
15. Aiden MOFFAT (GBR) Laser Tools Racing +29.194s
16. Ricky COLLARD (GBR) Toyota GAZOO Racing UK +30.422s
17. Bobby THOMPSON (GBR) Autobrite Direct with JourneyHero +31.232s
18. Árón TAYLOR-SMITH (IRL) Yazoo with Safuu.com Racing +33.917s
19. Sam OSBORNE (GBR) Apec Racing with Beavis Morgan +34.540s
20. Dexter PATTERSON (GBR) Laser Tools Racing +36.721s
21. Tom INGRAM (GBR) Bristol Street Motors with EXCELR8 TradePriceCars.com +45.393s
22. Rick PARFITT (GBR) Uptonsteel with Euro Car Parts Racing +57.680s
23. Will POWELL (GBR) Autobrite Direct with JourneyHero +1:04.760s
24. Gordon SHEDDEN (GBR) Halfords Racing with Cataclean +1:15.902s
25. Dan CAMMISH (GBR) NAPA Racing UK +1 lap
26. Nic HAMILTON (GBR) Yazoo with Safuu.com Racing +1 lap
27. Jade EDWARDS (GBR) Rich Energy BTC Racing +6 laps
28. Jack BUTEL (GBR) Bristol Street Motors with EXCELR8 TradePriceCars.com +9 laps
29. Ollie JACKSON (GBR) Apec Racing with Beavis Morgan +12 laps