Bristol Street Motors with EXCELR8 TradePriceCars.com‘s Tom Ingram has set down an early marker to begin the new season of British Touring Car Championship (BTCC) action at Donington Park but not without a frenetic start to proceedings.
The curtain raiser for the new BTCC Hybrid system saw Jake Hill and Colin Turkington look to continue the initial BMW dominance shown in qualifying but the squabbling allowed a five-car train.
With both drivers jostling for position, Ingram seized his moment to dart through and take the lead with the race also neutralised due to Ricky Collard stopping on the start finish straight.
It took four laps to clear but Ingram again moving clear on the restart maintaining a gap to Turkington. He managed to keep the chasing pack at bay as he went on to claim the 20th win of his BTCC career.
But for Hill, despite fighting back past defending champion Ash Sutton and George Gamble into the final podium place, his race was dented even further as he was not classified in the race results after failing post-race ride height checks which promoted Gordon Shedden up to third in the final race order.
Also inside the top ten past a brilliant debut effort for Gamble was Stephen Jelley, Josh Cook, Dan Rowbottom and Tom Chilton, with Jason Plato running for most of the race inside the top 10 before a puncture derailed his chances.
2022 British Touring Car Championship – Race 1– Donington Park
1. Tom INGRAM (GBR) Bristol Street Motors with EXCELR8 TradePriceCars.com 19 laps
2. Colin TURKINGTON (GBR) Team BMW +0.659s
3. Gordon SHEDDEN (GBR) Halfords Racing with Cataclean +4.122s
4. Ash SUTTON (GBR) NAPA Racing UK +5.067s
5. Adam MORGAN (GBR) Car Gods with Ciceley Motorsport +5.466s
6. George GAMBLE (GBR) Car Gods with Ciceley Motorsport +7.173s
7. Stephen JELLEY (GBR) Team BMW +7.477s
8. Josh COOK (GBR) Rich Energy BTC Racing +13.266s
9. Daniel ROWBOTTOM (GBR) Halfords Racing with Cataclean +14.668s
10. Tom CHILTON (GBR) Bristol Street Motors with EXCELR8 TradePriceCars.com +16.553s
11. Daniel LLOYD (GBR) Bristol Street Motors with EXCELR8 TradePriceCars.com +17.067s
12. Bobby THOMPSON (GBR) Autobrite Direct with JourneyHero +21.532s
13. Árón TAYLOR-SMITH (IRL) Yazoo with Safuu.com Racing +21.554s
14. Michael CREES (GBR) CarStore Power Maxed Racing +21.689s
15. Aiden MOFFAT (GBR) Laser Tools Racing +23.967s
16. Dan CAMMISH (GBR) NAPA Racing UK +23.969s
17. Dexter PATTERSON (GBR) Laser Tools Racing +24.774s
18. Ash HAND (GBR) CarStore Power Maxed Racing +25.482s
19. Nic HAMILTON (GBR) Yazoo with Safuu.com Racing +36.505s
20. Jason PLATO (GBR) Rich Energy BTC Racing +49.372s
21. Rick PARFITT (GBR) Uptonsteel with Euro Car Parts Racing +57.207s
22. Jade EDWARDS (GBR) Rich Energy BTC Racing +58.207s
23. Sam OSBORNE (GBR) Apec Racing with Beavis Morgan +1:00.860s
24. Jack BUTEL (GBR) Bristol Street Motors with EXCELR8 TradePriceCars.com +4 laps
25. Ollie JACKSON (GBR) Apec Racing with Beavis Morgan +12 laps
26. Rory BUTCHER (GBR) Toyota GAZOO Racing UK +16 laps
27. Ricky COLLARD (GBR) Toyota GAZOO Racing UK +18 laps
DSQ Jake HILL (GBR) ROKiT MB Motorsport