Superb Sutton finalises title winning season with Brands Hatch Race Three triumph

Newly crowned triple BTCC champion, Ash Sutton has added the finishing touches to his latest title run by winning the final race of the 2021 season at Brands Hatch.

Sutton always looked ominous and despite Dan Rowbottom threatening at times to hunt him down, he surged away when he claimed the lead with the main battle going on behind him between the Cataclean with Halfords Racing driver and Tom Ingram with the latter doing as he does best – surging through the pack alongside Jake Hill and Josh Cook.

Off the line, Jelley and Chilton led with Sutton into third seeking the leaders. Further down, Ingram and Hill started their charge past Goff into the top 10.

While Sutton went into 2nd as he looked to make his move on Jelley as Rowbottom took the place of Chilton. Turkington’s title hopes went up in smoke during Race Two and he went off and had a moment on the banking and into the pits.

Jelley still led with Sutton still crawling over the back of him while Rowbottom got onto the tail of the duo with the Team BMW driver allowing it to be three for the lead.

On the start finish straight, Sutton took the lead and all three drivers jostled going into Druids with Rowbottom and Jelley going for second and this saw Sutton surge off and Jelley lose out to Chilton who went into third.

While Ingram continued his charge in a fantastic battle to get past Cook as he next went after Jelley on Lap 4/15. Safety car was deployed though as Jack Mitchell went off track.

As darkness drawed closer on the Kent circuit, racing restarted on Lap 10/18, Sutton surged away from Rowbottom going into Druids. Further back, Ingram and Cook finally got past Jelley into 4th and 5th.

Jelley was turned sideways after being given a tag by Jake Hill after not picking the right gap for an overtake. He went down to last place after starting on pole but there was no need for a safety car.

The gap was widening towards a second for Sutton and Ingram went third as Chilton couldn’t repel the quick Hyundai. Cook and Hill were next to pick off the Car Gods BMW with the latter taking off the BTC Racing Honda to go into 4th in a great battle.

Shedden was scrapping with Goff further down as the pack and at the front of the track, Sutton was surging away over two seconds on Lap 15/18.

Ingram was wanting the second spot and was flashing his bright lights constantly on Rowbottom as the laps ticked down. But the Hyundai was on the limit as he diminished the gap and with two laps to go, an overtake was now a real possibility.

Sutton though was allowed to get away even further towards the race win as the battle for second was looking to go to the line but Rowbottom held off Ingram ahead of Hill to finalise the top four.