Double victory for Cook at Croft
Bath’s Josh Cook claimed a commanding double win, before Toyota star Tom Ingram took victory in the final contest, as a number of title contenders hit trouble during an extraordinary day of Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship action at the Croft Circuit, near Darlington.
BTC Racing’s Cook kicked off proceedings with two lights-to-flag victories – following his pole position on Saturday – as the Bath racer finally enjoyed a trouble-free weekend in his Honda Civic Type R.
Toyota Gazoo Racing UK with Ginsters’ Ingram then bounced back from his qualifying disappointment to take a fully deserved triumph in the final bout.
A trio of title protagonists – Colin Turkington, Ash Sutton and Rory Butcher – all endured drama at the North Yorkshire circuit as the race for the championship continues to build towards an exciting climax.
Cook fended off a determined effort from MB Motorsport accelerated by Blue Square’s Jake Hill to claim success in the opener.
Hill and Cook went side-by-side on one occasion, before going on to trade fastest laps, but the latter held on as the lead duo pulled clear of Turkington’s BMW.
Turkington’s trip to the podium was to be the high point of an otherwise dismal day for the Northern Irishman, as a mechanical issue in the final bout followed an uncharacteristic off in race two.
Cook was then deservedly awarded the race-two win amid a frenetic encounter.
Last-lap contact between Cook and three-time champion Matt Neal looked to have handed the latter his first victory since his ‘Diamond Double’ success at Snetterton in 2018.
Unsurprisingly, however, the incident was reviewed post-race and the positions were subsequently reversed with Neal’s over-zealous move being deemed as gaining an unfair advantage.
Cook’s impressive double was just one of many stories during this barnstormer of a race, which commenced with reigning champion Turkington out-braking himself into turn one and ending up in the gravel.
With Turkington out of the bout, the title pendulum swung back towards Laser Tools Racing’s Sutton, who was pressuring both Cook and Hill ahead of him.
The Infiniti Q50 driver attempted to squeeze down the inside of Hill’s Honda at the final hairpin on lap six and the pair made contact, forcing the #116 machine to pit with a puncture.
Motorbase Performance’s Rory Butcher had also spun out of contention on the opening tour, although the Ford man was able to score a single point for setting the fastest lap after he’d returned to the action.
Hill took his second successive rostrum, which was part of the Kent driver’s impressive weekend overall.
Ingram then rounded off a breathless weekend by winning the final race, completing Toyota Gazoo Racing UK with Ginsters’ story of redemption having started the opening contest from the back of the grid.
The 27-year-old grabbed pole position on the road during yesterday’s qualifying session, only for his Toyota Corolla to fail postsession ride height checks, resulting in a charge through the order during race day.
He surged from 25th to 13th position in the first race before a hugely impressive fourth place in the next one.
However, it was his performance in the finale that will live long in the memory for the Bucks ace.
Starting from third on the grid, Ingram blasted by Dan Cammish’s Honda Civic Type R off the line and shortly after, he was making a sensational pass by BTC Racing’s Tom Chilton on the run towards Sunny In.
Cammish closed in after he eventually passed Chilton with a similar move, but time ran out before the #27 machine could really make a concerted attack and the victory went to the Speedworks Motorsport squad.
Chilton completed the podium positions ahead of Halfords Yuasa Racing’s Matt Neal and the phenomenal Sutton – the championship leader having made up a total of 15 places.