BTCC: Sutton becomes 2020’s Champion at a Wild and Wet Brands Hatch

After a flurry of eight rounds in just three months, 2020’s British Touring Car Championship was to draw to a close at Brands Hatch Indy.

With only three races left, Colin Turkington entered the final event as points leader having enjoyed a lucrative round at Snetterton.

However, Ash Sutton, Dan Cammish and Tom Ingram all travelled south with realistic expectations of closing the tight deficit, promising an exciting climax to a unique season.

Race 25:

A sodden Saturday qualifying session saw three red flags produced as multiple drivers struggled for grip. Nevertheless, Speedworks’ Ingram managed to register the fastest lap despite the flooded surface. Upon launch, in equally treacherous conditions, Ingram held his lead into Paddock Hill Bend, with Sutton and Cammish following behind.

On lap 4, Cammish would make his move on the Laser Tools racer, mounting a serious challenge on Ingram soon after. However, their squabbling allowed Sutton to catch back up to the leading duo, and almost took P2 from Cammish down the main straight before the safety car emerged due to an incident at Druids.

When the green flags were waved, Turkington was sitting lowly in ninth, struggling to control a wayward BMW 3 series in the wet.

Up front, Cammish attempted a brave dive down the inside of Ingram at Druids, clipping the slippery grass in the process. Somehow, the Honda Yuasa campaigner pulled the car straight, and made the move for the lead stick.

With five laps to go, Sutton had his go on Ingram’s Toyota Corolla, sliding one past at Clearways, and bagging an extra point for the fastest lap in the process. The Infiniti reliably closed the five-second gap to leader Cammish by the final lap of the race, but never forced a true move to dispel the Yorkshireman’s lead.

After the race, Cammish said:

“It’s all about trying to score as many points as you can, and when you’ve got a car that’s clearly got the potential, you’ve got to use it. In touring cars, you get your moments and you have your days where you can take advantage and you’ve got to.”

Race 25’s Top 10:

1. Dan Cammish
2. Ash Sutton
3. Tom Ingram
4. Rory Butcher
5. Ollie Jackson
6. Jake Hill
7. Matt Neal
8. Josh Cook
9. Colin Turkington
10. Tom Oliphant

Race 26:

Now with the confidence of being the series’ leader, Sutton pushed his car into first when the lights went out, and avoided the chaos that ensued behind. Ingram and Cammish made contact at Paddock Hill, with the latter keeping P2. However, Ingram took a tour through the gravel, while Butcher, teammate Ollie Jackson and Jake Hill all came together and tumbled down the order.

Sutton was briefly overtaken by BTC Racing’s Tom Chilton, who started the race on wet tyres, but as the track dried, the Infiniti’s slicks proved superior. By lap 10, championship protagonists Cammish, Ingram and Turkington were tossing positions between themselves, occupying spots 4-6.

Only two laps later, carnage erupted at Druids when Hill was spun into Turkington’s path, with the 3 Series punting the Civic’s rear, somehow avoiding serious damage. Ingram, Cammish and Turkington now sat P2-P4.

On the penultimate lap, a devastating accident was thankfully avoided, as Paul Rivett’s Audi S3 sat stationary at the exit of Paddock Hill Bend. Sutton snuck past the stranded motor before Turkington almost piled straight into it at over 100mph. In swerving away from the car, Turkington overtook a slowing Cammish, despite the yellows being waved.

As Sutton took the chequered flag a lap later ahead of Ingram, Turkington’s third-spot finish was amended post-race, with Cammish elevated to the podium. Sutton’s victory and successive fastest laps placed him favourably for the title honours come the weekend’s third race.

Thanks to a solid effort in the wet, BTC Racing’s Michael Crees was crowned 2020’s Jack Sears Trophy champion despite an abundance of bad luck plaguing his mid-season races.

Race-winner Sutton said:

“It was just a case of getting my head down, keeping out of trouble and pulling the gap we needed. It’s touring cars, and it can change so quickly. Obviously I would have liked a few more cars between myself and Colin, but he took advantage of what happened on lap one and came through.”

Race 26’s Top 10:

1. Ash Sutton
2. Tom Ingram
3. Dan Cammish
4. Colin Turkington
5. Ollie Jackson
6. Adam Morgan
7. Jake Hill
8. Senna Proctor
9. Josh Cook
10. Rory Butcher

Race 27:

Sutton’s teammate Aiden Moffat was drawn on pole for the year’s final duke out. A heavy downpour welcomed the racers to the track and persisted throughout the affair. Despite a speedy getaway, Sutton remained in 12th, whereas Turkington, who badly needed points, was up to fifth by the end of lap 2.

Local team Motorbase soon found the front of the field through Butcher, whilst Moffat dropped down quickly as the frontrunners scythed through the competition. On lap 6, Sutton eased past his teammate, and now had Turkington directly in front.

Keeping his head in the torrential weather, Sutton maintained position behind the WSR BMW, and waited over 10 laps before making a safe move down the inside at Paddock Hill. During this period, Adam Morgan, in the Mercedes A Class’ final race, fell behind Ingram, Hill and Cammish, placing second, third and fourth, respectively.

In a surprisingly uneventful affair, Butcher led the pack home, with Ingram and Hill rounding out the podium. However, it was Sutton down in sixth who crossed the line happiest, securing his second BTCC title, and the first outright for an independent operation in years.

Race-winner Butcher said:

“We’ve had such a great year with a brand new car. The Ford Focus ST came out of the blocks really fast and it’s been great all year. We’ve had some bad luck, I’ve made some mistakes and it’s been a learning experience.”

Race 27’s Top 10:

1. Rory Butcher
2. Tom Ingram
3. Jake Hill
4. Dan Cammish
5. Adam Morgan
6. Ash Sutton
7. Josh Cook
8. Aiden Moffat
9. Colin Turkington
10. Ollie Jackson

Weekend Analysis:

Undoubtedly one of the finest racers in world motorsport, Ash Sutton claimed a well-deserved second BTCC title. Despite his brutish style costing him valuable points at Donington Park and Croft, his entertaining flair makes him a worthy champion.

Not only has he outdone the reliable operation of West Surrey Racing, but their mighty BMWs have looked second-best most of the year as a result. I’m fairly sure very few people would have predicted that at the start of the year, myself included.

Colin Turkington just didn’t have the pace when he needed it most. Despite having a 10-point buffer at the start of the event, the horrid conditions suited Sutton perfectly, who is an undisputed master in the wet.

Other points of interest centred around the constant threats that are Tom Ingram and Dan Cammish – these two could easily have been champions any other year, but have displayed their best at a time when there are two legends of the sport enjoying their trade.

The long-serving Volkswagen CC, Mercedes A Class and Audi S3 models also had their final outings in the series, with all three being race-winners of the past and present. It’s fair to say, however, that in the case of the CCs and S3s, they have certainly been run beyond their use-by dates.

Championship Standings:

1. Ash Sutton – 350pts (C)
2. Colin Turkington – 336pts
3. Dan Cammish – 334pts
4. Tom Ingram – 326pts
5. Rory Butcher – 286pts

Standout Performers:

1. Ash Sutton
2. Tom Ingram
3. Dan Cammish