BTCC: Trio of Snetterton Podiums Returns Turkington’s Points Lead

October 25, 2020 October 25, 2020

With the championship blown wide open thanks to a dramatic encounter at Croft, the BTCC travelled to Norfolk’s Snetterton Circuit for the penultimate round of the season.

2020’s campaign has proven to be one of the closest in years, with the top three of Ash Sutton, Dan Cammish and Colin Turkington split by a mere 11 points with two rounds to go.

However, Tom Ingram, who entered the event 29 points behind Sutton, was enjoying a hot run of form, keeping all to play for between four different drivers and teams.

Race 22:

A unique qualifying session on Saturday entertained thoroughly, with the 10 fastest from a shortened session progressing to a 10-minute shoot out. It was reigning champion Turkington who prevailed on top, with Jake Hill bagging his third second-place start of the year.

When the lights went out, the rear-wheel-drive BMW of Turkington launched quickest, fending off Ingram, who in turn had overtaken Hill. Drama ensued behind when Sutton and Tom Oliphant made contact at Turn 1, spinning the 3 Series in front of the pack, and forcing Aiden Moffat and Ollie Jackson off the road.

By lap 5 of 12, Hill’s Honda Civic was latched on to the back of Ingram’s Toyota Corolla, but could not find a way past. Behind, Rory Butcher gained a place on Dan Cammish, promoting him to fourth. Sutton reciprocated this two laps later.

Lap 7 also saw Hill tag Ingram at the Montreal hairpin, with the latter closing the door too late, and losing the position as a result. However, Hill decided to grant second place back to Ingram only a few seconds later.

Up ahead, Turkington had extended his already comfortable lead, and went on to claim a much needed victory with the fastest lap to boot, also. Ingram finished second, and Hill rounded out the podium. Championship protagonists Sutton and Cammish placed fifth and sixth, respectively, just behind of Butcher in fourth.

After the race, Turkington said:

“That first lap was a bit tricky and as the leader, you’re the one doing all the experimenting. But I knew that if I could keep Tom and Jake behind me for the first laps that I would have a good chance of converting the race. It was an excellent start.”

Race 22’s Top 10:

Colin Turkington
Tom Ingram
Jake Hill
Rory Butcher
Ash Sutton
Dan Cammish
Adam Morgan
Josh Cook
Senna Proctor
Michael Crees

Race 23:

Turkington once more held his lead from launch for the second race, with Hill being the biggest loser owing to a clumsy start. As a result, Butcher and Sutton both secured an extra spot.

Akin to the race prior, Turkington extended his gap to second-placed Ingram marginally every lap, with the latter backing up a lengthy throng of cars. This continued all the way up until the penultimate lap, as the safety car was brought out for a heavy shunt.

Team HARD.’s Jack Goff put his rears on the wet grass exiting Riches and went sideways into the armco barrier, bouncing him back on to the track. Consequently, a one lap dash was to conclude the action.

Turkington confidently broke away on the restart, leaving Ingram a second behind by Montreal. Butcher misjudged the hairpin, and cannoned into Ingram’s boot, allowing Sutton to claim third. Cammish also tried to capitalise on the mistake, but to no avail.

When the chequered flag emerged, Turkington took a race win and fastest lap repeat to keep his championship ambitions very much alive, with Ingram limping home to second ahead of Sutton. Butcher crossed the line ahead of Hill, who had overtaken Cammish on the last corner of the race.

Race-winner Turkington said:

“I saw that Tom was having an almighty race trying to keep the others behind, so I just tried to keep my focus, keep chalking down the laps. I could have done without the safety car at the end, but I managed it well and took home another win – there’s nothing that beats that feeling of winning!”

Race 23’s Top 10:

Colin Turkington
Tom Ingram
Ash Sutton
Rory Butcher
Jake Hill
Dan Cammish
Josh Cook
Adam Morgan
Ollie Jackson
Chris Smiley

Race 24:

Turkington drew Chris Smiley’s number for the reverse grid draw, who bogged down as the lights went out. Adam Morgan inherited the lead, but it was short-lived as Ollie Jackson produced a stellar move around the outside of Hamilton. Josh Cook and Cammish tangled later in the lap, allowing Sutton to move up to fifth, Ingram to sixth and Turkington to eighth.

Just after Butcher had overtaken Smiley for third, chaos erupted at Agostini – Sutton attempted to pass the Hyundai i30N, but was forced wide in the process, allowing Ingram to snatch the position. Sutton would drop further down the order a lap later when a slow exit from Murrays let both Turkington and Cammish through. Sutton would soon get past Cammish, with the latter punting Smiley off at Oggies.

Up ahead, the front three of Jackson, Morgan and Butcher were quickly being hounded by Ingram, who, on the last lap, made a lunge for third at Murrays. Contact between the Toyota and Ford of Butcher sent the former wide, with the Focus tagging Ingram and sending them both off.

As a result, Turkington somehow made his way to the flag claiming a third podium finish of the day; Sutton also benefitted from the crash, finishing in P4. Jackson, however, could not be caught, and bagged a second career victory ahead of Morgan.

Colin Turkington’s trio of podiums has let him leapfrog both Dan Cammish and Ash Sutton in the season’s standings, with nine points separating the BMW 3 Series and Infiniti Q50 with one round to go.

Race-winner Jackson said:

“The first win was really emotional. This one just feels brilliant – I feel like a race winner already! It’s a great feeling again. I used to win races back in Caterhams obviously. But I think once you get back into the feeling of winning races again it’s definitely something that gave me the confidence to push forward today.”

Race 24’s Top 10: