NAPA Racing UK’s Ash Sutton emphasized the significance of his victory in Race 3 after overcoming a difficult weekend at Croft by defeating British Touring Car Championship title contender Tom Ingram. The four-time champion bounced back from a challenging Race 1 to claim a dramatic win in the final race, outpacing both Ingram from Team Vertu and Aiden Moffat of West Surrey Racing with a spectacular move for the lead.
Sutton executed a daring maneuver at the last hairpin, where he swiftly passed both Ingram and Moffat to seize the lead. The move was made even more impressive as Sutton completed the double overtake despite contact with three-time champion Gordon Shedden. Sutton revealed that this collision caused some damage to his Ford Focus Street.
He said, “Some cars showed that it was a typical Race 3! It was really good from our side to get the results. It was important to beat Tom (Ingram) and collect those points. What happened in Race 1 was a real setback, so this was what we needed.”
Sutton admitted it wasn’t easy with his car sustaining damage after the last-corner contact with Shedden. “We both had the same idea, but unfortunately, it didn’t work out for both cars in that final corner. The car was around 40 degrees on the left, making it tricky to control, and it was quite lively coming out of the back of the circuit.”
Despite his impressive recovery, Sutton remains frustrated by the setback in Race 1. He now trails championship leader Ingram by just eight points. “It never got easier since Tom (Ingram) started third on the grid,” Sutton noted. “But we took advantage of someone else’s misfortune with an opportunistic move.”
He added, “They say you win your championship through bad races and weekends, and this one felt like a bad weekend, believe it or not, even though I won. We didn’t need that DNF in Race 1, but if this is our bad weekend, I’ll take it.”
Fan Take: This thrilling comeback by Ash Sutton highlights the intense competitiveness of the British Touring Car Championship and the fine margins that can decide a title. Fans can expect more high-stakes drama as Sutton narrows the gap on Ingram, promising an exciting battle ahead for the championship crown.
