Stockport based Hughes/Speedworks BTCC motor racing team’s Tom Ingram finished the first half of the Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship season with his second best points haul of the season as the Series enters its Summer break, with two 8th place finishes and a 7th at Croft Circuit in North Yorkshire.
Left: Ingram on track at Croft
The Hughes Safety Showers backed Toyota Avensis run by Speedworks Motorsport, led from the front as Ingram went fastest of all in Free Practice 1 and re-affirmed his pace by taking 2nd fastest in Free Practice 2, narrowly behind the BMW of Sam Tordoff – at a track much more suited to the rear-wheel drive car.
Ingram was left a little disappointed with Qualifying as traffic on his flying laps left him down in 13th place of the thirty cars on the BTCC grid. Though there was less than a second between Tom and the Pole Position time of Tordoff.
Explained Team Principal Christian Dick,
“Qualifying aside, with Tom’s problems in traffic, we’re very positive leaving Croft. Looking through the data Tom’s times [during Free Practice] were capable of putting him sixth on the grid”.
It was a blustery and mainly sunny Croft that welcomed the BTCC drivers on track following yet another busy autograph session for Tom and the Team…
Ingram started well, finishing just two-tenths of a second off the VW CC of current BTCC Champion Colin Turkington.
Race 2 was a little uneventful following the excitement of the first race, with Ingram finishing exactly where he started, 8th on the grid.
Ingram started Race 3 brightly, climbing a place to 7th on the opening lap, but was demoted five laps later by the Works’ Honda Civic of Matt Neal. A favour that Tom returned six laps later, passing Neal to finish the final race of the day in 7th place overall.
Buoyed by the results, Christian Dick recalled:
“Everybody within the Team is made up with the weekend. Although we’ve had better results individually, three solid positions like that is a very positive way to finish the first half of the season. We’re very much looking forward to the second half of the season.
“In terms of results, that’s got to be the minimum we’re looking for now” added Dick, “there’s no reason why we can’t unlock some more pace in the car between now and the next round, we’re very positive and excited”.
Tom remains 12th in the overall Championship, but despite a good points haul drops a place in the Independents Championship to 5th, just six points behind the VW CC of Aron Smith.
The Honda of Gordon Shedden now leads the Series with the next round at Snetterton in Norfolk on the 9th August.