There were no outright podiums for Tom Ingram and Stockport based Speedworks Motorsport this weekend, but maximum Independents points in all three rounds of the Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship buoyed Ingram and the Team, at their ‘home’ track.
A 40,000 plus crowd packed in to the leafy parkland track at Oulton Park, where Ingram and Speedworks impressed by setting their stall out early, and claiming top sport in both Free Practice sessions.
Tom started the first of three Races in 4th place and claimed his first Independents win of the day with 5th overall as Turkington claimed a maiden victory for Subaru in the British Touring Car Championship, with teammate Jason Plato in third.
Race Two seemed fairly straightforward and Ingram once again claimed maximum Independents points.
Race Three was a much tougher affair for Tom, having selected to use the Soft tyre in the final Race of the day. Starting third, Ingram hung on to the final podium position before a frustrated Plato nipped through to claim third spot, demoting Tom to 4th, still however, topping the Independents pile.
“Honestly, I’m absolutely over the moon with this, it’s been a better weekend than any of the others, I’d take this over a pole and a win”, explained Ingram. “That was the first time it’s gone to plan, we had three decent finishes. We didn’t have the pace to be on the podium this weekend, and we need to have a look at where that’s gone, but certainly for the points that we’ve got I think it’s very, very good”.
Ingram sits fourth in the Independents Trophy after 12 of 30 Rounds, whilst lying tenth in the overall Championship standings. Speedworks Motorsport leave Oulton Park in third place in the Independents Team Trophy, whilst sitting seventh in the overall HiQ Teams Championship.
The Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship next travels to North Yorkshire, as Croft Circuit plays host to the next Round on the 19th June.
Words & Pics by Mike Petch www.mphotographic.co.uk