The Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship resumed at Croft Circuit this past weekend (August 2/3) and it proved to be an event that will live long in the memory as Tom Ingram, Ash Sutton and Dan Rowbottom all triumphed.

Returning to action following its annual summer break, the UK’s premier motorsport series took centre stage in front of a capacity crowd in North Yorkshire – where the battle for title supremacy swung one way and then the other.

Saturday’s track action at the British Automobile Racing Club venue was dominated by Team VERTU’s Ingram as he topped the times in both practice sessions and then snared pole position in qualifying, smashing the existing lap record in the process.

Ingram led from start-to-finish in race one as he kept home heroes Dan Cammish and Senna Proctor at arm’s length throughout. Crucially, four-time champion Sutton encountered problems which resulted in him not scoring – handing Ingram the lead in the standings.

Race two saw NAPA Racing UK’s Rowbottom clinch his third win of the season as he made use of being the highest-placed soft tyre car on the starting grid. The Ford Focus ST driver went from fourth to first in a matter of laps and from that point on he didn’t look back.

Tom Chilton followed Rowbottom in the opening exchanges but was unable to mount a challenge. Instead, he settled for second place while the West Surrey Racing BMW of Daryl Deleon completed the podium in third.

Further back, many eyes were fixed on Sutton as he worked his way from the back of the field to finish fifth; crucially out-scoring Ingram by a handful of points.

One of the most captivating races in recent memory then closed out proceedings at Croft and the end result saw Sutton standing tall ahead of Ingram; with the pair having fought their way to the front to finish first and second.

Pole sitter Aiden Moffat defended valiantly in the opening exchanges however things soon kicked off, starting with Moffat’s team-mate Charles Rainford making contact with Cammish at the Complex which sent him skating into the side of Deleon and Chris Smiley.

Following a lengthy safety car period, the action resumed with Ingram and Sutton going side-by-side for second at the chicane. Ingram came out on top and then went after Moffat – however the Scotsman’s defence was resolute.

The defining – scarcely believable moment – at the front came later on that lap as Sutton went from third to first at the hairpin. Diving underneath the scrapping Moffat and Ingram, the NAPA Racing UK driver survived contact from Gordon Shedden and to come out in the lead and from there he went on to reign supreme.

Ingram would ultimately cross the line in second while Yorkshireman Proctor delivered one of the standout performances of the day as he went from the rear of the field to third. Remarkably the Hyundai driver made up 12 positions on the opening two laps alone.

Leaving Croft, Ingram holds an eight-point advantage over Sutton in the BTCC Drivers’ Championship whilst Rowbottom is a further 70 points in arrears back in third place.

It wasn’t just the BTCC that starred at Croft either as adding to the excitement were a host of races from the VERTU MINI CHALLENGE JCW, Porsche Carrera Cup Great Britain and the Legends Cars Elite Cup.

Tom Ovenden and Nathan Edwards claimed a win apiece in the VERTU MINI CHALLENGE JCW while Will Martin and defending champion George Gamble did the same in the Porsche Carrera Cup Great Britain.

In the Legends Cars Elite Cup, Tyler Read was provisionally crowned champion as he blasted his way to four wins from six races. Will Gibson and American ace Trevor Krouse picked up the remaining victories that were on offer.

To view the full classification of results from all sessions at Croft, CLICK HERE.