BTCC 2022: Turkington wins twice in historic weekend for racer

BTCC 2022: Turkington wins twice in historic weekend for racer

Autocar

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Colin Turkington is shadowed by fellow BMW driver Jake Hill

Team BMW star grabbed double victory at Snetterton on same weekend he contested his 500th BTCC start

Colin Turkington had a weekend to remember in the latest BTCC round at Snetterton, the BMW driver emerging with pole position, two wins and a sixth place to leave himself with a 15-point cushion at the top of the championship heading into the final few weekends.

During a scorching weekend in Norfolk, Turkington completed his 500th BTCC start, cementing his third spot in the BTCC all-time list.

Meanwhile, series veteran Jason Plato (himself with well over 600 race entries) enjoyed a welcome return to form.

*Turkington does the double*

Turkington was shadowed in the first race by West Surrey Racing stablemate Jake Hill, who kept the Northern Irishman honest at both the start and safety-car restarts but never had quite enough pace to truly threaten. 

Hill and Hyundai i30 N racer Tom Ingram earned the other podium spots, with the sort of consistency that will help out their respective championship challenges.

The first lap of race two was even closer, as Hill again threatened to spoil Turkington’s weekend. The two ran side by side for most of the opening lap, impressively with no contact, before Turkington’s experience gave him the edge and he pulled clear. Turkington eventually finished more than a second ahead of Hill at the flag – a similar gap to his first race win.

Ingram finished third to mirror the first podium of the day.

*Sutton bounces back*

Dan Rowbottom looked like he might claim his first win of the season in race three, following a storming getaway. But a minor mistake was all that Ash Sutton needed, as the Ford man swept through and ran through to the finish in the lead.

Rowbottom’s mistake also allowed Plato through, and the veteran earned a popular podium finish to go with his sixth place in race one. Third went to Tom Ingram, whose consistency throughout the weekend means he lies second in the championship.

In terms of the overall championship, it’s Turkington ahead of Ingram, Hill and Sutton with nine races remaining.

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