Sutton Edges Closer to BTCC Title with Finale Pole Position

Photo courtesy of British Touring Car Championship (BTCC)

Championship leader Ash Sutton took another vital step towards claiming this year's overall BTCC Driver's title by securing pole position at the final qualifying session of the season at Brands Hatch.

​Sutton turned in a confident and comfortable drive during yesterday's 30-minute session to bring home his sixth pole position of the campaign, equalling James Thompson's modern-day record that has stood since 2003.

Rory Butcher made an early challenge for the final pole position of the season but was quickly usurped when Sutton went one better to force him from the top spot. The NAPA Racing UK man held firm to the best time, even re-setting his own quickest lap time, for the remainder of the session.

It was a fitting final qualifying effort from Sutton and NAPA Racing UK who, as a team, have claimed all bar one of the pole positions this season, only missing out last time round at Silverstone to Power Maxed Racing's Mikey Doble. Sutton equalled the record for most poles in a season, claiming this year's Goodyear Wingfoot award in the process.

Ash Sutton said: “We had three laps good enough I think for pole, but I knew there was a bit more there and I wanted it – whether we needed it or not, I just wanted to prove what we were capable of doing. Never dangle me a carrot because I’ll go for it!
“NAPA Racing UK have done an absolutely mega job this season, delivering this car and achieving six poles together – I can’t thank them and all my partners enough.
“We laughed and joked on Friday that if there are some more records to be had I’ll have a go at them – and that was one! I’m glad we have achieved it.”

Rory Butcher will share the front row in race one today, sandwiched between the two title rivals as Tom Ingram had to settle for third. In order to keep his title challenge alive in his final roll of the dice, Ingram knows a he needs to make the best start possible when the lights go out for race one.

Tom Ingram said: “When it’s (qualifying) like that you’ve got to give it everything you can. I didn’t get it quite in the sweet spot, the car’s feeling alright but not quite what we’re after.
“We’re still producing good times, we’re right at the sharp end.
“You’re never satisfied, even if you’ve got the perfect car you can still find something else. There’s more to find, I’m sure everyone will find something else, we’ll go for tweak of the week and see if we can find it.
“The plan for tomorrow is maximum attack, go hard at the start and go hard all the way through.”

Already heading into this weekend with a 45-point lead over his rival, Ash Sutton added another vital point to his lead by claiming pole position meaning the title is very much his to lose. Although not mathematically over yet, if Sutton can avoid disaster in the first race, there is every chance he can secure the title with two races to go.

NAPA Racing UK achieved three of their four drivers in the top six, with Dan Rowbottom and Dan Cammish starting tomorrow in 4th and 6th resepectively.

Elsewhere on the grid, newly-crowned Independant Driver's champion Josh Cook struggled in qualifying after showing early promise with the fastest time in FP2 and starts in 16th as One Motorsport with Starline Racing have their sights set on adding the Independant Team's championship to their haul this year.

2023 Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship – Qualifying – Brands Hatch GP 
1. Ashley Sutton, NAPA Racing UK 1:29.823s
2. Rory Butcher, TOYOTA GAZOO Racing UK +0.253s
3. Tom Ingram, BRISTOL STREET MOTORS with EXCELR8 +0.307s
4. Daniel Rowbottom, NAPA Racing UK +0.326s
5. Bobby Thompson, Go-Fix with Autoaid Breakdown +0.330s
6. Dan Cammish, NAPA Racing UK +0.365s
7. Colin Turkington, Team BMW +0.368s
8. Jake Hill, Laser Tools Racing with MB Motorsport +0.498s
9. Mikey Doble, CarStore Power Maxed Racing +0.510s
10. Adam Morgan, Team BMW +0.525s
11. Stephen Jelley, Team BMW +0.620s
12. Ricky Collard, TOYOTA GAZOO Racing UK +0.707s
13. Andrew Watson, CarStore Power Maxed Racing +0.756s
14. Ronan Pearson, BRISTOL STREET MOTORS with EXCELR8 +0.794s
15. Árón Taylor-Smith, CarStore Power Maxed Racing +0.829s
16. Josh Cook, One Motorsport with Starline Racing +0.844s
17. Tom Chilton, BRISTOL STREET MOTORS with EXCELR8 +0.894s
18. Daniel Lloyd, Autobrite Direct with Millers Oils +0.938s
19. Dexter Patterson, Re.Beverages and Bartercard with Team HARD +0.994s
20. Aiden Moffat, One Motorsport with Starline Racing +1.008s
21. Sam Osborne, NAPA Racing UK +1.011s
22. George Gamble, TOYOTA GAZOO Racing UK +1.213s
23. Daryl DeLeon, Re.Beverages and Bartercard with Team HARD +1.261s
24. Michael Crees, Autobrite Direct with Millers Oils +1.481
26. Jade Edwards, One Motorsport with Starline Racing +1.692s
27. Nick Halstead, BRISTOL STREET MOTORS with EXCELR8 +2.352s

Chris Tetreault-Blay
BTCC Journalist @ F1 Journal