Aiden Moffat claimed his first Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship victory in an entertaining final race of the meeting at Donington Park this afternoon (Sunday). The LKQ Euro Car Parts with SYNETIQ driver produced a clever, tactical performance to hold off a fierce chasing pack which included many of the BTCC’s leading lights.
Former World Touring Car Champion Rob Huff started from pole position in his TOYOTA GAZOO Racing UK Corolla, but was quickly jumped off the line by Adam Morgan’s quick starting BMW 330e M Sport. Huff settled into second behind the Team BMW racer ahead of Moffat who just edged out Turkington in a hard fought scrap to claim third on the road early on.
Further behind, stars of the earlier races Ashley Sutton and double winner Tom Ingram were scything through the pack too, with both passing Josh Cook late on the second lap to take sixth and seventh places. Sutton’s progress continued at the start of lap three with a strong pass on Jake Hill’s Laser Tools branded BMW before action was brought to a temporary halt by the safety car after Daryl DeLeon’s Cupra went off into the gravel trap at the Old Hairpin.
After a prompt recovery, the race resumed on lap six with Morgan at the head of the order, but that didn’t last long with the BMW locking its wheels on the approach to McLeans. Huff needed no second invitation and grabbed the lead with open arms, with Moffat following him through though Morgan did manage to keep Turkington at bay as the field passed the start/finish line at racing speed once more.
As the race settled, it appeared that Huff may have an opportunity to build a gap as he set what was fastest lap at that stage of the race. Indeed, Huff visibly appeared to have built a decent bit of breathing space before Moffat started cutting the lead down.
Sutton then produced a bold move on Turkington at the Old Hairpin as the race moved towards its second half, moments before Moffat made a successful attempt on the lead at Coppice. Turkington fought back past Sutton moments later, and Huff did likewise with a pass to re-take first from Moffat at the Old Hairpin on lap 11. Moffat refused to back down however, running side by side with his fellow Toyota driver through Schwantz before eventually setting up a move on the straight run towards Roberts.
Huff was able to just hold on ahead of Morgan as the pack bunched up behind Moffat, with as many as seven cars forming the lead train. Morgan made an attempted pass on Huff at McLeans on lap 12 but that proved costly for both as slight contact allowed Turkington and Sutton to sneak past both of them.
Ingram started to really move into contention at this point with quick successive passes on Hill and Morgan before passing Huff at Coppice with Hill following him through. Hill and Ingram made contact under braking for Roberts though, with the latter and Huff both shooting across the gravel in avoidance.
With the other leaders slowing each other down, Turkington emerged as Moffat’s nearest challenger with Sutton close behind in third and Ingram slightly further adrift in fourth. Turkington was constantly a nuisance in Moffat’s mirrors, but was never able to find a way past as the race entered its final laps.
As the leading trio fought, Ingram and Hill were able to mover ever closer. But with time rapidly running out, none were able to make any further gain before the final flag as Moffat crossed the line first. Turkington and Sutton completed the rostrum with Ingram and Hill narrowly missing out.
Huff recovered to sixth place after a lively showing on his full-time return to the BTCC, one place ahead of Morgan in seventh. Daniel Rowbottom, Josh Cook, and Dan Cammish completed the top-ten a little further behind the leading bunch.
Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship, Donington Park, Race 3
- Aiden Moffat, LKQ Car Parts with SYNETIQ, Toyota Corolla GR Sport
- Colin Turkington, Team BMW, BMW 330e M Sport
- Ashley Sutton, NAPA Racing UK, Ford Focus ST
- Tom Ingram, Team BRISTOL STREET MOTORS, Hyundai i30N
- Jake Hill, Laser Tools Racing with MB Motorsport
- Rob Huff, TOYOTA GAZOO Racing UK, Toyota Corolla GR Sport
- Adam Morgan, Team BMW, BMW 330e M Sport
- Daniel Rowbottom, NAPA Racing UK, Ford Focus ST
- Josh Cook, LKQ Car Parts with SYNETIQ, Toyota Corolla GR Sport
- Dan Cammish, NAPA Racing UK, Ford Focus ST
Click here to view full times from this weekend's event.