Tom Ingram claimed a third win of the 2017 season for Speedworks Motorsport despite two interruptions during the final Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship race at Knockhill.
Ingram started third on the grid behind pole-sitter Ant Whorton-Eales, taking advantage when the rookie made an early mistake after leading the opening lap.
The latter suffered damage to his Audi S4 as he ran wide, retiring from the race while Ingram’s Toyota Avensis headed the way untroubled.
Scottish contingents lined up behind the Speedworks man, Dave Newsham second while rookie Rory Butcher fended off the attentions of reigning champion, Gordon Shedden.
Brother-in-law to Butcher, Shedden eventually got the better of the Motorbase Ford Focus on lap three, swiftly disposing of Newsham’s Chevrolet Cruze at the hairpin.
Newsham’s BTC Norlin machine was soon swallowed up by the charging West Surrey Racing BMWs of Rob Collard and Colin Turkington, both chasing after Shedden’s Dynamics Honda Civic.
Collard lunged inside Shedden for second on lap 16, but the Scotman fought back and claimed the position again at the chicane, Collard running wide and dropping to fourth behind his team-mate.
Ingrams’s five-second lead quickly vanished with a glimpse of the safety car exiting the pitlane, the cause being the stricken Audi of Ollie Jackson.
Racing resumed but merely briefly, Will Burns emerging unscathed after burying his Team HARD Volkswagen CC deep into the tyre barriers following brake failure at the hairpin.
Two laps remained, Ingram holding on for win number three of the season ahead of Shedden and Turkington.
Behind, title contender Collard ran through the gravel in the squabble and fell to 11th, while James Cole handed fourth to Subaru team-mate Ashley Sutton on the run to the line. Cole added his third fifth place in succession, Jason Plato (Subaru), Mat Jackson (Ford) and Matt Neal (Honda) next up.
A fine drive from Butcher warranted ninth and Jack Sears Trophy spoils, Newsham adding another top 10 finish.
Turkington continues to lead the championship by four points over Sutton, with Shedden six points further behind and Collard five further back heading to the next round at Rockingham in two week’s time.