Ashley Sutton said that he was delighted to have proven the true pace of Team BMR‘s Subaru Levorg GT after charging to the podium in the second Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship race of the day at Donington Park.
Last year’s Jack Sears Trophy winner started the day 31st on the grid after being stripped of his Saturday pole position for an overboost issue with his Levorg GT, but made progress to 13th place in race one of the day.
That continued in race two as the ballast-free Levorg climbed the field to third place, Sutton relieved to have secured the BMR squad’s first silverware of the season with the second fastest lap of the race after such a truncated Brands Hatch visit.
“It’s definitely a step in the right direction”, Sutton told The Checkered Flag after race two. “After where we were in FP2, to go from stone last to the front in qualifying, then to back and the front again is nice.
“We just tried to get the car to its best in the circumstances we’ve got.”
“It looked like we genuinely had an advantage after qualifying, but today it was my main goal to prove that we genuinely were fast. All the effort that the guys have put in I can’t fault enough.”
“Despite Jason [Plato]’s car being practically written off, mine also had a fair bit of damage to repair too. It was all hands on deck trying to get Jason’s car ready and then mine after that, so to be honest I’m just happy to be here.”
Third place looked set to be second with one corner to go, although a drag race down the back straight with Rob Collard was decided when Sutton decided not to contest his move at the final chicane when greeted by yellow flags for Matt Simpson‘s stricken Honda Civic Type-R.
“I had to think fast in that situation”, he added. “I think I might have been ahead of Collard coming towards the flag, but there was a slight bump-and-run should I say to get there.
“I thought I shouldn’t risk any further consequences so I settled for the podium. Fingers crossed for some rain later on!”
Photo: BTCC Media