The Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship reached the halfway mark of the 2024 season in blockbuster fashion this past weekend (June 22/23) as Tom Ingram, Josh Cook and Jake Hill blasted their way to victory at Oulton Park.

Basked in glorious sunshine, qualifying kicked proceedings off on Saturday afternoon and the session belonged to Team BRISTOL MOTORS’ Ingram as he obliterated the existing BTCC lap record to secure a second successive pole position in the series; taking his tally to three for the season.

In what proved to be a relentless battle in the Cheshire sun, Ingram went almost half a second quicker than last year’s pole time to claim bragging rights, while NAPA Racing UK’s Ash Sutton delivered another stunning performance to join him on the front row.

Behind the top two were the stablemates of Ingram and Sutton as the trio of Dan Cammish, Tom Chilton and Dan Rowbottom filled third, fourth and fifth on the grid for the first of Sunday’s three races.

There was no denying Ingram in the opening bout on Sunday as he withstood an early challenge from Sutton to clinch not only a third win of the season but also the 30th of his career.

Fans were treated to a thrilling start to the race as two of the series’ leading lights went wheel-to-wheel, with contact being made between them at both the Island hairpin and Hislops chicane. Despite Sutton’s best efforts Ingram maintained the lead throughout and that was to be that for the reminder of the contest as Ingram led home Sutton and Cammish.

LKQ Euro Car Parts with SYNETIQ driver Cook then opened his account for the season in race two as he powered his way to glory after producing one of the finest opening laps in recent memory.

Starting in eighth and on the Goodyear soft tyre, the Toyota Corolla racer avoided a melee at turn one before then blitzing the top four to take the lead by the end of the first tour. Once out front Cook steadily pulled clear of the chasing pack to take the chequered flag by more than eight seconds over Ingram and Hill who were second and third.

The Laser Tools Racing with MB Motorsport BMW of Hill then capped off a scorching day of racing by claiming victory in the reverse grid finale on the last lap.

Hill – who is undoubtedly in the form of his life at the moment – hunted down long-time race leader Mikey Doble before making a decisive move on final tour to net him a fifth win of the season.

Despite relinquishing the lead in the final moments, Doble recorded a first-ever finish in the BTCC and he did so by leading home team-mate Aron Taylor-Smith for a maiden Power Maxed Racing double podium.

Heading into the series’ annual summer break, Hill holds a slender advantage over Ingram at the top of the Drivers’ Championship whilst Ford and NAPA Racing UK currently lead the way in the Manufacturer-Constructors Championship and Teams’ Championship respectively.

Taylor-Smith and Evans Halshaw Power Maxed Racing head the standings in both the Independent Drivers’ and Independent Teams’ categories, with Doble proving to be the driver to beat in the Jack Sears Trophy after five events.

To view the full classification of results from all BTCC sessions at Oulton Park, CLICK HERE.

The BTCC season recommences on the weekend of July 27/28; where Croft Circuit plays host to Rounds 16, 17 and 18.

Tickets for the BTCC’s annual trip to North Yorkshire can be purchased online at https://croftcircuit.co.uk/racing/btcc.