Tom Ingram is delighted with a ‘really encouraging’ British Touring Car Championship Race to Pole at Oulton Park, especially in being competitive against Ash Sutton.
Ingram’s Saturday started slowly with limited running in Free Practice, but he managed to pull his Hyundai to a strong P4 in the Race to Pole.
His outing also included a lengthy battle with Sutton, one Ingram feels is an encouraging sign for the season ahead.
“It was good, it was really good actually,” he told BTCC media.
“We got a really good start, good launch, made up a couple of places, and then Ash and I were sort of shadowing each other throughout the race.
“I think we were fairly equally matched in terms of pace, I don’t think there was much between us. He’d have a little strength there, I’d have a little bit of strength there, and I think we actually sort of balanced each other out.
“Which is good in a way that, you know, for the first time for a while I’ve sort of felt like we’ve been racy against Ash.
“The last kind of little while he just felt like they’ve always had a little bit over us. I felt like we’ve sort of pulled a bit back there, which is really encouraging.
“So, strong, nice place to be, car feels good, a bit damaged from a bit of contact with Ash.”
Ingram: Colliding with Sutton is the ‘way we should be racing’
The flashpoint of Ingram’s outing at Oulton was a late-race collision with title-rival Sutton.
Heading into Lodge, Ingram shunted the back of the NAPA Ford’s bumper and sent Sutton wide.
While Sutton marked the incident as Ingram missing his braking point, the VERTU man has a far more neutral view.
“That’s the way we should be racing.
“Ash checked up mega early, I think, to try and push me back into the traffic and in doing so broke far too early.
“I ran into the back of him, pushed him in deep, and then obviously I’ve got to try and return the position wherever I can really as quickly as I can without trying to cost myself and Ash too many places in the process as well.”
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