Tom Chilton has become the 14th different Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship race winner in 2018 so far – an all time record number of winners with six races of the season still remaining.
The 2017 BTCC campaign produced 13 different victors, which was a new record high, but 2018 – celebrating the 60th anniversary of Britain’s biggest series – has set a new benchmark in the illustrious history of the much loved tin-top championship.
Chilton won the damp Knockhill finale with relative ease albeit withstanding late pressure from championship leader Colin Turkington in the closing stages, but the delighted Team Shredded Wheat Racing with Gallagher squad welcomed their man home in jubilant fashion.
It was the first victory of the season for the Motorbase stable and also Chilton’s first overall success since rejoining the series at the beginning of last year.
“I’m so happy for everybody at the team,” said Chilton. “They’ve worked so hard and it’s finally come good. It’s our fifth podium this year and we just kept missing out on the win but we’ve got it. I love these conditions when its greasy and horrid and I love Knockhill. To win here again’s great.
“I knew the circuit was drying and I knew the tyres were going to go off. I tried to protect them early on and when I saw Colin (Turkington) was closing I just kept at it and pulled out a tenth here and there. I’m very happy. It’s such a silly thing. Points make prizes but it’s something about getting the win and it’s why we go racing for these little highs. Spray the champagne as hard as you can and get those trophies up high on the mantlepiece.”
Turkington was arguably the biggest winner in the final race as a second place finish extended his championship over Tom Ingram and Ash Sutton, who both started at the back of the grid after being excluded from the second contest.
BMW Pirtek Racing’s Andrew Jordan completed a brilliant day with another podium, following on from his race two victory, whilst recent Rockingham race winner Adam Morgan came home fourth.
Sam Tordoff scored his best result of the day with fifth ahead of the impressive Josh Cook – the Power Maxed TAG Racing man surging up the standings order with a trio of good results.
Home hero Rory Butcher was seventh, with the hugely impressive Sutton coming home eighth. The Adrian Flux Subaru Racing man produced a masterclass of wet weather driving as he blasted from 30th on the grid and made up an incredible 22 positions.
The two privateer Hondas of Jack Goff and Daniel Lloyd completed the top ten order.
2018 Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship – Round 24 – Knockhill
1 Tom CHILTON (GBR) Team Shredded Wheat Racing with Gallagher 27 laps
2 Colin TURKINGTON (GBR) Team BMW +0.948s
3 Andrew JORDAN (GBR) BMW Pirtek Racing +6.332s
4 Adam MORGAN (GBR) Mac Tools with Ciceley Motorsport +10.899s
5 Sam TORDOFF (GBR) Team GardX Racing with Motorbase +11.112s
6 Josh COOK (GBR) Power Maxed TAG Racing +11.590s
7 Rory BUTCHER (GBR) AmD with AutoAid/RCIB Insurance Racing +12.075s
8 Ashley SUTTON (GBR) Adrian Flux Subaru Racing +15.266s
9 Jack GOFF (GBR) WIX Racing with Eurotech +16.153s
10 Dan LLOYD (GBR) BTC Norlin Racing +16.446s
11 Chris SMILEY (GBR) BTC Norlin Racing +17.016s
12 Aiden MOFFAT (GBR) Laser Tools Racing +17.533s
13 Rob AUSTIN (GBR) DUO Motorsport with HMS Racing +18.607s
14 Stephen JELLEY (GBR) Team Parker Racing +19.057s
15 Matt NEAL (GBR) Halfords Yuasa Racing +21.412s
16 Tom INGRAM (GBR) Speedworks Motorsport +25.592s
17 Dan CAMMISH (GBR) Halfords Yuasa Racing +26.595s
18 Glynn GEDDIE (GBR) AmD with AutoAid/RCIB Insurance Racing +27.150s
19 Jason PLATO (GBR) Adrian Flux Subaru Racing +27.210s
20 Bobby THOMPSON (GBR) Team HARD with Trade Price Cars +27.600s
21 Tom OLIPHANT (GBR) Ciceley Motorsport +28.149s
22 James COLE (GBR) Team Shredded Wheat Racing with Gallagher +12.585s
23 Carl BOARDLEY (GBR) Team HARD with Trade Price Cars +34.540s
24 Ricky COLLARD (GBR) Team BMW +1 lap
25 Mike BUSHELL (GBR) Trade Price Cars with Brisky Racing +2 laps
DNF Brett SMITH (GBR) WIX Racing with Eurotech +6 laps
DNF Senna PROCTOR (GBR) Power Maxed TAG Racing +7 laps
DNF Ollie PIDGLEY (GBR) Trade Price Cars with Brisky Racing +8 laps
DNF Ollie JACKSON (GBR) AmD with Cobra Exhausts +20 laps
DNF Sam SMELT (GBR) AmD with Cobra Exhausts +25 laps
DNF Matt SIMPSON (GBR) Simpson Racing +25 laps
