The penultimate event of the 2021 Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship was filled to the brim with excitement and drama as the race for the most coveted prize in British motorsport neared its conclusion.

In today’s Weekend Wrap-Up, we’re heading back to Donington Park for rounds 25, 26 and 27 of the campaign…

SHEDDEN AND TURKINGTON CELEBRATE MILESTONE VICTORIES
Sutton maintains BTCC standings advantage at Donington Park 

Gordon Shedden and Colin Turkington both enjoyed milestone moments at Donington Park (09/10 October), as the Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship concluded its penultimate event of the 2021 season. 

Halfords Racing with Cataclean’s Shedden and Team BMW’s Turkington already have a remarkable seven BTCC Drivers’ titles between them, and now the tin-top legends are celebrating 50 and 60 race wins respectively. 

Pole-sitter Shedden triumphed in the opener with a commanding lights-to-flag performance, despite coming under race-long pressure from Adrian Flux with Power Maxed Racing’s Dan Lloyd, while Rory Butcher completed the podium for Toyota Gazoo Racing UK. 

Scotsman Shedden doubled up in the second bout when on-the-road winner Tom Ingram was penalised for gaining an unfair advantage during a tussle for the top spot. 

Ingram looked to have produced a masterclass at the famous Leicestershire venue, having sliced his way from 11th to sixth on the opening lap, before the #80 Hyundai gradually picked off the top five. 

Ingram was hounding race leader Shedden shortly after mid-distance, and he soon squeezed his Ginsters EXCELR8 with TradePriceCars.com car down the inside of the Honda Civic Type R at Coppice. In a post-race review, however, Ingram was found to have gained a push-to-pass advantage in the incident, having tapped the Honda ahead of him before completing the manoeuvre. 

When the dust settled, the final podium result was Shedden, Ingram and Butcher, whilst championship leader Ash Sutton came through a potentially bruising encounter to finish fourth. 

The 49th and 50th victories of Shedden’s illustrious BTCC career were immediately followed by another landmark when Turkington triumphed in the finale – bringing him level with the legendary Andy Rouse in the all-time winners’ list. 

The Team BMW man bounced back from race two disappointment – when he spun out of contention – to produce a brilliant and dominant drive in the final encounter, securing his 60th success in the process. 

MB Motorsport accelerated by Blue Square’s Jake Hill – along with Turkington – kept his title hopes alive with second place, whilst Laser Tools Racing’s Aiden Moffat secured another rostrum – the 25-year-old continuing his impressive run in the second half of the season. 

Five drivers would go into the season finale at Brands Hatch with a mathematical chance of taking the title, with Sutton holding a 32-point advantage over Turkington with 67 still to play for. Ingram, Hill and BTC Racing’s Josh Cook were the other contenders in the hunt leaving the Leicestershire venue. 

Sutton and Laser Tools Racing were also looking to wrap up the Teams’ and both Independent Drivers’ and Teams’ titles at the Kent circuit, whilst BMW aimed to retain its Manufacturers’/Constructors’ crown. 

There was cause for celebration for Halfords Racing with Cataclean’s Dan Rowbottom at Donington Park, as the local driver moved into an unassailable points lead in the Jack Sears Trophy.