Donington Drama: Chilton Shines, Cammish Celebrates, Ingram Strikes in BTCC Triple-Header

The BTCC’s return to Donington Park GP served up a weekend of high drama, mixed conditions and standout performances. Tom Chilton opened proceedings with a long-awaited pole-to-win triumph in Race 1, Dan Cammish marked his 200th start with a memorable Race 2 victory in chaotic weather, and Tom Ingram cemented his title credentials by overcoming Ash Sutton in a thrilling Race 3 showdown.Race 1 - Chilton Ends 14-Year Wait for Pole with Stunning Donington GP win.

Team VERTU’s Tom Chilton rolled back the years at Donington Park’s GP circuit, taking his second win of the 2025 BTCC season after converting his first pole position in 14 years into a lights-to-flag victory in Race 1.

The experienced campaigner made the most of his starting spot, launching cleanly off the line before settling into a commanding rhythm. Stablemate and championship leader Tom Ingram quickly tucked in behind, the pair breaking away from the chasing pack in the opening stages. Ingram briefly took over at the front to secure the all-important championship point for leading a lap, before sensibly handing the position back to Chilton, who looked determined to finally end his pole drought with a win.

While the two VERTU Hyundai drivers controlled the race at the front, attention soon turned to the thrilling battle for third. Restart Racing’s Chris Smiley provided one of the drives of the opening laps, using his turbo boost to maximum effect and valiantly keeping a trio of NAPA Racing UK Fords behind him. For a time, Smiley looked like he might pull off a giant-killing result, but the relentless pressure told. Daniel Rowbottom forced his way through, followed by teammates Ash Sutton and Dan Cammish, who muscled past to secure third, fourth and fifth respectively.

As the laps ticked by, Smiley’s early heroics began to fade, and he was reeled in by defending champion Jake Hill. The Laser Tools BMW driver made his move stick before Adam Morgan and Senna Proctor also found a way through, leaving Smiley to cling onto ninth at the flag.

Rounding out the top ten was Árón Taylor-Smith, who produced one of the standout performances of the race. After a difficult qualifying session plagued by track-limit infringements left him down in 14th on the grid, the Irishman staged a brilliant recovery drive, carving his way through the midfield to snatch the final points-paying position.

At the front, though, there was no denying Chilton, who crossed the line to take a hugely popular victory — a reward for both his patience and persistence across his long BTCC career.

Race 1 – Final Top 10 Results:

Tom Chilton
Tom Ingram
Daniel Rowbottom
Ash Sutton
Dan Cammish
Jake Hill
Adam Morgan
Senna Proctor
Chris Smiley
Árón Taylor-Smith

Race 2 - Cammish Marks 200th BTCC Start with Incredible Donington GP Victory

Dan Cammish could not have scripted a better way to mark his 200th BTCC start, mastering the chaos of Donington GP’s changeable conditions to take a dramatic victory in Race 2.

The NAPA Racing UK driver had already moved into the lead after muscling past Team VERTU’s Tom Ingram in the opening stages, but the race was turned on its head when the skies suddenly opened. A torrential downpour caught much of the field out, with Cammish himself skating across the sodden tarmac and into the gravel. He wasn’t alone — half a dozen cars followed in quick succession, leaving plumes of spray and chaos at almost every corner.

In a remarkable twist, the rain stopped just as quickly as it arrived, and the scramble back onto the circuit began. Cammish managed to keep his Ford Focus pointing in the right direction and clung onto the lead amid the mayhem. Behind him, Adam Morgan showcased his trademark car control to climb into second, while local hero Gordon Shedden seized the opportunity to delight the Scottish crowd by slotting into third.

The drama didn’t stop there. Championship rivals Daniel Rowbottom and Ash Sutton made contact while battling for position, sending both tumbling down the order in one of the pivotal moments of the race. That incident not only shuffled the pack but also proved costly in Sutton’s title defence.

When the safety car was eventually deployed to restore order, the field bunched up, but Cammish coolly handled the restart. He held firm to take an emotional win on his milestone start, crossing the line ahead of Morgan and Shedden after one of the most unpredictable races of the season so far.

Behind the podium finishers, Tom Ingram recovered to fourth to bank more valuable championship points, while WSR’s Daryl DeLeon impressed once again with a strong run to fifth. Toyota’s Josh Cook secured sixth place, just ahead of Árón Taylor-Smith, who continued his consistent form with seventh.

Despite his earlier incident, Sutton fought his way back through the chaos to claim eighth — a result that could prove crucial in the championship battle. Chris Smiley initially ended the race ninth and was drawn for pole in the Race 3 reverse-grid lottery. However, post-race drama struck when Smiley’s car failed its ride-height check, promoting Sutton to pole for the finale and handing him a golden chance to strike back.

Race 2 – Final Top 10 Results:

Dan Cammish
Adam Morgan
Gordon Shedden
Tom Ingram
Daryl DeLeon
Josh Cook
Árón Taylor-Smith
Ash Sutton
Jake Hill
Dan Lloyd

Race 3 - Ingram Seals Fifth Win of 2025 in Fierce Donington GP Finale

Tom Ingram delivered yet another masterclass at Donington Park GP, taking his fifth victory of the 2025 season after a tense, hard-fought battle with championship rival Ash Sutton.

Starting from fifth on the grid, Ingram wasted no time charging through the order, quickly latching onto the rear of pole-sitter Sutton. With Sutton running on the harder tyre compound, it was always going to be a defensive masterclass from the four-time champion — and fans were treated to exactly that.

The two title contenders traded paint in a nail-biting duel, Sutton squeezing every inch out of his Ford while Ingram piled on the pressure in the Team VERTU Hyundai. The decisive moment came at Melbourne Hairpin, where Ingram dived down the inside and made the move stick, seizing control of the race.

Even after a late safety car threatened to bring Sutton back into play, Ingram held his nerve, managing the restart perfectly and stretching his advantage to secure a crucial win. The result extended his championship lead over Sutton to 32 points heading into the second half of the season.

Behind the leading pair, Dan Rowbottom produced one of the standout drives of the weekend. The NAPA Racing UK man charged from 12th on the grid to an impressive third, completing the podium after a storming comeback through the field.

Árón Taylor-Smith continued his excellent run of form with a strong fourth-place finish, ahead of Laser Tools Racing’s Jake Hill in fifth and Tom Chilton, who added another solid sixth-place result for Team VERTU.

Local favourite Gordon Shedden brought the Toyota Gazoo Racing Corolla home in seventh, while Restart Racing’s Dan Lloyd not only grabbed eighth but also claimed independent honours in front of the Donington crowd.

Young WSR star Daryl DeLeon capped off another promising weekend by taking ninth and with it the Jack Sears Trophy, further underlining his reputation as one to watch. Teammate Charles Rainford rounded out the top ten.

The Donington finale provided fireworks and plenty of drama, but it was Ingram who once again had the last word — stamping his authority on the championship as Sutton was left to reflect on what might have been.

Race 3 – Final Top 10 Results: