WHAT a weekend for the Speedworks Motorsport team and driver Tom Ingram as history was made at Donington Park.
The Northwich outfit, running under the Team Toyota GB with Ginsters banner, celebrated an emotionally charged maiden victory with a new car in the second round of this year’s British Touring Car Championship.
Team principal Christian Dick said: “We are only going to get stronger from this point on.”
All pictures by Matt Sayle Photography
Prior to the season’s start Ingram explained he would spend the early rounds getting to grips with a Toyota Corolla which has replaced an Avensis in which he finished as runner-up last year.
It hasn’t taken long, with his and the team’s 10th career triumph being a ‘special’ one in front of a new fan club – 4,500 members and families from Toyota Manufacturing UK.
Sixth in qualifying, fifth in race one and another top-10 finish put the 25-year-old in pole position for the day’s reversed grid finale.
In front of the live ITV4 television cameras, the reigning two-time BTCC Independents’ Champion led from lights-to-flag to secure for the Corolla a first victory in the UK’s premier motor racing series in three decades.
The result made Ingram the third-highest scorer of the weekend while maintaining his impressive recent record of winning at Donington every year since 2017.
It also vaulted him four spots up the championship table from 10th into sixth, as he halved his deficit to the top of the drivers’ standings to just 12 points heading next to Thruxton in Hampshire on 18/19 May 18-19.
Speedworks similarly climbed four places up the order in the teams’ battle, rising to eighth among the 19 contenders.
“Every win is special, but this one more than most,” said Ingram.
“All the hard work, all the expectations when you bring out a new car, the added pressure now of being an official manufacturer-backed entry – to repay all of that with the Corolla’s first victory in only its sixth race and be able to share the moment with 4,500 team fans at our new ‘home’ track, well, it really doesn’t get much better than that, does it?
“The Corolla was an absolute pleasure to drive in race three – just fantastic – and a wave of emotion came over me when the chequered flag fell.
“This win means so much to us as a team and to me personally.
“Everybody at Speedworks has put in so much effort over the winter and start of the season, and I honestly can’t thank the Team Toyota GB with Ginsters crew enough.
“It was an amazing result, and something we will I’m sure look back upon in years to come as a really important milestone on this journey.
“What a weekend to score the new Corolla’s first BTCC win – hopefully the first of many."
Dick concluded: “The work put in by the Speedworks guys to build, develop and refine this car over the past few months has been nothing short of phenomenal, and this result is testament to the outstanding job done by each and every one of them – I really couldn’t be any prouder.
“We have a great crew here, Tom is a great driver – and, as I think the weekend proved, we have a great car at our disposal too.
“We’ve now scored well in all six races so far this season and keep taking small steps forward.
“We’re learning all the time and consistently moving in the right direction.
“Best of all, there is still plenty more to come – we are only going to get stronger from this point on.”
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here