Team BMW's Colin Turkington took a commanding race two victory at Oulton Park and immediately dedicated the win to his mother, who passed away last week.
The two-time BTCC champion had been looming ominously in the overall standings coming into the Oulton Park weekend and now the Northern Irishman has hit the top after his latest superb success, his first victory of the 2018 season.
"Winning always feels good, especially in the BMW," said Turkington. "Around here, we’ve found the magic ingredient for race two. I didn’t see it coming. Starting fifth, there’s a lot of fast guys out front. My pace in race one was good but it wasn’t winning pace.
"We’ve improved the car a lot and it merits all the hard work we’ve put into it. I enjoyed being out front and in the groove. I sensed soon on I had a strong car and it was time to strike. I’m over the moon for everybody.
"I just want to dedicate this one to my mum, who’s not here for the first time. Mum, that was for you."
Turkington made up places from the start and was into second early on, but it was his textbook pass by then leader Tom Chilton that secured the deal. Chilton's ballast-laden Team Shredded Wheat with Gallagher Ford Focus couldn't hang on as Turkington fired his BMW 125i M Sport down the inside at Lodge Corner.
The BMW star never looked back as he claimed a comfortable win ahead of Halfords Yuasa Racing's Matt Neal, who also got by Chilton in the second half of the contest. Chilton held on impressively for third, however, as he claimed his second podium of the day.
There was drama from the off further down the field as the Honda of Dan Cammish bounced across the grass and collected Aiden Moffat's Laser Tools Racing Mercedes when it returned to the track. In a separate incident the WIX Racing with Eurotech Honda of Brett Smith slid wildly across the track at Island Bend, thankfully avoiding all oncoming traffic.
When the dust settled it was BMW Pirtek Racing's Andrew Jordan that was the best of the rest in fourth, whilst James Cole hugely impressed in fifth place.
Rob Collard produced a very Rob Collard performance with a number of eye-catching moves, none more so than his last gasp pass by Rob Austin going into turn one. The HMS Racing Alfa Romeo of Austin held on for seventh, and with it pole position in the reversed grid race draw.
Jack Goff grabbed eighth ahead of the squabbling duo of Ollie Jackson and Tom Ingram. AmD man Jackson had earlier got the better of Speedworks Motorsport's Ingram when snatching a place at the finish line in race one, and the likeable Audi driver repeated the trick in the second bout to take ninth by less than two tenths of a second.
Just 16 points separate the top six drivers in the overall standings with Turkington holding an eight point advantage over Adam Morgan at the championship summit. With one final race to come at Oulton Park, it's likely that the title picture will take yet another twist later this afternoon.
2018 Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship – Round 11 – Oulton Park
1 Colin TURKINGTON (GBR) Team BMW 15 laps
2 Matt NEAL (GBR) Halfords Yuasa Racing +5.372s
3 Tom CHILTON (GBR) Team Shredded Wheat Racing with Gallagher +7.800s
4 Andrew JORDAN (GBR) BMW Pirtek Racing +8.598s
5 James COLE (GBR) Team Shredded Wheat Racing with Gallagher +13.121s
6 Rob COLLARD (GBR) Team BMW +13.347s
7 Rob AUSTIN (GBR) DUO Motorsport with HMS Racing +15.304s
8 Jack GOFF (GBR) WIX Racing with Eurotech +18.205s
9 Ollie JACKSON (GBR) AmD with Cobra Exhausts +18.308s
10 Tom INGRAM (GBR) Speedworks Motorsport +18.493s
11 Adam MORGAN (GBR) Mac Tools with Ciceley Motorsport +18.582s
12 Dan CAMMISH (GBR) Halfords Yuasa Racing +18.922s
13 Tom OLIPHANT (GBR) Ciceley Motorsport +19.497s
14 Rory BUTCHER (GBR) AmD with AutoAid/RCIB Insurance Racing +19.798s
15 Mike BUSHELL (GBR) Trade Price Cars with Brisky Racing +21.984s
16 Senna PROCTOR (GBR) Power Maxed TAG Racing +22.438s
17 Dan LLOYD (GBR) BTC Norlin Racing +23.292s
18 Chris SMILEY (GBR) BTC Norlin Racing +24.115s
19 Brett SMITH (GBR) WIX Racing with Eurotech +24.959s
20 Jason PLATO (GBR) Adrian Flux Subaru Racing +25.854s
21 Jake HILL (GBR) Trade Price Cars with Brisky Racing +27.549s
22 Michael CAINE (GBR) Team HARD with Trade Price Cars +30.056s
23 Ashley SUTTON (GBR) Adrian Flux Subaru Racing +34.586s
24 Josh PRICE (GBR) Autoglym Academy Racing +38.931s
25 Tom BOARDMAN (GBR) AmD with AutoAid/RCIB Insurance Racing +39.965s
26 Josh COOK (GBR) Power Maxed TAG Racing +2 laps
27 Bobby THOMPSON (GBR) Team HARD with Trade Price Cars +2 laps
28 Sam SMELT (GBR) AmD with Cobra Exhausts +3 laps
29 Sam TORDOFF (GBR) Team GardX Racing with Motorbase +5 laps
30 Stephen JELLEY (GBR) Team Parker Racing +13 laps
31 Aiden MOFFAT (GBR) Laser Tools Racing +14 laps
DNS Matt SIMPSON (GBR) Simpson Racing
