Mac Tools with Ciceley Motorsport's Adam Morgan has moved to the summit of the 2018 Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship standings with victory in the final race at Thruxton, following on from points scoring finishes in the first two bouts in Hampshire.
Morgan's second win of the season came in dominant fashion as he commanded the race from start-to-finish in his Mercedes-Benz A-Class.
The Lancastrian driver got a good getaway from pole position and he was able to defend well from an early attack from the Vauxhall Astra of Senna Proctor.
Morgan's job was made slightly more comfortable when a charging Jack Goff hauled his Honda onto the back of Proctor's Power Maxed TAG Racing's machine, and a squabble for second ensued.
Goff made his move stick on Proctor in the final third of the contest, but it was too late to make any inroads into Morgan's advantage. The 29-year-old took the chequered flag and with it the lead in the overall drivers' standings.
“I didn’t expect this, to be honest, because I knew Senna [Proctor] and the Vauxhall would be quick so I was anticipating being put under a bit of pressure, but I was confident and I got the start really hooked-up," said Morgan. "After getting through the Complex for the first time, it was just qualifying lap after qualifying lap – it was, ‘let’s get on with this and go’. Senna kept me honest and pushed me all the way, and Jack [Goff] did the same later on but I was able to manage the gap and on the last lap, I was able to calm it down a bit and enjoy the moment.
"The car was on rails, which is credit to all the Ciceley guys, who have worked their socks off over the winter and early part of the season. To be leading the championship is a first for us, so now we’ll go to our favourite track carrying full ballast, and I’m looking forward to it."
Sam Tordoff completed a solid day for Team GardX Racing with Motorbase by taking fourth, whilst Team BMW's Colin Turkington fired himself back into championship contention with another top five finish this afternoon.
Josh Cook backed up his earlier win with a sixth place in the final race, and the Power Maxed TAG Racing ace now sits just one point behind Morgan at the top of the standings.
Speedworks Motorsport's Tom Ingram provided some respite with seventh on a challenging day, having worked his way through the order after a non-finish in the opener.
Honda legend Matt Neal claimed eighth, which followed pole position, a race one win and a further podium in the second contest – underlining his desires to challenge for the title once more.
BTC Norlin Racing's Chris Smiley scored a hat-trick of top ten finishes with ninth in the final race, with Team BMW's Rob Collard completing the top running order.
2018 Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship – Round 9 – Thruxton
1 Adam MORGAN (GBR) Mac Tools with Ciceley Motorsport 16 laps
2 Jack GOFF (GBR) WIX Racing with Eurotech +2.433s
3 Senna PROCTOR (GBR) Power Maxed TAG Racing +3.147s
4 Sam TORDOFF (GBR) Team GardX Racing with Motorbase +5.045s
5 Colin TURKINGTON (GBR) Team BMW +5.994s
6 Josh COOK (GBR) Power Maxed TAG Racing +6.544s
7 Tom INGRAM (GBR) Speedworks Motorsport +6.922s
8 Matt NEAL (GBR) Halfords Yuasa Racing +7.722s
9 Chris SMILEY (GBR) BTC Norlin Racing +12.985s
10 Rob COLLARD (GBR) Team BMW +13.205s
11 Tom CHILTON (GBR) Team Shredded Wheat Racing with Gallagher +15.230s
12 Matt SIMPSON (GBR) Simpson Racing +16.601s
13 Dan CAMMISH (GBR) Halfords Yuasa Racing +16.809s
14 Rory BUTCHER (GBR) AmD with AutoAid/RCIB Insurance Racing +17.120s
15 Aiden MOFFAT (GBR) Laser Tools Racing +17.350s
16 Rob AUSTIN (GBR) DUO Motorsport with HMS Racing +17.830s
17 Jake HILL (GBR) Trade Price Cars with Brisky Racing +21.896s
18 Tom BOARDMAN (GBR) AmD with AutoAid/RCIB Insurance Racing +24.707s
19 Tom OLIPHANT (GBR) Ciceley Motorsport +25.488s
20 Ashley SUTTON (GBR) Adrian Flux Subaru Racing +26.026s
21 Stephen JELLEY (GBR) Team Parker Racing +26.399s
22 Bobby THOMPSON (GBR) Team HARD with Trade Price Cars +26.805s
23 James NASH (GBR) BTC Norlin Racing +27.100s
24 James COLE (GBR) Team Shredded Wheat Racing with Gallagher +27.368s
25 Michael CAINE (GBR) Team HARD with Trade Price Cars +27.587s
26 Sam SMELT (GBR) AmD with Cobra Exhausts +34.620s
27 Mike BUSHELL (GBR) Trade Price Cars with Brisky Racing +1 lap
28 Josh PRICE (GBR) Autoglym Academy Racing +6 laps
29 Ollie JACKSON (GBR) AmD with Cobra Exhausts +7 laps
30 Brett SMITH (GBR) WIX Racing with Eurotech +13 laps
DNS Andrew JORDAN (GBR) BMW Pirtek Racing
DNS Jason PLATO (GBR) Adrian Flux Subaru Racing
