NAPA Racing UK's Dan Cammish cruised to a lights-to-flag victory in the opening Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship race at Thruxton, as early race drama kicked off behind him.
While Cammish sailed off into the distance there was contact between three of the chasing pack – Jake Hill (ROKiT MB Motorsport), Ash Sutton (NAPA Racing UK) and Josh Cook (Rich Energy BTC Racing) – going into the first chicane.
All three cars emerged unscathed but a further skirmish between Sutton's Focus and Cook's Honda at the next segment of the Complex sent the latter spinning down the field.
The excitement continued throughout the lap with Tom Chilton's Hyundai seen skating across the grass at very high speed, whilst contact at the final corner between Ricky Collard's Toyota GAZOO Racing UK's Corolla and one of the CarStore Power Maxed Racing Vauxhalls was another moment of note from the opening tour.
When the dust finally settled it was Gordon Shedden's Halfords Racing with Cataclean Honda now in second, as the Scotsman cleverly picked his way through the squabbles in front of him.
Sutton settled into third and would eventually go on to score his 60th BTCC career podium from just 199 races, as the positions at the front remained unchanged for the remainder of the bout.
ROKiT MB Motorsport's Hill claimed good championship points with fourth, whilst CarStore Power Maxed Racing's Ash Hand brilliantly bagged a career best fifth place.
Toyota GAZOO Racing UK's Rory Butcher made good progress from 12th on the grid to eventually take a top six finish, with a move past Michael Crees' PMR-run Vauxhall completing his fightback drive.
Crees relinquished another place to Halfords Racing with Cataclean's Daniel Rowbottom, but the former still rounded off an excellent display for CarStore Power Maxed Racing.
Title contenders – Tom Ingram and Colin Turkington (Team BMW) – made solid progress initially from their relatively lowly grid positions and would eventually wind up ninth and tenth respectively.
Dan Cammish said: "It feels great. Yesterday was part of the job and that was an amazing pole for myself and for NAPA. It feels like a long time coming to get some good results.
"It was a great start which I’m happy about, and then the chaos behind me was just a gift.
"What a lovely day out driving on my own! It was one of those funny races where because you’re not under much pressure from behind you can let your mind wander a bit and then you realise that they’re starting to catch you and then you’re like how do I get back into a rhythm here.
"We got that first double podium so yeah it was a great start to the weekend."
Gordon Shedden said: “Yeah from fifth to finish second you’d take that result any day of the week. There was quite a lot of carnage happening in front, nobody was willing to give a millimetre let alone an inch but then the door opened up for me and I could get going.
“End of the first lap I think Dan was 2 and a half seconds ahead and that is just a lot to catch. I think I got it down to a second but I’m sure he was just managing a bit at the end but I’m delighted it’s a great result.
“We’re strong in different parts of the circuit so it just evens itself out a bit. I felt quite comfortable and I think he [Sutton] got to a point where he just didn’t think he could get close enough in the right places to make an overtake on me.”
Ash Sutton said: “It was a good solid start. A bit of chaos and not enough room left for me on the right but that’s racing. I’m happy for Dan, he got the win that he needed so on to Race Two.
“We’re very good friends and the last thing I want to be doing is turning him [Cook] around but through the left-hander he came off the curb and hit me clean in the side. I left him room, got to the right-hander and there wasn’t enough room left and contact was made.
“Obviously it’s not what I wanted, especially as Shedden got past off the back of that but it was just one of those.”
2022 Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship – Race One – Thruxton
1. Dan CAMMISH (GBR) Napa Racing UK 16 laps
2. Gordon SHEDDEN (GBR) Halfords Racing with Cataclean +1.050s
3. Ash SUTTON (GBR) Napa Racing UK +1.684s
4. Jake HILL (GBR) ROKiT MB Motorsport +5.136s
5. Ash HAND (GBR) CarStore Power Maxed Racing +10.109s
6. Rory BUTCHER (GBR) Toyota GAZOO Racing UK +13.243s
7. Daniel ROWBOTTOM (GBR) Halfords Racing with Cataclean +13.915s
8. Michael CREES (GBR) CarStore Power Maxed Racing +14.240s
9. Tom INGRAM (GBR) Bristol Street Motors with EXCELR8 TradePriceCars.com +16.047s
10. Colin TURKINGTON (GBR) Team BMW +16.650s
11. Stephen JELLEY (GBR) Team BMW +18.976s
12. Adam MORGAN (GBR) Car Gods with Ciceley Motorsport +19.292s
13. Josh COOK (GBR) Rich Energy BTC Racing +19.685s
14. Jason PLATO (GBR) Rich Energy BTC Racing +20.331s
15. Bobby THOMPSON (GBR) Autobrite Direct with JourneyHero +21.643s
16. Aiden MOFFAT (GBR) Laser Tools Racing +28.871s
17. Daniel LLOYD (GBR) Bristol Street Motors with EXCELR8 TradePriceCars.com +29.006s
18. Ollie JACKSON (GBR) Apec Racing with Beavis Morgan +33.268s
19. Árón TAYLOR-SMITH (IRL) Yazoo with Safuu.com Racing +35.742s
20. Jack BUTEL (GBR) Bristol Street Motors with EXCELR8 TradePriceCars.com +35.861s
21. Dexter PATTERSON (GBR) Laser Tools Racing +36.000s
22. Ricky COLLARD (GBR) Toyota GAZOO Racing UK +36.460s
23. Sam OSBORNE (GBR) Apec Racing with Beavis Morgan +37.061s
24. Tom OLIPHANT (GBR) Autobrite Direct with JourneyHero +42.263s
25. Jade EDWARDS (GBR) Rich Energy BTC Racing +44.279s
26. Nicolas HAMILTON (GBR) Yazoo with Safuu.com Racing +48.598s
27. Rick PARFITT (GBR) Uptonsteel with Euro Car Parts Racing +49.027s
28. Tom CHILTON (GBR) Bristol Street Motors with EXCELR8 TradePriceCars.com + 1 lap
29. George GAMBLE (GBR) Car Gods with Ciceley Motorsport + 12 laps