Motorbase Performance has scored a second win of the day as Mat Jackson followed up Andrew Jordan's race two success with his own impressive display in the Thruxton finale.
The victory was also Jackson's second of the 2016 campaign as he joined WIX Racing's Adam Morgan as the only double winner so far this season.
Jackson's Ford Focus blasted past the Proton of pole-sitter Dan Welch off the line and despite being kept honest by the chasing pack throughout, he was able to cruise in relative comfort.
Welch went side-by-side with WSR's Sam Tordoff on the opening lap before the BMW slid wide at Segrave and onto the grass. Being cheered on by the packed banks of spectators, underdog Welch then fended off several attacks from behind whilst closing in on leader Jackson, but the Goodestone Racing driver would face disappointment on lap five as his car went off and hit the tyre barrier.
Both Rob Collard and Gordon Shedden recovered from contact down at Club on lap seven, whilst Jordan was forced to retire with a puncture on the same tour.
Team IHG Rewards Club's Jack Goff inherited second until Matt Neal's Honda got by on lap eight, and worse was to follow for the BMW driver. As the second Honda of Shedden attacked him for third, closing as the duo swept through Church, Goff locked up going into the final chicane and the pair made contact. Shedden retired with damage after limping over the start/finish while Goff could only manage 18th place at the finish.
The final podium place went to Morgan – making it a hat-trick on the day – as he crossed the line just 0.198s ahead of MG pair Josh Cook and Ashley Sutton.
Collard claimed sixth and with it the joint lead of the championship alongside Neal, while Rob Austin and the recovering Tordoff completed the top eight positions.
The top ten included two young drivers who each enjoyed a special day's racing in the BTCC. Dan Lloyd took ninth and the Jack Sears Trophy to complete a fine debut with Eurotech Racing, whilst tenth placed Michael Epps took his best ever result and good points.
2016 Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship – Round 9 – Thruxton
1 Mat JACKSON (GBR) Motorbase Performance 12 laps
2 Matt NEAL (GBR) Halfords Yuasa Racing +0.256s
3 Adam MORGAN (GBR) WIX Racing +4.568s
4 Josh COOK (GBR) MG Racing RCIB Insurance +4.766s
5 Ashley SUTTON (GBR) MG Racing RCIB Insurance +5.006s
6 Robert COLLARD (GBR) Team JCT600 Racing with GardX +5.460s
7 Rob AUSTIN (GBR) Handy Motorsport +6.082s
8 Sam TORDOFF (GBR) Team JCT600 Racing with GardX +6.291s
9 Daniel LLOYD (GBR) Eurotech Racing +10.533s
10 Michael EPPS (GBR) RCIB Insurance Racing +11.333s
11 Jeff SMITH (GBR) Eurotech Racing +11.494s
12 Martin DEPPER (GBR) Eurotech Racing +11.874s
13 Jake HILL (GBR) RCIB Insurance Racing +16.867s
14 Ollie JACKSON (GBR) AmD Tuning.com +18.070s
15 Alex MARTIN (GBR) Dextra Racing +18.440s
16 Chris SMILEY (GBR) TLC/RCIB Insurance Racing +22.365s
17 Kelvin FLETCHER (GBR) Power Maxed Racing +24.336s
18 Jack GOFF (GBR) Team IHG Rewards Club +27.363s
19 Mark HOWARD (GBR) BKR +42.473s
20 Stewart LINES (GBR) Maximum Motorsport +1m07.088s
21 Andrew JORDAN (GBR) Motorbase Performance +1 lap
22 Aiden MOFFAT (GBR) Laser Tools Racing +1 lap
DNF Gordon SHEDDEN (GBR) Halfords Yuasa Racing +2 laps
DNF Matt SIMPSON (GBR) Speedworks Motorsport +3 laps
DNF Tom INGRAM (GBR) Speedworks Motorsport +4 laps
DNF Daniel WELCH (GBR) Goodstone Racing +8 laps
DNF Hunter ABBOTT (GBR) Power Maxed Racing +9 laps
DNF Aron SMITH (IRL) BKR +11 laps
