BTCC: Sutton wins controversial third race after Collard hit with penalty
![Sutton wins controversial third race after Collard hit with penalty](https://cdn.crash.net/styles/article/s3/field/image/e86ec330-af15-4f8d-b909-0b67ab74fdce%20%28Copy%29.jpg?itok=wTSATWco)
NAPA Racing UK's Ash Sutton has won a controversial reverse grid British Touring Car Championship race at Brands Hatch after the winner on the road, Ricky Collard, received a ten-second time penalty.
Having started the race from second on grid, Collard immediately jumped into the lead after performing a magnificent move around the outside of pole-sitter Bobby Thompson at Paddock Hill bend.
Meanwhile, race two winner Sutton, who started 11th on the grid, produced a sensational opening sequence of laps. Miraculously, Sutton ended the opening lap sitting in fourth, before rising to second by as early as lap six.
Inevitably, Sutton soon latched onto the rear of Collard's Toyota Corolla, but Collard soaked up lap-after-lap of pressure to retain his position ahead of the NAPA Racing UK Ford Focus.
With a famous maiden win almost within touching distance for Collard, the Toyota driver was hit with a ten-second time penalty for exceeding track limits, just two laps from the end.
However, with both of the leading duo seemingly unaware of Collard's time penalty, Sutton went for the lead on the final lap of race, which created a sensational grandstand finsh.
Incredibly, following what proved to be a duel for the ages, Collard defiantly clung onto the lead ahead of Sutton and crossed the line ahead of the three-time champion. But it was to no avail, with the ten-second time penalty dropping Collard to eighth in the final classification.
That elevated Sutton to a remarkable second victory of the day from 11th on the grid, with Bobby Thompson and Tom Ingram completing the rostrum in second and third.