TOM Ingram just missed out on a second British Touring Car Championship (BTCC) title after a thrilling finale to the season at Brands Hatch.
The Coventry driver battled with eventual champion Jake Hill in a two-way tussle for the title but came unstuck in the final race in wet conditions.
Ingram finished third in race one, won by title rival Hill, and topped the podium in race two although the latter crossed the line second to lead the standings by a single point heading into the final race of the season.
And Ingram simply did not have the pace to keep up with Hill who clinched his maiden BTCC success with a second place finish with Ingram down in sixth.
Ingram finished just eight points behind Hill on 413 points in the drivers’ standings after achieving 15 podium finishes across the season.
The pair headed into the final weekend of the season level on points.
However, Hill took command after the opening race although Ingram produced a stunning drive to recover from ninth to third and keep himself in title contention.
Ingram claimed his sixth race win of the season in the second race as the Team Bristol Street Motors driver produced a blistering opening lap to overtake rival Hill.
With the gird reversed for the final race, Ingram and Hill duelled in sixth and seventh.
The defining moment came on lap five in a battle for fourth place as Hill maneuvered his way past Ingram and never looked back.
Hill went on the finish second with Ingram forced to settle for a sixth-place finish and also the runners-up spot in the drivers’ standings.
