Outgoing British Touring Car champion Ash Sutton described the final race of the 2018 season as “one of the best races” he had driven, after pipping former teammate Josh Cook at the line by just 0.032s.
Sutton started the reverse-grid contest from third on the grid, but got a lacklustre getaway after bogging down at the start.
He fought his way back into second and applied the pressure onto race leader Cook and fantastic battle followed.
Cook managed to hold on until the very last corner, when Sutton bravely took to the outside line at Clearways and managed to out-drag Cook to the line.
Sutton told TouringCars.Net he thought he had “played every card” possible until he saw the opportunity to go around the outside at Clearways.
“Obviously to be two mates who go head to head like that, it just makes it ten times better.
“It was fair, hard, clean racing – there were a few love taps here and there – it just played out perfectly.
“I thought I played every card possible and he played the better one back every time but it wasn’t until we got to that last corner I sort of sussed out what he was doing and I did the complete opposite to what he thought I was.”
As Sutton and Cook used to be teammates at Triple Eight in 2016, both drivers knew they would enjoy a close battle, but emphasised the respect both have for each other.
“We were always going to trade paint – we wouldn’t be racing drivers if not,” Sutton said.
“But we’ve got that real good respect for each other, we’ve been teammates and we’ve fought hard ever since.
“He’s a great guy and literally that was one of the best races I’ve ever done.”
Sutton’s victory takes his tally for the 2018 campaign to six – the most wins of any driver – with the Subaru racer saying post-race he gave the number one on his car a great send off to conclude the year.
“Obviously that was the last time we were going to run the number one and what better way to send it off,” he said.
“I felt like we’ve been hard done by on some occasions this year but definitely it’s been the best way to see this season out.”