Ashley Sutton has frustrating time at Oulton Park and slips to third in Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship

Ashley Sutton suffered a frustrating weekend as his hopes of claiming a record-breaking fifth Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship title were hit at Oulton Park.

He made a positive start by finishing second in the opening race at the Cheshire venue as he registered a 10th podium place of the campaign.

But bodywork damage ruled him out of contention in the remaining two races as he came 16th and 18th.

The Bishop’s Stortford driver went into the event five points clear at the summit, but he is now third with five race days to go.

He is 24 points adrift of new leader Jake Hill, who won the second race, and 20 behind second-placed Tom Ingram, who triumphed in race three.

Sutton, who went to Birchwood High School, emerged as one of the standout performers during Saturday’s qualifying session as he hauled his Ford Focus ST onto the outside of the front row for race one despite having minimal hybrid deployment available.

The NAPA Racing UK competitor then battled it out with title rival Ingram in the opening encounter, with the pair slightly touching on a number of occasions, before the latter took the honours.

The other two races were ones to forget for Sutton, however. Flailing bodywork and rear bumper damage caused major problems in race two before minor contact with a tyre stack ultimately led to a puncture in the finale.

The championship resumes after a break at Croft on the weekend of July 27-28.