Photo: PSP Images

Tom Ingram on top in opening Thruxton practice

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Tom Ingram posted the quickest time for EXCELR8 Motorsport as the eighth meeting of the BTCC season kicked off with first practice at Thruxton.

Ingram, who currently sits second in the points, was the only driver to dip below the 1:16s mark during the session to outpace the BMW by Jake Hill by half a second.

Josh Cook showed improved form in the BTC Racing Honda to go third fastest at the circuit where has more wins that anyone else, with Ash Hand impressive for Power Maxed Racing to put his Vauxhall Astra into fourth.

Ash Sutton and Stephen Jelley then rounded out the top six.

Points leader Colin Turkington was seventh best despite his lack of hybrid, with Dan Lloyd and Gordon Shedden the final two drivers to lap within a second of the outright pace; Shedden spending a chunk of the session in the pits before going out to set his quick times late on.

Series returnee Tom Oliphant was 25th quickest ahead of his one-off outing with Team HARD.