Team BRISTOL STREET MOTORS' Ronan Pearson took a hugely popular maiden Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship win in the final encounter at Brands Hatch, after the Scotsman made a stellar move for victory early in the race.

Pearson failed to get the best of starts from pole position, as the Vauxhall Astra of Árón Taylor-Smith blasted into the lead, but the younger of the two was determined to win back the place as quickly as possible.

That moment came at the end of the first lap as he saw half a car width on the run to Clearways and he expertly fired his Hyundai down the inside of the Evans Halshaw Power Maxed Racing man.

It wasn't the last time a Hyundai would attack Taylor-Smith's #40 Astra and Tom Chilton made a huge lunge down the inside at Paddock Hill Bend late on. Both cars ran slightly as Chilton took the place, whilst reigning champion Ash Sutton cleverly sneaked by into third.

Sutton, who has so often kept his powder dry, secured the final place on the rostrum to make six podiums from six starts during the first two events of 2024. There was even better news for Sutton when championship rival Tom Ingram was forced to pit with a puncture, which even at this stage of the season will play its part in the championship table.

The NAPA Racing UK duo of Dan Cammish and Dan Rowbottom were fifth and sixth respectively, ahead of the TOYOTA GAZOO Racing UK Corolla of Andrew Watson.

The sister Toyota of Rob Huff was wedged between the Team BMW duo of Colin Turkington and Adam Morgan to complete the top ten.

Sutton leads Turkington by two points in the overall Drivers' standings with Ingram a further eight in arrears, whilst Jake Hill and Josh Cook lost ground after differing fortunes this afternoon.

Ronan Pearson said: "No words! It shouldn't feel surreal, we've had the pace to be there on merit. Obviously our day started off horrendously and it just shows we never give up as your day can turn around so quickly in the BTCC. I've seen that and I've had to remember that today and it just shows what we can do.

"I can't wait to watch that back as every noise and vibration was starting to make my heart rate go up and I thought 'no, there is nothing wrong and we are going to be OK'. The start wasn't good. It seemed equal compared to everyone else but Árón was off like a stabbed rat as David (Addison) would say. There was half a car width and that was mine.

"It really is lovely, for years I have watched this and dreamt of this. How hard it has been to get here, few people know. I'll have to stop there before I get too emotional!"

Brands Hatch Indy – Race 3 – Classification: