Ingram takes clean sweep as he dominates ‘mega’ Silverstone birthday weekend

As far as birthdays go, there are probably worse ways to celebrate than with a commanding double victory around the most famous circuit in the country – but that is precisely what Tom Ingram achieved as the hotly-fought, ITV-televised and BTCC-supporting Ginetta Junior Championship visited Silverstone on what he admitted was a ‘mega’ weekend that yielded a 17-point advantage in the chase for the coveted crown.

After proving to be the quickest driver in the field a fortnight earlier at Snetterton – only for ill-fortune to scupper his chances of mounting the top step of the podium – Tom headed to the legendary ‘Home of British Motor Racing’ determined to convert that scintillating raw speed into results.

Having not been there since the pre-season media day back in March, the highly-rated young High Wycombe star spent the practice sessions on his 17th birthday just ‘tuning myself back into the circuit and re-learning it all’, not remotely fazed by the ever-changing climatic conditions and laying down a few markers along the way in terms of lap time.

And then come qualifying, in front of family, friends, a whole host of well-wishers and new sponsor Teng Tools, he went and blitzed every single one of his rivals to notch up his first pole position of the 2010 campaign – and a double one at that – by the staggering margin of more than seven tenths of a second.

The last time he had achieved a double pole – at Oulton Park last year – the ex-British Karting Champion had been left distraught after being shunted out of contention on only the second lap and left with a hefty bill for damage, but this time around there would thankfully be an infinitely happier ending.

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