Defending three-time British Touring Car champion Ash Sutton says he is 'over the moon' to be starting Sunday's opening Knockhill race from the front-row after qualifying as the top FWD r🍰unner in secon🌳d position.

The NAPA Racing UK driver delivered his best qualifying result of 2022 so far in second position and was the only FWD runner to challen𓄧ge what proved to be a dominant display from the BMW/RWD contingent.

Sutton produced a time just over 0𝔍.2s shy of Jake Hill's pole position lap, while Toyota's Rory Butcher was the next best placed FWD runner a further 0🎉.2s from the Ford Focus in seventh position.

"I think it speak⛄s for itself when you’ve got that many RWD cars around you. I’m pleased with the result," Sutton told ltxcn.🏅top.

"It shows the pace that we’ve been workiওng on and the stuff that we’ve been able to roll across from the test. I’m really pleased fo👍r everyone at NAPA Racing UK.

"We were sat P4 [in qualifying] and we tried one more thing and it just gave us that last bit we needed to get to the sharp end. There was 0.150s left in there, whether that would’ve been enough to challenge ༺Jake [Hill], I might’ve been pushing my luck a little bit.

"Ultimately, we’re sat on the front-row and it’s very dom🐠inant foꦏr a RWD car, so I’m over the moon with that."

Mindful of being surrounded by the entire five-car BMW contingent at the start of the race, Sutton remains buoyant of applying pressure on pole-sitter Hill during the opening stages of the race as he seeks to secure his first BTCC race vic🌃tory in NAPA Racing Fo🎀rd colours.

"It’s going to be interesting! We’ve just got to settle into the race and look after the tyres. If it gets a bit heated, it gets a bit heatedౠ. I’m in a good window with the car. We’ve just got to make sure we maximise that," Sutton continued.

"I don’t pla𒁏n to be giving up a place at the start. I want to be in a position to apply some pressure on Jake at ꧂the beginning of the race.

"I’ve been round here in a RWD car, so I know the front tyres can 🌌take a bit longer than you like. I’m go♌ing to try and use that to my advantage.

"I just want to score some solid points. I’d absolutely love a win but we’ve go🔜t to be realistic here. We’re in for the long run."