Colin Turkington clinched his second Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship title after a day full of drama at Brands Hatch yesterday.

While the BMW driver secured his championship win in race one, the action was fraught from the get-go as a multi-car accident, multiple lead changes and unpredictable weather ensured thousands of fans enjoyed three thrilling races.

Ulsterman Turkington entered the weekend with a relatively comfortable 50-point margin over MG racer Jason Plato, but the latter immediately laid down a marker by claiming pole position in a changeable qualifying session on Saturday.

With Turkington starting race one from fourth on Sunday, he wasn't content with cruising to his second championship win and made a trademark fast start, as drama ensued in the 30-strong pack behind.

Contact between the Airwaves Racing Ford Focus of Fabrizio Giovanardi and Gordon Shedden’s Honda Civic Tourer sparked a sequence of incidents at Paddock Hill bend - scattering cars across the circuit, one becoming briefly airborne, and sending three into retirement.

When the dust eventually settled after a forced safety car period, Plato led teammate Sam Tordoff with Turkington in close pursuit and the trio stayed set until the flag, a result good enough for Turkington to take the title.

“I wanted this more than ever..." - Colin Turkington

“I wanted this more than ever and I was prepared to do whatever it took to win the title," the 32-year-old said.

"“I suppose the main feeling is relief. I actually thought I was a point short when I crossed the line so I didn’t want to celebrate until I was absolutely sure."

The championship fight may had been over for race two, but the encounter wasn’t without typical touring car incident.

Plato crossed the line in first but was later penalised - and stripped of his win - after contact with the newly crowned Turkington at Paddock bend sent the BMW man into retirement.

Plato's penalty handed Mercedes pilot Adam Morgan his first-ever BTCC win, with Tordoff second and Rob Collard - who produced a barnstorming drive in race one - third.

Heavy rain blighted the season's final race when Shedden produced a wet weather master class to deny pole-sitter Jack Clarke, who races for the Wrotham-based Motorbase team, his first touring car win.

Elsewhere, a number of Kent-based racers were fighting it out in the BTCC support races.

Mike Bushell, of Tunbridge Wells, clinched the Courier Connections Renault UK Clio Cup title thanks to third place finish in race two, good enough to beat Josh Cook, who spun off at Paddock Hill bend.

Paul Rivett, who races for the Ashford-based WDE Motorsport, left it late to pick up his first win of the year, taking top-spot in race two after coming home sixth in race one.

The Ginetta Junior Championship title went to Wrotham-based Jack Mitchell, who had done enough on Saturday to clinch the crown and finished fourth in race one before retiring from race two after hitting the barriers at the entry to Druids.

Goudhurst's Jake Hill made a one-off return to the Porsche Carrera Cup GB and produced a superb drive in race two to take third - after starting from the very back of the grid.

He bounced back from a high-speed off in qualifying, after spinning at the exit of Hawthorns, and took eighth in race one.