There were wins for Colin Turkington, Mat Jackson and Gordon Shedden and two huge crashes in a chaotic and thrilling day at Croft circuit, as Rob Collard went to the top of the Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship points table.
In the first race of the day, Team BMR’s Turkington started second on the grid but eventually overtook Gordon Shedden’s Honda Civic Type R, crossing the line 2.7sec clear of the Scotsman.
Turkington’s quick start in the opening race was investigated by officials, but he was later cleared of jumping the start.
The second race was shortened to 10 laps after a big collision on the opening lap. Dan Welch’s Proton made contact with the back of Ollie Jackson’s Audi S3, then Hunter Abbott’s Chevrolet and Ash Sutton’s MG hit the cars as they spun. No drivers were injured.
After the restart Turkington was overtaken by Mat Jackson’s Motorbase Performance Ford Focus in the opening lap. Jackson stayed in front and went on to win by 1.19sec.
There was another chaotic start in the final race of the day from the back of the grid as Mark Howard, Alex Martin, Ollie Jackson and Hunter Abbott made contact, sending Abbott’s Chevrolet spiraling over the barrier into a television gantry. A cameraman and several drivers were shaken but unharmed.
Sam Tordoff was on pole and leading the championship, but the propshaft on his BMW 125i M Sport failed and he was forced to retire before the race restarted.
Team BMR’s Jason Plato started on pole when the race got going again but he was overtaken by Collard on lap two. Gordon Shedden, who started from tenth on the grid, dramatically snatched victory from Collard on the final lap with just a few corners to go.
Following his victory, Shedden said: “With four laps to go, that win wasn't on. With three laps to go, I thought it might be.
“I could see Rob's tyres going off and I pressed hard. I had it in hand by just half a lap."
These latest results send WSR’s Collard to the top of the championship, with just three points separating him and second-placed Sam Tordoff.
The next round of the Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship takes place at Knockhill circuit on 13-14 August.
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