The fourth round of the British Touring Car Championship certainly lived up to its ‘Super Sunday – Manic Monday’ title. Team Halfords were tried and tested throughout the weekend, but rose to the challenge as Tim Harvey and birthday boy Dan Eaves finished first and second respectively in the feature race for the Independents cup.

It was the first time out for all three Team Halfords cars as new boy Carl Breeze joined the line up for testing on Saturday. Qualifying on Sunday saw all three cars struggling with the traffic on track with over 30 cars taking part in the qualifying session. Neither Eaves nor Harvey were able to complete an uninterrupted lap, leaving them further down the grid than anticipated, in 9th and 11th respectively for both races.

New Team Halfords driver and current Formula Renault Champion Carl Breeze, was suffering with fuel-line problems, but managed to qualify 16th for the Sprint Race and 17th for the Feature Race. With a new fuel tank installed for race day, Breeze was confident he could make his mark on the Championship.

The sun was shining at Silverstone; with all teams hoping the dry weather was set for the day, but a downpour before the Sprint race left the track conditions treacherous, ending Breeze’s debut in the Championship before it had even started as the number 23 coupe went off at Abbey on the warm up lap. Tim Harvey also suffered at the hands of the weather, as Team Atomic Kitten’s Gareth Howell slid off taking Harvey with him. Eaves, celebrating his 27th birthday, continued to the end, finishing in 12th position.

The start of the Feature race saw both Tim Harvey and Dan Eaves’ cars savaged by their opponents as they rounded the first corner. Tom Chilton hit Harvey’s back end, and Eaves incurred serious body damage to the left hand side of his car, which the pit crew then had to rip from the body of the car during his 12-second mandatory pit stop.

As the pit stop window opened the Team Halfords drivers had a chance to make up some time on the front running cars, Tim Harvey battling his way up to 2nd position, with Carl Breeze on his début performance close behind in 3rd.

After all pit stops were completed Team Halfords lined up with Harvey running in 6th and Eaves in 8th. Harvey fought hard with Honda’s Alan Morrison and moved up a place passing the chequered flag in 5th position, and a 1st in the Independents cup. Team mate Eaves was close behind in 7th overall and 2nd for the Independents cup.

Carl Breeze, who unfortunately had to make a second unscheduled pitstop to change a damaged wheel, ended the race in 14th position overall and 4th in the Independents cup.

With the fourth round of the Championship completed Team Halfords are lying 1st, 2nd and 7th in the Independents cup for Eaves, Harvey and Breeze respectively, and are 4th in the BTC Touring Championship.