If race one took a while to warm up, Rockingham’s second race certainly did not. Fabrizio Giovanardi once again led away from the grid, with teammate Chilton in second. Playing to the strengths of the BMW 320si E90, Colin Turkington leapt away from the grid, taking the outside line around Turn 1. Matt Neal also started quickly, making a dart down the inside as the pack headed into Deene for the first time.

Exiting the tight left-hander, Neal pulled alongside Chilton’s Vectra, but it was the Vauxhall that had the inside line for the Yentwood right-hand bend. The contact started as Chilton turned through the corner, and a remarkable series of events followed.

Neal and Chilton stayed together for the next couple of corners, and were joined in the tussle for second spot by Turkington and Gordon Shedden. As they headed into the Pif Paf complex, there was a whole series touches which resulted in Neal and Turkington ending up in the gravel on the outside and Shedden, Mike Jordan and Eoin Murray all hobbling back to the pits into retirement.

Unsurprisingly, the safety car was deployed to allow the mess to be cleared up. Out of his car, Matt Neal appeared more than a little frustrated as he gestured in the direction of Tom Chilton and the passing pack.

As the dust settled and the safety car returned to the pitlane, there were just 13 runners left in the race. Fabrizio Giovanardi and Tom Chilton broke at the front, ahead of Tom Onslow-Cole, Jason Plato and Mat Jackson. Behind them were Motorbase Performance’s Matt Allison, Kartworld’s Jason Hughes and A-Tech’s David Pinkney. The latter two were quickly passed by works SEAT driver Darren Turner.

Turner then pitched works SEAT versus independent as he traded placed with Matt Allison in the Motorbase Toledo. The older SEAT proved more than capable of keeping the newer Leon in check along the straights, but Turner eventually managed to edge him out into the Brook Esses.

At the front, Giovanardi was all alone, but the same could not be said for Chilton in second. He was under significant pressure from Onslow-Cole in the Team RAC BMW. The Vauxhall driver lost out at Brook, but then regained the place at Turn 1, only for Onslow-Cole to make the pass again on the following lap, and this time he held on.

For Giovanardi, it was a second win for the weekend. Onslow-Cole took independent honours and his first BTCC podium in second, ahead of Chilton in third. Mat Jackson defended from Jason Plato to finish fourth. Having started from the back of the grid, Darren Turner ended the race in sixth, just ahead of Matt Allison. Allison’s Motorbase Performance teammate Gareth Howell was forced to retire mid-race after his Toledo filled with fumes. David Pinkney finished eighth, with Jason Hughes ninth and John George in tenth. The only other finishers were Rick Kerry and Martyn Bell in 11th and 12th respectively.

Racewinner Giovanardi said, “Two wins – it’s great. The car was unbelievably fast in the first race and it was unbelievably fast with 45kg of success ballast in that race. I’m really, really, really happy for the team because everyone is working so hard to make it better than last year.”

Tom Onslow-Cole said, “It’s a fantastic feeling. It’s amazing to get my first podium, a second place, just five races into the season. I feel more comfortable in the car after every race.”