Race two report

Sun 31st May 2009 Colin Turkington’s third win of the 2009 HiQ MSA British Touring Car Championship sees him dislodge Matt Neal from the top of the championship standings. The Team RAC driver led away from the line and defended an early charge from Fabrizio Giovanardi before going on to win for the second time today.

Airwaves BMW driver Rob Collard’s race was over before it began, as he retired to the pits at the end of the green flag lap. Away from the line, Turkington comfortably converted pole position to race lead. Neither Jason Plato nor Jonny Adam got great starts from second and third respectively and it was Giovanardi who emerged from Old Hall in second position.

The reigning champion was quickly up on Turkington and looked like he had the pace to pass during the first few laps, but could not quite find an opening. After surviving the early onslaught, Turkington started to pull away and built up a seven second lead over the course of the race.

Giovanardi also had a lonely race in second, as Jason Plato’s third-placed Chevrolet held up the rest of the chasing pack. Directly behind Plato was long-time rival Matt Neal, whose Vectra was clearly faster. Unfortunately for Neal, Plato appeared to be driving the widest Lacetti on the track and try as he might, the VXR star could not find a way through.

As the race went on, Neal tried every different line he could find, but Plato was determined not to give up. Jonny Adam closed on Neal as he was held up by Plato and was ready to pounce if the pair in front should make contact.

Neal made his strongest attempt to pass Plato on the final lap of the race, with a tap into the Island hairpin. It takes more than that to distract Plato though and he held on to take a hard fought second position, but not before a drag race to the line. Adam was close at the end, just failing to snatch fourth from Neal by two hundredths of a second.

At the chequered flag, it was win number two of the day for Turkington and he was joined on the podium by Giovanardi and Plato. Matt Neal finished fourth, ahead of Jonny Adam and Andrew Jordan. Seventh place went to James Thompson, eighth to Adam Jones and ninth to Paul O’Neill. Alan Morrison scored his first points of the season, bringing his Team Aon Ford Focus home in tenth.

Race winner Colin Turkington said, “The start was vital. Jonny Adam was my biggest threat on the grid but I got away really well. I was a bit surprised to see Fabrizio behind me and he was really hounding me in the early laps. It’s great to win twice in one day – it’s never easy, even when you’re at the front. You have to concentrate so hard because if you make one mistake, that’s it. I’m really delighted with that one.”

Following the race, the number seven was drawn, putting James Thompson on pole position for the third race of the day.