Rob Collard has taken the first win of the 2012 Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship season. The eBay Motor’s racer, who had to have the clutch changed on his BMW overnight, held off the likes of Matt Neal and team mate Tom Onslow Cole to take victory at Brands Hatch in Kent.
Having made a good start off the line, Collard soon got up into second ahead of Honda Racing’s Matt Neal. Slight contact between the BMW and the Vauxhall Vectra of Dave Newsham, who was leading going into Paddock Hill Bend having started in pole position, allowed Collard to take the lead. Jason Plato, having started in sixth, had got up to fourth position after the first corner in the Triple 8 Racing MG.
Adam Morgan didn’t have the start he would have wanted in his first ever BTCC race, when a big shunt on lap one at Paddock Hill Bend, put him out of the race and brought out the safety car. During the safety car period, a gearbox issue for Frank Wrathall, saw him bring his Dynojet Toyota Avensis into the pits.
With the track now clear, the race restarted on lap six, and Rob Collard made a superb start, while near the back of the crocodile, John Thorne had an excursion even before reaching the start/finish line.
Andrew Jordan, having dropped down the order, was lying in sixth with damage to his bodywork after some incidents during the first lap. Gordon Shedden, who was hopeful of having a better day after a woeful qualifying session, was running behind Jordan in seventh. Meanwhile upfront, Collard was still leading ahead of Matt Neal and Dave Newsham, with the fight for the lead closing up. The MG of two—time champion Jason Plato was still lying in a strong fourth position. Making up the five car train was the eBay Motors BMW of Tom Onslow-Cole, who was looking quick and not giving up a fight for a podium finishing position.
The Honda Yuasa Racing Civic of reigning champion Matt Neal made its move for the lead going over the start finish line, leaving Newsham to settle for second. Tom Onslow-Cole began moving up the field, firstly taking fourth place from Plato.
Midfield of the pack, Tony Gilham had a slight spin from 16th place on the grid, whilst a spin for Tom Onslow-Cole led to Jason Plato taking back his track position of fourth, with Honda Civic of Gordon Shedden now getting in the mix. Shortly after, Plato brought the MG in a podium finishing position of third on lap 13, while up front with the leaders, 0.3 seconds all the stood in between Neal and Newsham and the battle for the lead.
With an interesting scuffle breaking out between Andrew Jordan and Mat Jackson for fourth place, the drama at the front of the field was about to bring the season to life. With Newsham making his mark on the race and going for the lead, Jason Plato saw an available gap, and in the process of moving up the field, made contact with the yellow ES Racing Vectra, pushing Newsham out of contention – and out of the race.
Lap 15, and Rob Collard was still holding onto the lead from Matt Neal, whilst Aron Smith went off the circuit at Druids after contact with Rob Austin’s Audi under braking. This brought the safety car out for the second time.
After the marshals had cleared the Redstone Racing Ford Focus, with some interesting techniques, the race began for a third time, with Collard pulling out another great start heading into the final stages. John Thorne, who’d been struggling to get to grips with his Vauxhall Insignia all weekend, was the third car to have an incident at Paddock Hill Bend over the duration of the race.
Last lap excitement saw Matt Neal try and make a late lunge for the lead, but Collard managed to hold off Neal’s works Honda, taking the eBay BMW to victory, with a photo finish for Tom Onslow-Cole and Jason Plato over the line, saw the second eBay driver take the last podium place. All in all, a fantastic first race for the MG, a suitable payback for the Triple 8 team who had pulled out all the stops to get both cars out for the weekend. Plato’s team mate Neate had a quiet race, but finished in a point scoring twelfth place. Gordon Shedden struggled with his electrical problems to finish in fifth ahead of Andrew Jordan, who limped home in sixth, having battled a broken front splitter.
This win was Collard’s first since the Donington outing in 2009, and he celebrated on the track, impressing the fans with his doughnutting skills. Down in the pit lane, WSR team owner Dick Bennett’s shed a tear at the hard work of the team, saying that they didn’t expect a win in their first outing.
Later on in the day, Collard was given a fine and three penalty points on his licence for his celebratory actions, while Jason Plato was also fined £750 and given three penalty points because of his move on Dave Newsham, which put him out of the race.
Having made a good start off the line, Collard soon got up into second ahead of Honda Racing’s Matt Neal. Slight contact between the BMW and the Vauxhall Vectra of Dave Newsham, who was leading going into Paddock Hill Bend having started in pole position, allowed Collard to take the lead. Jason Plato, having started in sixth, had got up to fourth position after the first corner in the Triple 8 Racing MG.
Adam Morgan didn’t have the start he would have wanted in his first ever BTCC race, when a big shunt on lap one at Paddock Hill Bend, put him out of the race and brought out the safety car. During the safety car period, a gearbox issue for Frank Wrathall, saw him bring his Dynojet Toyota Avensis into the pits.
With the track now clear, the race restarted on lap six, and Rob Collard made a superb start, while near the back of the crocodile, John Thorne had an excursion even before reaching the start/finish line.
Andrew Jordan, having dropped down the order, was lying in sixth with damage to his bodywork after some incidents during the first lap. Gordon Shedden, who was hopeful of having a better day after a woeful qualifying session, was running behind Jordan in seventh. Meanwhile upfront, Collard was still leading ahead of Matt Neal and Dave Newsham, with the fight for the lead closing up. The MG of two—time champion Jason Plato was still lying in a strong fourth position. Making up the five car train was the eBay Motors BMW of Tom Onslow-Cole, who was looking quick and not giving up a fight for a podium finishing position.
The Honda Yuasa Racing Civic of reigning champion Matt Neal made its move for the lead going over the start finish line, leaving Newsham to settle for second. Tom Onslow-Cole began moving up the field, firstly taking fourth place from Plato.
Midfield of the pack, Tony Gilham had a slight spin from 16th place on the grid, whilst a spin for Tom Onslow-Cole led to Jason Plato taking back his track position of fourth, with Honda Civic of Gordon Shedden now getting in the mix. Shortly after, Plato brought the MG in a podium finishing position of third on lap 13, while up front with the leaders, 0.3 seconds all the stood in between Neal and Newsham and the battle for the lead.
With an interesting scuffle breaking out between Andrew Jordan and Mat Jackson for fourth place, the drama at the front of the field was about to bring the season to life. With Newsham making his mark on the race and going for the lead, Jason Plato saw an available gap, and in the process of moving up the field, made contact with the yellow ES Racing Vectra, pushing Newsham out of contention – and out of the race.
Lap 15, and Rob Collard was still holding onto the lead from Matt Neal, whilst Aron Smith went off the circuit at Druids after contact with Rob Austin’s Audi under braking. This brought the safety car out for the second time.
After the marshals had cleared the Redstone Racing Ford Focus, with some interesting techniques, the race began for a third time, with Collard pulling out another great start heading into the final stages. John Thorne, who’d been struggling to get to grips with his Vauxhall Insignia all weekend, was the third car to have an incident at Paddock Hill Bend over the duration of the race.
Last lap excitement saw Matt Neal try and make a late lunge for the lead, but Collard managed to hold off Neal’s works Honda, taking the eBay BMW to victory, with a photo finish for Tom Onslow-Cole and Jason Plato over the line, saw the second eBay driver take the last podium place. All in all, a fantastic first race for the MG, a suitable payback for the Triple 8 team who had pulled out all the stops to get both cars out for the weekend. Plato’s team mate Neate had a quiet race, but finished in a point scoring twelfth place. Gordon Shedden struggled with his electrical problems to finish in fifth ahead of Andrew Jordan, who limped home in sixth, having battled a broken front splitter.
This win was Collard’s first since the Donington outing in 2009, and he celebrated on the track, impressing the fans with his doughnutting skills. Down in the pit lane, WSR team owner Dick Bennett’s shed a tear at the hard work of the team, saying that they didn’t expect a win in their first outing.
Later on in the day, Collard was given a fine and three penalty points on his licence for his celebratory actions, while Jason Plato was also fined £750 and given three penalty points because of his move on Dave Newsham, which put him out of the race.
Final results:
1) Rob Collard
2) Matt Neal
3) Tom Onslow-Cole
4) Jason Plato
5) Gordon Shedden
6) Andrew Jordan
7) Mat Jackson
8) Rob Austin
9) Nick Foster
10) Jeff Smith
11) Lea Wood
12) Andy Neate
13) Ollie Jackson
14) Liam Griffin
15) Chris James
1) Rob Collard
2) Matt Neal
3) Tom Onslow-Cole
4) Jason Plato
5) Gordon Shedden
6) Andrew Jordan
7) Mat Jackson
8) Rob Austin
9) Nick Foster
10) Jeff Smith
11) Lea Wood
12) Andy Neate
13) Ollie Jackson
14) Liam Griffin
15) Chris James
Fastest Lap: Tom Onslow-Cole – 48.948 – Lap 7
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