Rob Collard made it three out of three for drivers winning their first races of the season in an entertaining race three in the sunshine at Knockhill.
Collard was joined on the podium by his team mate, Clin Turkington who produced another fighting drive. Second place was taken by AMD Tuning’s Dave Newsham, his first podium of the season and a result that was very popular with the crowds.
Nick Foster had started on pole with Fabrizio Giovanardi alongside and initially those two set the pace but Giovanardi was quickly passed by Collard, Ingram and Newsham . this lost him momentum and moe cars soon followed sending him down the field. Collard then battled with team mate Foster for several laps before finding a way past into the lead. Foster was then also passed by Newsham and Ingram dropping further back. But when tea mate Turkington aso came through this seemed to spur him on and for the rest of the race he remained on turkington’s tail. This meant when Turkington found a way past Ingram, Foster followed him past. Collard was by now comfortably ahead of Newsham but the other two Ebay cars were closing in on the AMD Focus.
By the flag Turkington was right behind but Newsham held on to take a popular second place with Collard crossing the line to win on his own just before. Foster was fourth an excellent result and his best of the season but given that he began the race leading he may well have wondered about what might have been. Fifth was Andrew Jordan with his title challenge now looking all but over. Shedden was sixth after a clash with Rob Austin earlier in the race nearly spun him off and put Austin out with broken suspension. Seventh was Adam Morgan who has finished in the top ten in all three races but has been unable to find quite enough speed to make the podium. Eighth was Alain Menu taking a top ten result but who also may feel a little disappointed. Ninth was Tom Ingram who had looked set for the podium before he was muscled down the field. Completing the top ten was Jason Plato scoring points on a difficult weekend. The rest of the points scorers were Neal, Goff, Tordoff, Clarke and Hynes.
Full results are on TSL timing as usual
The championship now moves to Rockingham in Northamptonshire in only two weeks time. Colin Turkington goes there still leading the championship but now from Shedden with Plato in third. Rob Collard leaps into fourth after his win and Andrew Jordan is now down in fifth. By Marc Waller
