Colin Turkington is on pole for the first BTCC race here at Donington Park tomorrow, after an exciting qualifying which saw several drivers on top during the session.
The session was once again interrupted by a red flag. This time it was the broken down BMW of Andy Priaulx that caused the stoppage. The multiple WTCC champion took no further part in the session and after taking pole at Brands Hatch, this time he’s down in 23rd.
Honda’s Gordon Shedden and Turkington’s BMR team mate Jason Plato also held pole at various points in the session and the fastest times were all set after the enforced red flag break. Both Shedden and Plato tried to dislodge Turkington from Pole in the closing stages but couldn’t manage it.
Wix Racing’s Adam Morgan took an excellent fourth on the grid in his Mercedes A-Class ahead of Andrew Jordan in the MG. Jordan still isn’t as close to the front as he would like but is only half a second off pole. Josh Cook was an excellent sixth in his Power Maxed racing Chevrolet Cruze, the best that he and the car have managed so far and also the best rookie. Matt Neal could only manage seventh but with the entire front half of the field separated by just over a second, things are very close. Sam Tordoff was the best rear wheel drive car putting his BMW 1 series into eighth. Aiden Moffat remained in the top ten in ninth with Dave Newsham proving Power Maxed racing have the pace by taking tenth. Eleventh was Aron Smith, unsually slightly off the pace of his BMR team mates but he had to stop early with a car problem.
Twelfth was Rob Austin and incredibly his team mate Hunter Abbot managed to get out in the session too after the team managed to complete repairs in time. Things still weren’t quite right with the car and so he only lined up twenty first but it was well worth the team getting the car out as he is eight places further forward then he otherwise would have been.
Thirteenth was Jack Goff, not where he would have wanted to be and even allowing for success ballast, he’ll be disappointed with that. Fourteenth is Mike Bushell in his AMD Tuning Ford Focus, another driver who’ll feel disappointed after being well inside the top ten earlier. Fifteenth was BMR boss Warren Scott, unable to get on the pace of his team mates despite completing more laps. All twenty nine cars took to the track although Dan Welch didn’t manage to complete a flying lap, only completing four laps in total. He’ll be the last starter tomorrow.
Full results are available on TSL. By Marc Waller
