Team RAC driver Tom Onslow-Cole took a stirring first podium finish in the fifth round of the Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship race at Rockingham on Sunday. The 19 year-old from New Malden, Surrey started the race from eighth place, following his finish in that position in race one and a superb start saw him up into third before the safety car was deployed to retrieve a number of stricken cars.
At the restart he slotted in behind eventual race winner Fabrizio Giovanardi and Tom Chilton, the latter quickly coming under intense pressure from the reigning Elf Renault Clio Cup Champion, who several times made the move into second. He finally made the move stick and came home in second place to the delight of the massive crowd and the hard-working Team RAC/WSR mechanics.
“I’m really pleased with that,” said Tom. “It’s an awesome feeling to get my first podium so early in the season. My aim at the beginning of the year was to be on the podium by the midway point but to achieve it at the second race meeting is amazing."
Starting the first race from seventh on the grid, Tom had a difficult opening two laps in the BMW 320si, in which he picked up a broken shock absorber dropping him down the field. On a track he admits is not one of his favourites, he recovered well though to climb back up the order to finish behind his team-mate Colin Turkington in eighth position.
In the day’s third and final race, the reverse grid situation saw the teenager relegated to a ninth place start but a fantastic getaway saw him gain places off the line then some quick decisive driving saw him dive up the inside of three cars entering the second corner and into third. Another safety car period on the ninth lap was sadly to soon signal the first retirement of 2007 for Tom, when his radiator overheated following debris intervention causing instant retirement.
“I was a little disappointed with the first race which was a struggle with the early damage we picked up and then with the third race spoilt with debris intervention. Overall though I’ve come away with my head held high as I can run at the front with some of the top drivers in the country.”
His superb performances over the weekend has moved the youngster up into seventh in the Championship standings just three points adrift of his team-mate Turkington. Tom will resume battle with the rest of the championship regulars at the Thruxton, Hampshire track in two weeks time on May 5/6.
Race 1 Results - 15 laps
1. Fabrizio Giovanardi Vauxhall Vectra 21:43.800
2. Tom Chilton Vauxhall Vectra 21:47.950
3. Jason Plato SEAT Leon 21:48.180
4. Gordon Shedden Honda Civic 21:51.310
5. Matt Neal Honda Civic 21:51.610
6. Mike Jordan Honda Integra 21:56.611
8. Tom Onslow-Cole BMW 320si 22:00.377
Race 2 Results – 19 laps
1. Fabrizio Giovanardi Vauxhall Vectra 30:01.521
2. Tom Onslow-Cole BMW 320si 30:04.405
3. Tom Chilton Vauxhall Vectra 30:05.787
4. Mat Jackson BMW 320si 30:06.193
5. Jason Plato SEAT Leon 30:06.426
6. Darren Turner SEAT Leon 30:15.877
Race 3 Results – 17 laps
1. Jason Plato SEAT Leon 25:26.790
2. Mat Jackson BMW 320si 25:29.204
3. Darren Turner SEAT Leon 25:30.531
4. Tom Chilton Vauxhall Vectra 25:31.149
5. Fabrizio Giovanardi Vauxhall Vectra 25:32.896
6. Gordon Shedden Honda Civic 25:33.460
DNF. Tom Onslow-Cole BMW 320si
Championship positions after 6 rounds:
1. Jason Plato 72
2. Fabrizio Giovanardi 56
3. Tom Chilton 48
4. Matt Neal 42
5. Mat Jackson 35
6. Colin Turkington 29
7. Tom Onslow-Cole 26
8. Darren Turner 25
9. Mike Jordan 18
10. Gordon Shedden 16
