with stunning second

Tom Onslow-Cole bounced back from the disappointment of a non-finish in Sunday's opening Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship race to take a superb second place in the third, held at the Croft circuit.   The 20 year-old Team RAC driver made a fantastic start from third on the grid to take an immediate lead into the first corner, which he held for the completion of two laps until the safety car deployed following a multi-car incident ended his hopes of his maiden BTCC victory.

At the restart, Tom held station, but later that lap, lost out to the seven-time touring car champion Fabrizio Giovanardi who found a way past the BTCC newcomer and went on to record his fourth win of the year. With the rest of the pack chasing hard Tom drove a solid race, posting the fastest lap by an Independent driver and the second quickest race lap overall.

“I’m very happy with that, it’s really pleasing, I still want that first place though obviously.  I think I’m now really starting to prove myself and it’s not a case of if it’s when! And I definitely think it’s going to be coming soon. It was a great race, I had a good start and had it sussed.  I pulled out a big gap on the first lap and tried to push on but unfortunately the safety car came out and closed us all up again but it was solid, I think the team and myself should be really pleased with that.  We had great pace all weekend and I think that bodes well for the next round.”

Lining up on the third row for the first race of the weekend, Tom looked to be in a strong position to repeat or even better his second place finish at Rockingham, and a lightening getaway at the lights saw him battling for third place as the pack entered the first corner. Wisely though he conceded the position slotting into fourth behind the two Hondas of double champion Matt Neal, pole-sitter Gordon Shedden and eventual race winner his Team RAC team-mate Colin Turkington.

Things were looking good for at least a podium finish until a coming together with Jason Plato on lap six sent him rushing into the pits to change a punctured right rear tyre, and he rejoined way down the order a lap down. Two laps later an incident involving Matt Neal who collided with Tom while attempting to pass him, caused Tom to retire to the pits his race over.

“Race one was a tough race, I picked up a puncture through contact with Jason Plato which forced me to pit and cost me a lap.  The boys did a good job and I was able to rejoin but then there was an incident with Matt Neal which caused too much damage and sadly we couldn’t finish.”

The day’s second race saw Tom line up in 19th place and a blinding start from the lights saw him gain six places as the pack filed into the first corner.  By the completion of lap one the New Malden driver was up to 12th and set about chasing down the battle ahead.

With his WSR-prepared BMW 320si in perfect shape, the youngster, who recently celebrated his birthday, progressed through the field crossing the line seventh at the end of the hard-fought race.  With the reverse grid system coming into play and dictating that the ninth place finisher would start from pole, Tom’s seventh place finish was converted into a third place grid slot for the day’s final race and that second BTCC podium finish.

“Race two was really good actually, starting 19th and coming through to seventh was quite a result.  It was a good clean race and I was really pleased with that to be honest.  I made a great start, making up six places into the first corner and then just tried to get as many people as possible which really set me up well for a good final race.”

Results of race one

1. Colin Turkington              BMW 320si                        22:06.494

2. Gordon Shedden             Honda Civic                       22:10.451

3. Matt Neal                      Honda Civic                       22:11.577

4. Darren Turner                 SEAT Leon                        22:13.323

5. Mike Jordan                   Honda Integra          22:13.997

6. Fabrizio Giovanardi Vauxhall Vectra                  22:15.988

Results of race two

1. Darren Turner                 SEAT Leon                        29:17.908

2. Jason Plato                    SEAT Leon                        29:18.282

3. Mike Jordan                   Honda Integra          29:21.234

4. Mat Jackson                  BMW 320si                        29:23.155

5. Gareth Howell                 SEAT Toledo                      29:25.007

6. Fabrizio Giovanardi Vauxhall Vectra                  29:25.346

7. TOM ONSLOW-COLE        BMW 320si                        29:29.764

Results of race three

1. Fabrizio Giovanardi Vauxhall Vectra                  24:00.874

2. TOM ONSLOW-COLE        BMW 320si                        24:04.502

3. Mat Jackson                  BMW 320si                        24:09.475

4. Gordon Shedden             Honda Civic                       24:09.941

5. Darren Turner                 SEAT Leon                        24:15.005

6. Matt Neal                      Honda Civic                       24:15.410

Championship positions after 12 rounds:

1 Jason Plato 127

2 Fabrizio Giovanardi 125  

3 Matt Neal 81

4 Tom Chilton 75

5 Darren Turner 71

6 Colin Turkington 64 

7 Mat Jackson 55

8 Mike Jordan 55

9 Gordon Shedden 54 

10 Tom Onslow-Cole 51