Solid home race for Onslow-Cole

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August 20, 2007 in Motorsport

Solid home race for Onslow-Cole

Tom Onslow-Cole recovered from a non-finish in round 23 of the Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship at Brands Hatch today to take a storming sixth place from 17th on the grid in the day’s final race. The 20 year-old also took fifth in the day’s first race to consolidate his tenth place overall in the championship, but a collision in the second race damaged his steering and put him out of contention for another top six spot.

The BTCC newcomer, who came into his home race full of confidence after his maiden BTCC win last time out, started race one from eighth on the grid, and a now typical demon start saw him up into sixth before a first lap multi-car pile up caused the race stoppage. At the restart some time later, Tom made another good start to hold position and a lap later moved ahead of Gordon Shedden at Paddock Hill Bend.

The following lap he moved to fifth when his Team RAC team-mate Colin Turkington spun out of the lead and dropped behind Tom, but over the closing stages a slip allowed Turkington back through pushing Tom down to sixth. On the final lap though an error from Tom Chilton elevated Tom to fifth, which is where he would then start for race two.

Race two lasted just three hundred yards after a start-line collision with his team-mate Turkington and Darren Turner put him out with a bent trackrod, causing instant retirement and which would see him start the final race from the back.

The day’s final race was action-packed and saw the reigning Elf Renault Clio Cup Champion able to make amends for his relatively slow getaway when the safety car was deployed to retrieve Fiona Leggate’s stricken Honda. At the restart after five laps Tom set about making his mark, moving through the field until he was challenging Adam Jones for fifth place.

For several laps the pair swapped places, Tom taking the place at Paddock Hill Bend, before Jones retook the position at Druids hairpin. With the duo running bumper-to-bumper and then side by side for almost eight laps, the battle allowed Gavin Smith and championship leader Jason Plato to close down the gap, the four running nose-to-tail until Jones went flying off the track on the penultimate lap, taking Tom with him.

The collision allowed Plato through to fifth, but Tom recovered well to take sixth at the flag, with Jones out on the spot and Turkington going on to take victory.

“It’s not been a fantastic weekend, but not bad I suppose,” said Tom. “I’ve had some good races and definitely got some positives to take out of it and some more points. I had a really good third race, I didn’t start too well though, probably one of the worst this year, so then I had to really push extra hard and steal places where I could.

“But I had some really good battles throughout and it was good fun race to drive. In race two the collision caused us to bend a track-rod and that was it really, while in the first race, I was held up a bit by Turner who was riding shotgun for Plato and defending well. But it was another solid weekend and a good result for Colin in the final race.”

Results of Round 22

1. Fabrizio Giovanardi (Vauxhall Vectra) 20:00.886

2. Jason Plato (SEAT Leon) 20:04.005

3. Darren Turner (SEAT Leon) 20:04.994

4. Colin Turkington (BMW 320si) 20:05.413

5. Tom Onslow-Cole (BMW 320si) 20:06.290

6. Tom Chilton (Vauxhall Vectra) 20:08.165

Results of Round 23

1. Fabrizio Giovanardi (Vauxhall Vectra) 26:08.333

2. Jason Plato (SEAT Leon) 26:17.604

3. Gordon Shedden (Honda Civic) 26:21.652

4. Mat Jackson (BMW 320si) 26:21.801