OULTON PARK - ROUND 3 - RACE REPORT

Rounds 7, 8 & 9 of the 2006 British Touring Car Championship at Oulton Park
May 13/14, 2006

Indy win for Rob at Oulton Park

Rob came away from Oulton Park clutching silverware after Independent victory in the third race of the day. It was the culmination of a strong weekend that gave Rob's season a kickstart and some much needed championship points.

The signs were good in the Team RAC camp as early as Saturday morning's free practice sessions as Rob was third and fourth fastest in the two sessions. Qualifying was a little more tricky as result of changeable conditions and a long red flag period, but the result was Rob ending the session sixth fastest.

After qualifying, Rob commented, "I'm confident I could have gone quicker if I'd gone out on slicks towards the end of the session. We just ran out of time though."

On Sunday, race one did not start well for Rob and Team RAC. Both MGs were left stranded at the pitlane exit as they missed the window to get out on the grid. Rob's 12th place grid slot became last on the grid. The staggered line-up meant that Rob could not even see the lights from his starting position.

"It shouldn't have happened. We were warming the engines up in the garage and then I drove out of the garage, only to be stopped at the end of the pitlane. I couldn't believe it."

Once the race got underway, Rob made rapid progress through the pack, working with teammate Turkington to pick off the drivers ahead. Rob was up to eighth position by lap five, and battling with Fabrizio Giovanardi and James Thompson. Both Team RAC drivers passed Thompson, but Giovanardi's Astra proved strong enough to hold them at bay through to the end of the race, leaving Rob to finish in sixth position, with Colin seventh.

The second race saw Rob on the pace once again. Seventh on the first lap, his first target was Tom Chilton in the works Vauxhall Astra Sport Hatch. The youngster was quickly dispatched and Rob gained two further places as Mike Jordan and James Kaye tussled.

The pacey MG was looking good for fourth and Rob was defending bravely from SEAT driver James Thompson who closed behind. After absorbing knocks from the SEAT for several laps, there was little Rob could do on lap 12 when the double BTCC champion hit the MG hard at the hairpin, and slipped through on the inside.

"I'm disappointed Thompson was able to pass me like that", said Rob. "He hit me at the hairpin lap after lap, but the officials decided it was a fair move. I don't think it really was though."

The top seven drivers from race two were reversed on the grid for race three, leaving Rob to start third. Fifth through the first corner, he was quickly involved in a battle with Fabrizio Giovanardi and Rob's pace was clear once again. It was a move to the inside through Lodge on lap four that gave Rob the inside line and ultimately fourth position in the race.

Despite a safety car period and a challenge on Tom Chilton, Rob ended the race fourth, taking Independent honours for Team RAC.

"It's great to get some strong results", said Rob at the end of the weekend. "It would have been nice to get on the podium, but we weren't far off. I think if we hadn't had the problem at the start of the first race, we'd have been right up there."

"My season starts here really. I came to Oulton Park with bad memories of the previous two meetings, but we've had three very strong races. It's nice to get some silverware for RAC."

"The car has definitely progressed a lot it's great having a teammate like Colin who pushes all the way. I'm thoroughly looking forward to racing at my local track next, and I think we have every reason to be optimistic."

Round 10-12 of the 2006 Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship take place at Thruxton over the weekend of 3-4 June.