Snetterton 2003

COLLARD EXTENDS CHAMPIONSHIP LEAD AT SNETTERTON

Rounds 13 and 14, Snetterton, Norfolk, August 9

Fifth win of year for Hampshire racer.

Rob Collard won the Independents Cup category in round 14 of the British Touring Car Championship at Snetterton, Norfolk on Saturday evening, August 9, his fifth win of the season in his Collard Racing Vauxhall Astra. Having taken second place earlier in the day in round 13, the Hampshire-based racer has now extended his championship lead to 18 points.

The first race at a blazing hot Snetterton almost saw Rob eliminated right at the start, several cars making contact just in front of him as they accelerated off the line. He came through unscathed to bring his Brackenwood Windows-backed Astra home second in class, and eighth overall.

“The race was interesting,” said Rob immediately after it, “especially off the line when I was in amongst all the spinning cars. I was just able to wriggle through without any damage. That gained me a lot of places, and I was right behind the Independent leader, my main championship rival, by the time of the pit stops.

“I could get within a second of him but he had so much straight line speed I just couldn’t get close. By the time I started really closing my tyres were gone.” The second race in the early evening was equally exciting, Rob making a superb start that saw him battling in the leading group in the early part of the race. As the sun set he claimed his fourth class win in the previous six races, and took sixth overall.

“That was a fantastic race. It’s really good to win at Snetterton again. I just played ‘Steady Eddie’ in the first race and racked up some points, so it was good to come through and win the second one convincingly.

“I was able to run with the works cars at the start, my tyres were so good. In a situation were you are battling with them you have to be aware of the need to finish and score points in our championship, and a couple of times I backed out of situations. Twice I had a go up the outside of the Vauxhall of Yvan Muller, but I knew he wasn’t going to let me through.

“We’ve scored lots of points from this weekend, which is exactly what we needed, and we have even won the use of some rooms at the Hilton Hotel at Brands Hatch for the next meeting!”