It was a spectacular weekend of racing for north Hampshire duo Rob Collard and Nick Foster at Oulton Park over the weekend.
Hook driver Collard scooped a podium and Odiham’s Foster netted a career best of 6th.
However, the British Touring Car championship stars failed to qualify in the top 10 on the grid for race one on Suday.
Collard lined up in 14th in race one and Foster 19th.
The BMWs came into their own in the tricky weather conditions, with Collard making a blistering start and ending lap one in 6th.
He moved up to 4th, but lost out to a charging James Nash in the Vectra in the closing stages and dropped to 5th position by the chequered flag.
Foster ended with a career best of 6th.
At the green light for race two, the two rear-wheeled drive BMWs got away quickly.
However, Collard was blocked by Nash and was unable to make up any positions.
Foster was able to go around the outside of his teammate on the run down to turn two.
But when Alex MacDowall pushed Foster out onto the grass, the Chevrolet lost ground and Collard was able to get up the inside into turn two.
Foster followed his teammate as the pair pulled clear of MacDowall.
Then the safety car was called out after a shunt.
As the race progressed, Foster and Collard struggled for maximum grip from wet weather tyres in the drying conditions and came under pressure, with both drivers losing places.
Collard dropped back to 9th by lap six.
The rain returned a few laps later and the BMWs were able to outpace their rivals.
Collard regained three positions in the closing stages.
With the weather conditions worsening before the end of race two, Collard moved up to 5th and pressured Nash, challenging for position in the final lap.
Collard’s race was boosted when Matt Neal and Gordon Shedden crashed into the gravel.
Collard ended the race in second after pulling off a last-ditch move on Nash. But later the race stewards deemed that the Hook driver had gained an unfair advantage in the final lap and demoted him to third.
For race three, Foster lined up on the front row in second position and Collard 7th. Foster had a blistering start and stormed into the lead.
Foster’s lead lasted three corners as he was passed by Matt Jackson into the hairpin.
As the track dried, both Collard and Foster lost their rear-grip advantage. Foster dropped back to 5th.
On lap six, Collard pulled alongside the rookie into turn two. Foster held the racing line, pushing Collard wide.
The quicker Honda of Matt Neal enabled him to capitalise, overtaking both BMWs in quick succession.
As the North Hampshire duo fought for position, champion Jason Plato started to challenge Collard for position.
Foster let his faster teammate pass into the first corner on lap 10.
But Plato remained rooted to Collards bumper. In the final corner, Plato lunged up the inside, clipping the rear of the BMW and spinning both drivers onto the grass. He ended in 14th.
Foster ended the race 9th position. It was the first time in Foster’s campaign that he finished all three races in the points.
Both drivers will head to Croft on June 19.
