Following the seven week summer break for the Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship, Hampshire drivers Rob Collard and Nick Foster got back to racing action at the new Snetterton 300 circuit.
It was a weekend of unknowns for the two WSR BMW drivers, following changes to the lay-out of the Norfolk circuit, as they looked to build on the success both experienced in the last round at Croft in June. Frustration set in for Collard and Foster during qualifying on Saturday as both failed to make the top 10, placing 12th and 16th respectively.
During an action packed first race on Sunday, both drivers got clean get-a-ways from the start line. But following a first lap incident Collard dropped to the back of the grid. Foster continued to challenge in the mid-field but wasn’t able to break into the top ten positions. Collard ended the first race in 23rd position while Foster feared a little better finishing in 13th.
In race two, both WSR drivers got a good start with Collard making up six positions by the end of lap one. By the mid-race point, with the some intense racing Collard had moved ahead of Foster into 12th and 13th respectively. With both drivers looking likely to finish outside of the points for the second race running, Collard benefited from the retirement of Frank Wrathall to move into tenth place on lap 10, to take the final points position.
Foster finished the race with a last lap pass on Tom Chilton to finish behind Collard in 11th. For race three of the afternoon Collard lined up in 10th and Foster in 11th. With the rear wheeled drive BMW giving Collard an advantage at the start of the race he was able to make some progress at the start of the race, however a coming together with Andy Jordan put Collard back down the field behind Foster in 13th.
With a steady race pace both BMWs were able to challenge for the final points positions, with Foster leading Collard in the battle with Tony Gillham. By lap eight Foster had passed Gillham for tenth position and went on to pressure Tom Onslow-Cole for ninth.
On lap ten Foster made his move on Onslow-Cole and moved into ninth position, holding the position until the end of the race to collect two championship points. Collard was unable to make any further progress in the final laps and finished in 12th and out of the points however remains in eighth position in the championship standings.
The Hampshire drivers are next in action at the Knockhill circuit in Scotland on September 4.
