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British Touring Car Championship
Knockhill - Race 2 Report - 26/8/12

By MJP Media | 26 August 2012

eBay Motors score another 1-2 victory as Rob Collard and Tom Onslow-Cole reign supreme in the 2nd race at Knockhill. Gordon Shedden now leads the championship by 5 points.

Rob Collard leading Tom Onslow-Cole and Gordon Shedden

Following their 1-2 result in the first race of the day, Rob Collard and Tom Onslow-Cole started the 2nd race from Knockhill on the front row of the grid ahead of Gordon Shedden and Aron Smith on row 2.

Rob Collard once again got a brilliant start to lead team-mate Tom Onslow-Cole into the first corner. Meanwhile, Chris James slid into the gravel trap on the first corner and in the process caused Dan Welch and Lea Wood to slide off as well. Wood managed to keep going but Welch also ended up stuck in the gravel trap. The Safety Car was deployed for a few laps whilst James' Team ES Racing.com Vauxhall Vectra and the Welch Motorsport Proton Persona were recovered.

Gordon Shedden, Rob Collard and Tom Onslow-Cole repeat their race 1 success

When racing resumed it was Rob Collard and Tom Onslow-Cole at the front in the eBay Motors BMW 320si E90s with Gordon Shedden 3rd in the Honda Yuasa Racing Team Civic. Shedden managed to keep pace with the BMWs, unlike in the first race when they extended a substantial lead.

Behind the leaders, Paul O'Neill in the Speedworks Toyota Avensis was pushing Aron Smith hard in the Redstone Racing Ford Focus and managed to find a way past on lap 10 to take 4th place. Behind Smith, team-mate Mat Jackson was feeling the pressure from eBay Motors driver Nick Foster. On lap 20, Jackson ran wide and lost places to Foster, Matt Neal and Andrew Jordan. It soon became apparent that Jackson had problems with his car as he was continually opening his door on the straights. The reason for this seemingly strange activity was that damage to the exhaust system was allowing noxious fumes to enter the car and he was trying to get some fresh air in and the fumes out. In the end, it proved impossible to continue and he pulled into the pits to retire from the race with just a few laps remaining.

Gordon Shedden now leads the championship by 5 points

The race ended once again with a 1-2 victory for eBay Motors with Rob Collard leading team-mate Tom Onslow-Cole home to claim his 2nd win of the day and his 3rd of the 2012 BTCC season with Gordon Shedden again taking the final podium place. Paul O'Neill was delighted to finish 4th for Speedworks Motorsport ahead of Nick Foster in 5th and Aron Smith in 6th. From the back of the grid, the MG KX Momentum Racing duo of Jason Plato and Andy Neate struggled throughout the race, finishing 11th and 12th respectively.

The reverse grid draw will see the top 10 places from race 2 reversed to form the grid for last race of the day from Knockhill. Inverness based Dave Newsham will start from pole position in the Team ES Racing.com Vauxhall Vectra alongside the Pirtek Racing Honda Civic of Jeff Smith. Matt Neal will start on row 2 alongside Andrew Jordan and Aron Smith will start on row 3 with Nick Foster. Gordon Shedden now leads the championship by 5 points from team-mate Matt Neal. Will he still be ahead going into Rockingham? Will Dave Newsham repeat his victory from Snetterton? Race 3 will have all the answers!

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