Colin Turkington: “Second race saved the weekend”

Championship leader Colin Turkington said his charge from 27th to fourth in race two saved his Knockhill weekend, as he leaves Scotland with his lead intact.

The West Surrey Racing man leaves Scotland with the same 23 point lead he had on arrival, a scenario which seemed unlikely when his first race ended in the gravel trap.

But his stellar drive through the field in the second, backed up by finishing third in the third, meant Honda Racing Team’s Gordon Shedden was unable to close the gap on home soil.

Speaking to TouringCarTimes, Turkington said: “It really turned the weekend upside down not to finish race one, and know there’s 30 cars you’ve got to get by. It’s a long road back, but we showed how fast we can be.

“Race two was a really strong performance to come through to fourth. We thought top 10 would give us a chance of the reverse grid, but that result saved the weekend.

“Again, in race three the car was strong, but nobody makes it easy for you. You’ve got to fight for every position.”

Asked how race two ranked in his own best races, the 2009 champion added: “It was one of the best. In the old days, when there wasn’t as many cars, you would see guys coming from the back to the front. It’s much harder to do now, as everybody’s got the same tools.

“It was on the right tyres, the strategy was right and I was using the grip out of the hairpin to my advantage.”

Just nine races remain in the 2014 season, starting at Rockingham in a fortnight, and Turkington was delighted to maintain his lead.

“Nobody would have expected that after race one. I’ve just got to keep on fighting,” he said.