Sam Tordoff takes dominant win in second race at Croft

West Surrey Racing’s Sam Tordoff took a dominant lights-to-flag victory in the second race at Croft, leading home the Team BMR pair of Jason Plato and Colin Turkington.

The Yorkshireman made a clean start from pole to head team-mate Andy Priaulx into Clervaux, and steadily extended the gap as Priaulx was passed by both Plato and Turkington on the third tour.

Neither Volkswagen was able to make any dents in the BMW’s lead, allowing Tordoff to take his second win in as many meetings for his new team.

Behind the top four, Honda Racing Team’s Gordon Shedden just came out on top in a fierce battle with Rob Collard. The Scot passed Collard at Tower on lap 11 but the latter refused to give any ground, and Shedden was momentarily sideways across the front of the BMW heading towards the Esses.

The pair were nose to tail at the flag, but Collard later received the benefit of the reverse grid draw and will start the final race from pole.

Rob Austin was just behind the duelling pair having earlier had a brilliant battle with Shedden, with the Audi divebombing the Honda at Clervaux on lap three only for Shedden to repass at Sunny In on lap four.

Tom Ingram, Adam Morgan and Jack Goff were in close company behind to round out the top 10.

Shedden’s team-mate Matt Neal was 11th after an entertaining battle with Triple Eight Racing’s Andrew Jordan, with the 2013 champion curiously off the pace down in 14th at the flag.

There was late drama for Power Maxed Racing’s Josh Cook, who left the circuit at high speed at Clervaux and had a hefty side-on impact with the tyres. Fortunately, Cook was unscathed and managed to extract himself from his car.

Eurotech Racing’s Jeff Smith had a late off after contact with Team Parker Racing’s Alex Martin, while debutant Max Coates parked his Infiniti Q50 on lap seven with soaring water temperature.

AmD Tuning’s Nicolas Hamilton took his second finish in his maiden BTCC weekend in 25th, this time managing to stay on the lead lap.