Knockhill race 1: Turner sees off Shedden

SEAT driver Darren Turner has won the first of today’s three Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship rounds at the Knockhill circuit in Scotland.

Turner, who started on pole position, saw off a determined effort from home Scottish hero Gordon Shedden’s Team Halfords Honda for his second win of 2007. Shedden, who set the race’s fastest lap time, appeared to have overtaken Turner but their cars collided and he instantly retired with damaged suspension.

Finishing second, therefore, was Team RAC BMW driver Colin Turkington and third Turner’s team-mate Jason Plato. The result means Plato has extended his championship lead over Vauxhall’s Fabrizio Giovanardi to ten points.

Giovanardi had been ahead of Plato but in the closing stages slid off the track and fell to seventh when his Vectra clashed with Tom Onslow-Cole’s Team RAC BMW.

Meanwhile, there were welcome points finishers for John George and Martyn Bell, ninth and tenth in their TH Motorsport/JAG Honda Integra and Allaboutproperty.com BMW 320i respectively.

But there was disappointment for Shedden’s team-mate Matt Neal and Jacksons MSport’s Mat Jackson whose Honda and BMW collided on lap one and retired, the latter beign sent into a wild spin along Railway straight.

Vauxhall’s Tom Chilton was also a retirement after his Vectra damaged its front end after hitting a tyre marker. As a result, Vauxhall’s lead over SEAT in the Manufacturers’ title race has shrunk, while SEAT Sport UK’s advantage over VX Racing at the top of the Teams’ table as grown.