Driver comments after Croft

The BTCC season continued this weekend at Croft in North Yorkshire. Typical of Northern weather, Saturday was a typical English Summer day, however Sunday was not. It rained heavily in Race 1 resulting in the race being red flagged, only to be restarted and red flagged again after only a few laps. Race 2 and 3 both had better conditions. Turkington took 2 wins and Giovanardi took the final race win. Here is what the drivers had to say

Colin Turkington (Team RAC):
“This was a sensational day, both on a personal level, and for Team RAC. It’s the first time in my BTCC career I have won two races in a day and I am ecstatic.

“It is slightly frustrating we now have a six-week break. The team has the momentum and now we are challenging on all fronts. I can only but look forward to racing at Snetterton next month, the team having qualified first and second there in 2007.”

Stephen Jelley (Team RAC):
“I am very relieved the marshal is OK. I spoke with him just a few minutes ago and it appears that he has just a swollen knee.

“It can be easily forgotten that marshals give up their time voluntarily and without them BTCC races might not be able to take place. My first thoughts are obviously with him. He came to my aid in an hour of need and put himself on the line to rescue me.”

Adam Jones (Team Air Cool):
“I knew things would not be easy as the weather was deteriorating rapidly and sure enough race one had several stoppages and was then finished early due to accidents and the track being flooded. Race two was slightly better although still not good but I managed to finish in sixth place. For race three the track had dried a little and from the start I pushed hard and managed to obtain second place which I held for most of the race and was closing on the leader when the chequered flag was dropped. As always I would like to thank local firms Acorn Printing, Air Cool Engineering, Bodywork (Solihull), Wheelmania together with all my other sponsors for their support”.

Jason Plato (SEAT Sport UK):
“This just hasn’t been our weekend. The team did a great job on Saturday and we qualified well, but it just didn’t happen for us on race day. We know where we went wrong. We didn’t consider the brake pads wouldn’t work in the wet; they were too grippy at the front and didn’t work at the rear, and that caused both Darren and I to go off. We had no traction at all in race two and I collected damage in race three. We have to take this disappointment on the chin. We have six weeks to prepare for the next meeting at Snetterton and we have to exploit what we’ve learnt about the Leon TDI and make every opportunity in the second half of the season count.”

Darren Turner (SEAT Sport UK):
“Today hasn’t delivered for us. I’ve scored one point for qualifying on pole and virtually nothing on race day, which isn’t great when you’re trying to fight for the Championship. The first race was very disappointing because of our brake issue, race two was damp and we had no traction and in race three I got taken out by Mat Jackson. It’s just been one of those frustrating weekends. We have to put this behind us and return in six weeks time stronger and better.”

Gordon Shedden (Team Halfords):
“Again it was a weekend that promised a lot and didn’t deliver enough for us. To qualify second was really good and we should have won the first race, but it was so wet, it was ridiculous. We needed flippers and paddles rather than wheels and tyres and I have to admit I was surprised they restarted it as you couldn’t even commit to full throttle in a straight line. A podium was good but the second race was a disaster as I was taken off and it caused a lot of damage to the car. The guys did great to get me out for the third race and I can’t believe how quickly they can turn these cars around. To come from dead last to finish sixth was a good last race and it was nice to get some points for the guys.

“We’ve had a lot of bad luck during the season so far, but we still have a very good car and an amazing team and there is no reason why we can’t be going out challenging for regular wins and podiums when racing resumes after the summer break. We just need a few things to go our way.”

Tom Chilton (Team Halfords):
“The first race was the wettest race in the world! At the restart I was like a duck on a lake and went floating straight on at Tower; I just aquaplaned off the circuit and there was nothing I could do. In the second race, I climbed from 22nd to 14th but my tyres went off towards the end and I was lucky to even finish the race. I got a cracking start in the final race and made up ten places to fourth which is a hell of a job to do as everyone is so quick on the grid. Mat was all over me in the closing laps and it took all my experience to get from 14th to fourth in that race and hold the position.

“We are half way through the season now and the first half of the year hasn’t gone quite to plan for me. After the summer break, everyone will turn up at Snetterton wanting to win and I got a double win there with the old Civic a few years ago – it would be nice to do it again.”

Matt Neal (VX Racing):
“It was just a great day today getting three podiums; I love being on the podium. I desperately wanted to get a VX Racing one-two in the third race, but I played it safe and settled for third and solid points instead.

“Race one was certainly a busy race. I was quite gutted the race was finished early as I felt we had the pace to win the race.

“The Vectra VXR was absolutely perfect even in the tricky conditions we had today. I have now moved into second place in the championship standings. Fabrizio is a pretty special guy and I think we will have a great fight for the championship title this year.”

Fabrizio Giovanardi (VX Racing):
“I could not see a thing in race one; it was very wet out there. I also broke my windscreen wipers which made it even more difficult. It was great to finish fourth in race one but with the red-flags it was not really a race. It was just a case of who crashed out in front of you.”

“We knew we had the pace throughout the day and the win at the end of the day was great result for us. We made some changes and had the perfect set-up for the weather conditions in the last race.

“After my disappointing qualifying on Saturday I couldn’t have hoped for a better result.”

Tom Onslow-Cole (VX Racing):
“The result from race one really hindered us from getting better results in the next two races. Once the race was re-started, there was just too much water on the track and I went wide.

“I started from 19th in race two and it was so difficult to make up places from so far back, especially when you have ten or so really good drivers ahead of you.

“Still we managed to fight back in the last race and scored some points, so it was a good finish to a bad day.”

Mike Jordan (John Guest Racing):
“The conditions for the first race were horrendous,”

“When they started it, the track was okay. But when we went again, I was on the radio on the sighting lap saying to my guys that I really didn’t think they should re-start the race. There was so much standing water, so I was pleased when it was stopped. We were struggling to keep up with the safety car.”