Collard and Onslow-Cole lead another BMW 1-2

Rob Collard took his third win of the year, leading another West Surrey Racing BMW 1-2 in race two at Knockhill ahead of Tom Onslow-Cole, whilst third for Gordon Shedden gives the Honda driver the Championship lead.

The grid was formed up of just 18 cars after Frank Wrathall was absent from the grid, with the Dynojet Racing driver having to change his engine after race one.

At the start, Collard led into the first corner with Onslow-Cole in tow, whilst an accident further back involving the Proton of Dan Welch and the Team ES Racing Vauxhall Vectra of Chris James saw the two cars out the race and the safety car brought out.

After the restart, Paul O’Neill was able to work his way forward in the Speedworks Toyota, passing the Motorbase Performance Ford Focus of Mat Jackson for fifth on lap seven and then Jackson’s teammate Aron Smith on lap 10 at the hairpin for fourth.

Jason Plato was making slow but steady progress from his 17th place starting position on the grid, passing Jeff Smith’s Eurotech Honda after the restart, but was re-passed by Smith later on, as the two closed up on Dave Newsham and passed him for tenth and eleventh.

Mat Jackson later retired with a damaged exhaust which promoted Plato to tenth, but the two-time champion lost pace late in the race, falling back behind Dave Newsham, which would prove pivotal with the top ten being drawn for the reversed grid which will put him on pole for the final race.

Collard went on to take the win over three-seconds clear of his team-mate, with Gordon Shedden’s Honda just over ten seconds adrift.

Andrew Jordan was able to pass Matt Neal at Clark’s on the final lap to move up into seventh.

Gordon Shedden now takes the lead of the drivers’ standings on 277 points, with Matt Neal five points behind on 272 and Jason Plato on 251.