Colin Turkington takes lights-to-flag victory in Team BMR 1-2-3

Colin Turkington cruised to victory in the first race of the day at Snetterton, leading home a Team BMR 1-2-3.

The reigning champion led off the line in his Volkswagen CC and was never under any real threat as he completed a lights-to-flag victory. Following Turkington across the line were Team BMR team-mates Aron Smith and Jason Plato, holding their positions from qualifying.

An exciting start saw Sam Tordoff make heavy contact with team-mate Rob Collard off the line, damaging the rear end and causing a piece of bodywork to rub on the left rear tyre. Following another heavy hit from a Power Maxed Racing Chevrolet at Montreal, Collard crept back to the pits with a punctured left rear tyre.

Following the first lap action for Collard, the race was fairly well behaved, with the only real excitement coming from a five-way battle for fifth between Matt Neal, Andy Priaulx, Adam Morgan, Dave Newsham and Jack Goff. Priaulx got the better of his rivals and then stormed off up the field in pursuit of Andrew Jordan.

Jordan was able to hold off the late race charge from West Surrey Racing’s Priaulx, who managed his soft tyres to perfection and began reeling in Plato and Jordan as the race drew to a close. Unfortunately for Priaulx there was one lap too few and had to settle for fifth behind Triple Eight Racing’s Jordan.

An incident on the penultimate lap for Nicolas Hamilton at Agostini threatened to bring the safety car out, but the area was made safe under local yellows, with Hamilton walking away from the scene.

While Priaulx was able to make the soft tyres work for him, Gordon Shedden struggled while carrying 75kgs of success ballast. The championship leader dropped down the order, eventually settling for 14th, handing the championship lead to Jason Plato by just three points.