Both Team RAC cars will line-up on the third row of the grid for the first of tomorrow's Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship races at Brands Hatch. Colin Turkington (Portadown, NI) and Rob Collard (Everseley, Hampshire) qualified fifth and sixth respectively with both drivers improving on their lap times from the days earlier free practice sessions.
- Round nine - Brands Hatch - Qualifying
Both Team RAC cars will line-up on the third row of the grid for the first of tomorrow's Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship races at Brands Hatch. Colin Turkington (Portadown, NI) and Rob Collard (Everseley, Hampshire) qualified fifth and sixth respectively with both drivers improving on their lap times from the days earlier free practice sessions.
Recording a time of 49.639secs, Colin secured fifth place lining up on the circuit directly behind current championship leader Matt Neal. With a 53-point deficit to reduce the Northern Irishman will be eager to achieve a good getaway to keep in contention. Having suffered with power steering problems in free practice, it wasn't until the afternoon's qualifying session that the bio-ethanol fuelled MG ZS began to show its pace.
Colin said: "I'm quite pleased with that result considering the problems I suffered earlier today. The car didn't feel perfect but I'm still up at the sharp end behind my rivals and it leaves me in a good position for the race. Before I went out there were a few guys who I wanted to put behind me and I've achieved that."
Competing on one of his favourite circuits and having achieved a race win at Brands Hatch last year, Rob is in confident mood heading into tomorrow's racing action. Completing the Team RAC third row lineout with a lap time of 49.701secs, Rob said: "I'm pleased to have qualified sixth and match Colin for pace. I thought I might have just out-qualified him for a while but he pipped me to it in the final stages. It's important to get a good start in the first race tomorrow and a podium is certainly within reach."
Pole position went to SEAT Sport's Jason Plato with a lap time of 49.368secs.
The ninth BTCC round at Brands Hatch will be transmitted on ITV1 on Sunday 24 September starting at 3pm. The programme will include highlights from race one and two with race three being shown live in its entirety. Satellite viewers can watch all three races live on Motors TV commencing at 10.20am. Further information on programme replays can be found at www.teamrac.com.
-ends-
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Notes to editors:
About RAC
With around seven million members, RAC is one of the UK's most progressive motoring organizations, providing services for both private and business motorists. Whether it's roadside assistance, windscreen repair and replacement, learning to drive, vehicle inspections and checks, legal and financial services or up-to-the-minute traffic and travel information - RAC is able to meet motorists' needs. RAC incorporates BSM, RAC Auto Windscreens, RAC Direct Insurance and HPI.
Aviva bought RAC last year. The acquisition brings together RAC's powerful brand and customer base with the expertise and leading position in motor insurance of Norwich Union Insurance (part of Aviva). Norwich Union is the UK's largest insurer, insuring one in seven motor vehicles and with a market share of around 14%.
About Aviva
Aviva is the world's fifth-largest insurance group and the biggest in the UK. It is one of the leading providers of life and pensions products in Europe and has substantial businesses elsewhere around the world. Its main activities are long-term savings, fund management and general insurance. It has premium income and investment sales of Ł36 billion and Ł332 billion of assets under management. The group has 58,000 employees serving 35 million customers worldwide.