Knockhill BTCC: Rob Collard scores his first win of 2014
Rob Collard scored his first victory of 2014 in the reversed-grid British Touring Car finale at Knockhill
The WSR BMW driver went from sixth to fourth at the start and then dived by Dave Newsham's AmD Ford Focus at the hairpin on the first lap.
Collard, running on the softer Dunlop tyre, robustly fought by Fabrizio Giovanardi's Motorbase Ford Focus at the same place on lap two and then closed in on team-mate and leader Nick Foster.
After tracking Foster for a few laps, Collard got a run out of the hairpin and completed the move into Duffus Dip at around one-third distance.
Newsham followed Collard through but could not stay with the number 10 BMW 125i M Sport .
Championship leader Colin Turkington was also moving forward. After starting seventh, he took Giovanardi for fifth at Clark's corner but contact forced both wide and allowed Adam Morgan's Ciceley Mercedes to pass them.
Once back ahead of the Mercedes, Turkington swiftly overtook Tom Ingram's Speedworks Toyota and Foster before closing on Newsham.
While Collard pulled clear into a race of his own, Turkington and Foster put Newsham under huge amounts of pressure. But the AmD Ford driver held on to score a fine runner-up spot just days after his mother passed away.
"I really needed that," said Newsham. "I wasn't going to give away the podium for anyone."
Turkington's third place extended his title lead, while Foster's drive meant the three WSR BMWs finished in the top four.
Further back, Andrew Jordan (Eurotech Honda Civic) and Gordon Shedden (works Civic Tourer) both charged through from row six to finish fifth and sixth.
They were helped by Rob Austin's Audi being spun around while running ahead, and a clash between Giovanardi and Matt Neal's Honda that put the Ford out.
Morgan and Ingram fell back in the late stages and were split at the finish by eight-placed Alain Menu, who came through from 15th in his soft tyre-shod BMR VW.
Jason Plato's Triple Eight MG appeared to struggle on the soft rubber and completed the top 10, just ahead of Neal.
Results - 24 laps Pos Driver Car Time/Gap 1. Rob Collard WSR BMW 21m21.475s 2. Dave Newsham AmD Ford +6.083s 3. Colin Turkington WSR BMW +6.294s 4. Nick Foster WSR BMW +6.441s 5. Andrew Jordan Eurotech Honda +11.057s 6. Gordon Shedden Honda +11.495s 7. Adam Morgan Ciceley Mercedes +14.501s 8. Alain Menu BMR VW +15.157s 9. Tom Ingram Speedworks Toyota +16.962s 10. Jason Plato MG +20.409s 11. Matt Neal Honda +20.862s 12. Jack Goff BMR VW +21.145s 13. Sam Tordoff MG +22.267s 14. Jack Clarke Motorbase Ford +23.757s 15. Marc Hynes MG +23.856s 16. Hunter Abbott RAR Audi +25.163s 17. Mat Jackson Motorbase Ford +28.532s 18. Robb Holland Rotek Audi +30.659s 19. Glynn Geddie UA Toyota +30.671s 20. Martin Depper Eurotech Honda +31.000s 21. Aiden Moffat Moffat Chevrolet +32.172s 22. James Cole UA Toyota +37.935s 23. Simon Belcher Handy Toyota +40.228s 24. Lea Wood Houseman Toyota +44.133s 25. Chris Stockton BTC Chevrolet +51.680s Retirements Aron Smith BMR VW 14 laps Fabrizio Giovanardi Motorbase Ford 11 laps Rob Austin RAR Audi 10 laps
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