Colin Turkington scored his first win since August 2009 by taking a lights-to-flag victory in the final British Touring Car Championship race at Donington Park, as the Honda duo of Gordon Shedden and Matt Neal snatched late podium spots from Sam Tordoff.
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Turkington took the lead at the start from pole man Tom Onslow-Cole thanks to the superior traction his rear-wheel drive BMW offers. Thereafter the Northern Irishman was never troubled for the win, opening up a comfortable 4.414 second gap to take his 20th career victory in the BTCC.
Although Onslow-Cole battled to hold on to a podium position he was soon overcome by several drivers, with Árón Smith moving into second through the Craner Curves. However a storming Sam Tordoff soon moved into second on the fourth lap, although the MG driver was unable to close the gap to the eBay Motors driver. Tordoff held the position for the majority of the race, before being passed by both Hondas of Shedden and Neal on the final lap after running wide at McLeans.
Adam Morgan finished behind Tordoff in fifth – taking his third straight fifth place finish of the day. The top driver not on the softer compound tyres was Onslow-Cole in sixth, scoring the best result of the season for Team HARD’s new Volkswagen Passat.
Airwaves Racing’s Smith held on to finish in seventh, having dropped down the order in the latter stages of the race. Jason Plato, Mat Jackson and Jeff Smith completed the top ten.
Neither Speedworks Motorsport drivers finished the race, with Newsham spinning his Toyota through the Craner Curves whilst trying to pass Onslow-Cole for fourth on lap four. Incredibly he was not collected by anyone as he was left stranded in the middle of the circuit.
Frank Wrathall retired on the opening lap of the race with suspension damage after contact from fellow Toyota racer Ollie Jackson at the chicane whilst trying to avoid a slowing Lea Wood.
The result leaves Jason Plato leading the championship on 92 points from Andrew Jordan on 87, with Matt Neal third on 78.