Best-ever finish for Newsham
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HERE is an extract from Dave Newsham's latest diary piece following the latest round of the British Touring Car Championship.
To read more of Newsham's thoughts on events at Thruxton, see today's Inverness Courier.
"The weather was even wetter and very cold as I arrived for the driver autograph session.
Thinking no one would venture out to get our autographs, I was surprised just how many people we saw, proving BTCC fans are a hardy bunch.
By 11.20am, I’m strapped into my car ready for race one.
Red lights go out and we are off. I see ahead Jason Plato and Andrew Jordan coming together and heading into the complex, I am up to fourth.
I go round the outside of Rob Collard then exiting the complex, I get better drive and pass Frank Wrathall to take second place.
I get my head down and try to reel Mat Jackson in. On lap four, I set the fastest lap and I am now just two seconds behind Jackson, who I think could see me coming and upped his pace.
There was no sign of any cars in my mirrors. We had very quickly dropped the rest of the field. Behind me was Plato, and he was some six seconds back.
The rain increased and rivers were forming on the track now. I was aquaplaning all over the place, so I decided to reduce the pace rather than fly off the circuit.
Lap twelve and the safety car was deployed as Liam Griffin had aquaplaned off the circuit hitting the barriers at high speed. After circulating behind the safety car, the red flags were out to stop the race with two laps remaining, handing me my best BTCC result of second place."
