NORTH Hampshire drivers Rob Collard and Nick Foster enjoyed their best results of the season in the British Touring Car Championship at Oulton Park last weekend.

Hook driver Collard chalked up 10th place in the opening race, while Odiham’s Foster left the best to last, as he claimed eighth spot in race three.

Both drivers once again suffered in qualifying, with Collard having to settle for 16th while Foster was six slots behind him.

However, that did not stop both drivers making up plenty of places in race one at the Cheshire track last Sunday.

Collard moved his eBay Motors BMW into the top 10, while Foster finished 12th.

Race two proved to have plenty of drama right from the start as Collard was slow off the line.

Foster, directly behind him, did well not to hit his team mate on the grid as he drove around him.

By lap two, Collard had regained a few places, but then, going into the island bend, Foster was too late on the brakes behind him and hit his team mate, spinning him around.

That proved the end of the race for Collard, while Foster, with his back bumper hanging off, from another incident, managed to finish 15th.

For race three, Collard cut his way through the field from 23 on the grid to finish an impressive 11th, while Foster chalked up his best result so far with an eighth-place finish.

Looking back on the weekend, Hook driver Collard said: “There were a lot of positives at Oulton Park. We certainly seemed to have the race pace.

“It was a shame in race two that I was hit up the rear by Nick as he locked up the wheels under braking. We tried to repair the car, but the steering was too damaged.”

Odiham’s Foster said: “I got up on Sunday and thought it was going to be a really tough day, but it went a lot better than I expected. The car is certainly getting better with every race.”

Talking about the incident with Collard, Foster said: “I was battling with Tom Onslow-Cole, trying to make sure he did not pass me. I braked a fraction late and the front wheel locked up. I tried to go down the gears, but you then realise you are not going to stop and I hit Rob (Collard).

“It was not what I wanted to do, but he did win the best improved driver award for the number of places he gained in race three.”

Foster’s two sons, Louis (9) and Harry (11), were at Oulton Park to cheer on their dad and have enjoyed success of their own on the karting track.

They both came in the top five of the Southern Championship for cadet karting, with Louis taking second spot.

Collard and Foster are now looking forward to the next meeting, a week on Saturday at Croft.

Collard said: “This is a track we have done well at in the past and if it is hot day, the front wheel cars may well suffer with tyres, which has to help us.”

Foster added: “The team are working hard to make further improvements at Croft, so I am looking forward to it.”