Crash ends Collard's campaign (From Basingstoke Gazette)
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Crash ends Collard's campaign
8:00am Saturday 10th October 2009 in Sport
Rob Collard in action at the final meeting of the BTCC on the Brands Hatch GP circuit.
HOOK British Touring Car driver Rob Collard looked set to end up on the podium for the final race of the season last Sunday at Brands Hatch.
Then his Airwaves BMW was knocked off the track as a first lap crash sent it into the barrier and ended his campaign there and then.
A disappointed Collard said: “That just about sums up our season and for sure was not the way I wanted to finish the year.”
It left him a spectator as his three Championship rivals, Colin Turkington, Fabrizio Giovanardi and Jason Plato, raced for the season’s crown.
Despite Plato winning the race, long time leader Turkington came home second to take the title.
Collard said: “It was just amazing that the final race of the Championship still saw three drivers in with a chance of winning it.”
In the end, it was Turkington, Collard’s former teammate at West Surrey Racing, who came out on top, much to the delight of the majority of the crowd at the Kent circuit.
Talking about the new champion, Collard said: “Colin certainly drove like a champion in the final race to win the Championship. It was good that a BMW driver has taken the title and bodes well for us next year.”
The final race at Brands Hatch was a real let down for Collard, but before that he had two solid finishes in the first two races, coming in seventh and then a superb fourth.
That meant Collard had to settle for sixth in the Championship and said: “The Airwaves BMW team have done a great job this year, but it has been a season of great highs and great lows.
“At the halfway point of the season I really felt we could finish in the top three.”
Looking ahead to next season, Collard is keen once again to link up with the BMW Airwaves team and said: “I really hope to be back with the team next year. The big challenge for me now is to get more sponsorship to make the car even more competitive.
Anyone interested in sponsoring Collard can contact him on 01252 844688.
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