NORTH Hampshire touring car drivers Rob Collard and Nick Foster both had a taste of leading a race during the final meeting of the season at Brands Hatch on Sunday.

Having only managed to qualify 23rd, Collard staged a remarkable comeback to lead race two, but he had to settle for a place on the third step of the podium.

Fellow eBay Motors Team driver Foster found himself drawn on pole position for the final race. He led for the first lap, but faded away to finish eighth.

Collard struggled badly in qualifying, but it was better news for Foster, who lined up in ninth place on the grid. However, it was the Hook driver who impressed in race one, climbing an amazing 16 places over the course of the first six laps, thanks in part to a massive accident in the early stages.

Having got up to seventh, Collard then produced an outstanding move to pass Fabrizio Giovanardi and finish sixth, while Foster had to settle for 10th place.

Collard continued to move up the field in an action-packed race two, working his way into the lead before his tyres began to degrade. He was passed by three cars, but a penalty for Jason Plato saw the north Hampshire man promoted to the podium, while Foster finished ninth.

The reverse grid worked out well for Foster, who was drawn on pole position, but while he led in the early stages, the Odiham man was unable to hold on, eventually coming home eighth.

Collard’s season did not end the way he would have liked, with the Hook driver forced to retire from the race after summer damage to his steering on the opening lap.

Sunday’s results mean that Collard ends the season sixth in the British Touring Car Championship drivers’ standings, while Foster finished 16th. Colin Turkington, the other driver in the team, won the title.