ROB Collard was delighted to win his first ever British Touring Car Championship at his home track of Thruxton last Sunday.

The Hook racer looked in for a tough day at the fastest circuit on the calendar, after qualifying saw him start the first race in 18th place.

However, Collard famous for his good starts in the BMW did not disappoint all day and he driver fought his way up the field to finish 10th.

A storming start in race two saw the West Surrey driver up to sixth, before a red flag halted things, after a crash by Dan Lloyd.

The re-start saw Collard streak off the line again and when leader Matt Neal was forced to pit, he took over the lead.

The race was then stopped on lap seven after Martin Depper’s crash and a red flag saw Collard victorious.

The reverse grid in race three, put the Hook racer in sixth spot and he was really pleased to finish seventh as he was carrying the full 75kg success ballast.

This left him fourth in the driver’s championships on 103 points, nine points behind team mate Colin Turkington, with championship leader Tom Ingram on 133.

After an excellent three races Collard said: “It feels fantastic to get a victory so early in the season and to do it at my local circuit - especially as Thruxton isn’t a track we expected to win at.

“With the full ballast of 75kg in race three it was always going to be difficult to finish well, so seventh was a very useful haul of points.”

Collard’s youngest son Jordan Collard also enjoyed a great time at Thruxton with his best ever finish in the Ginetta Junior Championship as he came seventh in race two.

The young driver had looked on course for a podium in his first outing, as was in fourth place after three laps.

However, as he challenged for third, he spun and then as he tried to get back on the track, he was hit by another spinning car putting him out of the race.

A proud father Rob said: “It was great to see Jordan do so well at Thruxton."

The next British Touring Car Championships meeting for both drivers, takes place at Oulton Park in Cheshire on the weekend of May 20 and 21.

Rob Collard's oldest son Ricky Collard the previous week enjoyed a superb victory in Germany with his father watching from trackside.

Collard in his first ever outing of his ADAC GT Masters career enjoyed victory in race two at the Oschersleben with team mate Phillpp Eng.

Father Rob Collard said: "It was great to see Ricky win in Germany and at the moment the Collard household is a happy place as all three of us are doing so well."

Ricky Collard heads to the next event at Lausitzring the weekend of May 20 and 21, top of the pile in the driver's championship.

It is part of a busy end of May for the young driver as he then travels to the Nurburgring to take part in a 24 hour race for BMW