powered by

Race wins for Giovanardi and Turkington

Clash between Plato and Turkington

Sutton

Fabrizio Giovanardi and Colin Turkington shared the race wins in today's three British Touring Car Championship races at the Snetterton circuit in Norfolk.

Italian Giovanardi won the day's first two races in his VX Racing Vauxhall Vectra to move past team-mate Matt Neal into second in the standings and close to within 14 points of Turkington who had arrived at Snetterton holding a 25-point lead.

Turkington finished races one and two in fifth and second places but had been lucky to get away with a spin in the first - caused by a clash with Jason Plato as they fought for the lead. With Giovanardi eating into his lead he really needed to finish in front of the man from Modena in race three and this he did, crossing the line in second with Giovanardi behind in third.

But Nash's exclusion then elevated Turkington to first - his sixth win of the season - and means he leaves East Anglia with his lead back out to 17 points ahead of reigning Champion Giovanardi. Neal and Plato remain third and fourth but have lost touch slightly thanks to a dismal day for each. Plato in particular had all looked set for a big points haul after heading Saturday's qualifying session, but instead came away with just one third place finish to show for his efforts.

Elsewhere, Vauxhall/VX Racing has moved further ahead in the BTCC's Manufacturers/Constructors Championship as has VXR in the outright Teams' standings. Turkington and his Team RAC squad are also edging further ahead of their rivals in the Independent Drivers' and Teams' trophies respectively.

© Motorsport-Magazin.com