You have 20 free views remaining

You've had 10 free page views this calendar month. After 30 you'll need to subscribe to keep viewing. Benefits include:

Unlimited access to AUTOSPORT with news and views from the paddock
Enjoy AUTOSPORT+: subscriber-only analysis, comment and top-quality pictures
Get AUTOSPORT magazine in a digital format on your computer or iPad every week

Our commitment to quality journalism

We've introduced metered access to AUTOSPORT which will ensure that the majority of our visitors can continue to view the site for free. But we think that is worth a small investment from those who use it most, so that we can continue to send the leading experts in their field to motor racing paddocks all over the world to break the latest news and produce the most compelling interviews and race reports.

Every visitor gets 30 free news story views per month. Once you reach the 30-story limit you can choose one of our great subscription packages to continue viewing and to get additional access to a range of features including:

Unlimited access to AUTOSPORT with news and views from the paddock
Enjoy AUTOSPORT+: subscriber-only analysis, comment and top-quality pictures
Get AUTOSPORT magazine in a digital format on your computer or iPad every week
Full access to FORIX - the world's best motorsport statistics website

For over 60 years AUTOSPORT has been at the pinnacle of motor racing journalism, offering breaking news, unrivalled analysis and the most informative race reviews. We promise to keep investing in the highest quality writers, the best-informed experts and the most up-to-the-minute news service.

Thank you for your support and we look forward to welcoming you as a new subscriber.

Andrew Van de Burgt
Editor in Chief

Search:

AUTOSPORT+ LOGIN

Username:
Password:
auto-login

BTCC NEWS

O'Neill overjoyed with fifth on grid

By Jamie O'Leary

Saturday, September 19th 2009, 19:50 GMT

Paul O'Neill declared himself 'over the moon' after qualifying fifth for the first of three British Touring Car Championship races at Rockingham.

The Tech-Speed Honda driver's effort was his best since leaving the works Vauxhall squad six years ago, and gave the team its highest qualifying position since 2004.

"I knew we'd be there or thereabouts," O'Neill said. "But honestly, I was aiming for the top 10 and I'd have been happy with that. I just got my head down, said ?'to hell with it, let's give it a go,' and this is the result. I'm over the moon."

Even more remarkable is that O'Neill's achievement came with his engineer Alex Somerset absent from the event.

"We did a couple of laps in first practice, then changed a few things for second practice, and in qualifying me and [team boss] Marvin [Humphries] just decided to put the best bits from each setup on the car, and it just handled so well," said O'Neill.

"I did the time on my second lap too, and after that I went off on oil [dropped by Matt Hamilton's Honda] and knackered my splitter, so I wouldn't have gone quicker anyway."

Earlier BTCC story	More news	Next BTCC story