Knockhill BTCC: Dave Newsham wins another reverse-grid race

The ES Racing Vauxhall Vectra driver started from pole and pulled clear of Jeff Smith's Eurotech Honda Civic in the early stages.

As the race wore on, Newsham struggled with his tyres, but was able to stay clear of the three battling NGTC Civics of Smith, Matt Neal (Dynamics) and Andrew Jordan (Eurotech).

With Gordon Shedden's works Honda retiring after avoiding a clash between Aron Smith's Motorbase Ford Focus and Nick Foster's WSR BMW, Neal's third was enough to move him 10 points clear in the title race.

Fastest man in the closing stages was Tom Onslow-Cole. The WSR BMW driver took some time to get past team-mate Foster, but then moved forward rapidly.

Onslow-Cole dived by Paul O'Neill's Speedworks Toyota Avensis into the first corner at three-quarter distance, then chased down a struggling Aron Smith to secure fifth.

O'Neill and Foster also overcame the Focus for sixth and seventh, while Rob Collard won a battle with Mat Jackson (Motorbase NGTC Ford Focus) and Adam Morgan's Speedworks Toyota to add a ninth to his two earlier victories.

Championship contender Jason Plato failed to start the race due to engine problems with his Triple Eight-run works MG6.

Results - 24 laps:

Pos  Driver           Team/Car             Time/Gap
 1.  Dave Newsham     ES Vauxhall        21m44.595s
 2.  Jeff Smith       Eurotech Honda       + 1.549s
 3.  Matt Neal        Honda                + 2.017s
 4.  Andrew Jordan    Eurotech Honda       + 2.062s
 5.  Tom Onslow-Cole  WSR BMW              + 4.520s
 6.  Paul O'Neill     Speedworks Toyota    + 9.091s
 7.  Nick Foster      WSR BMW              + 9.239s
 8.  Aron Smith       Motorbase Ford      + 11.588s
 9.  Rob Collard      WSR BMW             + 11.828s
10.  Mat Jackson      Motorbase Ford      + 12.807s
11.  Adam Morgan      Speedworks Toyota   + 14.034s
12.  Daniel Welch     Welch Proton        + 21.592s
13.  Lea Wood         Wood Vauxhall       + 29.735s
14.  Robb Holland     Gilham Honda        + 41.822s
15.  Andy Neate       MG                   + 1 laps
16.  Chris James      ES Vauxhall          + 2 laps

Retirements:
     Gordon Shedden   Honda                  5 laps
     Jason Plato      MG                     0 laps
     Frank Wrathall   Dynojet Toyota         0 laps