Nash claims maiden BTCC victory

The 23-year-old started the reverse-grid race from the front row and took the lead after tapping pole-sitter Rob Collard into a spin at the Bombhole.

Collard was collected by Stephen Jelley's BMW, provoking a long safety car period and four-lap dash to the flag at the end. Nash kept his Chevrolet just ahead of championship leader Colin Turkington, who had to switch his focus from attacking for the lead to defending his place from title rival Fabrizio Giovanardi on the final lap.

Giovanardi's Vauxhall team-mates Matt Neal and Andrew Jordan followed him home in fourth and fifth places, with James Thompson recovering from a first lap clash with Harry Vaulkhard to complete the top six.

Paul O'Neill had run as high as third in the race, in which he survived a drama behind the safety car. The leaders had to brake as the safety car was released from the pitlane and O'Neill locked up and swerved to avoid Turkington, only just keeping his Honda out of the wall. But he was later bundled down to seventh place.

Jason Plato meanwhile could only manage 14th place, a lap down, after having to pit with a mechanical problem on the fifth lap.

Pos Driver                 Car              Time/Gap
 1. James Nash             Chevrolet      30m33.273s
 2. Colin Turkington       BMW                +0.484
 3. Fabrizio Giovanardi    Vauxhall           +0.717
 4. Matt Neal              Vauxhall           +1.009
 5. Andrew Jordan          Vauxhall           +3.099
 6. James Thompson         Honda              +5.836
 7. Paul O'Neill           Honda              +6.066
 8. Adam Jones             SEAT               +7.175
 9. Jonathan Adam          BMW                +7.407
10. David Pinkney          Honda             +10.069
11. Martin Johnson         Vauxhall          +11.102
12. John George            Honda             +13.633
13. Gordon Shedden         SEAT              +25.709
14. Jason Plato            Chevrolet          +1 lap

Retirements

    Rob Collard            BMW               12 laps
    Stephen Jelley         BMW               12 laps
    Tom Chilton            Ford               5 laps
    Harry Vaulkhard        Chevrolet          0 laps