Thompson wins wet Donington race
James Thompson claimed his first British Touring Car Championship win for almost three years in a wet first race of the day at Donington Park
The two-time champion started from third place on the grid in his Team Dynamics Honda, but made a great getaway, running side-by-side with polesitter Andrew Jordan through the Craner Curves on the opening lap to grab a lead he would not lose.
Thompson was able to open up a three-second gap at the head of the field, despite an early-race safety car period, and was never challenged at the front as he made history by becoming the seventh different winner in as many races this season.
Vauxhall driver Jordan drove an error-free race to finish second - the best finish of his BTCC career, while his team-mate Matt Neal completed the podium to increase his championship lead to 16 points.
Neal's drive was a masterful one. He ended the first lap back in 15th place after going off at the Old Hairpin, but charged back up through the field and passed Rob Collard's Motorbase Performance BMW with five laps to go.
Behind Collard, Harry Vaulkhard claimed a career-best fifth place at the wheel of his Tempus Sport Chevrolet, ahead of Jonathan Adam's Motorbase BMW, Jason Plato's RML Chevrolet and Fabrizio Giovanardi, who had driven up from the back of the grid in his Vauxhall.
Adam Jones's Clyde Valley Racing SEAT was ninth with Mat Jackson, who had a trip through the gravel at Redgate, completing the top 10 in the second of the RML Chevrolets and also setting the fastest lap of the race.
Paul O'Neill looked set to score a top-six finish for Tech-Speed Honda, but his race ended in the gravel at Coppice with three laps to go as he and Adam made contact.
The WSR BMWs had an even worse race. Stephen Jelley was tagged by Neal as the pair exited Redgate on lap five and hit the wall at high speed, bringing out the safety car. His team-mate Colin Turkington spun off into the gravel at Coppice after being tapped by Jones.
Pos Driver Car Time 1. James Thompson Honda 24m05.122s 2. Andrew Jordan Vauxhall + 3.007s 3. Matt Neal Vauxhall + 4.196s 4. Rob Collard BMW + 5.929s 5. Harry Vaulkhard Chevrolet + 7.529s 6. Jonathan Adam BMW + 12.344s 7. Jason Plato Chevrolet + 13.423s 8. Fabrizio Giovanardi Vauxhall + 13.624s 9. Adam Jones SEAT + 14.074s 10. Mat Jackson Chevrolet + 15.162s 11. Martin Johnson Vauxhall + 22.039s 12. Tom Chilton Ford + 24.991s 13. Liam McMillan SEAT + 27.678s 14. David Pinkney Honda + 28.007s 15. Martyn Bell Honda + 46.743s 16. Alan Morrison Ford +1m17.818s 17. John George Honda +1m24.008s Retirements: Paul O'Neill Honda 15 laps Colin Turkington BMW 8 laps Stephen Jelley BMW 4 laps Nick Leason BMW 1 lap
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