BTCC Underdogs: Collard and WSR
Few expected Rob Collard to be a title contender in 2012, and some expected new team-mate Tom Onslow-Cole to show him the way, but the WSR man is having a strong year. Kevin Turner catches up with him and team boss Dick Bennetts
Think Rob Collard and the British Touring Car Championship and you probably think of a hard-tryer who can occasionally win a race. Or maybe you get an image of a slightly irate driver climbing out of a smouldering car that has just been the victim of another tin-top assault.
Like all BTCC racers, Collard still has the odd on-track moment, but recent performances suggest he's now rather better than he gets credit for.
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Kevin Turner is Autosport’s Chief Editor. While studying History at the University of York, Kevin began covering UK club events as a freelance reporter for Autosport and Motorsport News. He joined the Autosport staff as Editorial Assistant on the magazine in 2006, winning what is now known as the Motorsport UK Young Journalist of the Year Award. He became National Editor in 2008 and over the next few seasons covered a range of international events, including the Le Mans 24 Hours, as well as the British Touring Car Championship and British GT. Kevin became Features Editor before switching to edit Motorsport News in 2014.
He returned to Autosport in 2016 to become editor of the magazine, a dream job that is still part of his role.
He became Chief Editor in 2020, helping to plan content for autosport.com and Autosport’s podcast as well as seeing the magazine through the coronavirus pandemic. Kevin also led work on the special publication celebrating 70 years of Autosport and has been a judge on the Aston Martin Autosport BRDC Young Driver Award, formerly known as the McLaren Autosport BRDC Award, since 2008. He lives in Warboys with his wife and two children.
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