Thompson wins wet Donington race

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