Andy Priaulx left Croft a happy man after securing a first British Touring Car Championship win since returning to the series at the start of the season.
The Guernseyman claimed a first win in the championship since 2002 after beating team-mate and polesitter Sam Tordoff to the chequered flag in the day’s opening encounter, and completed a fruitful weekend with fourth- and second-place finishes in races two and three.
Priaulx’s second place was a hard-earned one following an intense battle with Honda’s Gordon Shedden in the closing laps , with the BMW man claiming the spot through the final two turns of the last lap.
And speaking to TouringCars.Net on Sunday evening the 40 year-old was thrilled with his exploits, having picked up more points than anyone else at the Yorkshire circuit.
“It’s been an absolutely brilliant weekend for me,” said a delighted Priaulx. “I got back onto the top step of the podium after a really strong qualifying and I’m really happy that we managed the extra kilograms and the soft tyre and we took as many points as we could from the weekend.
“I’m absolutely delighted, particularly after a really good race with [Gordon] Shedden at the end.”
That battle with Shedden looked to have come to nothing after a robust defence from the championship leader, but after pressuring his opponent on the final lap Priaulx got a better exit off the penultimate corner and snatched second after driving around the outside of the hairpin.
It was a particularly satisfying move for Priaulx, who felt he had earned the position after the pair’s battle.
“I really had the car underneath me, [but] I had to try and control myself but I had to also save a bit of tyre at the end.
“I knew Shedden was struggling with his front left in the last couple of laps and I just made a couple of attempted passes – I dummied a pass up the inside, he covered it but ran wide and I just managed to get up the inside and then around the outside for the hairpin.
“It was a really nice last lap with him.”
And with a six-week break before the next round of the season at Snetterton, Priaulx felt it was particularly important to round the first half of his returning season off with such a strong weekend.
“It was nice because I’ve had a really strong season so far in terms of qualifying pace, and to get that first win in a while is a nice monkey off my back.
“But let’s hope there is more to come – the most important thing for me is that the pace is in the car like this weekend.”