Tom Onslow-Cole scored his AmD Milltek Racing team their first ever points in the BTCC at Donington Park at the weekend with his seventh placed finish in the second race.
In his second race meeting at the wheel of the team’s Volkswagen Golf, Onslow-Cole was able to qualify in 16th position on the Saturday. A consistent drive in the first race netted a 12th placed finish, just outside the points. This later turned into 11th and an even stronger starting position for race two, thanks to the exclusion of Gordon Shedden from the results.
In an eventful second race, which saw several drivers in front and behind Onslow-Cole fall off the track, the former race winner was able to get into eighth position by the end of the opening lap. Steady driving meant that Onslow-Cole continued to benefit when the others made mistakes and he finished the race in 7th after withstanding late-race pressure from Tony Gilham.
“Race two was really good,” said Onslow-Cole. “We did have some luck on our side, but we had the pace to run in seventh, which shows that the work the team is doing is moving us in the right direction.”
Following an excellent result in the second race, the team’s expectations were high for the final race of the day after Onslow-Cole was selected to start from third. After a lightning fast getaway, he was briefly up into second. However the team’s hopes were soon shattered as he was taken out on the first lap at the Old Hairpin, damaging the rear suspension on the Golf.
“In the final race, I think I led for a few metres going into the first corner and then got forced wide onto the grass,” said Onslow-Cole. “I came back on in third and then turning into the Old Hairpin, it all kicked off behind me and I was hit hard in the rear.
“It was a tough way to end the weekend but we are only six races into a 30 race season and now we’ve scored our first points and found more speed in the car. I’m confident we can now build on this weekend.”
Team principal Shaun Hollamby later admitted that he felt the team were in with a good chance of a debut podium on the same weekend as their debut points finish.
“It’s been a brilliant day, although there is some disappointment at the way we were taken out of race three,” said Hollamby. “The target is to be consistently fighting for the top ten and the seventh place was a consistent performance; we didn’t just get lucky. Given how it panned out, I think we could have had a podium finish in the final race and that isn’t something I expected to say before the weekend. We’ve collected a lot of data this weekend that we will examine and then try to make more progress when we go to Thruxton.
“Tom and the team are doing a brilliant job and I’m sure that everything is there for us to make the Volkswagen a race-winning car before the end of the season.”
AmD Milltek Racing.com