Daryl DeLeon endured a weekend of mixed fortunes in the British Touring Car Championship at Silverstone, with the WSR driver flying high with pole position on Saturday before race day disappointment.
DeLeon had started the weekend on top form, topping the opening practice session and going second-quickest in the second session, before topping both Q2 and Q3 to claim his maiden BTCC pole position in the afternoon.
However, race day was a different story. After losing out to Gordon Shedden on the opening lap of race one, DeLeon then locked up at Becketts on the second tour and dropped to fifth.
His race thereafter would be a struggle with a flat-spotted tyre, as he slipped to 13th by the chequered flag, including a final lap puncture.
Despite falling as low as 16th in race two, DeLeon fought back to take tenth in the second half of the race, which would have given him third on the grid for the reversed starting order in the finale.
However, the driveshaft on DeLeon’s BMW broke on the way to the grid when he was performing practice starts, and he ultimately joined the race three laps down to finish in a lowly 20th.
“Today’s not been ideal,” said DeLeon. “In race one I locked a wheel, which gave me a flat spot for the rest of the race, and then had a puncture, but I managed to get home for the Jack Sears Trophy lead.
“In race two I was on the medium tyre, but had a really good battle to finish tenth, which I was happy with.
“In the last race I was supposed to start third, but my driveshaft broke on the way to the grid. I’m so grateful to WSR for getting the car fixed so I could at least get out and score some Jack Sears [Trophy] points.
“We’re going to fully focus for Brands Hatch and we’ll give it our all there.”
DeLeon has dropped from ninth to joint tenth in the drivers’ standings after Silverstone, with five drivers from ninth to 13th covered by just six points.