Tom Chilton wins final race of 2008

Tom Chilton won the final race of the British Touring Car Championship 2008. The Honda-man led the entire race and crossed the finish line ahead of Steven Kane and Tom Onslow-Cole. The race was stopped one lap early because of oil on the track at Paddock Hill Bend. This caused Onslow-Cole, and a number of other drivers, to briefly go off track.

Martyn Bell’s Vauxhall Astra was responsible for the oil on the track. Due to the slippery conditions Onslow-Cole dropped from second to third, Collard from fourth to sixth.

A very happy Mat Jackson took over fourth place which ment that he nipped past Jason Plato in the championship in the very last race of the year. Plato finished 13th, seven seconds behind the winner.

Colin Turkington finished fifth and secured the independents’ title once again. Newly crowned champion Fabrizio Giovanardi finished eleventh and was a very happy Italian.

“I never had such a bad day on the track but still came out feeling so delighted,” Giovanardi told BTCC.net. “I can see the funny side now but can you imagine the situation if Jason had won race one and maybe race two. To find myself with him at the back of the grid for race three. I just thought ‘Oh my God – this sums up both our days’!

“But a second BTCC title is very special, for everyone in the Vauxhall team and we won also the Manufacturers’ and Teams’ championships.

“The BTCC remains one of the most prestigious championships to win in motor sport. I am really aware of its history – this has been the championship’s 50th year – and of some of the great names on the Champion’s trophy. It makes me very proud to be among them.”