Photo: PSP Images

Wood enjoys return in BTC spec Integra

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After a disrupted morning, Lea Wood marked his BTCC return by taking 21st on the grid in his BTC-spec Honda Integra for the opening race of the weekend. The 26-year-old out qualified the NGTC spec machines in Rob Austin’s Audi and Tony Hughes’ Toyota, plus the S2000 Chevrolet Lacetti of Chris James, to mark the return of the BTCC’s oldest generation of machinery to the grid.

Having missed the opening rounds at Brands Hatch, Donington and Thruxton, Wood told TouringCarTimes he was pleased to be back on the BTCC grid, but not surprised to have outqualified some newer machines.

“Qualifying was good, that’s where we expected to be. We’re ahead of three cars so that’s superb and we’ll just see what can happen off the start tomorrow.

“It is superb when the car is five years old to do that, so I hope we can do something tomorrow. It’d be nice to finish ahead of them, but to finish three races in the aim,” says the Hereford racer.

Wood trailed the Volkswagen Golf of Tom Onslow-Cole by just 0.041 come the end of the session, having resolved problems that hit during both morning practice sessions.

“We had a couple of problems with fuel pressure issues, but we thing we’ve sorted that now, and it didn’t miss a beat in qualifying,” says Wood.

“So it’s just a matter of getting back into the swing of it now, but qualifying was constant, which was good.”

Engine problems had also hit during a midweek test at Donington, with the Integra’s powerplant dropping down onto three cylinders, meaning the Central Group Racing team and Wood only got around ten laps preparation for Oulton Park in.

It’s not just a new engine and a new livery for the cars BTCC return, over the winter Wood and his team have gone over the Integra with a fine tooth comb, for what should be its final BTCC season.

“We’ve gone right through it, so it’s a new car. I didn’t want to come out in an old car, but a whole lot of it is brand new so it looks really nice.

“I’m a bit rusty myself but you try to keep your hand in over the winter with a few different things, but definitely I can find some time in myself.”