James Nash takes first career win at Rockingham

Triple Eight Race Engineering driver James Nash has taken his first win at Rockingham, extending his lead in the independent drivers’ standings whilst the Honda duo are now level in the overall standings.

The two rear-wheel drive cars shot away from the pack on the front row, with pole sitter Rob Collard falling behind the Audi of Rob Austin at Deene, and soon was passed by Triple Eight’s James Nash who had a great start from fifth.

Former championship leader Gordon Shedden struggled in the race after he was hit by Nick Foster’s BMW soon after he’d managed to pass Chevrolet’s Jason Plato for seventh. Shedden gradually dropped down the order, eventually finishing in 21st and picking up no points, whilst Matt Neal finished sixth, pipping Jeff Smith at the chequered flag by 0.028s.

Paul O’Neill and Rob Collard battled hard for third in the second half of the race, with O’Neill passing Collard for third at Pif Paf on lap 13, before Collard managed to get back ahead on the final lap and join in the fierce battle for the lead between Nash and Austin.

Austin had closed up on Nash after he’d pulled out a short lead, but Austin was unable to pass Nash’s Vectra, leaving the 25-year-old to take his first ‘official’ victory in the championship, after previously taking a win over two years ago at Snetterton, before the stewards took the victory away in the evening.

Jason Plato finished fifth and is now 25 points behind Matt Neal and Gordon Shedden, who are both tied on 205 points in the lead of the championship before the next round of the championship at the Brands Hatch Grand Prix circuit in two weeks.