Photo: PSP Images

Rob Huff delighted with podium on his BTCC return at Silverstone

By

Rob Huff has thanked the fans after a “heroes welcome” this weekend at Silverstone, when he finished second after falling behind Team Dynamics’ Matt Neal late in the race on his debut with the Power Maxed Racing Vauxhall team.

Huff started the final race from second on the grid after the reversed grid draw from Race 2, and quickly launched into the lead ahead of Dave Newsham’s BTC Racing Chevrolet. The 37-year-old was soon fighting to keep back independents’ leader Tom Ingram’s Toyota, which he managed to keep behind, despite Ingram making a lunge at Copse, after which he found himself stuck down the inside.

“He went off on the exit of Copse, and pulled back to the right and I had it covered,” said Huff to TouringCarTimes. “So he was now trying to come down 2 inches on the inside of me, after he was 6ft off on the exit of Copse. I’m sorry, I’m there, I’ve now put my car on the right, if you want to stay there and drive on the grass that’s up to you, but you’re being a fool, because you’re not going to be able to stop and you’ve got a championship you should be thinking about.”

Huff continued to lead until he was caught by the Team Dynamics Honda of Matt Neal, who managed to pass Huff at Copse with four laps to go, with Huff having to settle for second.

“When Matt (Neal) got behind me, for five or six laps I thought I could probably still win the race, but he just sneaked up the inside of me,” he said.

“Power Maxed Racing gave me a great car this weekend, and in every session we went forward and further forward…it’s nice to be able to give the team a podium, take the team in a new direction with the car that they can go forward with.

“The reception from the fans has also been brilliant. The fans are what make the championship – you can have any championship in the world with any cars you like, and the racing can be as close as you like, but if you haven’t got the fans, you haven’t got a championship.

“I’ve been away for 14 years, and they’ve remembered me, followed me and welcomed me back like I’ve never been welcomed before, and to have that kind of response is very humbling.”