Carl Boardley keeps his cool to take maiden TCR UK victory

Carl Boardley finally claimed his first TCR UK victory with a lights-to-flag performance in a stop-start second race at Oulton Park.

The CBR with Hart GT Cupra driver started from pole position and was never headed, despite having to manage two restarts and an inspired drive from DW Racing’s Darelle Wilson.

The Astra TCR finished second, staving off a spirited attack from Brad Hutchison, who completed the podium in third.

Having finished 10th in the first race, Carl Boardley led away from pole position, heading the Vauxhall Astra TCR of Darelle Wilson into Old Hall for the first time.

Behind, Jenson Brickley got a deamon start but was boxed in at turn one, which allowed Wilson to maintain second and give Brad Hutchison’s Audi third.

Brickley fell back to fifth behind Joe Marshall, before the safety car was deployed before the end of the opening lap to recover Callum Newsham’s Hyundai, which ground to a halt at the same part of the circuit – between Druids and Lodge – as he had done in qualifying.

Newsham’s car failed on the formation lap but race stewards decided to give the starting orders despite the circuit being blocked in the final sector.

Boardley held onto his lead at the restart but was chased by the impressive Wilson and Hutchison, as race one winner Bruce Winfield moved up a place to ninth.

The TCR UK points leader was handed another place as his Area Motorsport team-mate Alex Ley’s race ended after clouting the tyre bale at the exit of Knickerbrook chicane, breaking the Hyundai’s suspension.

That meant the safety car was out for the second time, with Boardley’s lead reduced to nothing once more.

Boardley fended off a charging Wilson at the second restart and did just enough to maintain his previous margin.

Further back, Brickley tried to seize fourth place from Marshall on the exit of Island, but contact between the pair was made at Knickerbrook, which sent Marshall’s Audi spinning onto the grass.

Boardley managed to edge clear of Wilson in the lead and drove away in the final laps to take victory from the Astra TCR, with Hutchison the best second-generation car in third.

Brickley was fourth, with Adam Shepherd completing the top five, while Winfield headed Smiley and Constable.

Rounding out the top 10 was Bradley Kent and Matthew Wilson.