Ricky Collard elated with top three slot

Ricky Collard admitted he was delighted to qualify inside the top three at Oulton Park, with his goal now being to try and push for a first podium of the BTCC season.

The Speedworks driver produced a fine run in the two-part session to set the third-best time at the wheel of his Toyota Corolla – marking his best qualifying performance of the season to date.

It leaves Collard in a solid position going into the opening race as he bids to challenge for silverware having lost a potential win to a track limits penalty at Brands Hatch earlier in the year.

Collard has a single BTCC podium finish to his name, with a third-placed finish at Silverstone back in 2018 when subbing for father Rob.

“That was a lap!” he said. “That was a really important result for us; for Toyota and for Speedworks as a local team. It’s put us in a good position behind [Ash] Sutton and I hope that we can now have a good race. If I could give dad a podium for Father’s Day, then it would be great.

‘Ash and the guys at NAPA Racing are doing a great job so I need a good Collard start so I can take the fight to him. At Brands Hatch, I beat him on the same tyres before the whole track limits thing, and I want to go out there tomorrow and end up with some champagne.”