Giovanardi wins eventful opening race

In an eventful opening race of the day, Fabrizio Giovanardi has emerged as the winner after several of his key rivals were involved in incidents around him. Mat Jackson came through from 7th on the grid to finish second, whilst Paul O’Neill returned to the podium for the first time since 2003.

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Front row men Jason Plato and Colin Turkington led away from the line, with Turkington getting the better of Plato into the first corner. Matt Neal suffered a high-speed moment through Riches which would drop him to the back of the pack. Approaching the Esses for the first time Turkington was turned around by Plato, before Plato himself was spun onto the infield by Andrew Jordan. Also suffering on the opening lap was Rob Collard, who was contacted by the SEAT of Gordon Shedden.

Jordan’s lead of the race was short-lived when on lap three the reigninig champion passed him into the bomb hole. Giovanardi would remain unchallenged thereon in to take his third win of the season.

For Jordan however it wasn’t all plain sailing. James Thompson managed to get past on lap 9 after pressuring the youngster for several laps. Almost as soon as he had passed him though the Team Dynamics driver began to slow on the Revett Straight, before stopping briefly at the Esses, prompting a short-lived safety car period. Whilst Thompson got his car going again, the damage was terminal and he retired with gearbox troubles.

When the safety car period ended, Jackson was all over the back of Jordan applying pressure at every corner. Going into the Esses on lap 12 the pressure got too much for Jordan and he spun off the circuit all on his own, dropping down to 12th where he would finish the race. Jackson held on to second to take only his second podium finish of the year.

Meanwhile amidst all of the chaos and attrition around him, Paul O’Neill had worked his way up to fourth position. On lap 12 he made a move on Jonny Adam into the chicane for third position which he would hold until the end of the race, taking his first podium of the year and his first since 2003.

Jonny Adam finished fourth after holding off pressure late in the race from the recovering Colin Turkington, who took fifth. His team-mate Stephen Jelley backed him up with a sixth placed finish.

Adam Jones was seventh, whilst David Pinkney took his best result of the season with eighth. Matt Neal finished where he started with a ninth placed finish despite his earlier spin and another off-track excursion at the Esses. Harry Vaulkhard was tenth and despite earlier leaving the track he was able to recover thanks in part to the one lap behind the safety car.