BTCC Action >> Drivers >> Rob Collard
Rob Collard |
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Nationality: British Date of birth: 1 October 1968 Place of birth: Eversley, Hants, England Status: Partner, two sons Website: www.collardracing.co.uk BTCC Debut: Oulton Park, 29 May 2000, Nissan Primera BTCC Races: 158* BTCC Wins: 4* BTCC Podiums: 11* BTCC Points: 531* BTCC Seasons: 10 (including production) * after Round 15 2009, excluding production |
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Rob Collard has been racing in the British Touring Car Championship for the past ten years, having made his debut in the series in 2000 when he raced a Nissan Primera in the Production class. Before this, Collard raced in many different disciplines, beginning in hot rods and then Formula Ford. His first taste of saloon car racing came in 1998 when he contested part of the Vauxhall Vectra SRi Challenge Winter Series.
In 1999 Collard took on a full season in the Vauxhall Vectra SRi Challenge and didn't disappoint, immediately winning races. He went on to finish third in the championship having taken four race wins. At the end of the season Collard was invited to a test in a Vauxhall Vectra Super Touring machine. Throughout 2000, 2001 and 2002 Collard competed in the production class of the BTCC, racing firstly a Nissan Primera before moving on to a Renault Clio for 2001 and 2002, racing and running his own team. For 2003 Collard took the move to upgrade to one of the championship-winning Vauxhall Astra Coupe's and immediately impressed, winning in the independent's class in his first race in the car. He would go on to lift the Independent's Trophy at the end of the year at his first attempt in top class BTCC machinery. Collard continued with the Astra in 2004, but was unable to defend his championship. For 2005 Collard joined West Surrey Racing in an MG ZS, the team that had taken the independents championship the previous year. It was to prove to be a breakthrough yeear for Collard, as he took his first outright win at Knockhill in August. He won again in the season finale, and took 7th overall in the driver's championship. In 2006 Collard continued with WSR, now under the Team RAC banner. However the season would prove difficult and he failed to win any more races and took only one podium. He finished the year in ninth, and failed to land a drive for 2007. After sitting most of the 2007 season out, Collard returned to the championship for the final rounds at Thruxton in a GR Asia-prepared SEAT Leon. For 2008 Collard secured a drive with Motorbase Performance to race a rear-wheel drive BMW 320si. Whilst the team spent the first half of the season learning the car, the second half of the season proved much stronger and Collard finished 12th overall, only 2 points behind team-mate Steven Kane. |
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Career Rundown
| 2009: | British Touring Car Championship, Airwaves BMW, BMW 320si |
| 2008: | British Touring Car Championship, Motorbase Performance, BMW 320si 12th overall, 84 points |
| 2007: | Porsche Carrera Cup GB, Team Parker Racing, Contested 6 races British Touring Car Championship, GR Asia, SEAT Leon, contested 3 races |
| 2006: | British Touring Car Championship, Team RAC, MG ZS 9th overall |
| 2005: | British Touring Car Championship, West Surrey Racing, MG ZS 7th overall, 2 wins |
| 2004: | British Touring Car Championship, Collard Racing, Vauxhall Astra Coupe 12th overall |
| 2003: | British Touring Car Championship, Collard Racing, Vauxhall Astra Coupe 10th overall, Champion in Independents |
| 2002: | British Touring Car Championship, Collard Racing, Renault Clio 12th overall, Class B |
| 2001: | British Touring Car Championship, Collard Racing, Renault Clio 13th overall, Class B |
| 2000: | British Touring Car Championship, Bintcliffe Sport Racing, Nissan Primera 4th overall, Class B |
| 1999: | Vauxhall Vectra SRi V6 Challenge, Vauxhall Vectra 3rd overall, 4 wins Vauxhall Vectra BTCC Test |
| 1998: | Vauxhall Vectra SRi V6 Challenge Winter Series, 2 wins Eurocar Pickups, 2 wins UK Formula Ford Zetec Championship, Van Diemen, 6th overall, 1 win |
| 1997: | UK Formula Ford Zetec, 4th overall, 5 wins |
| 1996: | UK Formula Ford Zetec, 4th overall, 1 win |
| 1978-95: | 1600cc Hot Rods, Champion in European, National, English and British Series |
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