News 2008: Motorbase BMW Crew Heads for Donington
One of Britain's most popular racing venues at Donington Park is the next stop for the Motorbase Performance team in the 2008 HiQ MSA British Touring Car Championship (3/4 May).
After two highly encouraging weekends to start its 2008 campaign, the team's pair of BMW 320s for Steven Kane and Rob Collard will now tackle the sweeping curves that typify the East Midlands track and make it such a favourite with drivers.
The season started just over a month ago at the team's home track of Brands Hatch and the cars showed strong pace from the word go. Although Kane's weekend ended against the barriers after a clash with Mike Jordan's Honda, he immediately showed top six pace.
Two weeks later came the Rockingham weekend, best remembered for the torrential rainstorm that struck just before the third race of the day. Despite the tough conditions, both cars finished all three races and again showed fine pace. Had he not suffered an alternator problem in qualifying, Kane would have been even further up the grid. Meanwhile, Collard's drive in the third race was his best to date this season and showed the determination that has marked his racing career.
With standing water in places, many leading drivers fell off. But Collard called on all his BTCC experience to battle through to a fine eighth place.
"I'm very pleased for Rob," said team boss David Bartrum at the end of the day. "He was catching the others at the end of the third race and I think he has turned a corner with the car. He's certainly shown the racer that he is."
"I was happy with the Rockingham weekend because we pushed forwards a bit further," said Bartrum. "But I certainly don't feel that we've achieved what we can just yet," he added.
Once again, extensive live coverage of all the race action will be shown on ITV4. The first of Sunday's three races starts at 11.10am, while live coverage of the afternoon's action will run from 12.30pm to 5.30pm on ITV4.
