Season's best for AmDTuning with double score at Rockingham

Cobra Sport and guests were in the AmDTuning garage on Sunday at Rockingham supporting the AmDTuning team and driver Ollie Jackson in the Cobra Sport sponsored Audi S3. 

The team enjoyed its best weekend of the year scoring points in both races 2 and 3 on an exciting day of Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship racing at the spectator friendly Rockingham Motor Speedway.

The team went into the Rockingham race weekend looking to improve on the previous incident packed rounds at Snetterton and Knockhill.

Qualifying took place in a torrential downpour and a quick early lap put Ollie in the top half of the field before the conditions forced the session to be stopped half way to allow the circuit to drain. Clearing conditions after the disruption meant having to settle for 20th on the grid for race one.

Electing to run the hard compound Dunlop tyre in the opening race, Ollie made up places with a fantastic drive to finish the race in 17th place just outside the points positions. From 17th place on the grid for race 2, a strong start to race two saw Ollie quickly make up four positions on the first lap avoiding collisions with a number of other drivers including Colin Turkington who span on the first banked corner. Staying out of trouble and pushing hard throughout the race including some spectacular overtaking moves, Ollie climbed up to 11th place with two laps remaining chasing the Honda Civic Type R of Gordon Shedden.

Pushing for a place in the top 10 and a chance in the reverse grid draw, Ollie made a move around the outside of the defensive Shedden only to be forced wide slipping back by the end of the race but still securing an impressive points finish in 13th place.The AmDTuning team were keen to build on the success of the weekend in the final race of the day at Rockingham.

Driving the third race in amongst the big names towards the front of the grid provided spectacular entertainment with the Cobra Sport sponsored Audi S3 really standing out amongst the works teams and top independants. Ollie diced for position with famous names chasing down the Subaru of Jason Plato and held off the advancing Andrew Jordan for a number laps. At the end of the race Ollie brought the Audi home for his best result of the season so far in an incredible 11th place and the second points finish of the day. 

“It's been the best weekend of the year by a long way," said Ollie.

“We made some changes to the car between Knockhill and here and it has transformed things, so it is great to prove what we can do; it certainly puts the previous two weekends firmly behind us."

“We had a good car in free practice but in qualifying we didn't quite have the set-up that we needed. We were further back than we could have been on the grid, but it didn't make too much difference on race day as we fought hard and made up the places on merit. The car was brilliant and the team has done a fantastic job; I'm so glad that we've finally been able to pick up some results that we deserve after a difficult spell."

“We have made a big step forwards this weekend but I don't think we are finished yet with the car and I don't think the performance we have seen this weekend is a one-off. I'm really looking forward to seeing what we can do at Silverstone." 

Team boss Shaun Hollamby was understandably delighted with the results from the weekend, which provide a boost in confidence going into the final meetings of the campaign at Silverstone and Brands Hatch.

“We always knew that we had a car that was capable of fighting for points and that could challenge towards the top ten, and this is the weekend that we have been able to show it,"he said.

“After Knockhill, we looked at what we could do to make improvements, and have reaped the rewards of that work with a performance that is easily the best we have had this season."

"Ollie has driven really well this weekend and has shown some of his critics what he can do, and the results he has picked up have been on merit and not because others have simply fallen off or had problems."

“Whilst we might have a small budget compared to other teams on the grid, the fact we have gone out there and raced wheel to wheel with people like Gordon Shedden, Andrew Jordan and Jason Plato shows what are capable of."

"Thanks to Rob Tickner, Keith Cheetham and the whole AmD team, plus Ollie's mega job behind the wheel, we are now starting to unlock the Audi's potential. The next two rounds can't come fast enough!"

Photos courtesy of: Marc Waller Photography