12:19pm Monday 6th September 2010
By Stuart Amos
New Malden’s Tom Onslow-Cole kept his British Touring Car Championship dream alive at the weekend and is hoping to cash in at Donington next time out.
The 23-year-old’s Team Aon Liquified Petroleum Gas (LPG) powered Ford Focus ST was on the back foot at Knockhill for most of the weekend, but a second-placed finish in the final race ensured a 21 point haul.
Onslow-Cole qualified eighth on the grid and claimed two seventh-place finishes - to go with his podium - as he slipped 24 points behind driver’s championship leader Jason Plato with six races remaining.
Fellow title rival Matt Neal reckons the LPG Fords that struggled with the twisty turns in Scotland, will be more suited to the straights of Donington Park next weekend.
And Onslow-Cole, who also battled with illness on Sunday, is looking forward to the challenge.
“It's been a difficult weekend, we weren't sure how we'd go here and it has proved to be something of a bogey track for the Calor Gas powered Focus,” he said.
”I was playing catch-up after some issues in free practice on Saturday and then I woke up ill this morning.
“But still, we’ve picked up a healthy dose of points. The team have worked so hard, it's great to end the day with some champagne for them.
“I hope what Matt says comes true and it swings back our way at Donington.”
Team Aon are 31 points adrift of Honda Racing Team in the team championship, while Ford are two points behind Honda in the manufacturers race.
“We didn't think we'd be very strong here, it is a bit too stop and go for us, which doesn't suit a turbocharged car like our Focus,” said Team Aon boss Mike Earle.
“It was a damage limitation exercise and with that in mind it was okay. Hopefully, we will be stronger at Donington and Brands Hatch still to come.”
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