Tom Boardman was back in his S2000 Special Tuning UK Seat Leon for last weekends meeting at Donington Park in the Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship after being forced to use the NGTC-powered Leon last time out at Knockhill.

Things started to look very promising for the Lancastrian as Boardman set his best qualifying performance of the season to start race from from inside the top 10 in ninth just 0.6s off the pace of the LPG-powered Focus of Tom Chilton.

Tom started to suffer from straight-line speed which saw him drop back a few places before being sandwiched between Kane and O’Neill causing O’Neill to spin causing a six lap safety car period. Once the safety car pulled in Boardman was able to capitalise on the carnage that would ensue coming home in 7th and with it earning 3 points for him and the team.

Sadly this was to be the highlight for Tom as he could only finish in 13th in the second race and was forced to retire out of the final race after wishbone failure at the Craner Curves.

Tom spoke out after race three and said, “This last part of the season has been very difficult for us in terms of the results we’ve been achieving, but I think we have shown this weekend that we’re back on genuine competitive top-ten pace again, less than sixth-tenths from pole in qualifying and just four-tenths off fastest lap in the first race. The car’s back on form, just a couple of minor issues which have pegged us back this weekend.

“Hopefully we’ll go to Brands Hatch for the last three races and show some of the performance we saw earlier on in the season. We had a good result and a strong performance there last time out – and we’re overdue some good results!”

Photo Credit: Pete Mainey (www.psmmotorsportimages.co.uk)

James Mappin is the editor-in-chief covering the British Touring Car Championship. You can contact him at james@btcccrazy.co.uk, on twitter @BTCCCrazy or on his personal twitter account @jamesmappin.