4 Time BTCC Champion Colin Turkington brought home a solid third place (in the GTH class) in his GT Cup debut at Donington Park last weekend.
They thought there race was all over when Patrick Collins, who was running 12th overall, ended up in the gravel after sustaining contact from a wayward GTC car less than 30-minutes into GT Cup’s first ever 100-minute endurance race.
Fortunately, track marshalls and circuit recovery staff were able to pull Collins out – which allowed him to continue circulating until the pit window opened, albeit with damage. The crew, using their experience from operating in high-level European series’, performed a flawless pit-stop – which included refuelling for the first time in a GT Cup race.
Patrick Collins, handed the car over to four-time BTCC champion Colin Turkington – the car now four laps down, but, up to third in class. Turkington, who was making his GT racing debut at Donington Park this afternoon had to manage the now-comprised #247 Ginetta G56 GT4 for the remaining 50 minutes.
Despite having never contested a race distance of more than 25-minutes, Colin uttered not a single complaint about the damaged car, even setting his best personal lap time 45 minutes into his stint.
Colin took the chequered flag after 100-minutes of racing and the pair were rewarded with third place and 14th overall – Patrick’s second podium of the weekend, and a well-deserved podium finish for Turkington on, what will be hopefully be, his first of many GT outings.
