BRITISH Touring Car Championship driver Rob Collard just missed out a podium in the final race of the latest meeting which was held at Snetterton.

However, the Sterling Insurance with Power Maxed Racing Vauxhall Astra driver was still upbeat about a much improved performance.

Hook's Collard said: "Overall it’s been a good weekend. Being in the Top 10 Saturday proved that I’m still on the pace and that the car is there.

"That last race is a lot more like the racing that I like! Starting on the soft tyre, after 5 laps or so I was thinking that I was never going to catch the front runners, but a few spots of rain gave us the chance to catch those on hard tyres, so we just had a that edge. I’m looking forward to Thruxton.”

Collard had one of better qualifying sessions of the season putting the car on the grid in 10th spot for race one.

From here he made up a three places to take seventh in his first outing on the Norfolk track, but race two on the hard tyres which did not work all weekend, Collard slipped down to 14th.

However, his weekend was to end on a high with a storming performance in the final race as he took fourth spot.

Next up is a trip to Thruxton on the weekend of August 17/18.