Rain hit Knockhill moments before the second Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship free practice session in Fife, Colin Turkington again leading a West Surrey Racing one-two.
The 2009 champion set the quickest time of the truncated 40-minute session early in proceedings, tipping BMW team-mate Nick Foster off the top of the times at mid-distance.
His time of 56.484s was almost five seconds slower than the effort he managed in the morning’s first practice session held in the dry conditions, a downpour prior to practice two resulting in swift changes to wet tyres all around the paddock.
Foster initially set the pace for WSR, before championship leader Turkington soon headed the times by pipping his team-mate by 0.022s. A further downpour 25 minutes into the session saturated the track once again, meaning Turkington’s time was safe.
The action was halted twice during proceedings, firstly for Lea Wood beaching his Toyota Avensis in the gravel trap at Leslies before Matt Neal did likewise at the chicane following a lock-up in the Honda Yuasa Racing Civic Tourer.
Three tenths slower than the BMWs was Sam Tordoff, the Triple Eight driver jumping ahead of MG team-mate Jason Plato in the closing stages as slicks were put onto most of the field in the improving conditions.
Gordon Shedden took fifth place ahead of team-mate Neal, Rob Austin next up ahead of Andrew Jordan, Austin famously last year’s pole-sitter on the Saturday for his Audi squad.
Fabrizio Giovanardi finished ninth overall, while Rob Collard rounded out the top 10 in the third WSR BMW 125i.
Tom Ingram is expected to make qualifying, having missed the second session due to an engine change after his practice one mechanical problems.
Qualifying gets underway at 15.05, and you can follow all the action with The Checkered Flag and via Twitter @tcfbtcc.
