Lea Wood and Warren Scott both emerged unhurt from their race one accident at Rockingham, Wood confirming that his Toyota Avensis will be ready for the next British Touring Car Championship meeting at Silverstone.
The incident occurred on lap five of the opening encounter of Sunday’s BTCC action at the Corby circuit, Wood’s Toyota making contact with the Chevrolet Cruze of Aiden Moffat heading into the Deene hairpin, which speared last year’s Jack Sears Trophy winner out of control at unabated speed.
The helpless Wood headed backwards into the hairpin, where he made heavy contact with Scott’s Volkswagen CC which left the latter slightly winded, Wood’s car out for the remainder of the day with significant damage.
“It’s really frustrating, yes”, Wood told TCF afterwards. “It’s difficult anyway, but with all that damage, it just makes it so much worse.
“But that’s racing, that’s what you’ve got to put up with and just get on with the next race. Aiden got a good run on me coming into turn two, I defended and he was a bit too hot on the brakes; he just caught me in the rear and it tagged me around.
“It was obviously not intentional, but it’s a shame that it’s caused a heck of a lot of damage. But we’ve just got to get our head down now and get on with it.”
Wood however added the Toyota will be repaired in time for the next meeting at Silverstone, adding: “We’ll get it sorted in time for Silverstone though.”
The Hereford driver lies 23rd in the championship, and admitted that the switch to NGTC machinery for 2014 has proved an enjoyable season so far.
“It’s been really good actually this year. I’ve been enjoying it, and it’s just a pleasure to be in the championship. We’ve now just got to keep doing what we’re doing.”
Scott intends to be out for race three (Photo: Kingsley Newman/KAN Photography)
Wood was unhurt, as was Scott – who missed race two as a result – although Scott intends to be back out on track for race three of the day, and told TCF: “From my position, I obviously didn’t see it coming.
“I had a big gap; I was told I had a two-second gap behind me. I looked in my mirrors, nobody was there, then midway around the corner I don’t quite know what happened.
“It just took the wind out of me a little bit. My arm hit the roll cage so I was a bit bruised, but nothing serious.”
The lack of track time is what has frustrated Scott most of all, the BMR Racing Volkswagen driver part of the four-car squad which lies fifth in the Teams’ Championship.
Scott added: “It’s just frustrating. We need time in the car, and we’re not getting it this weekend unfortunately.”
