Palmer gutted at The Rockposted in BTCC06 | 09 | 2015
SCOT DEREK PALMER was left gutted after seeing a battling top 15 slide away just 30-seconds from the end of the day's final British Touring Car Championship race at Rockingham.
Within sight of the end of the chequered flag, and at the end of another testing weekend for his Support Our Paras Racing team, Palmer fell victim to a trail of gravel — the result, ironically, of another car having earlier been moved to safety — on the Northamptonshire track.
The 28-year-old from Lesmahagow was within half a lap of equalling his best result of the season when his car slid into the gravel after he braked for the tight hairpin.
Having been spun earlier in the race — when he was tapped by Dan Welch — and rejoining in last place in the 30-car field, Palmer had taken advantage of two Safety Car periods to fight back and hold 15th midway through the final lap.
But 30-seconds from the end of the race, the misfortune which has plagued Palmer and his feisty, determined TENA Men-backed Paras Racing team through the last couple of race weekends, struck again.
"I knew we had a fast car in the final race, and I was able to fight my way through to 15th, on course to score our second full championship point and equal our best finish of the season," Palmer explained.
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"But on the last lap I got caught out by gravel, which had been pulled on to the track when another car had — ironically — been towed to safety.
"Annoyingly, I'd actually braked earlier than I had previously, because I knew I was on the final lap and I wasn't under any pressure.
"It was just like being on marbles. I braked, turned-in, and the car just kept going straight on into the gravel. And that was it: race over.
"It's a real shame: I'm absolutely gutted because we should definitely have had a point and a top 15 finish. But there's no one else to blame but myself really. I just wasn't expecting the gravel to be on the track.
"Of course I'm personally disappointed, but I'm more gutted for all the guys because they've worked so hard right through the whole weekend. I'd have loved to have been able to reward them with a top 15 finish, and another championship point."
Earlier in the day, Palmer — who was classified 21st in the final race — was spun after contact in the opening race, and was then spun twice in the second race having been hit first by the Volkswagen of Warren Scott, then the Ford of Alex Martin.
"Warren hit me, but he came and apologised immediately after the race," Palmer continued. "It was just a simple racing incident as the field concertinaed.
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"I'd then fought back from last to 24th when I eased myself down the inside of Alex Martin's Ford.
"From my perspective, and from what everyone saw on the TV, I was clearly ahead of him as we exited the corner, but then he turned me around. First there was contact halfway down my car, then he tapped me again on the rear-left, and that spun me on to the grass.
"Somehow I managed to keep the car out of the wall, and just as well because otherwise the damage would have been a lot worse than it was.
"Worth noting that while Warren immediately came and apologised, I haven't heard anything from Alex.
"But we've got to take a lot of positives out of this weekend. I'm so happy with how I performed, especially in the final race, and the Paras made the car much more competitive.
"And to pass other drivers — guys who had been faster than us earlier in the weekend — with our true race pace was really encouraging. It confirms to us that we're making real progress. Remember, this was our first time at Rockingham.
"Sure, I'm disappointed with the way the day finished, but overall I'm boosted with the progress we're clearly making. Hopefully our fortune will change at Silverstone."
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Jim McGill
NOTE: The Mallory Park-based team's race cars are prepared by injured ex-servicemen from the Parachute Regiment, with all team profits being donated to Support Our Paras, the official Regiment charity.
Photos: Copyright Jakob Ebrey