THE AmDTuning.com with Cobra Exhausts team secured a brace of points finishes from what proved to be a challenging weekend as the Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship burst back into life at Snetterton.

The West Thurrock-based team’s Ollie Jackson qualified 17th on the grid in his Audi S3 and looked well set to score again as he quickly fought his way into the points in the opening race.

But he was roughed back to the lower fringes of the top 20; with the 33-year-old left to wonder what might have been as he brought his damaged car to the finish in 18th place.

Ollie picked up points in race two with a solid run to 14th, but any hope of pushing further towards the top ten were ended on the opening lap of race three when he was taken out by an out-of-control rival.

“There is no doubt that we had a car that was capable of the top ten this weekend and it’s only because of stupid driving from other people that we’ve not been able to get some really good points,” he said. “Incidents keep happening and no-one gets blamed for them which I don’t think is on. I just want to go out there and race and I accept that contact happens, but reckless driving has cost us points this weekend and left us with a big repair bill. The team has done a great job and given me a great car, and what has happened is a real slap in the face to them as much as it is to me.”

Team-mate Ant Whorton-Eales found himself in the heart of the action in the opening race, but contact on more than one occasion saw him finish in 20th.

Having finished race two in 21st, the team made a series of changes to Ant’s Audi ahead of the final race of the weekend and the Lichfield racer took full advantage with a strong drive that saw him battle his way up to eleventh place; matching his best result in the series to date.

“We took a real step in the right direction in the final race and the changes really improved the car so I could fight forwards into the points,” said Whorton-Eales.

"Although we could have scored more than the single points finish, it’s been a good weekend and I hope we can build on the progress we’re making and continue to challenge for points.”

Team boss Shaun Hollamby admitted it had been a weekend where both drivers deserved more than the results they had picked up from the three races.

“We have to keep pushing to progress up the grid so we avoid getting mixed up in the trouble that keeps occurring, so that is what we’ll focus on as we look towards Knockhill.”