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Turkington named National Driver of the Year at Autosport Awards

Turkington named National Driver of the Year at Autosport Awards

Portadown’s British Touring Car champion, Colin Turkington, has added yet more silverware to his cabinet – by being named as National Driver of the Year at the prestigious 2009 AUTOSPORT Awards in London.

Colin (27), who has been widely recognised as a popular champion amongst his peers beat off the likes of Jason Plato and Daniel Ricciardo to take the prize.

The West Surrey Racing BMW driver, who sealed his title in a last-round, three-way shoot-out at Brands Hatch with Plato and Fabrizio Giovanardi, received his prize from three-time World Touring Car Champion Andy Priaulx.

Speaking after the ceremony Colin explained: "I think that the last day of the season at Brands Hatch was the most nervous of my career, and having led it from the halfway point of the season, it was really up in the air until the last race.

"I was determined that I would be the winner and the team gave me such a fantastic car that it was for all of us. WSR team boss Dick Bennetts has been trying to win this title since 1996 and I've been with him since 2002, so it's a real team effort."

With 2009 marking the WSR's third season driving BMWs, Turkington, a former MG and Vauxhall works driver, was acknowledged to have added steel to his driving - transforming him from occasional race-winner to title contender in one step.
Colin swept to six wins in this year’s BTCC series, including doubles at Oulton Park and Croft.
 

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