Častoral on pole

Czech Opel campaigner ahead of Enerberg.

Czech veteran Roman Častoral has broken Lars Øivind Enerberg’s stranglehold in TouringCar. The Opel driver won last weekend in Belgium after some rough stuff in the first two corners of the A final, but here it looks as though he genuinely has the pace to match and beat the championship points leader on fair a level terms. Fastest in yesterday’s first qualifier, Častoral gave best to the Norwegian in the second heat this morning but has now replied with fastest time in the third heat and with it put his name on pole for the A final.

Enerberg shares the front row having been second fastest, title holder Derek Tohill third fastest and on the inside of row two with young Swede Anton Marklund fourth and Norwegian Per Magne Røyrås the last direct qualifier. The front row of the B final holds Belgian Koen Pauwels and Danish racer Jakob Teil Hansen in similar Ford Fiestas.

All 17 starters in the class have completed two heats so there will be C, B and A finals, the unlucky non-qualifier for the top 16 being Belgian Ivo Van den Brandt who was pipped to last place in the points-scoring finals by Dutch Mandy Kasse.