• Robert fights for fifth in final round

Rob Huff ended the 2004 season on a high note with a stirring fifth place in the final round of the Green Flag MSA British Touring Car Championship at Donington Park today. The 24 year-old from Cambridge, who in only his first season of touring car racing has proved the sensation of the series, taking double victory, survived a battering in the first of the day's two races but recovered from an 11th place grid slot to take fifth at the end of the 18 lap race.

"Overall the weekend didn't end up too badly considering what happened in races one and two," said Rob. "I made a great start in the third race and just picked them off one by one really. The car was fantastic; I got hit a couple of times but nothing serious. I was a bit disappointed when the safety car came out because I'd got quite an advantage over the cars behind and I had to keep an eye on Matt Neal behind. I didn't quite have the pace to get by Eaves but I beat him in the championship because although we tie on points, I win on positions. So really I'm well chuffed."

Starting race one from 11th on the grid after being hampered by 66 kilos of success ballast following his victory in the last round at Snetterton, he made a reasonable start and got as high as eighth place before being pushed off by Tom Chilton dropping him way down the order. He recovered well though to get back up to 14th behind Yvan Muller, where he stayed for much of the race until several cars in front crashed out moving Rob to tenth and pole for the day's second race.

"It's just what we wanted to do, yes, but it was a bit kamikaze out there you know," said Rob. "Chilton just fired me off on the second or third lap at the first corner, from nowhere and put me back to about 16th.Then I spent most of the time in 14th behind Muller until we slowly closed the gap down to the others in front and when we did all hell broke loose. James Kaye got fired off; Rob Collard tried to do something to me at the chicane which I'll probably never understand! Then I was 11th behind Shaun Watson-Smith and then on the last lap again, Collard came from nowhere, I managed to avoid him and he just wiped out Watson-Smith. The car was surprisingly good even with all the weight on it and surprising that it handled as well as it did."

Race two then looked like his third victory in as many weekends was on the cards, the youngster capitalising on his pole slot to take the immediate lead ahead of Tom Chilton as the cars entered the first corner. He lost the lead to Chilton before being rammed by a hard-charging Yvan Muller, causing instant rear suspension damage which severely hampered the performance of his SEAT Toledo Cupra. Then on the penultimate lap, a move by James Kaye pushed him sideways onto the grass although he recovered well to take 11th at the flag.

"I made a great start although I seem to be having a bit of trouble getting heat into the tyres today and Tom Chilton managed to get by at the Old Hairpin. Then Muller drilled me in the rear as he came past me and damaged all the rear-left suspension which gave me a load of toe-out and a load of work to do throughout the race. And what James Kaye did on lap 15 I just don't know! I'm not sure what he thought he was doing because he hit me from the rear which pushed me sideways and then he kept pushing and pushing and pushed me off the track.

"My first year in touring cars though has been fantastic. It's been a dream year for me and I've been working with such a great bunch of people. I'm really grateful for the opportunity SEAT has given me and I'd like to say a huge thank you to Scott Dennis and Mark McKenna for coming up with the idea. And then a huge thanks to everyone individually in the team. Without them it wouldn't have been as good as it has been."

Results of Round 28

1.	Jason Plato	SEAT Toledo Cupra	19:59.460
2.	James Thompson	Vauxhall Astra Coupe	20:04.554
3.	Colin Turkington	MG ZS	20:04.921
4.	Michael Bentwood	Vauxhall Astra Coupe	20:06.233
5.	Anthony Reid	MG ZS	20:08.497
6.	Luke Hines	Vauxhall Astra Coupe	20:14.010
10.	ROBERT HUFF	SEAT Toledo Cupra	20:16.919

Results of Round 29

1.	Tom Chilton	Honda Civic Type-R	19:57.559
2.	Yvan Muller	Vauxhall Astra Coup	19:58.083
3.	Dan Eaves	Honda Civic Type-R	20:04.147
4.	Anthony Reid	MG ZS	20:07.795
5.	James Thompson	Vauxhall Astra Coupe	20:09.000
6.	Jason Plato	SEAT Toledo Cupra	20:13.577
11.	ROBERT HUFF	SEAT Toledo Cupra	20:24.727

Results of Round 30

1.	Yvan Muller	Vauxhall Astra Coupe	23:36.493
2.	Jason Plato	SEAT Toledo Cupra	23:36.784
3.	James Thompson	Vauxhall Astra Coupe	23:37.135
4.	Dan Eaves	Honda Civic Type-R	23:39.184
5.	ROBERT HUFF	SEAT Toledo Cupra	23:39.624
6.	Colin Turkington	MG ZS	23:43.173

Championship points after 30 rounds

1.	James Thompson	274
2.	Yvan Muller	273
3.	Jason Plato	224
4.	Anthony Reid	213
5.	Matt Neal	181
6.	Colin Turkington	173
7.	ROBERT HUFF	148