SAM Tordoff has taken the lead in the Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship after a couple of podium finishes in Scotland.

The 27-year-old Rawdon-based driver had a pair of second places and a fifth at Knockhill for Team JCT600 with GardX, and has a nine-point lead with just three events remaining.

Tordoff's total of 46 points over the weekend was his second highest of the season and took the BMW 125i M Sport driver’s 2016 podium tally to eight after a trio of strong performances.

Sam’s team-mate Rob Collard arrived in Scotland at the head of the drivers’ standings and carried 75kg into the weekend as a result.

Restricted by the weight and as a result of contact from numerous rivals, Rob finished the opening race in 17th, but with a ballast-free BMW in race two, he climbed to fifth – just six thousandths of a second away from fourth – burt was taken out by Colin Turkington (which he was penalised for) when second in race three.

Tordoff said: “To score two second places and a fifth really represents a good weekend. If you’d told me those would be my results beforehand, I’d have happily taken them.

"It keeps us at the top of the teams’ championship and puts me back on top in the drivers’ standings by a bigger margin than at any other point in the season.

"There’s still a long way to go but the car is working so well, is reliable and carries ballast superbly, so we’re in this title fight 100 per cent.”

Team principal Dick Bennetts said: “It’s been a terrific weekend for Sam, who has driven very well and scored some very important points, but a very frustrating one for Rob, which makes it a mixed event for Team JCT600 with GardX overall.

"Rob knew exactly what he was doing and was waiting for the right time to attack for the lead, so for him to be taken out in the manner he was is pretty hard to take.

"We’ve been leading the championship for a few rounds now, but it’s clear that some cars have become a lot faster recently so we have to keep working hard as the remaining three events of 2016 are going to be very tough.”

Rockingham in Northamptonshire is the next round on August 27-28, followed by Silverstone on September 17-18 and Brands Hatch on October 1-2.