HEREFORD ace Lea Wood has notched his first success in the British Touring Car Championship’s Jack Sears Trophy.

Wood drove to victory in the second race of the day at the BTCC’s second weekend of racing at Donington Park.

The success was some compensation for having a previous victory, in the previous weekend of racing at Brands Hatch, removed for a technical offence.

“It was a relief to get the first one on the board,” said Wood.

“It was a really good race.

“It’s been a bit tough for the team at the last meeting and the first race wasn’t very good either so I’m over the moon to get the first one.”

There had been little indication of a likely success when Wood finished 24th in the field and third in the S2000 class in the first race when his Vauxhall Vectra seemed to lack its usual power.

But a few alterations saw the team’s fortunes restored.

“We suffered a little bit in the first race with a couple of bits and pieces,” said Wood.

“We needed more straight line speed so we took some track out of the back wheel and managed to get some more speed for the second race.

“That really helped a lot and I managed to stick with them.

“It played into our hands a bit and to get that first win is fantastic. That can’t do anything bad for our profile.”

Wood was the first to admit that he had been helped in his victory quest when two of his principal rivals, Jack Kaye and Dave Nye, were forced out of the race after a first-lap collision.

“You don’t ever want to see anyone have a coming together but, from my point of view it gave me a bit of breathing space,” said Wood.

“It was just a case of keeping it on the black stuff and doing what I had to do.”

There was to be no double success for Wood as it was his turn to be hustled out of the action in the first lap in the third and final race of the day. “Coming into the chicane, I had some NGTC cars alongside me and I just had nowhere to go,” he said.

“I hit the lip on the outside of the track and came down hard which broke the rear suspension.”

He was forced to limp disconsolately to a halt at the side of the track on the final straight just past the pits.