ALAN Blencowe enjoyed his best ever weekend in motor racing when he secured two podium finishes at Silverstone in the latest rounds of the Green Flag British Touring Car Championship, writes Mike Turner.

The Tisbury scaffolder finished third and then second behind team mate Luke Hines ensuring a re-markable weekend for the Barwell Motorsport team.

A delighted Blencowe told Journal Sport: "It was a great weekend for the team. Luke was well happy with two first places. In fact, we were all happy. It was my best weekend yet with two podiums.

"We're now miles ahead in the team championship which is brilliant."

In Sunday's opening race at the home of the sport's 2.2-mile international circuit, Blencowe started from the back of the grid after an unfortunate qualifying round which had seen his times hindered by Touring Class cars spoiling his laps.

"We'd done really well in the wet and then the dry so we thought we might be in with a good chance," said Alan.

For 13 of the 25 race laps, Blencowe was wedged behind GA Motor-sport's Paul Wallace.

Continued pressure eventually forced Wallace to make a mistake and when the Alfa Romeo 156 ran wide going into Becketts corner, Blencowe seized his chance to move into the podium position.

After the pair secured first and third places res-pectively, Alan said the team talk for the second race was succinct.

"'We'll have first and second in the next race', we were told. Everything went to plan."

The two Barwell cars dominated the second race and once Blencowe had again seen off the challenge of Wallace, the pair were in the comfort zone.

Michael Bentwood, with 92 points, still heads the Production Drivers standings. But Hines' double win has moved him within striking distance. Blen-cowe is third on 67 - some 11 points clear of Jim Edwards Jnr.

The tour moves to Rockingham on June 22 for rounds nine and ten.

"It'll be the first time touring cars have gone there, so we're scheduled to test at Rockingham the day before," added Alan.

Highlights of the Silver-stone races will be shown on ITV1 on Saturday.