HALFORDS Yuasa Racing's Dan Cammish took just four races to leap from British Touring Car Championship rookie to podium-finisher and potential title contender.

Cammish produced a standout display for the Droitwich team at Donington Park in the Honda Civic Type R (FK8).

From fourth on the starting grid, he grabbed second in the opening race.

Cammish led the second contest before being hauled back to fourth spot.

He then battled for fourth in the third race but contact forced him out.

The 29-year-old two-time Porsche Carrera Cup GB champion marched up from 16th to seventh in the standings.

Team-mate Matt Neal qualified 17th but progressed to sixth in the opener, 16th in the second and seventh in the third for 17th in the championship.

Cammish said: “It was fantastic for both the team and myself to achieve our first podium of the season in race one although I would say as a performance race two was arguably even better with 66kg of ballast onboard and the harder tyres.

"People were asking pre-season if I would get properly stuck in and get my elbows out in the BTCC and I think I’ve proven here that I can do that as well as anybody else.”

Neal said: "It was a much more positive outcome than at Brands Hatch and we remain light going next to Thruxton (on May 20) which has traditionally been a happy hunting ground for us and will be an important weekend as both Honda and Yuasa’s home circuit.”

The race wins were shared by first-time victor Josh Cook (Power Maxed TAG Racing), championship leader Tom Ingram (Speedworks Motorsport) and Adam Morgan (Ciceley Motorsport).

Evesham's Rob Austin is ninth in the standings after finishing 15th, 21st and 11th at Donington for DUO Motorsport with HMS Racing.