YORK'S James Thompson enjoyed two top five placings in rounds 17 and 18 of the British Touring Car Championships at Donington Park yesterday.

However, the results have done little for his series hopes, as he still lies back in ninth in the table, 68 points behind leader Anthony Reid.

Ford Mondeo driver Reid had the best day at Donington, taking victory in the 15-lap sprint race - his first win of the season - and third place in the 30-lap feature race, to leapfrog team-mate Alain Menu in the championship.

Thompson's Honda Accord team-mate Gabriele Tarquini, who started both races from pole position, put himself back in championship contention by winning round 18, making up for a mistake on the first lap of the sprint race which had seen him plummet down the field to eventually finish that round in sixth.

Independent champion Matt Neal enjoyed second place in both races in his Nissan Primera.

Thompson had pushed hard for a top two place in the sprint race, putting pressure on Neal while being pushed by fourth-placed Yvan Muller in his Vauxhall Vectra.

At one point, all three cars could not be separated, and every time Thompson had a go at Neal, Muller tried to get past Thompson. In the end, the positions stayed the same, with all three crossing the line less than a second apart.

Thompson said: "It was a good dice with Matt and Yvan kept me occupied enough to stop me overtaking Matt. It was fun and good racing."

In the feature race, Thompson finished alone in fifth, 19 seconds behind winner Tarquini, whose victory owed much to a fine pit-stop which saw him get back in front of Reid.

Class B series leader Alan Morrison won the B sprint race, with James Kaye, second in the table, finishing first in the feature race.