Emmet O'Brien was able to take Ireland to a top three placing in the Nations Cup standings after a solid performance in the annual European Touring Car Cup at Adria.
O'Brien, finished second in the event last season and contested a part season in the WTCC this year with GR Asia, joined the Danish Poulsen Racing outfit for the weekend and was able to take Ireland to third in the Nations Cup for the second successive year despite being the only Irish driver in the bumper field.
Having been forced to sit out the second half of the World Touring Car Championship season, O'Brien was making his first race appearance in over three months but was quickly back up to speed as he qualified in sixth place as leading
BMW driver. In the race, he was able to make up three places to secure a podium finish at the tricky Italian venue.
Starting sixth again in race two, but had climbed back to third before a forceful move from Pontus Mφrth saw him demoted two places. However, his combined results were still enough to give him fourth overall in the drivers' standings.
"It was great to be racing again," O'Brien reflected. "It was hard work out there especially in race two. At one point there were four of us literally welded together and you can't beat that kind of racing. While the final result for me was not as good as last year we did manage to claim third again for Ireland so I'm really pleased with that.
"The guys at Poulsen Motorsport were great and my performance this weekend has opened up a number of exciting opportunities for me to look at for next season. This is a great end to what up to now had been a difficult season and I would like to thank everyone who made this outing possible."
![Emmet O'Brien - Poulsen Motorsport BMW 320si [pic credit: FIA ETCC]](http://pix.crash.net/thumbs/393455.jpg)
