Tom Onslow-Cole answers your questions.

Tom Onslow-Cole has enjoyed a fine season with VX Racing after moving to the factory Vauxhall team for his second year in the HiQ MSA British Touring Car Championship.

Onslow-Cole took a dramatic double win at Thruxton and lies sixth in the championship standings at the half-way point of the season, just five points behind third placed Mat Jackson.

Here, Onslow-Cole answers questions posted by you on a range of subjects...

Q - James Nelson:
Has this season gone better than you expected after joining Vauxhall?

Tom Onslow-Cole:
If I'm honest, I expected to be up front, seeing as VX Racing is such a successful team. It's got to be hard to fail when you are surrounded by such a class outfit, with drivers as successful as Fabrizio and Matt.

Q - Trebor901:
Do you ever think you're dreaming when you see you're in a team with Giovanardi and Matt Neal?

Tom Onslow-Cole:
Yes for sure, it really is an unbelievable package that I'm involved in. To be racing for the champions, in the championship winning car, alongside multiple championship winning team-mates really is a dream come true!

Q - Trebor901:
Who was your touring car hero when you weren't racing?

Tom Onslow-Cole:
Uncle Matt... he was and still is awesome, and it's a real pleasure to be working along side him now!

Q - David C:
How come you didn't test with Matt and Fabrizio this week?

Tom Onslow-Cole:
The testing programme was easily covered by the other two drivers.

Q - Gemma Chapman:
If you had to choose a BTCC team to drive for (alongside VXR, you can't choose them), who would it be and why?

Tom Onslow-Cole:
I guess it would have to be SEAT, as at the moment I believe they are the closest match to us in the championship. Seat would provide me with the next best chance of winning races... behind VX Racing of course!

Q - Gemma Chapman:
If you weren't being a racing driver what would you do?

Tom Onslow-Cole:
That's a really tough one as I've never even though about doing anything else. Motorsport has been my life for as long as I can remember, so I think I would still be involved in some way.

Q - Ricky Page:
Hello Tom, you must remember me from the TKM days....Rick Page. Reckon you can beat me now?! Nice to see you're living the dream. Haven't done any karting for years but things are looking good for a drive in Clio Cup soon, went to Buckmore recently just to make sure I hadn't lost it...

How did you find the jump from karting to cars? Best of luck to ya mate.

Tom Onslow-Cole:
Long time no see buddy, glad to see you're close to making the move into the Clio's. For me the transition wasn't too hard. I went from karts to RWD T-cars, and managed to carry over a lot of what I already knew. The jump into FWD was tough though, it took me quite a while to nail the technique.

Q - Claire Jenkins:
Both your team-mates are going to Australia to race at Bathurst later in the year. Is that a race you would like to do in the future?

Tom Onslow-Cole:
I would absolutely love to race at Bathurst, the Aussie V8 looks like an amazing bit of kit and Bathurst has to be one of the most exciting tracks around! I'm hoping to go out there to spectate this year.

Q - Alex:
Hi Tom. How do you feel about the TDi Leon and its ultra high top speed? Do you think they should get a rev limiter like in the WTCC?

Tom Onslow-Cole:
I'm not so sure of the technical ins-and-outs, but I do enjoy racing with them. They seem to have made really good progress with the handling of the car so I expect them to be really tough competition for this second half of this season!

Q - Kickin Griffin VXR:
Who are your favourite drivers in WTCC? You've done a great job for VXR so far, keep it up!

Tom Onslow-Cole:
Firstly I would have to say Huffy, as he was my first major driver coach and influence in salon cars. Also Yvan, for his amazing car control and speed, and of course Andy Priaulx just for being the legend that he is!

Q - Emma Tennant:
What to do you do to chill out when you're not working or racing?

Tom Onslow-Cole:
I spend a lot of my time training and also socialising with my friends, I find both really good for unwinding.

Q - Ali Linley:
How do you find the transition from driving your race car to then driving your road car!

Tom Onslow-Cole:
Very tame, I find I'm pretty chilled out on the road... especially after a tough race day. In my first year in T-cars and Clio's I would be away racing all weekend, and then have to come home and ride my BMX! That used to be very frustrating!

Q - Les:
I went to testing at Snetterton and was surprised only two Vauxhall were out there. Why didn't you go out for a while - or did you?

Great year - lovely to see you do so well. Carry on the good work for many years to come.

Tom Onslow-Cole:
The testing programme was easily covered by the other two drivers. I was around, but not in a car!

Q - Steven:
Do you feel more at home in the Vectra with it being front-wheel drive than you did in the BMW?

Tom Onslow-Cole:
Yes for sure, I immediately got on well with the Vectra VXR and very quickly felt at home. I think that's simply because I've spent a lot more time in FWD than I have in RWD.

Q - Craig Lambert:
Is there any race in particular that you'd love the chance to do if you could like Le Mans or the Indy 500?

Tom Onslow-Cole:
For me that would have to be Daytona. I have a big interest in NASCAR and as you probably know, Daytona is quite simply the daddy of all NASCAR races!

Q - Alfie:
Would you consider a switch to the World Touring Car Championship with, say, GM counterparts Chevrolet, or stick it out with Vauxhall and challenge for the title in 2009 (provided you don't win it this year that is!)??

Tom Onslow-Cole:
WTCC is definitely on the list of things I'd like to do in my career, but my main focus will be winning the BTCC before I move on to anything else!

Q - crazy fooool!:
If you started again, would you have chosen a similar route with your motorsport career, or would you have maybe tried out single-seaters/sportscars instead??

Tom Onslow-Cole:
I would definitely have used the same route; touring cars have always been my dream since I first started my racing career. I always find the racing in the BTCC very action packed, and that's what I really enjoy. The equipment used in high end single seaters and sports car races is unbelievable, but I just don't feel that the racing is as exciting.

Q - Boo:
It's raining, you're going at high-speed coming down the Revett Straight at Snetterton and about to attack tricky the left, right Esses. But someone is exactly alongside you and is equally determined to take the place.

If you could pick any driver you wouldn't want to be alongside you at that moment, who would it be??

Tom Onslow-Cole:
Either of my team mates! That sounds like a very risky situation and there is a very strict red on red contact policy!

Q - Gordon Shumway:
Hi Tom, what's your ultimate racing ambition? Do you see yourself staying in the BTCC for a while, or do you fancy taking on the WTCC boys too at some point in the future? Is there any other category of racing you'd be interested in competing in too?

Tom Onslow-Cole:
BTCC is definitely my main focus for now, but I hope to move on to WTCC at some point in the future, and then hopefully end up in America in NASCAR. That's my dream!

Q - Lisa:
Is there any racing car you would love to try out if you had the chance?

Tom Onslow-Cole:
Definitely has to be a NASCAR!

Q - Michael Evans:
What's the best piece of advice you've ever been given?

Tom Onslow-Cole:
When I was first learning to drive in the Clio's, Rob Huff taught me to drive with a very lose finger tip grip and that's definitely something that has seen me through in everything I've driven since.