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Stat Attack: BTCC Rounds 16-18, Snetterton

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This weekend, the battle for the BTCC title heads north of the border to Scotland for the seventh round of the season at Knockhill but before that, it’s time to check over the major stats that came out of a bruising meeting at Snetterton.

As ever, there were a few surprises to be found…

Qualifying:

• Gordon Shedden took his first pole since Donington Park 2013, which was also the last time Honda had started from the front of the grid.

• As a result, it was the first time that the Honda Civic Type-R had started from pole position since being introduced into the championship.

• Amazingly it was only Honda’s third NGTC pole – two to Shedden and one to Matt Neal. By contrast, Jason Plato has taken 14 poles in the same period of time.

• The Type-R became the ninth different model of car to take a pole position in the NGTC era.

• Tom Ingram reclaimed his position as the best qualifier on the grid with an average of 4.50.

• Ashley Sutton remains the only driver on the grid to have qualified inside the top ten for every meeting, despite losing his position as best qualifier to Ingram.

• Shedden, Aron Smith, Adam Morgan, Hunter Abbott, Warren Scott, James Cole, Matt Simpson, Kelvin Fletcher and Mark Howard enjoyed seasons best qualifying performances at Snetterton.

• Jack Goff and Martin Depper endured their worst qualifying results of the year.

Races:

• Colin Turkington and Mat Jackson became the first drivers to win three times this season.

• Turkington and Matt Neal have now joined Sam Tordoff on six podium finishes for the season.

• Rob Collard moved level with Jack Goff on three fastest laps, equaling his personal best for a season.

• Mat Jackson moved clear at the top in terms of independent wins with a sixth victory of the year.

• Rob Austin took his first Independents win of the year – a first for Handy Motorsport.

• Austin also gave Handy Motorsport its first overall podium.

• Sam Tordoff’s race three issue means no driver has now completed every racing lap. Andrew Jordan and Matt Neal have managed 294 out of 295.

• Mat Jackson has now led the most laps this season (51) and is the first person to break 50.

• Mat Jackson and Colin Turkington are the first drivers to lead four races.

• Colin Turkington has now scored more bonus points (7) than anyone else this season.

• Hunter Abbott scored his first fastest lap, which was also the first for the Power Maxed Racing team and the first for the NGTC Chevrolet Cruze.

• Jason Plato passed 4,500 career points

• Mat Jackson passed the 1,000 point mark in an NGTC car, the sixth driver to do so.

• Jackson’s Motorbase Performance team competed in its 300th BTCC race.

• Gordon Shedden became the first driver to pick up 60 podium finishes in an NGTC car.