Plato and Neal share victories
Jason Plato and Matt Neal shared the victories in today’s (Sunday) three Dunlop MSA BTCC rounds at the high-speed Snetterton circuit. Reigning champion Neal leaves the Norfolk venue having extended his championship lead to 27 points over nearest challenger Colin Turkington.
But overall Plato has emerged the biggest winner – victories in races one and two have moved him back up to third in the title race which now moves to the Knockhill circuit in Fife, Scotland on Sunday 3 September.
Despite his lead, Team Halfords driver Neal remained cautious about his chances of becoming the first driver in 20 years to achieve back-to-back BTCC titles. Indeed, he was reminded of how quickly fortunes change in race two when his Honda Integra span at the final bend in a controversial collision with Plato’s SEAT Leon. Neal’s race three win, therefore, was vital in him re-asserting himself at the top of the table.
Neal, aged 39 from Droitwich, said: “It’s not quite gone to plan today, but I’ve still come out clear of Colin and with a slightly bigger lead. But 27 points is not a lot – there are still 140 points to be won in the final nine rounds. I had a similar lead this time last year, but the pressure is definitely on.
”Looking ahead, Knockhill will be tough. Last year there it rained and we had a great weekend, but I’m not relying on that this year. Plus, my car will have maximum ballast on it so lugging that lot up the hills is going to be very hard work.”
Team RAC MG driver Turkington, who retired from today’s first race before salvaging third and fourth place finishes, believes Knockhill will be crucial to his title hopes. The 24-year-old from Portadown, aiming to become the BTCC’s youngest ever champion, added: “Considering I had one non-finish today, I’m not that disappointed – I only lost five points to Matt and he appears to be fairly unsteady at the moment and quite rattled.
”The MG has always been well suited to Knockhill and I see it as a good opportunity to take some big points off of Matt. I’m not going to lie down – I’m going to take the fight all the way. Jason will still be trying to win it as well. I know he’s ruled himself out of the championship, but today he’s taken a load of points out of me and Matt so can never be discounted. It’s always going to be a three-way fight.”
In addition to Plato’s pair of wins, three second place finishes for team-mate James Thompson has enabled SEAT to increase its lead over Vauxhall in the Manufacturers’ championship. SEAT Sport UK has also dramatically closed on Team Halfords in the Teams’ standings. Neal and Team Halfords continue to lead the Independent Drivers’ and Teams’ tables respectively.
Round 19, Plato wins dramatic race one
Plato led all the way from pole position to take his fourth win of the season in a race that was full of high drama. Thompson followed in second to give SEAT a dream 1-2 result.
He took the position when Vauxhall’s Gavin Smith damaged his Astra while lapping a backmarker. Smith, with a bonus point for setting the race’s fastest lap, continued in his crabbing car but eventually fell to fourth behind team-mate Fabrizio Giovanardi and at the line only just held off Mike Jordan’s fast-closing Team Eurotech Racing with John Guest Honda in fifth.
Giovanardi had held second for much of the race until but span his Astra in a tangle with Thompson’s Leon at the chicane.
In the title race, Neal survived collisions with two drivers – including arch rival Turkington – to bring his battered Team Halfords Honda home in sixth. The result extended his series lead to 27 points over Turkington who retired his MG with mechanical problems while he was in front of Neal.
Meanwhile, Gordon Shedden lost third in the standings to Plato when his Halfords Honda and Tom Chilton’s Vauxhall collided and span out of sight together into a crop field.
