Chilton on pole for title-decider
Tom Chilton has set the fastest time in qualifying for the first om tomorrows BTCC rounds at Thruxton. He took pole position ahead of his teammates Fabrizio Giovanardi and Alain Menu. Tomorrow there will be three races at the Thruxton circuit in Hampshire, in which the title will be deceided between Fabrizio Giovanardi and Jason Plato.
Chilton, aged 23 from Reigate, achieved his first pole of 2007 with a lap time of 1:17.269, outpacing Giovanardi by almost two tenths of a second. Alain Menu, making his first appearance in BTCC this year, was three tenths behind Chilton.
Although Vauxhall has won the first battle, SEAT’s Jason Plato hasn’t surrendered yet. Currently lying first in the championship with a 9 points advantage over Giovanardi, he qualified fourth fastest even though The Oxford-based Plato is driving in pain with burns to his hands, neck and face.
With a maximum of 52 points still on offer, the drivers championship is fully open. Vauxhall and SEAT, meanwhile, are locked in combat for the Manufacturers’ and Teams’ titles. Vauxhall has drafted in past double champion Menu and SEAT Dutch driver Tom Coronel to boost their chances.
The BTCC’s Independents’crown will also be up for grabs in tomorrow’s races. There is still a four-way scrap between Team Eurotech Honda driver Mike Jordan and BMW rivals Colin Turkington, Mat Jackson and Tom Onslow-Cole. Team RAC’s Turkington, three points behind leader Jordan with 45 on offer, got the upper hand in qualifying with the sixth fastest time.
