Plato pips Shedden in Second Practice

A Chevrolet remained at the top of the time sheets in Second Practice at Knockhill, but this time it was the Racing Silverline machine of Jason Plato. Behind the Lacetti there was a surprise as Gordon Shedden recorded the second fastest time of the session, just 0.003 of a second slower than Plato. Matt Neal was third quickest, while the remaining championship contenders Colin Turkington and Fabrizio Giovanardi ended practice in fifth and sixth positions.

Plato’s time of 54.184 set on his final lap of practice was good enough to give him the quickest time of the day so far at Knockhill, but the real shock was Shedden’s ability to get within three thousandths of a second, boding well for a good result on Sunday for the Scot at his home track.

Behind the Seat came Neal and the BMWs of Jonny Adam and Turkington, the Giovanardi’s Vectra in sixth, with Mat Jackson, quickest in the first session, ending up in seventh place, as a late flurry of quick laps on the drying track shock up the standings.

Rounding out the top ten were James Thompson, Andrew Jordan and Rob Collard, while Tom Chilton couldn’t reproduce his first session heroics in a much drier second practice.

At the bottom of the times was Stephen Jelley, over 4.5 seconds off Plato’s pace, as the Team RAC driver only managed to complete 14 laps after stopping in the pitlane.