Plato pips Chilton at the post

Jason Plato pulled off a stunning victory in the opening race, to out drag Tom Chilton to the line by just +0.015. The victory keeps Plato in the championship hunt, but was heartbreaking for Chilton who comfortably led for all but the closing metres of the race, in the BTCC’s closest ever finish.

Despite Plato being in close attendance throughout Chilton looked set to take Ford’s first BTCC win since September 2000, but with the championship protagonist cranking up the pressure in the closing laps, it wasn’t to be.

Pressure from the Chevrolet behind forced Chilton to go defensive coming in to Clearways for the eighteenth and final time, allowing Plato to dive for the inside, squeezing the Lacetti between the pit wall and the Focus, teeing up a drag race for the line.

With the Ford’s strong performance on the straights during the race and the Chevrolet’s known for their straight line speed it was always going to be close, but with Plato holding the inside line and carrying slightly more momentum through the corner, it was the light blue machine which crossed the line first, just.

Plato’s win takes him to just 14 points behind championship leader Colin Turkington, who finished down in eighth position. Fabrizio Giovanardi also closed up on the Team RAC driver, coming home third to move within six points of the top spot.

Really though the race was all about the front pairing, with Chilton, who had looked comfortable for much of the race, surviving two re-starts following safety car periods, but on both occasions the 24-year-old coped with the pressure from Plato and Giovanardi behind.

The Italian made a good start away from the second row, but was boxed in by Chilton and Plato, with the two title aspirants making contact on the run towards Paddock Hill Bend. Series rookie Matt Hamilton was the casualty at the first corner, becoming beached in the gravel after contact with Martin Johnson that brought out the safety car for the first time.

Up ahead, Mat Jackson made contact with Matt Neal as he dived down the inside at Graham Hill Bend, with the Vauxhall driver returning the compliment with far greater force at Surtees to send his rival for fourth place in the standings off onto the grass.

An uneventful re-start followed with the field remaining in much the same order, bar Gordon Shedden and Paul O’Neill passing Stephen Jelley at Westfield, until two separate incidents brought the safety car back out at the end of lap ten.

First Johnny Herbert went straight on under braking all by himself at Druids and then Shedden followed him off circuit by running wide exiting Sheene Curve to clip the barriers on the outside.

Once again Plato pressurised Chilton when the green flag was waved, but again was not close enough to make a move on the Team Aon Ford.

However, with Chilton looking set for victory, Plato applied the pressure one final time, teeing up the closest finish in BTCC history and his 51st win in the championship.

Behind Giovanardi rounded out the podium with Andrew Jordan and Neal making it three Vauxhalls line astern in the marque’s final BTCC meeting, with a trio of BMWs following them home, in the order Rob Collard, Johnny Adam and Turkington.

Speaking afterwards, Tom Chilton revealed he was still pleased with second, particularly as his Focus had suffered power steering failure on the final lap.

“I had no power steering, and I went into the second last corner and all my muscles locked out so I just couldn’t steer it. I was lucky to hang on and finish, but wow, it’s the best result we’ve had all year.”

“I have to say Tom drove a fantastic race”, said Plato, “He was very tidy and didn’t make any mistakes. I thought if there was any chance to put him under pressure it was at Clearways, and then maybe, maybe I’d have a chance.

“I caught up through the quick stuff around the back of the circuit, and then he had to defend at clearways and that gave me my run.”

Meanwhile championship leader Colin Turkington saw his lead slashed, but remained optimistic of his chances, particularly with all the weight being taken off his BMW for race two.

“It’s a finish! It’s progress. It was really hard work with all the weight on the car I can really feel it. On the corners I’m a match for the BMWs without weight, but on the straights they just pull away.

“The gap is down now, so it’s not going to be easy, but I’m still all on for it.”