BTCC 2010 - Croft

**Julie B** · 21st June 2010, 18:03

Qualifying
Tom Chilton achieved a record qualifying time at Croft to set pole position for the first of tomorrow’s three Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship races at the North Yorkshire circuit.

Chilton (pictured) set pole in a time of 1m24.629s in his Team Aon Ford Focus and later described the session as “the luckiest of my life” after he’d earlier run off the track into a barrier – necessitating urgent repairs in the pit lane to the front of his car.

It is his third pole position from the five qualifying sessions held so far in 2010.

Chilton, aged 25 from Poole, said: “I only just got back out of the gravel trap when I'd been off. My mechanics did a great job with the gaffer tape! Then on my second run, when I set the time, I hit a kerb really hard and thought I’d punctured a tyre but it all held together. But I knew it was my last chance so gave it my all. It was the perfect lap but I admit I was very lucky.”

Just a fraction behind, Gordon Shedden qualified second fastest in his Honda Racing Team Honda Civic ahead of WSR BMW driver Robert Collard in third.

Fourth on his home track was impressive 19-year-old Cumbrian Alex MacDowall in his Silverline Chevrolet Cruze. Championship leaders Matt Neal and Jason Plato – respective team-mates to Shedden and MacDowall – were fifth and sixth, their cars laden with success ballast.

Worcestershire’s Neal, BTCC Champion in 2005 and 2006 and who goes into tomorrow’s three races with an eight-point advantage over Plato, commented: “I initially set a 25.5s and thought about parking it – I didn’t think any more was possible with the success ballast in the car. But I gave it another go and it’s important I did or I’d have ended up in ninth. Initially, Jason was three or four places behind me but when I looked at the times at the end he’s right there with me! That’s going to be a very busy first corner tomorrow…”

Oxford-based Plato, chasing a second BTCC crown to add to that which he won in 2001, added: “This is the sort of circuit where success ballast does give you a bit of a kick in the teeth. I’ve got it again for race one tomorrow and don’t expect to be able to make any progress. I think the best I can hope for is sixth and then for the weight to come off for race two. Then we’ll have a car that can move forward.”

MacDowall aside, of the other local drivers, 18-year-old newcomer Daniel Lloyd from Huddersfield was an impressive 11th fastest in his first-ever BTCC qualifying session in his Triple Eight-run Vauxhall Vectra and Morpeth’s Arthur Forster was 20th in his Forster Motorsport BMW.

Elsewhere, there was frustration for Airwaves BMW pair Steven Kane and Mat Jackson - third and fifth in the championship arriving at Croft but back in 15th and 12th in qualifying.

Lea Wood was unable to set a lap time when his Central Group Racing Honda Integra broke a driveshaft on its 'out lap', but he will not start from last on tomorrow's grid. Instead, Andy Neate will take up that position - the WSR driver qualified 16th fastest but must now serve a six-place grid penalty as punishment for a driving misdemeanour in the previous round at Oulton Park.

Pos Driver Car Time
1. Tom Chilton Ford Focus 1m24.629s
2. Gordon Shedden Honda Civic 1m24.706s
3. Rob Collard BMW 320si 1m25.105s
4. Alex MacDowall Chevrolet Cruze 1m25.157s
5. Matt Neal Honda Civic 1m25.234s
6. Jason Plato Chevrolet Cruze 1m25.317s
7. Tom Onslow-Cole Ford Focus 1m25.337s
8. James Nash Vauxhall Vectra 1m25.339s
9. Paul O'Neill Honda Integra 1m25.480s
10. Andrew Jordan Vauxhall Vectra 1m25.593s
11. Daniel Lloyd Vauxhall Vectra 1m25.858s
12. Mat Jackson BMW 320si 1m25.884s
13. Tom Boardman SEAT Leon 1m25.915s
14. Dave Pinkney Vauxhall Vectra 1m25.925s
15. Steven Kane BMW 320si 1m25.948s
16. Andy Neate BMW 320si 1m26.484s
17. Martin Depper BMW 320si 1m27.123s
18. Martin Johnson Vauxhall Astra Coupe 1m27.528s
19. John George Honda Integra 1m27.538s
20. Arthur Forster BMW 320si 1m28.311s
21. Shaun Hollamby VW Golf no time
22. Lea Wood Honda Integra no time

**Julie B** · 21st June 2010, 18:05

Gordon Shedden has won a dramatic opening Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship race at Croft by just 0.035s from Robert Collard.

Collard’s WSR BMW crossed the line half on the grass as he unsuccessfully tried to pass Shedden’s Honda Racing Team Honda Civic in a sprint from the last bend to the chequered flag. But Scottish ace Shedden held on by a nose for his first victory of 2010. He also set the race’s fastest lap for a bonus point.

Shedden told btcc.net: “I knew he was coming and it was a case of defending into the final hairpin and then trying to second-guess where he might have a go on the exit. At least I gave him half a car’s width but I wasn’t going to let that one go…”

Collard added: “I went wide into the hairpin to get a run on him and he kept left to block me off so I went to his right. I felt it was a bit unfair on Gordon’s part but in his position I may well have done the same. The crowds probably enjoyed that one!”

Finishing third was Silverline Chevrolet’s Jason Plato and fourth Honda Racing Team's Matt Neal but Tom Chilton, who’d started from pole position in his Team Aon Ford Focus, was down in 18th after pitting to replace a punctured tyre. The result has had a significant effect on the standings heading into the second of today’s three races at the North Yorks track: Neal continues to lead from Plato by just six points with Shedden up from sixth to third.

Notably Daniel Lloyd, aged just 18 from nearby Huddersfield, scored points on his BTCC debut with an excellent seventh place in his Triple Eight-run Vauxhall Vectra.

Shedden, starting from second on the grid, seized the lead at the first corner. He then gradually edged away from Chilton who soon started to struggle for pace with what, unbeknown to him, was a slow left front puncture. At half-distance, Collard and the rest of the following pack started to find a way past Chilton but by hanging on for as long as he could the Ford driver caused great confusion – and excitement – behind as his bunched-up rivals tripped over one another.

Collard then set about closing the gap to Shedden and going onto the final lap they were nose-to-tail. But it was not to be, despite his last gasp effort, although second place – just as first has for Shedden – has clearly breathed new life into Collard’s season.

Keeping clear of all the chaos behind, some 18 seconds adrift the fleeing leaders, were wily pair Plato and Neal, although the latter came under intense pressure towards the end from Sunshine.co.uk with Tech-Speed’s Paul O’Neill.

Triple Eight’s James Nash, his Vectra’s handling knocked askew in a clash with Neal, won the dash for sixth ahead of the impressive Lloyd. Eighth was Chilton’s team-mate Tom Onslow-Cole – he’d been up to fifth but dropped back when his car’s engine briefly cut out. Airwaves BMW’s Mat Jackson took ninth by passing Andrew Jordan’s Pirtek Vectra at the final bend – earlier the pair had clashed through Clervaux, costing Jackson valuable time and places.

There was a hugely encouraging drive from Forster Motorsport’s Martin Depper in 14th, right on the bumper of Plato’s team-mate Alex MacDowall who, having run fourth early on, slipped down the order with brake problems. Behind, Martin Johnson just held off Andy Neate for 16th, the latter’s WSR BMW having gone through a high-speed spin at the Clark Esses after a spill with the former’s Boulevard Vauxhall Astra on lap seven.

Retirements included Depper’s team-mate Arthur Forster – the local driver stopped on the opening lap after a spin into a crop field at the Clark Esses. It was at the same corner that Shaun Hollamby also pulled up in his AmD Milltek Racing.com VW Golf. Lea Wood parked up at the Complex with alternator failure on his Central Group Racing’s Honda Integra. David Pinkney’s Pinkney Motorsport Vectra expired in a cloud of smoke and his mechanics face a race against time to replace its engine for today’s second race.

Pos Driver Car Time/Gap
1. Gordon Shedden Honda 21m59.863s
2. Rob Collard BMW + 0.035s
3. Jason Plato Chevrolet + 18.355s
4. Matt Neal Honda + 20.012s
5. Paul O'Neill Honda + 20.265s
6. James Nash Vauxhall + 27.276s
7. Daniel Lloyd Vauxhall + 27.888s
8. Tom Onslow-Cole Ford + 30.323s
9. Mat Jackson BMW + 30.554s
10. Andrew Jordan Vauxhall + 30.999s
11. Steven Kane BMW + 33.895s
12. Tom Boardman SEAT + 35.940s
13. Alex MacDowall Chevrolet + 36.601s
14. Martin Depper BMW + 37.062s
15. John George Honda + 48.228s
16. Martin Johnson Vauxhall + 50.673s
17. Andy Neate BMW + 51.622s
18. Tom Chilton Ford + 1m22.598s

Retirements:

Arthur Forster BMW 12 laps
Lea Wood Honda 11 laps
Shaun Hollamby Volkswagen 4 laps
David Pinkney Vauxhall 3 laps

**Julie B** · 21st June 2010, 18:06

Gordon Shedden and Matt Neal made it a dream 1-2 result for their Honda Racing Team in the second of today’s Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship races at Croft.

Scottish ace Shedden effectively led all the way, generously handing Neal the lead for a lap towards the end (so the latter could score a bonus point) before re-asserting himself at the front for his second win of the day.

Chevrolet’s Jason Plato, who had held second early on until being passed by Neal entering the Sunny In corner, finished third while the fastest lap was set by fourth-placed Paul O’Neill in his Sunshine.co.uk with Tech-Speed Honda Integra.

As a result, Neal has pulled out a nine-point lead over Plato at the top of the standings heading into today’s third race. Shedden is now just a further 12 points adrift in third.

O’Neill has also resurrected his Independent drivers’ title hopes – he is now up to third, just three points behind Team Aon’s Tom Onslow-Cole and Airwaves BMW Steven Kane who are tied for the lead. O’Neill’s fourth place came courtesy of a cheeky move down the inside of Onslow-Cole’s Ford Focus at the final bend – much to the latter’s annoyance – while Kane retired from the race with radiator damage.

However, the race’s big talking point was an incident involving Neal, O’Neill and WSR BMW driver Robert Collard. O’Neill was attempting to pass Collard for third into Tower Bend just as Neal was diving down the inside of him. It appeared that Neal and O’Neill collided with the Sunshine driver’s car then knocking Collard into a spin.

Collard, whose damaged driver’s side door later needed to be crow-barred open by his mechanics, dropped to last but then valiantly fought his way back up to eighth – a sign of what might have been.

Behind Onslow-Cole in sixth was Tom Boardman – a great result from 12th on the grid after having had his Special Tuning UK SEAT Leon ‘roughed up’ in race one. Andrew Jordan finished seventh in his Pirtek Racing Vauxhall Vectra. And that has become pole position for race three after number seven was picked in the reversed grid draw.

Ninth behind the seething Collard came Plato’s team-mate Alex MacDowall whose Cruze, after twice swiping the chicane’s tyre barriers, crossed the line minus both its front wings. Collard’s team-mate Andy Neate completed the top ten after holding off Aon’s Tom Chilton.

Martin Depper gave the fledgling Forster Motorsport team its best result yet with 12th – in front of both Triple Eight-run Vauxhall Vectras driven by James Nash and Daniel Lloyd, so impressive in race one but who this time ran off the track together after banging panels at the hairpin.

Martin Johnson’s Boulevard Vauxhall Astra got the nod over Shaun Hollamby’s AmD Milltek Racing.com VW Golf in a thrilling littler battle for 15th while Lea Wood completed the classified runners in 16th, a lap down after pitting to replace a punctured tyre.

Adding to Airwaves’ agony, its other driver Mat Jackson retired as well, with suspension damage. Also missing at the end were Depper’s and O’Neill’s respective team-mates Arthur Forster and John George.

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Shedden wins again at Croft

By Marcus Simmons Sunday, June 20th 2010, 14:47 GMT

Just like the old waiting-for-a-bus cliche, Gordon Shedden waited yonks for a British Touring Car Championship victory, and now two have come along at once.

Shedden led home team-mate Matt Neal in a one-two for the Dynamics-run Honda Civics, but it was another exciting 15 laps in the second race at Croft.

Jason Plato initially chased Shedden, but the RML Chevrolet man was powerless to stop Neal slicing ahead of him into Sunny at half-distance.

Neal was given a lap in the lead by Shedden in what looked suspiciously like a bid to buy the championship leader a bonus point for leading the race, but the Dynamics team cheekily claimed that each driver had missed a gear...

Plato had muscled his way ahead of Rob Collard on the opening lap, and this would prove the undoing of the WSR BMW man.

Running third, Collard was hit by Paul O'Neill, who in turn had been hit by Neal, in an incident which caused substantial damage to the BMW. Collard continued at the back and stormed back to eighth, while O'Neill claimed fourth in a dramatic last-corner move on the Ford Focus of Tom Onslow-Cole.

Behind this pair, Tom Boardman's SEAT led a massive bundle to finally take sixth place.

The Motorbase BMW team continued its disastrous weekend, with Steven Kane retiring with a damage radiator and Mat Jackson with a broken suspension subframe.

Pos Driver Car Time/Gap
1. Gordon Shedden Honda 22m16.514s
2. Matt Neal Honda + 0.742s
3. Jason Plato Chevrolet + 6.350s
4. Paul O'Neill Honda + 9.958s
5. Tom Onslow-Cole Ford + 10.909s
6. Tom Boardman SEAT + 17.408s
7. Andrew Jordan Vauxhall + 17.599s
8. Rob Collard BMW + 17.789s
9. Alex MacDowall Chevrolet + 18.343s
10. Andy Neate BMW + 19.331s
11. Tom Chilton Ford + 21.169s
12. Martin Depper BMW + 25.065s
13. James Nash Vauxhall + 25.248s
14. Daniel Lloyd Vauxhall + 25.987s
15. Martin Johnson Vauxhall + 43.894s
16. Shaun Hollamby Volkswagen + 44.286s
17. Lea Wood Honda + 1 lap

Retirements:

Mat Jackson BMW 11 laps
Steven Kane BMW 10 laps
John George Honda 9 laps
Arthur Forster BMW 4 laps

**Julie B** · 21st June 2010, 18:08

Andrew Jordan achieved his first win in the Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship with victory in race three at Croft – also the first for TOCA’s turbocharged NGTC engine.

Jordan led every lap from pole position in his Pirtek Racing Vauxhall Vectra to finish well clear of the rest, headed by Tom Onslow-Cole’s Team Aon Ford Focus. Steven Kane came through from 19th on the grid to finish third in his Airwaves BMW.

A tearful Jordan, aged 21 from Lichfield, said: “Two weeks ago at Oulton Park my day finished on top of the barriers. Today I’ve finished on top of the podium. It’s a fantastic result for the all team who worked so hard to rebuild my car. I’m ecstatic.”

In a race of attrition, championship leader Matt Neal retired with a punctured tyre on his Honda Civic. There was also a puncture for chief title rival Jason Plato who, after a pit stop, at least salvaged a point for setting the fastest lap in his Chevrolet Cruze.

Neal’s team-mate Gordon Shedden, who’d won the day’s first two races, struggled as well, picking up just two points for ninth place in a battle-scarred Civic.

Leaving Croft, Neal continues to lead the series by eight points from Plato with Shedden a further 11 points back. The BTCC now takes a lengthy summer break before returning to action at the Snetterton circuit in Norfolk on 8 August.

Elsewhere, Robert Collard, a potential winner of the race, lost a lap in the pit lane with electrical problems on his WSR BMW having just overtaken Tom Boardman for third. Boardman then surely looked set to achieve his first-ever podium result in the BTCC but it was still not to be as his Special Tuning UK SEAT Leon was muscled back to sixth by the sensational Kane, Onslow-Cole’s team-mate Tom Chilton and Paul O’Neill’s Sunshine.co.uk with Tech-Speed Honda. Kane, though, was later to receive a reprimand and had two penalty points put on his licence, officials unhappy with the manner in which he had robustly shoved Boardman out of the way...

Mat Jackson was a frustrated seventh – he’d been ahead of team-mate Kane at one point – while eighth, continuing his strong debut BTCC weekend, was 18-year-old Daniel Lloyd in his Triple Eight Vauxhall Vectra. Behind Shedden, Plato’s team-mate Alex MacDowall completed the top ten.

After his fine showings in races one and two, Martin Depper was this time out of luck, retiring with a punctured tyre on his Forster Motorsport BMW. Collard’s team-mate Andy Neate stopped with collision damage to his BMW. David Pinkney was sidelined after five laps with more engine problems on his Pinkney Motorsport Vauxhall Vectra and Martin Johnson’s Boulevard Vauxhall Astra lasted just a lap before a misfiring engine ruled him out.

Pos Driver Car Time/Gap
1. Andrew Jordan Vauxhall 22m14.953s
2. Tom Onslow-Cole Ford + 7.885s
3. Steven Kane BMW + 13.942s
4. Tom Chilton Ford + 14.938s
5. Paul O'Neill Honda + 16.200s
6. Tom Boardman SEAT + 16.404s
7. Mat Jackson BMW + 16.504s
8. Daniel Lloyd Vauxhall + 16.589s
9. Gordon Shedden Honda + 21.678s
10. Alex MacDowall Chevrolet + 22.994s
11. James Nash Vauxhall + 24.261s
12. John George Honda + 32.178s
13. Lea Wood Honda + 34.851s
14. Shaun Hollamby Volkswagen + 45.356s
15. Arthur Forster BMW + 56.572s
16. Jason Plato Chevrolet + 1m14.319s
17. Rob Collard BMW + 1 lap

Retirements:

Martin Depper BMW 11 laps
Matt Neal Honda 10 laps
Andy Neate BMW 8 laps
David Pinkney Vauxhall 5 laps
Martin Johnson Vauxhall 1 laps