BTCC 2012 - Knockhill

**Julie B** · 25th August 2012, 15:45

Qualifying

Jason Plato has taken pole position in a wet Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship qualifying session at the Knockhill circuit in Fife.

Plato set a best time of 57.128s in his KX Momentum Racing MG6 to secure pole for the third time this season.

But his two Honda Yuasa Racing Team rivals, Matt Neal and Scottish ‘home hero’ Gordon Shedden who lay just ahead of him in the title race, could only manage eighth and sixth places in their Civics.

It means Plato has a golden opportunity to make further inroads into their advantage in the first of tomorrow’s three races at least.

Oxford’s Plato commented: “I had a bit more in reserve if required but the main thing is I’m starting from the front tomorrow and the two Hondas have some work to do.

“But we’re looking good in all conditions – I was very happy with the car in the dry in the earlier practice sessions so I’m feeling good about tomorrow.”

Qualifying second fastest behind Plato was eBay Motors' Robert Collard in his BMW while young Irishman Aron Smith was a best-ever third in his Redstone Racing Ford Focus.
Pos Driver Team/Car Time Gap
1. Jason Plato MG 57.128s
2. Rob Collard WSR BMW 57.425s + 0.297s
3. Aron Smith Motorbase Ford 57.478s + 0.350s
4. Tom Onslow-Cole WSR BMW 57.533s + 0.405s
5. Frank Wrathall Dynojet Toyota 57.572s + 0.444s
6. Gordon Shedden Honda 57.605s + 0.477s
7. Paul O'Neill Speedworks Toyota 57.650s + 0.522s
8. Matt Neal Honda 57.688s + 0.560s
9. Mat Jackson Motorbase Ford 57.776s + 0.648s
10. Dave Newsham ES Vauxhall 57.804s + 0.676s
11. Andrew Jordan Eurotech Honda 57.895s + 0.767s
12. Daniel Welch Welch Proton 57.938s + 0.810s
13. Adam Morgan Speedworks Toyota 58.036s + 0.908s
14. Nick Foster WSR BMW 58.082s + 0.954s
15. Jeff Smith Eurotech Honda 58.252s + 1.124s
16. Andy Neate MG 58.706s + 1.578s
17. Lea Wood Wood Vauxhall 58.836s + 1.708s
18. Robb Holland Gilham Honda 59.000s + 1.872s
19. Chris James ES Vauxhall 59.017s + 1.889s

**Julie B** · 25th August 2012, 15:45

Me and Greig are off tomorrow - hope the weather is a bit better

**Rob** · 25th August 2012, 16:00

Originally Posted by Julie B

Me and Greig are off tomorrow - hope the weather is a bit better

fingers crossed for you both. Have good day.

**Greig** · 25th August 2012, 16:34

Cmon flash! gonna stalk Louise Goodman all day

**Rob** · 25th August 2012, 17:41

Heres weather for tomorrow, looks good, but may all change

http://www.myweather2.com/Motor-Raci...l-Circuit.aspx

**Rob** · 26th August 2012, 18:25

Home win for Newsham
Dave Newsham has taken victory in front of his home crowd in Knockhill’s third Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship race this afternoon.

Inverness’s Newsham led all the way from the start to achieve his second win in as many events in his Team ES Racing.com Vauxhall Vectra.

Pirtek Racing’s Jeff Smith took a career best second – his first podium result in the BTCC – thanks to holding off the identical Honda Civic of Yuasa Honda Racing Team ace Matt Neal. Smith’s team-mate Andrew Jordan was fourth.

Newsham commented: “I really did not think victory was possible today but, starting from pole position on the reversed grid, I knew my best chance was to push hard straight away and try and build a gap which I did. It’s a good job, too, as the tyres were finished six laps from home and they were closing on me.”

An elated Smith, from Wellingborough, added: “I’m just delighted. I came close to a podium result earlier in the season and now it’s finally happened – to do it by fending off someone of Matt’s calibre in near identical cars gives it real credibility as well.”

Worcestershire’s Neal, only seventh and eighth in the day’s two earlier races, said: “I’m staggered to end the day on the podium – it’s been a horrid weekend for me but I’ve got here in the end I suppose and the points are always important.”

Neal’s third place finish has moved him back into the championship lead past team-mate Gordon Shedden who retired from the race with front-end damage to his car. In fact Neal actually leaves Knockhill with a greater lead – ten points – than that with which he arrived.

He’s also increased his advantage over third-placed Jason Plato from ten points to 36. Plato failed to start the third race when the turbo problems which had slowed his KX Momentum Racing MG6 in the second race continued on the warm-up lap.

Meanwhile Tom Onslow-Cole added to his pair of second place finishes earlier in the day with a fifth place result in the third race in his eBay Motors BMW. He also set the fastest lap as he fought through from ninth on the grid.

Paul O’Neill’s terrific day continued with sixth place in his Speedworks Motorsport Toyota Avensis. Seventh and ninth sandwiching Aron Smith’s Redstone Racing Ford Focus were Onslow-Cole’s team-mates Nick Foster and Robert Collard, winner of the day’s first two races.

It was an incident between Smith and O’Neill that ultimately led to Shedden’s retirement. Their squabbling cars delayed one another exiting McIntyres, this giving Foster a run on the pair of them before his BMW was squeezed high over a kerb. Shedden, who was right behind, had to take evasive action and damaged his car’s front end as a consequence…

Collard’s ninth place came after a robust battle with Mat Jackson’s NGTC-spec Redstone Focus. The pair traded places and paint on several occasions in the closing laps before Collard bullied his way past at the final bend, Jackson finishing in tenth.

**Rob** · 26th August 2012, 18:26

Collard wins again
Robert Collard has made it two wins at Knockhill with victory in the day’s second Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship race, again ahead of eBay Motors BMW team-mate Tom Onslow-Cole.

Starting from first and second on the grid, the BMW duo were untouchable as they cruised clear for another dream 1-2 result for their WSR-run team.

Just as in the day’s first race, home hero Gordon Shedden – watched by personal guest and Olympic gold medal winner Sir Chris Hoy MBE – again finished in third in his Yuasa Honda Racing Team Civic. The result has moved him ahead of team-mate Matt Neal and into the championship lead – he will go into this afternoon’s third race with a five point advantage at the top of the table.

Completing the top six were Paul O’Neill (Speedworks Toyota Avensis), Nick Foster (eBay BMW) and Aron Smith (Redstone Racing Ford Focus). O’Neill’s result is the best ever for Christian ’s squad. Meanwhile Smith’s team-mate Mat Jackson might also have been in the running for a top six result but was forced to retire with engine fumes pouring into his car from its broken exhaust… Jackson has since been given the all-clear by medics.

Hampshireman Collard, who also set the race’s fastest lap despite his car carrying maximum success ballast, commented: “Another 1-2 and Nick getting fifth as well for the team. It just shows how well sorted we’ve got the BMW here. What a result – what a day! I am delighted.”

New Malden racer Onslow-Cole added: “Full credit to Rob. Even with slightly more ballast on his car he always had the legs on me in that one and I had a few scares trying to stick with him. Maybe I need to steal his set-up sheet for the third race!”

Fife’s Shedden said: “We just can’t match the BMWs around here and I had a big gap behind me so I chose to settle for third and take the points.”

Pirtek Racing’s Andrew Jordan took seventh after a race-long tussle with Neal, their battle coming to a head when Neal survived a wild trip through the gravel exiting Clark’s corner and fell away to eighth. Jordan’s team-mate Jeff Smith took ninth and Dave Newsham tenth in his ES Racing.com Vauxhall Vectra.

Eleventh was Jason Plato. Starting from the back of the grid, many had expected the double Champion to surge through the field in his KX Momentum Racing MG6 which had crashed out of today’s first race. His car, though, clearly lacked pace and, as he rounded the final, he appeared to struggle to even make the line…

He remains Shedden and Neal’s closest title challenger but is now 26 points adrift of the championship lead heading into this afternoon’s third race.

Elsewhere, joining Jackson in retirement were Speedworks’s Adam Morgan (his Toyota’s brakes having failed) and Daniel Welch and Chris James whose Welch Motorsport Proton Persona and ES Vauxhall Vectra collided and crashed out together at the first bend.