BTCC 2012 - Rockingham

[Julie B]

Qualifying

Jason Plato has taken his fifth pole position of the Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship season in qualifying at Rockingham.

Plato, out on his own in the two earlier practice sessions, set the fastest time of the day so far with a lap in 1m22.448s in his MG KX Momentum Racing MG6. That’s a new BTCC qualifying lap record around Rockingham.

Honda Civic drivers were second and third, Yuasa-backed factory ace Gordon Shedden pipping Pirtek Racing’s Andrew Jordan by just 0.014s to grab a front row starting position alongside Plato.

However, they were some six tenths of a second adrift of Plato – another six tenths then covered Shedden down to Tom Onslow-Cole in 11th.

Mat Jackson produced a late surge of speed to qualify fourth fastest in his Redstone Racing Ford Focus. Plato and Shedden’s team-mates Andy Neate and Matt Neal were fifth and sixth.

It should be remembered that Neal, the reigning Champion and current points leader, is racing this weekend in pain with a broken hand and his car in qualifying was carrying the maximum 45kgs of success ballast.

Meanwhile there was an impressive performance from newcomer Howard Fuller, 14th fastest in Team HARD.’s Honda Civic.

Pos Driver Team/Car Time Gap
1. Jason Plato MG 1m22.448s
2. Gordon Shedden Honda 1m23.084s + 0.636s
3. Andrew Jordan Eurotech Honda 1m23.098s + 0.650s
4. Mat Jackson Motorbase Ford 1m23.178s + 0.730s
5. Andy Neate MG 1m23.300s + 0.852s
6. Matt Neal Honda 1m23.336s + 0.888s
7. Frank Wrathall Dynojet Toyota 1m23.394s + 0.946s
8. Rob Collard WSR BMW 1m23.498s + 1.050s
9. Jeff Smith Eurotech Honda 1m23.653s + 1.205s
10. Adam Morgan Speedworks Toyota 1m23.686s + 1.238s
11. Tom Onslow-Cole WSR BMW 1m23.718s + 1.270s
12. Rob Austin Austin Audi 1m23.763s + 1.315s
13. Dave Newsham ES Vauxhall 1m23.927s + 1.479s
14. Howard Fuller Gilham Honda 1m24.008s + 1.560s
15. Nick Foster WSR BMW 1m24.126s + 1.678s
16. Aron Smith Motorbase Ford 1m24.354s + 1.906s
17. Ollie Jackson AmD Volkswagen 1m24.920s + 2.472s
18. Will Bratt Austin Audi 1m25.146s + 2.698s
19. Tony Hughes Speedworks Toyota 1m25.736s + 3.288s
20. Chris James ES Vauxhall 1m25.829s + 3.381s

[Rob]

oh blimey, i forgot all about it this weekend.

[Greig]

Big gap, wonder if Jason will moan about how the others should get a boost as the fans want to see close racing?

[Rob]

Big gap, wonder if Jason will moan about how the others should get a boost as the fans want to see close racing?

you never know mate.

[Rob]

'In pain' Neal races on
Matt Neal hopes he can continue to overcome the pain from his broken hand in Rockingham’s three Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship races tomorrow.

Neal will go into tomorrow leading the championship by ten points from Honda Yuasa Racing Team team-mate Gordon Shedden.

He qualified sixth fastest overall this afternoon with Shedden up in second.

That was despite driving in some discomfort with his right hand (pictured) heavily bandaged after he suffered a motorbike accident recently.

Neal is also wary of Jason Plato who comfortably qualified on pole position and will be hoping to make up ground on Neal in the title race tomorrow. Plato is currently third in the standings, some 36 points adrift of Neal with 20 awarded for a win…

Worcestershire’s Neal, whose Honda was carrying the maximum 45kgs of success ballast in qualifying, commented: “The hand is hurting a bit but it could be worse. Three sessions (practice and qualifying) down, three (races) to go tomorrow so I’m 50 per cent of the way through.

“I’m taking the view that compared to what bike racers ride with this is just a scratch so I’m not complaining too much, although left-handers are a bit painful and some corners I’m driving with just one hand.

“But it’s a circuit which we always knew would suit our car so there was no way I was going to miss it – I have to score points tomorrow.

“The forecast is for a bit of rain which might help us as less load goes through the steering, but of course both hands can come in useful if you have to catch a slide in those conditions. Let’s see…”

[Julie B]

Race 1 - Results

Jason Plato closed the gap on his Honda rivals in the British Touring Car Championship with a dominant victory in race one at Rockingham on Sunday.

After briefly fighting off a challenge from the fast-starting Motorbase Ford of Mat Jackson, Plato's MG pulled clear of the field.

On his first flying lap, Plato set a time that would have been good enough for fifth on the grid and established a two-second lead.

He extended it to over four before cruising home to take his fourth win of 2012.

Behind him, Jackson's tenure of second was brief as he was shuffled back by the Eurotech and works Hondas of, respectively, Andrew Jordan and Gordon Shedden at Yentwood on lap one.

Shedden shadowed Jordan early on before dropping back. He just held off Jackson at the flag to complete the podium.

The second MG of Andy Neate initially ran fifth, but fell prey to Rob Collard's WSR BMW - up from eighth on the grid - and Matt Neal's Honda.

Despite his injured hand, Neal had already fought off a challenge from Rob Austin's rapid Audi, which spun trying to pass the Honda at Pif-Paf, and pressured Collard to the flag.

Neal's sixth place was enough to retain the points lead, but the triple champion lost ground to closest rivals Shedden and Plato.

A fading Neate finished seventh, just ahead of Tom Onslow-Cole's BMW and the recovering Austin.

BTCC rookie Howard Fuller lost out to Chris James on the final lap, but still took points for 14th with Tony Gilham Racing's Honda.

Pos Driver Team/Car Time/Gap
1. Jason Plato MG 22m38.269s
2. Andrew Jordan Eurotech Honda + 3.323s
3. Gordon Shedden Honda + 6.710s
4. Mat Jackson Motorbase Ford + 6.890s
5. Rob Collard WSR BMW + 19.974s
6. Matt Neal Honda + 20.254s
7. Andy Neate MG + 26.102s
8. Tom Onslow-Cole WSR BMW + 26.445s
9. Rob Austin Austin Audi + 26.993s
10. Nick Foster WSR BMW + 33.041s
11. Frank Wrathall Dynojet Toyota + 34.547s
12. Dave Newsham ES Vauxhall + 34.820s
13. Chris James ES Vauxhall + 51.918s
14. Howard Fuller Gilham Honda + 53.338s
15. Tony Hughes Speedworks Toyota + 53.952s

Retirements:
Will Bratt Austin Audi 14 laps
Jeff Smith Eurotech Honda 12 laps
Adam Morgan Speedworks Toyota 12 laps
Ollie Jackson AmD Volkswagen 10 laps
Aron Smith Motorbase Ford 6 laps

[Rob]

with GP on, a forgot about it again, go record rest of BTCC

[Julie B]

Race 2 - Results

Gordon Shedden led home team-mate Matt Neal in the second British Touring Car race at Rockingham as Honda dominated in wet conditions.

Andrew Jordan's Eurotech Honda and Rob Collard's WSR BMW both challenged MG driver Jason Plato, who started from pole as a result of his race one win, at the start.

As Jordan grabbed the lead, Collard forced his way by Plato at Yentwood, allowing Shedden to demote the MG to fourth.

An off by Andy Neate in the second MG then briefly brought out the safety car.

Jordan made a good restart, but immediately made a mistake at Deene, dropping to 11th and allowing Shedden into the lead.

After a skirmish with Neal, Plato overtook Collard for second, but the injured Neal soon followed him through.

The championship leader made it a Honda one-two by passing Plato just before half-distance and then pulled away in appalling conditions.

Towards the end Shedden slowed to allow Neal an extra point for leading a lap, before they took up their previous order.

Shedden thus took his seventh win of the season to move to within a point of Neal in the drivers' standings.

Behind Plato, Mat Jackson took fourth in Motorbase's NGTC Ford Focus despite an early off, while Frank Wrathall (Dynojet Toyota) completed the top five after starting on row six.

Aron Smith (Motorbase Ford) starred, going from last to six, despite some contact, and just held off the recovering Jordan.

Ollie Jackson also impressed in AmD's Volkswagen Golf, climbing to ninth from the rear of the field. He was promoted to eighth when Adam Morgan (Speedworks) made a late error and held the Toyota off to the flag.

Collard eventually fell behind team-mate Nick Foster and only just beat series debutant Howard Fuller in Tony Gilham Racing's S2000 Honda Civic for 11th.

Pos Driver Team/Car Time/Gap
1. Gordon Shedden Honda 30m28.745s
2. Matt Neal Honda + 0.966s
3. Jason Plato MG + 6.115s
4. Mat Jackson Motorbase Ford + 9.215s
5. Frank Wrathall Dynojet Toyota + 12.323s
6. Aron Smith Motorbase Ford + 26.859s
7. Andrew Jordan Eurotech Honda + 27.967s
8. Ollie Jackson AmD Volkswagen + 39.196s
9. Adam Morgan Speedworks Toyota + 40.198s
10. Nick Foster WSR BMW + 45.280s
11. Rob Collard WSR BMW + 47.736s
12. Howard Fuller Gilham Honda + 48.220s
13. Jeff Smith Eurotech Honda + 58.245s
14. Tom Onslow-Cole WSR BMW + 59.070s
15. Dave Newsham ES Vauxhall + 1m00.401s
16. Rob Austin Austin Audi + 1m00.763s
17. Tony Hughes Speedworks Toyota + 1m09.835s
18. Chris James ES Vauxhall + 1m41.878s

Retirements:
Will Bratt Austin Audi 15 laps
Andy Neate MG 0 laps

[Julie B]

Race 3 - Results

Gordon Shedden took the lead of the British Touring Car Championship with a fine victory in the reversed-grid race at a wet Rockingham.

The works Honda Civic driver jumped from row five to sixth on the opening lap, helped by mistakes from poleman Adam Morgan (Speedworks Toyota Avensis) and Mat Jackson in Motorbase's NGTC Ford Focus.

Up at the front, the fast-starting Aron Smith (Motorbase S2000 Focus) led Matt Neal's Civic (up from eighth on the grid), Rob Collard's WSR BMW, Jason Plato's MG and the Eurotech Honda of Andrew Jordan.

Shedden dived by Jordan into Deene just before Jeff Smith crashed his Eurotech-run Civic heavily on the banking, bringing out the safety car.

Plato had already passed Collard, and Shedden soon made it by the BMW after the restart.

The three title contenders - Neal, Plato and Shedden - then closed on Aron Smith, who was struggling to maintain his pace.

Neal made it by into Tarzan on lap 11 of 19, but Shedden and Plato followed almost immediately.

With Plato still within range, Shedden - who appeared to have extra speed over the injured Neal - got a great run out of the last corner to challenge his team-mate.

The Honda duo ran side-by-side through the banked Turn 1 before Shedden secured the place.

Shedden then edged away to take his eighth win of 2012, while Neal just held off a late charge from Plato.

Smith eventually came home fifth after falling prey to Jordan, who thus made it three NGTC Civics in the top four.

Jackson recovered to sixth, ahead of a late battle between Tom Onslow-Cole's WSR BMW and the AmD VW Golf of Ollie Jackson, which had started on the front row.

Onslow-Cole had come through from row seven, but found the VW a tough competitor

The duo swapped places twice on the final tour before Onslow-Cole crossed the line seventh.

BTCC rookie Howard Fuller finished 16th after going off at Deene in Tony Gilham Racing's S2000 Honda Civic.

Results - 19 laps:

Pos Driver Team/Car Time/Gap
1. Gordon Shedden Honda 33m28.324s
2. Matt Neal Honda + 3.423s
3. Jason Plato MG + 3.671s
4. Andrew Jordan Eurotech Honda + 13.439s
5. Aron Smith Motorbase Ford + 15.728s
6. Mat Jackson Motorbase Ford + 19.810s
7. Tom Onslow-Cole WSR BMW + 22.229s
8. Ollie Jackson AmD Volkswagen + 22.685s
9. Nick Foster WSR BMW + 29.635s
10. Rob Austin Austin Audi + 30.747s
11. Adam Morgan Speedworks Toyota + 33.204s
12. Frank Wrathall Dynojet Toyota + 36.223s
13. Rob Collard WSR BMW + 44.385s
14. Andy Neate MG + 45.067s
15. Will Bratt Austin Audi + 47.662s
16. Howard Fuller Gilham Honda + 55.443s
17. Tony Hughes Speedworks Toyota + 1m04.343s

Retirements:

Dave Newsham ES Vauxhall 11 laps
Chris James ES Vauxhall 4 laps
Jeff Smith Eurotech Honda 2 laps

[Rob]

another win for Flash. Good days racing. Go watch the last race bit later.