BTCC 2012 - Snetterton

Qualifying

Frank Wrathall has spectacularly taken the first pole position of his Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship career at the Snetterton circuit in Norfolk.

The 25-year-old from Preston achieved pole in a time of 1m57.595s in his Dynojet Toyota Avensis to pip former double Champion, Oxford’s Jason Plato in his MG KX Momentum Racing MG6 by just 0.015s.

Wrathall’s pole is the first for a Toyota driver in the BTCC since 1993 and also a qualifying record for the championship around the Snetterton track.

Inverness’s Dave Newsham was also close to pole, just 0.054s away from Wrathall in third in his Team ES Racing.com Vauxhall Vectra.

An elated Wrathall said: “That was very close as Jason and I were trading fastest times but in the end I came out on top. I’d come back into the pit lane and knew he was out there giving it one final go, but it seems he made a mistake and went off the track – when the team told me I was shouting a lot in the car! To beat a driver of his stature makes it all the more rewarding and I’m delighted.”

Plato replied: “Congratulations to Frank – it’s always nice to see a young driver doing well, even if it is at my expense! The important thing is I’m ahead of the two drivers I’m chasing for the title and from here can start thinking about taking points back off them.”

And added Newsham: “Finally the Vectra feels like it did back at the start of the season when I had three really strong opening events. From what we’ve seen in the earlier practice sessions our tyre wear rate is also excellent so I’m hoping for three very strong races tomorrow.”

There were career-best qualifying results, too, for Preston's Adam Morgan and Fleet's Daniel Welch – a fine fifth and sixth fastest in their Speedworks Motorsport Toyota and Welch Motorsport Proton respectively.

Lea Wood also equalled his best BTCC qualifying result with the eighth fastest time in his BINZ Racing Vectra.

But there were major frustrations for the two championship leaders, Honda Yuasa Racing Team team-mates Matt Neal and Gordon Shedden.

Worcestershire's Neal was a lowly seventh by his standards and Fife's Shedden 22nd and last after on-going problems with his Civic – which had suffered a major fire in practice this morning – prevented him from setting a time.

Elsewhere Warwickshire's Mat Jackson, another of the championship’s top names, qualified the Redstone Racing team’s all-new Ford Focus ST an encouraging 16th fastest on its debut. The Focus, only completed at 7.00am, becomes the seventh different make of car to be built to the BTCC’s new and much-applauded NGTC regulations…

Meanwhile Neal will go into tomorrow’s three BTCC races at Snetterton leading the standings by a point from Shedden. Plato is a further 28 back with 20 awarded for a race win.

Pos Driver Team/Car Time Gap
1. Frank Wrathall Dynojet Toyota 1m57.595s
2. Jason Plato MG 1m57.610s + 0.015s
3. Dave Newsham ES Vauxhall 1m57.649s + 0.054s
4. Andrew Jordan Eurotech Honda 1m58.133s + 0.538s
5. Adam Morgan Speedworks Toyota 1m58.205s + 0.610s
6. Daniel Welch Welch Proton 1m58.263s + 0.668s
7. Matt Neal Honda 1m58.552s + 0.957s
8. Lea Wood Central Vauxhall 1m58.699s + 1.104s
9. Tom Onslow-Cole WSR BMW 1m58.881s + 1.286s
10. Jeff Smith Eurotech Honda 1m59.215s + 1.620s
11. Aron Smith Motorbase Ford 1m59.401s + 1.806s
12. Rob Collard WSR BMW 1m59.421s + 1.826s
13. Andy Neate MG 1m59.961s + 2.366s
14. Rob Austin Austin Audi 1m59.963s + 2.368s
15. Chris James ES Vauxhall 2m00.005s + 2.410s
16. Mat Jackson Motorbase Ford 2m00.142s + 2.547s
17. Nick Foster WSR BMW 2m00.208s + 2.613s
18. Ollie Jackson AmD Volkswagen 2m00.778s + 3.183s
19. Tony Gilham Thorney Vauxhall 2m01.056s + 3.461s
20. Robb Holland Gilham Honda 2m01.112s + 3.517s
21. Tony Hughes Speedworks Toyota 2m01.695s + 4.100s
22. Gordon Shedden Honda

Race 1 - Results

Jason Plato has won the first of Snetterton’s three Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship races to close in on the championship lead.

Plato, starting from second, took the lead at the first bend and was never headed in his KX Momentum Racing MG6. He also set the race’s fastest lap en route to this third win of the season.

Frank Wrathall, who started from pole position, took second in his Dynojet Toyota Avensis. He fell to third at the start but moved into second when Dave Newsham’s move on Plato for the lead cost his ES Racing.com Vauxhall Vectra momentum.

Newsham would cross the line in fourth after a ferocious scrap for third with Andrew Jordan on the final lap went the way of the Pirtek Racing Honda Civic driver.

Championship leader Matt Neal was fifth in his Honda Yuasa Racing Team Civic but only after fighting off Daniel Welch who was an impressive sixth in his Welch Motorsport Proton. Tom Onslow-Cole was next up in seventh in his eBay Motors BMW followed by Neal’s team-mate Gordon Shedden who’d moved through from 22nd on the grid after problems in qualifying.

The result means Neal has stretched his lead to Shedden to four points while Plato has closed to within 18 points of the top having gone into the race trailing by 29.

Plato commented: “That’s a good win for many reasons – it shows we’ve moved the car on in the break, it’s moved me closer to the championship lead and it was hard work. I knew Dave would have a crack so it was important to rebuff him and in the end it cost him dear.”

Wrathall added: "It wasn't the best of starts and I'm slightly disappointed with second as it would have been interesting to see if I could have takent he fight to Jason. But it's still a great result for the team."

Jordan said: "It was a robust last lap with Newsham but I've had that done to me – I'd call it hard but fair. It was a bit of a messy end to a frustrating race for me."

Onslow-Cole’s team-mate Robert Collard should have taken eighth but his car cruelly stopped on the last lap. Instead ninth was Mat Jackson who gave Redstone Racing’s brand new NGTC-spec Ford Focus ST a hugely encouraging debut. He managed to nip past Lea Wood who took tenth in his BINZ Racing Vectra having impressively spent much of the race fighting the eBay BMWs before fading.

Of note, Tony Gilham took 14th in his first race in Thorney Motorsport's Vauxhall Insignia.

The race required a four-lap safety car period early on to retrieve the Team HARD. Honda Civic of Robb Holland and Adam Morgan’s Speedworks Motorsport Toyota which had crashed out at the Riches corner. Debutant Holland’s car came to a rest on top of the barriers. Meanwhile it was a disappointing end to the race for Morgan who, having qualified fifth fastest, had also spun on the opening lap.

Elsewhere, Plato’s team-mate Andy Neate was back in 16th after spinning following contact with Chris James’s ES Racing Vectra which later retired with rear-end damage. A broken driveshaft also forced home hope Ollie Jackson to stop his AmD Tuning.com VW Golf in the pit lane.

Pos Driver Team/Car Time/Gap
1. Jason Plato MG 33m10.134s
2. Frank Wrathall Dynojet Toyota + 1.834s
3. Andrew Jordan Eurotech Honda + 6.764s
4. Dave Newsham ES Vauxhall + 7.273s
5. Matt Neal Honda + 13.072s
6. Daniel Welch Welch Proton + 17.363s
7. Tom Onslow-Cole WSR BMW + 17.873s
8. Gordon Shedden Honda + 18.288s
9. Mat Jackson Motorbase Ford + 19.298s
10. Lea Wood Central Vauxhall + 19.715s
11. Jeff Smith Eurotech Honda + 21.271s
12. Nick Foster WSR BMW + 23.798s
13. Rob Austin Austin Audi + 30.101s
14. Tony Gilham Thorney Vauxhall + 31.404s
15. Aron Smith Motorbase Ford + 32.085s
16. Andy Neate MG + 53.087s
17. Tony Hughes Speedworks Toyota + 53.401s

Retirements:

Rob Collard WSR BMW 14 laps
Ollie Jackson AmD Volkswagen 11 laps
Chris James ES Vauxhall 11 laps
Adam Morgan Speedworks Toyota 2

Newsham excluded from results
Dave Newsham has been excluded from Snetterton’s first race result after his car failed a mandatory weight check.

Newsham had finished in fourth place but his Team ES Racing.com Vauxhall Vectra was found to be underweight during post-race examination.

Consequently Newsham will have to start today’s second race from the back of the grid but with fourth-placed ballast in his car (an extra 18kgs) – weight is added as per the order in which cars cross the finish line regardless of any penalties later.

It also means all those who finished behind him on the road move up a place in the results. Notably championship leaders Matt Neal and Gordon Shedden now take fourth and seventh places – increasing Neal’s lead over Shedden from four points to five.

Race 2 - Results

Jordan wins amid chaos
Andrew Jordan has won Snetterton’s second Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship race after old rivals Jason Plato and Matt Neal clashed yet again at the Norfolk circuit.

Plato had led from the start but on the penultimate lap his KX Momentum Racing MG6 was sent into a wild slide at Coram after contact with Neal’s Honda Yuasa Racing Team Civic.

Neal went through into the lead only for their cars to run off the track at the next bend, Murray’s, following more contact.

Amid the dust, Jordan’s Pirtek Racing Civic and factory Honda driver Gordon Shedden sneaked by as Plato and Neal rejoined in third and fourth positions.

Neal, with a loss momentum, was also passed by Frank Wrathall’s Dynojet Toyota Avensis and Tom Onslow-Cole’s eBay Motors BMW 320si starting the final lap, but these two then tangled allowing the Honda driver back into fourth.

So it finished Jordan, Shedden, Plato and Neal with Wrathall holding on for fifth. Mat Jackson took an astonishing sixth in Redstone Racing’s new NGTC Ford Focus ST ahead of the recovering Onslow-Cole and Dave Newsham’s ES Racing.com Vauxhall Vectra which had come through from the back of the grid.

Astonishingly it means team-mates Shedden and Neal are now tying for the championship lead with Plato still in third, just 17 points adrift.

Lea Wood continued his strong weekend with ninth in his BINZ Racing Vectra as Jackson’s team-mate Aron Smith completed the top ten in his S2000 Focus. Wood will start today’s third race from pole position after the reversed grid draw fell nicely for him…

There were dramas elsewhere, too. At the start Daniel Welch’s Welch Motorsport Proton snagged Ollie Jackson’s AmD Racing.com VW Golf and span left into Adam Morgan’s Speedworks Toyota Avensis which went off the track and retired.

Rob Austin’s RAR Audi A4 and Chris James’s ES Vectra were both pit lane visitors just before the off, the former stopping for good, the latter later managing one lap to bed in a newly fitted driveshaft. After retiring from the opening race, Robert Collard’s miserable day continued – on-going work to his car meant he only appeared late on in the race for a few exploratory laps... Tony Gilham’s Thorney Vauxhall Insignia was a retirement mid-race.

Official BTCC
Late drama here at Snetterton. We've just learnt that Gordon Shedden has been excluded form race three's results after it was found his Honda Racing BTCC Civic had exceeded the permitted turbo boost limits. heading to Knockhill Racing Circuit therefore, team-mate Matt Neal Racing thus regains the championship lead ahead of Triple Eight Race Engineering MG's Jason Plato...

Oh really? !!!! Honda seems not to be having much luck this year with the boost. Feel sorry for Flash.

SNETTERTON RACE RE-CAP
Jason Plato, Andrew Jordan and, for the first time, Dave Newsham shared the wins in today’s three action-packed Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship races at Snetterton.

But it is Matt Neal who continues to lead the standings – just – from team-mate Gordon Shedden as the nation’s premier motor racing championship now heads to the latter’s home circuit of Knockhill, Fife in a fortnight on the weekend of 25/26 August.

Preston’s Frank Wrathall had achieved his and his Dynojet team’s first BTCC pole position in Saturday’s qualifying session. Oxford’s Plato, though, got in front at the start of race one to take his third win of 2012 in his MG KX Momentum Racing MG6. Wrathall was second in his Toyota Avensis and Jordan third in his Pirtek Racing Honda Civic.

Lichfield’s Jordan took the win in the second race – his first of the season – but only after Plato’s MG and Worcestershire ace Neal’s Honda Yuasa Racing Team Civic had controversially collided and run off the track ahead of him with a lap to go (pictured). Shedden was second ahead of the recovering Plato and Neal in third and fourth.

Inverness racer Newsham’s victory, his and the tiny Team ES Racing.com squad’s first in the BTCC, came in race three as he won comfortably in his Vauxhall Vectra. Tom Onslow-Cole was second in his eBay Motors BMW ahead of Plato who took another third.

Lea Wood may well have achieved a maiden podium result had his BINZ Racing Vectra not cruelly retired with just a few laps to go, while Mat Jackson completed a hugely encouraging debut for Redstone Racing’s all-new NGTC-spec Ford Focus ST – only completed at 7.00am on Saturday – with a fourth-place finish.

But there was a double disaster for the factory Honda squad as Neal finished a lowly eighth after a spin and Shedden, who had crossed the line in third, was later excluded for a technical infringement with his car.

It means reigning Champion Neal retains the championship lead but now only ten points cover the top three, with Shedden eight behind and Plato just a further two adrift. Plato had started today 29 points adrift of Neal…

Neal commented: “We knew we were on the back foot after qualifying and so it proved to be. It’s been a case of damage limitation today and the spin in race three after contact from Wrathall did me no favours. Knockhill, which has shorter straights, is next so should be better for us but it’s clear we have a lot of work to do.”

Dalgety Bay’s Shedden, who’d started the day’s first race from last on the grid after a spectacular fire aboard his car on Saturday morning had prevented him from qualifying, was dejected. He said: “I’ve clearly done something to someone, what with the fire and then the exclusion – without that I’d have been leading the table and it was also very cruel on the team who’d performed miracles to give me a race-ready car today after the fire. Knockhill is, of course, next and I’m determined to fight back for the fans there. I won’t be short on adrenaline…”

Three podium results today have suddenly moved Plato right back into contention as he chases a third BTCC title. He added: “I couldn’t have asked for much more, although it was a shame about the incident with Matt in race two after I’d led all the way up until then. What’s encouraging is the MG is really starting to come alive at a crucial stage of the season. In fact I think it’s going to be strong at all four remaining rounds so it’s game on.”

Jordan and Newsham were both elated with their wins. The former enthused: “The win is long overdue and the perfect way for us to start the second half of the season. I’m delighted.” And said Newsham: “A win for little ES Racing and the sponsors who keep our season ticking over is just unbelievable but thoroughly deserved. The timing couldn’t be better either with Knockhill, my home race, next. It’s going to be a very special weekend.”

Elsewhere Honda/Dynamics and the Honda Yuasa Racing Team continue to handsomely lead both the Manufacturers/Constructors and outright HiQ Teams championships. Jordan has also extended his lead in the Independent Drivers standings and his Pirtek Racing outfit has taken command of the Independent Teams Trophy.

Meanwhile a number of drivers were penalised for incidents at Snetterton today. Race 1: Robb Holland, official reprimand and two penalty points on his competition licence (for an incident with Adam Morgan); Dave Newsham, excluded (underweight car); Andrew Jordan, verbal warning (for an incident with Dave Newsham). Race 2: Jason Plato and Matt Neal, verbal warnings (for an on-track collision); Jeff Smith, official reprimand and two penalty points on his licence (for an incident with Andy Neate). Race 3: Gordon Shedden, excluded (for exceeding turbo boost limits); Frank Wrathall, verbal warning (for an incident with Matt Neal).

Dave Newsham elated with first BTCC victory
Dave Newsham took his first BTCC win almost unchallenged at Snetterton yesterday, taking advantage of the reversed grid race to build a lead in his Team ES Racing Vauxhall Vectra.
It was only the fourth win for an S2000 car this year in 18 rounds, but with the top NGTC cars of Honda and Jason Plato's MG all running with weight and fighting with Tom Onslow-Cole's BMW and Mat Jackson's new Ford Focus, it allowed the two Vauxhall Vectras of Dave Newsham and Lea Wood to pull into the distance.

"I thought if I could get past Lea (Wood) early on and he could just keep people at bay we might be able to get away, and the tactic worked perfectly," said Newsham to TouringCarTimes.

"I was really worried towards the end when Tom (Onslow-Cole) got through as to how much pace he would have, but he didn't really take much out of me. The car was awesome, the car was 100% all weekend."

Newsham was battling Jason Plato for the lead in race one, but dropped to fourth later in the race after being passed by Frank Wrathall's Dynojet Toyota, then later Andrew Jordan's Eurotech Racing Honda on the final lap, with the two making contact at the end of the Bentley Straight. Jordan received a warning for the incident, but the stewards didn't take a position penalty as Newsham's car was later found to be underweight and excluded from the results, which put him to the back of the grid for race two.

"I was gutted obviously, but that gave us the opportunity to be on the front row for the last race and get the win. Yeah, I lost a hatful of points, but then I've salvaged some points there as well.

"I enjoyed (the second race),, the first three laps were really good fun but I took too much out of the tyres. I was aware of that for the third race so I looked after the tyres as much as I could, and it was enough as I had fairly decent pace at the end there."

cannot believe i took him out off my fantasy team :giveup:dighole:Cube

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Rob

cannot believe i took him out off my fantasy team :giveup:dighole:Cube

---

That happened to me with Matt Neal. Took him out before the weekend he won twice (or did really well in) hehe. :doh