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[EwanM]

PLATO WINSSSSS Race Three!

[scotty]

Woah!

Adam loses race 3 win

Jason Plato has been declared the winner of the HiQ MSA British Touring Car Championship’s third race at Brands Hatch after officials penalised Jonathan Adam who had crossed the line in first position.

Adam was adjudged to have unfairly knocked Plato out of the lead as their cars entered Paddock Hill Bend a couple of laps into the race (see photo above).

The incident enabled Adam to take over the lead and he went on to cross the line 3.845s clear of Plato.

But after looking at the evidence, BTCC officials have concluded the move was unfair and added four seconds to Adam’s time – thus relegating him to second position.

Adam’s Airwaves BMW team has chosen not to appeal the penalty.

Plato has thus been handed the 47th race win of his career - the victory is also the first in the BTCC for the Chevrolet marque since 1975!

The decision therefore means a change in the points standings. Plato and Adam had been tied for fourth but now the spot becomes the sole ownership of Plato with 22 points, while Adam has dropped to fifth.

[EwanM]

Awesome Jason, screw you "people's champ"

Is that Matt Neal? The guy can't pass without hitting the other car!

Plato was great there, i was hoping Turkington would be able to sneak past Neal near the end too.

Yeah, Neal thinks he is the peoples champ because of all of those wins with Privateers and well his 2 titles with Team Dynamics. He's not my champ

[Flynn]

Yessss! I have been to the last three races at Brands since it is near were I live. It is good old best of British racing in real mens cars, not some sensitive flimsy single seaters where bits fall off at the slightest tap like in Formula 1. Great series.

[scotty]

Thompson returns with Dynamics

By Steven English

James Thompson will return to the British Touring Car Championship from the next round at Thruxton in two weeks, replacing Gordon Shedden in a Team Dynamics Honda Civic.

The 2002 and 2004 champion last raced in the BTCC for SEAT during a part-time campaign in 2006 and has since raced in the world championship for N.Technology.

Following N.Technology's withdrawal from the WTCC, Thompson tested for Dynamics during the winter while searching for a full-time drive.

"James's addition to the team is one I have personally hoped for since Matt [Neal] moved to VX Racing at the end of 2007," said team boss Steve Neal.

"James is truly one of the world's top touring car drivers and I am absolutely confident that he can take the fight to the opposition and provide us with a further step-up in performance."

Dynamics hopes to add a third car later in the season to allow Shedden to return to the championship alongside Thompson and David Pinkney.

"This change in our driver line-up has come about due to contractual commitments," Neal added. "Gordon has been part of Dynamics since 2006 and has been a great performer for us.

"We are currently negotiating further sponsorship to run a third car for him which is hoped will materialise sooner rather than later."

http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/74481

Why was Shedden sidelined though?

[EwanM]

I can only presume that he doesn't bring that much sponsorship to the team and that with the clout of Honda, Thompson was able to snatch the drive?

[EwanM]

Vauxhall to pull out of BTCC

By Steven English Friday, April 17th 2009, 08:13 GMT


Vauxhall will pull out of the British Touring Car Championship at the end of this season.

Triple Eight Engineering is running three Vectras this year for reigning double champion Fabrizio Giovanardi, Matt Neal and Andrew Jordan, but Vauxhall will not continue in the series into 2010, citing the absence of rival manufacturers and the economic downturn as the reasons for its departure.

Vauxhall's Andy Gibson said: "The company has enjoyed immense success with BTCC, both on track and as a focal marketing activity, however a number of factors have led us to take the decision to withdraw from the championship at the end of this season.

"I would like to take this opportunity to thank Triple Eight for turning our road cars into some of the most successful BTCC entrants in its history.

"I would also like to thank the drivers who have piloted our cars to victory. I would like to think we can end our run in touring cars with another title-winning season."

What the hell? This is terrible news. The BTCC is going to end up with no manufacturer. I'm guessing this will be Giovanrdi's last year too

[EwanM]

Plato is in a RML Chevvy until the end of the year now, that has been confirmed.
This weekend there will be another RML Chevvy featuring last years runner up, Matt Jackson.
And if you don't know former double BTCC champ James Thompson is back in the Team Dynamics Honda.

[7UpJordan]

Plato is in a RML Chevvy until the end of the year now, that has been confirmed.

I wonder how much the Chevvy's will improve over the year now they've got Plato onboard? It may not be the fastest car right now but Plato was certainly cool headed enough to keep the battering ram known as Matt Neal behind him.

[EwanM]

Plato is in a RML Chevvy until the end of the year now, that has been confirmed.

I wonder how much the Chevvy's will improve over the year now they've got Plato onboard? It may not be the fastest car right now but Plato was certainly cool headed enough to keep the battering ram known as Matt Neal behind him.

Thommo and JP should team up and punt Neal off.

[EwanM]

Giovanardi claims pole at Thruxton

By Jamie O'Leary Saturday, April 25th 2009, 15:07 GMT


Fabrizio Giovanardi bounced back from his practice crash to take a stunning pole position for the British Touring Car Championship round at Thruxton.

The Vauxhall driver, who suffered major damage to his Vectra in a collision with Stephen Jelley in practice, produced a lap of 1m17.985s mid-way through the session to take what is only his second BTCC pole, the first having come at the same circuit two years ago.

All the more remarkable about the double champion's time is that it came on his only flying lap of the entire session.

Championship leader Matt Neal made it an all-Vauxhall front row, just as it had been at Brands Hatch three weeks ago. Neal, who was carrying 45kg of success weight compared to Giovanardi's ballast-free car, was 0.320 seconds slower.

Jason Plato languished down at the tail end of the top 10 for most of the session, but the former champion pushed hard in the final minute to move up to third spot on the grid in his RML-run Chevrolet, demoting Andrew Jordan to fourth, which was still a career-best for the third Vauxhall driver.

Colin Turkington was fifth quickest in the best of the WSR BMWs, while the star of qualifying was Paul O'Neill, who put his Tech-Speed Honda Integra a magnificent sixth on his return to the BTCC after over a year away.

Adam Jones's Clyde Valley Racing SEAT was seventh, one spot ahead of the Team Dynamics Honda of James Thompson. Dan Eaves, in the second Clyde Valley SEAT, and Mat Jackson's RML Chevrolet completed the top 10.

Motorbase Performance, which scored its maiden BTCC win at Brands Hatch, could only manage 11th and 12th places for Jonathan Adam and Rob Collard. Nick Leason failed to take part in the session due to technical issues with his Team AFM BMW.

Pos Driver Car Time Gap
1. Fabrizio Giovanardi Vauxhall 1m17.985s
2. Matt Neal Vauxhall 1m18.305s +0.320
3. Jason Plato Chevrolet 1m18.326s +0.341
4. Andrew Jordan Vauxhall 1m18.354s +0.369
5. Colin Turkington BMW 1m18.407s +0.422
6. Paul O'Neill Honda 1m18.708s +0.723
7. Adam Jones SEAT 1m18.830s +0.845
8. James Thompson Honda 1m18.916s +0.931
9. Dan Eaves SEAT 1m18.952s +0.967
10. Mat Jackson Chevrolet 1m19.018s +1.033
11. Jonathan Adam BMW 1m19.091s +1.106
12. Rob Collard BMW 1m19.386s +1.401
13. Harry Vaulkhard Chevrolet 1m19.447s +1.462
14. Stephen Jelley BMW 1m19.528s +1.543
15. Martyn Bell Honda 1m20.136s +2.151
16. David Pinkney Honda 1m20.174s +2.189
17. John George Honda 1m20.486s +2.501
18. Martin Johnson Vauxhall 1m20.865s +2.880
19. Tom Chilton Ford 1m21.110s +3.125
20. Liam McMillan SEAT 1m21.141s +3.156
21. Alan Morrison Ford 1m23.461s +5.476

http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/74830

[scotty]

Only caught the 3rd race today - last lap was good, so was Thompson's overtaking move half on the grass.

[7UpJordan]

It was great seeing Matt Neal drop down the order after both Collard and Plato passed him, and then followed by Turkinton too. After a boring and dissapointing Grand Prix you can always count on the BTCC to bring you excitement.

Does anybody think the Donington event will go ahead despite all the fracas going on at the moment? I'm hoping to go to that event next month.

[EwanM]

It was great seeing Matt Neal drop down the order after both Collard and Plato passed him, and then followed by Turkinton too. After a boring and dissapointing Grand Prix you can always count on the BTCC to bring you excitement.

Does anybody think the Donington event will go ahead despite all the fracas going on at the moment? I'm hoping to go to that event next month.

its meant to be still on, but right now who knows?
It was classic BTCC action today, and I kinda regret skipping the first races to watch the GP.
Matt Neal in the last race was hillarious, but you have to give Turkington and Gio credit this weekend, strong drives.

Good old Jason was awesome, and thts all tht matter hehehe

[Gilles 27]

Surely there is no driver in BTCC apart from Giovanardi who knows how to overtake without shoving the guy in front off the track!? I have been watching BTCC for many years and it has always struck me as a kind of club for the Nakajimas of this world