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British Touring Car Championship
Snetterton - Race 1 Report - 12/8/12

By MJP Media / Pictures: Andrew Hartley | 12 August 2012

Jason Plato wins the first race from Snetterton as pole-sitter Frank Wrathall takes 2nd. Andrew Jordan takes 3rd following a thrilling battle with Dave Newsham.

Jason Plato celebrates victory with Frank Wrathall and Andrew Jordan

Following his spectacular qualifying performance yesterday, Frank Wrathall started the first race of the day at Snetterton from pole position - the first BTCC pole position for a Toyota driver since 1993. Alongside Wrathall's Dynojet Toyota Avensis on the front row was the MG KX Momentum Racing MG6 of Jason Plato. Dave Newsham and Andrew Jordan lined up on the 2nd row with Adam Morgan and Daniel Welch on row 3.

As the lights went out, Jason Plato and Dave Newsham both got great starts and passed Frank Wrathall into the first corner. Adam Morgan spun his Speedworks Toyota Avensis on the first lap but recovered and rejoined having lost several places. Following a fire in his Honda Yuasa Racing Team Civic yesterday, Gordon Shedden started the race at the back of the grid having not set a qualifying time but by the end of the first lap had made his way up to 8th from 22nd on the grid.

Robb Holland and Adam Morgan crash out on lap 3

The safety car was deployed on lap 3 following a coming together between Adam Morgan and the Team HARD. Honda Civic of Robb Holland which caused both cars to hit the safety barrier with Holland's mounting the tyre barrier.

Racing resumed on lap 8 with Jason Plato out in front ahead of Dave Newsham and Frank Wrathall. Behind the leaders, Matt Neal in the Honda Yuasa Racing Team Civic was being challenged by Daniel Welch in the Welch Motorsport Proton Persona. On lap 9, Dave Newsham tried to pass Plato but failed and in the process allowed Wrathall to pass and take 2nd place. As Plato extended his lead the battle behind him was intense with Dave Newsham, Frank Wrathall and Andrew Jordan pushing each other hard.

Pole-sitter Frank Wrathall on his way to 2nd place for Dynojet

Behind the front-runners a battle was developing between eBay Motors team-mates Tom Onslow-Cole and Rob Collard. Meanwhile, Gordon Shedden was gradually making up places and by lap 11 was running in 9th place. As Dave Newsham in the Team ES Racing.com Vauxhall Vectra and Andrew Jordan in the Pirtek Racing Honda Civic battled for 3rd place, Frank Wrathall extended a slight gap in 2nd place.

In a flurry of last-lap action, Andrew Jordan passed Dave Newsham only for Newsham to re-take the position seconds later. Jordan hadn't finished yet and passed Newsham a second time to take 3rd place. At the chequered flag it was victory for Jason Plato with Frank Wrathall 2nd and Andrew Jordan 3rd. Dave Newsham finished 4th ahead of Matt Neal in 5th and Daniel Welch in 6th. Following an impressive drive through the field from the back of the grid, Gordon Shedden finished 8th.

Dave Newsham was subsequently excluded from the race result after his Vauxhall Vectra failed to meet the minimum weight requirement. Matt Neal was therefore promoted to 4th with Daniel Welch 5th.

Pictures courtesy of Andrew Hartley

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