Sport Other Sports Touring Cars
British Touring Car Championship
Brands Hatch - Race 1 Report - 21/10/12
By MJP Media | 21 October 2012
Matt Neal revives his championship title hopes with a dominant win in the first race of day from Brands Hatch. Gordon Shedden extends his championship lead as Plato struggles in the wet conditions.
Tom Onslow-Cole, Matt Neal and Andrew Jordan celebrate on the podium
After 27 races at 9 circuits around Britain, the Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship reaches a thrilling climax today when the 2012 title is decided by the final 3 races of the season at Brands Hatch in Kent.
Tom Onslow-Cole secured pole position for the first race of the day with his eBay Motors BMW 320si and was joined on the front row of the grid by BTCC title contender Andrew Jordan in the Pirtek Racing Honda Civic. Fellow title contenders Matt Neal, Jason Plato and Gordon Shedden started 3rd, 5th and 7th respectively.
Matt Neal being chased by Andrew Jordan
Tom Onslow-Cole got a good start to the race and held onto the lead for 2 laps. Matt Neal also started well and passed Andrew Jordan for second place by the end of the first lap before setting about the task of passing Onslow-Cole which he succeeded in doing on lap 3.
Behind the leaders, Plato was having a difficult time in the MG KX Momentum Racing MG6 loosing 5th place to fellow title rival Gordon Shedden on lap 2 and losing a further 2 places on lap 3 when he was overtaken by Dave Newsham in the Team ES Racing.com Vauxhall Vectra and Aron Smith in the Redstone Racing Ford Focus. This dropped Plato to 8th where he remained to the end of the race, losing valuable championship points to his rivals.
Tom Onslow-Cole leads the pack around the Brands Hatch GP circuit
Matt Neal led from lap 3 to the chequered flag, with his Honda Yuasa Racing team-mate Gordon Shedden finishing 5th. Andrew Jordan held on to finish in 2nd place giving Honda a 1-2 result. Tom Onslow-Cole finished a well-deserved 3rd with Aron Smith 4th.
With just 2 more races left in the 2012 season, Gordon Shedden has extended his lead in the championship and now holds an 18 point advantage over Jason Plato. Importantly, by virtue of his win and setting the fastest lap of the race, Matt Neal is now only 2 points behind Plato, raising the prospect of the Honda Yuasa drivers repeating last year's 1-2 championship result.
Touring Car content supplied by MJP Media
A VIEW FROM THE DRIVER'S SEAT
A regular account of life in the British Touring Car Championship from the driver's point of view
Frank Wrathall looks forward to the final meeting of the 2012 BTCC season
Myself and the Dynojet Racing team will bring our BTCC season to a close at Brands Hatch this weekend, hopeful of ending the year on a high note.
2 rounds left and I'm ready to finish the season on a high!
With just 2 meetings left on the 2012 British Touring Car Championship calendar, Frank Wrathall hopes to reward his team for all their hard work as he looks forward to Silverstone this weekend.
Are you ready to Rock?
Following bitter disappointment at Knockhill, Frank Wrathall looks forward to Rockingham where he expects his Dynojet Toyota Avensis to perform well - as it did there last year.
We're singing in the rain!
Alton Towers comes to Scotland - that's what Dynojet driver Frank Wrathall thought following the qualifying session for tomorrow's 1st race at Knockhill.
Looking forward to this weekend in Scotland
Following his success at Snetterton last time out, Dynojet driver Frank Wrathall looks forward to the annual trip to Scotland and hopes to create some more Toyota history at Knockhill.
My first ever BTCC pole and boy, am I happy!
Following his first career BTCC pole position, Dynojet Toyota Avensis driver Frank Wrathall tells us about his ground-breaking day at Snetterton.
TOURING CARS - LATEST NEWS
Race reports and previews from the British Touring Car Championship plus British interests in other international Touring Car series
BTCC - Brands Hatch - Race 1 Report - 21/10/12
Matt Neal revives his championship title hopes with a dominant win in the first race of day from Brands Hatch. Gordon Shedden extends his championship lead as Plato struggles in the wet conditions.
BTCC - Brands Hatch - Qualifying - 20/10/12
The eBay Motors team continue their run of good form as Tom Onslow-Cole takes pole position for the first race from Brands Hatch tomorrow. Jason Plato and Gordon Shedden will start on the 3rd and 4th row respectively.
BTCC - Brands Hatch - Free Practice - 20/10/12
Andrew Jordan and Matt Neal top the time sheets in free practice at Brands Hatch. eBay Motors are delighted to get their three BMWs in the top 6.
Team HARD. purchase 2 Vauxhall Insignias from Thorney Motorsport
Tony Gilham and Team HARD. have announced that they have today purchased 2 Vauxhall Insignia VXR-R British Touring Car Championship cars from Thorney Motorsport - a race car and a spare shell.
BTCC - Brands Hatch Preview - WIN TICKETS!
The Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship is all set for a four-way showdown at Brands Hatch on October 20th and 21st as Gordon Shedden, Jason Plato, Matt Neal and Andrew Jordan compete to take the 2012 title.
BTCC Brands Hatch Competition with StingrayRV
StingrayRV.com have teamed up with BTCC star Dave Newsham to give you a chance to win an exclusive VIP package worth over £4,000 for the season finale at Brands Hatch on the 20th/21st of October.