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British Touring Car Championship
Brands Hatch (Indy) - Qualifying - 30/3/13

By MJP Media | 30 March 2013

Andrew Jordan qualifies in pole position for the first race of the season with defending champion Gordon Shedden 2nd on the grid.

Andrew Jordan takes the first pole position of the 2013 season

Qualifying for the first race of the 2013 Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship took place at a bitterly cold Brands Hatch circuit in Kent following light flurries of snow throughout the day.

In the first few minutes of the session, Colin Turkington spun his eBay Motors BMW 125i coming out of Druid's and was collected by the RCIB Insurance Racing Vauxhall Insignia of Jack Goff, damaging both their cars and halting the session whilst recovery teams got to work clearing the track.

Colin Turkington's damaged eBay Motors BMW 125i M Sport

When qualifying resumed, the provisional pole-sitter changed repeatedly as a number of the drivers first gained then lost their position at the top of the time sheet. As the session settled down, it was the stars of the free practice sessions who took the top positions with Andrew Jordan fastest ahead of Gordon Shedden and Jason Plato. Matt Neal was running well in 4th place with Sam Tordoff 5th as light snow continued to fall.

In the diminishing light, the continuing snowfall, although slight, was making the track conditions very slippery causing several drivers to slide and spin. The session ended with Andrew Jordan securing pole position for the first race tomorrow and with it, the first championship point of the season. Defending champion Gordon Shedden qualified 2nd to join Jordan on the front row of the grid with Jason Plato 3rd for MG KX Momentum Racing. Matt Neal qualified 4th following a major 'off' as he exited Graham Hill Bend in the early laps which nearly spoiled his session.

Defending BTCC champion Gordon Shedden qualified 2nd for Honda Yuasa Racing

Sam Tordoff qualified 5th in his MG6 with Dave Newsham completing the top six places in his Speedworks Motorsport Toyota Avensis. Lea Wood was the fastest of the Jack Sears Trophy S2000 specification cars in his Wheel Heaven/Houseman Racing Vauxhall Vectra.

With 13 cars qualifying within one second of pole-sitter Andrew Jordan, the racing tomorrow is certain to be close. With the uncertainty of the soft tyre choices, coupled with the expected low temperatures, it is likely to be one of the most unpredictable and entertaining race weekends we have seen for some time.

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