Sport   Motorsport   Touring Cars

British Touring Car Championship
Thruxton - Race 1 Report - 5/5/13

By MJP Media | 5 May 2013

Matt Neal takes his 50th BTCC victory at Thruxton as Andrew Jordan suffers a puncture in the last lap having led from the start.

Matt Neal on the podium with Tom Onslow-Cole (left) and Jason Plato (right)

The ultra-fast Thruxton circuit in Hampshire is the venue for the 3rd meeting of the 2013 Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship. With average lap speeds in excess of 100mph, Thruxton always provides exciting racing and is the only circuit on the BTCC calendar where the new Dunlop soft tyres are not being used owing to the extremely high speeds and loadings demanded of the tyres.

Following their domination of the qualifying session yesterday, three Honda Civics were at the front of the grid for the start of the first of the day, with Pirtek Racing's Andrew Jordan on pole alongside defending BTCC champion Gordon Shedden. Shedden's Honda Yuasa Racing team-mate Matt Neal started from the 2nd row of the grid alongside arch rival Jason Plato in the MG KX Momentum Racing MG6. Row 3 was taken by Plato's team-mate Sam Tordoff and Pirtek Racing's Jeff Smith.

Andrew Jordan leading Matt Neal and Jason Plato before his last lap puncture

At the start, Andrew Jordan got away well but was immediately under pressure from Gordon Shedden whom himself was being hounded by Jason Plato. Drama soon ensued as Shedden was tapped by Plato's MG6, sending Shedden's Honda Civic off the track and into the barrier. By the time the Scot re-joined the track he was a lap down and out of contention.

Out in front, Andrew Jordan drove a commanding race and held a good lead over Matt Neal who was running in 2nd place. Behind the leaders, MG KX Momentum Racing drivers Jason Plato and Sam Tordoff were holding station in 3rd and 4th with Tom Onslow-Cole 5th in the PPCGB.com/Kraftwerk Racing Volkswagen Passat CC. Onslow-Cole passed Tordoff on lap 6 to take 4th place and proceeded to chase Plato for 3rd.

Tom Onslow-Cole gives the Volkswagen Passat CC its first BTCC podium finish

As the race continued, the front runners held their positions and it looked like Andrew Jordan was set to take his second win of the year, however a puncture on the very last lap of the race denied the Pirtek Racing driver another victory, resulting in him finishing down in 11th place. At the chequered flag it was a 50th career BTCC victory for Matt Neal with Jason Plato 2nd and Tom Onslow-Cole 3rd. Sam Tordoff finished an excellent 4th with Jeff Smith 5th and Colin Turkington 6th. Liam Griffin won the Jack Sears Cup for S2000 specification cars in the Addison Lee Motorbase Ford Focus.

Touring Car content supplied by MJP Media