Sport   Other Sports   Touring Cars

British Touring Car Championship
Snetterton - Qualifying - 3/8/13

By MJP Media | 3 August 2013

Sam Tordoff takes his maiden BTCC pole position as he and team-mate Jason Plato dominate the qualifying session at the Snetterton '300' circuit and secure the front row of the grid for the first race tomorrow.

A maiden BTCC pole position for Sam Tordoff
A maiden BTCC pole position for Sam Tordoff

After their superiority in both the free practice sessions at Snetterton earlier today, the qualifying session for the first of tomorrow's three Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship races would see whether anybody could get near the performance of the MG KX Momentum Racing MG6s.

The early pace was set by Mat Jackson in the Airwaves Racing Ford Focus however it was not long before the MGs once again demonstrated their dominance of the Snetterton '300' circuit with Sam Tordoff going fastest ahead of team-mate Jason Plato.

Aron Smith's damaged Airwaves Racing Ford Focus
Aron Smith's damaged Airwaves Racing Ford Focus

Gordon Shedden was running 3rd fastest in his Honda Yuasa Racing Civic when the session was stopped after Aron Smith lost control of his Airwaves Racing Ford Focus, slid across the track and collided heavily with the barriers, causing substantial damage to his car.

Once Smith's car had been recovered and the barriers repaired, the session restarted. Sam Tordoff and Jason Plato appeared to by untouchable at the top of the time sheets with Gordon Shedden a solid 3rd. Behind, Andrew Jordan was running 4th fastest for Pirtek Racing ahead of the eBay Motors BMW 125i M Sport of Colin Turkington.

Jason Plato's 2nd fastest time ensured a MG front row lock-out
Jason Plato's 2nd fastest time ensured a MG front row lock-out

Towards the end of the session, Tom Onslow-Cole pulled his Volkswagen Passat CC off the track, bringing out the yellow flags and preventing drivers putting in fully committed laps. Another yellow flag incident ensured that times already set could not be bettered.

The session ended with Sam Tordoff taking his maiden British Touring Car Championship pole position. With Jason Plato going 2nd fastest, the team-mates ensured a front row lock-out for MG KX Momentum Racing. Gordon Shedden qualified 3rd fastest to start on the 2nd row of the grid alongside Andrew Jordan. Colin Turkington qualified in 5th place with Aron Smith 6th thanks to the time he set before his accident mid-way through the session. Matt Neal continued to struggle and ended the session in 11th place.

Touring Car content supplied by MJP Media

Olympus Camera

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

It's half time and still all to play for! It's half time and still all to play for!
Following the summer break, Speedworks Motorsport driver Dave Newsham is keen to get racing again as he looks forward to Snetterton this weekend and the second half of the 2013 BTCC season.

It's wet, it's dry, it's wet, it's dry... it's Yorkshire! It's wet, it's dry, it's wet, it's dry... it's Yorkshire!
As the Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship reaches the half-way point in the 2013 season, Dave Newsham looks back at the events at Croft.

Oulton Park Diary Oulton Park Diary
Dave Newsham reviews the events of Oulton Park and looks forward to Croft.

What we've been doing ahead of Oulton Park! What we've been doing ahead of Oulton Park!
It's been four weeks since our last outing at Thruxton and instead of sitting around doing nothing and waiting for the next round of the British Touring Car Championship at Oulton Park to come round, we have been busy.

Thruxton review - Don't look back in anger Thruxton review - Don't look back in anger
Excess baggage, substantial changes and wheel-to-wheel action - Dave Newsham looks back at the Thruxton weekend.

Thruxton - Britain's fastest racing circuit Thruxton - Britain's fastest racing circuit
Dave Newsham looks ahead to Thruxton - one of his favourite circuits.

 

TOURING CARS - LATEST NEWS

Race reports and previews from the British Touring Car Championship plus British interests in other international Touring Car series

BTCC - Snetterton - Qualifying - 3/8/13 BTCC - Snetterton - Qualifying - 3/8/13
Sam Tordoff takes his maiden BTCC pole position as he and team-mate Jason Plato dominate the qualifying session at the Snetterton '300' circuit and secure the front row of the grid for the first race tomorrow.

BTCC - Snetterton - Free Practice - 3/8/13 BTCC - Snetterton - Free Practice - 3/8/13
Jason Plato and Sam Tordoff dominate free practice at Snetterton as their MG KX Momentum Racing MG6s top the time sheets in both sessions.

Caravans to make an appearance in the BTCC! Caravans to make an appearance in the BTCC!
In a move which could see Top Gear fans running for cover, the Camping and Caravanning Club is to be seen taking part in the 2013 Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship.

BTCC - Snetterton Preview - WIN TICKETS! BTCC - Snetterton Preview - WIN TICKETS!
Following its summer break, the Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship roars back into action at Snetterton in Norfolk on August 3rd and 4th.

MG dominates the free testing sessions at Snetterton MG dominates the free testing sessions at Snetterton
Jason Plato and Sam Tordoff top the time sheets for MG KX Momentum Racing in the recent test session at Snetterton as the BTCC prepares for the 2nd half of the 2013 season.

British Touring Car Championship - Half Term Report British Touring Car Championship - Half Term Report
With the 2013 Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship at the half-way stage, we take a look back at the first half of the season and the highs and lows of the title contenders in Britain's premier motorsport series.