Sport   Other Sports   Touring Cars

British Touring Car Championship
Knockhill - Free Practice - 24/8/13

By MJP Media | 24 August 2013

Gordon Shedden and Rob Austin top the time sheets in the free practice sessions at Knockhill. Adam Morgan did well to finish 2nd in both sessions.

Gordon Shedden topped the time sheet in the second practice session

For some people it will be the Edinburgh Festival, for others it will be the Edinburgh Military Tattoo, but for fans of the Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship there is only one place to be this weekend: the Knockhill circuit near Dunfermline!

As the drivers took to the circuit for the first free practice session, light rain made track conditions difficult as it was not wet enough for wet weather tyres but treacherous on slicks. As the rain subsided and the track dried out it was Rob Austin who topped the time sheet in his WIX Racing Audi A4 with Adam Morgan 2nd in the Ciceley Racing Toyota Avensis just 0.067 behind.

Rob Austin showed the way in the first practice session

Honda Yuasa Racing's Matt Neal was 3rd fastest in his Honda Civic with arch rival Jason Plato 4th in the MG KX Momentum Racing MG6. With Rob Collard's BMW 125i M Sport 5th for eBay Motors, there were 5 different manufacturers at the top of the time sheets, demonstrating the highly competitive nature of the series. Andrew Jordan completed the top 6 in the Pirtek Racing Honda Civic.

For the second practice session, it was bright and sunny as the MGs of Jason Plato and Sam Tordoff and the BMW of Colin Turkington setting the early pace. Matt Neal soon joined the front runners as did Frank Wrathall in the Dynojet Toyota Avensis. At the half-way stage, Plato was fastest with Wrathall 2nd and Matt Neal 3rd. Paul O'Neill, who returns to the BTCC at Knockhill, then went 4th fastest in the RCIB Insurance Racing Vauxhall Vectra with Rob Austin 5th.

Adam Morgan impressed, going 2nd fastest in both sessions

In the second half of the session, Honda Civics dominated the top of the time sheet with Honda Yuasa Racing team-mates Gordon Shedden and Matt Neal running 1st and 3rd with Andrew Jordan 2nd fastest for Pirtek Racing. With just over 5 minutes of the session remaining, Adam Morgan went fastest in the Ciceley Racing Toyota Avensis, however local hero Gordon Shedden took the top spot a few minutes later to the delight of his many fans.

As the second session ended, it was Gordon Shedden at the top of the time sheet with Adam Morgan 2nd and Jason Plato 3rd. Andrew Jordan finished the session 4th fastest with Matt Neal 5th and Sam Tordoff 6th. The next BTCC activity from Knockhill is the qualifying session to determine the grid for the first race tomorrow.

Touring Car content supplied by MJP Media