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British Touring Car Championship
Silverstone - Race 2 Report - 29/9/13

By MJP Media | 29 September 2013

Jason Plato takes his 80th BTCC victory after an epic battle with Andrew Jordan in the second race of the day from Silverstone. Jordan takes a strong 2nd with Aron Smith 3rd.

Jason Plato is delighted with his second victory of the day

The glorious weather continued into the afternoon for race 2 of the Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship at Silverstone. Starting in the order they finished the first race, it was an all MG front row with Jason Plato on pole ahead of team-mate Sam Tordoff. Behind the MGs it was Matt Neal and Colin Turkington on the second row with Rob Collard and Andrew Jordan on row 3. Jeff Smith was missing from the grid as he was feeling unwell.

In the dash away from the line, Andrew Jordan was able to take Sam Tordoff for second place and a coming together saw Aron Smith spin and both Rob Austin and Frank Wrathall retire from the race, ultimately causing a safety car period. As the safety car was deployed, Rob Collard, Tom Onslow-Cole and Warren Scott all pitted. Collard re-joined the field, but retired his eBay Motors BMW 125i M Sport on his out lap with an engine miss-fire.

Andrew Jordan chasing Jason Plato in race two

There followed several laps under the safety car and when racing resumed it was Jason Plato leading from Colin Turkington, Sam Tordoff, Matt Neal, Andrew Jordan, Adam Morgan and Mat Jackson. On lap 8 Jordan took Neal for 3rd place, however Aron Smith in the Airwaves Racing Ford Focus was the man on the move as he moved up to 6th and looked to be the fastest driver on the track.

On lap 10, Sam Tordoff passed Colin Turkington for 2nd place with Andrew Jordan following him through into 3rd. On lap 11, Aron Smith's charge continued as he took Matt Neal for 5th and a lap later took Turkington for 4th. As the race moved into the second half, the gap at the front was steadily dropping as Jordan set about Plato's lead. The battle was joined on lap 16 by Aron Smith as he took Tordoff for 3rd place.

Aron Smith celebrates 3rd place

On lap 20, Andrew Jordan got past Jason Plato however a lap later, following some aggressive racing and a bit of body contact, Plato took the lead back with Aron Smith still closing. At the chequered flag it was Plato 1st with Jordan 2nd and Smith 3rd. It was good to see the drivers get out of their cars and Jordan and Plato genuinely congratulate each other on what they both said was an epic race. This was Plato's 80th BTCC victory however Jordan's 2nd place result consolidates his lead in the 2013 championship standings.

With the reverse grid for race 3 we are bound to see some hectic action as Matt Neal has pole position ahead of Colin Turkington. The second row will be taken by Sam Tordoff and Aron Smith, with Andrew Jordan and Jason Plato on row 3.

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