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British Touring Car Championship
Thruxton - Race 2 Report - 10/5/15

By MJP Media | 10 May 2015

Jason Plato wins the second race from Thruxton for Team BMR with Rob Collard 2nd and Gordon Shedden 3rd. Andy Priaulx and Matt Neal retire with suspension damage from separate incidents.

Gordon Shedden (3rd), Jason Plato (1st) and Rob Collard (2nd)

Having posted the fastest lap time in race one, Jason Plato started the second race of the day from Thruxton in pole position in his Team BMR Volkswagen CC. Alongside the former BTCC champion on the front row of the grid was Rob Collard in the JCT600 Racing with GardX BMW 125i M Sport. Row 2 was taken by the WIX Racing Mercedes Benz A-Class of Adam Morgan and Gordon Shedden's Honda Yuasa Racing Civic Type R. Andy Priaulx and Aron Smith started on row 3 with Jeff Smith and Josh Cook on row 4.

Jason Plato got a good start to the race as the red lights went out, however Rob Collard got an even better one and passed the former BTCC champion to take the lead. Behind the leaders Andy Priaulx also got a good start but it was to no avail as contact between his Team IHG Rewards Club BMW 125i M Sport and Adam Morgan's WIX Racing Mercedes Benz A-Class caused Priaulx's car to suffer suspension damage. Collard's lead was short-lived as Plato passed him on lap 2.

Jason Plato under pressure from Rob Collard

A few laps later while running 5th behind Gordon Shedden and Aron Smith, Matt Neal posted the fastest lap of the race whilst at the front, Jason Plato was starting to feel the pressure from Rob Collard who in turn was being pushed hard by Gordon Shedden - an impressive feat by the Scot as he was carrying the maximum amount of success ballast following his victory in the first race. Further down the field an intense battle was ensuing between Dave Newsham, Martin Depper and Hunter Abbott for 14th, 15th and 16th as the three front-runners extended their lead.

Lap 8 saw the retirement of Matt Neal due to suspension damage on his Honda Yuasa Racing Civic Type R following an earlier incident with Aron Smith's Team BMR Volkswagen CC. By lap 9, Dave Newsham in the Power Maxed Racing Chevrolet Cruze was running in 12th place which was an incredible achievement after starting 25th on the grid. At the front, Jason Plato was now under mounting pressure from Rob Collard who was desperate to find a way past to take the lead. Gordon Shedden was settled in 3rd but Jack Goff in the MG 888 Racing MG6 was steadily gaining ground.

Rob Collard lifts the trophy for 2nd place

Despite the best efforts of Rob Collard, Jason Plato hung on to the lead to take the race win with Collard 2nd just 0.4 seconds behind. Gordon Shedden completed the podium with a solid 3rd place ahead of Jack Goff 4th, Colin Turkington 5th and Sam Tordoff 6th. Andrew Jordan, Adam Morgan, Rob Austin and Aiden Moffat completed the top 10. Gordon Shedden now leads the Drivers' Championship on 103 points, 10 points ahead of Matt Meal, Jason Plato and Colin Turkington who are all on 93.

Former BTCC star Tiff Needell preformed the draw for the reverse grid for the final race of the day and drew number 8, giving pole position to Adam Morgan with Andrew Jordan 2nd. Sam Tordoff will be joined by Colin Turkington on row 2 of the grid with Jack Goff and Gordon Shedden on row 3. Following their retirement from race 2, Andy Priaulx and Matt Neal will start race 3 from the back of the grid in 24th and 25th place respectively.

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