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British Touring Car Championship
Croft - Free Practice - 27/6/15

By MJP Media | 27 June 2015

Tom Ingram and Sam Tordoff top the time sheets in the free practice sessions at a sunny Croft Circuit as championship leader Jason Plato feels the heat.

Sam Tordoff posted the fastest time in the second session

This year is a significant milestone for Croft Circuit as it sees the 50th BTCC race to be held at the historic ex-RAF bomber station which saw distinguished service in World War II. Jason Plato took the lead in the Drivers' Championship at Oulton Park and will be keen to extend his advantage into the annual summer break after Croft.

In the first of the two free practice sessions it was the Speedworks Motorsport Toyota Avensis of Tom Ingram which topped the time sheets with a time of 1:24.567, almost three quarters of a second faster than the second fastest driver and the only man to average in excess of 90 mph round the lap. This was undoubtedly the result of the new Dunlop tyres fitted before his final run. 2nd place went to the Team IHG Rewards Club BMW 125i M Sport of Andy Priaulx, just ahead of a rejuvenated Martin Depper in his Eurotech Racing Honda Civic.

Tom Ingram was 1st and 2nd in the two sessions

Jason Plato was strangely off the pace in the Team BMR Volkswagen CC down in 15th place, almost two seconds behind Tom Ingram's time. Post session it was revealed that the former champion had been suffering with a power-steering issue. Title rival Gordon Shedden was in a much more realistic 4th place in his Honda Yuasa Racing Civic Type R with Aron Smith in 5th.

Free practice 2 again saw the marvellous summer weather making track conditions perfect as the top times continued to improve. Sam Tordoff in his JCT600 Racing with GardX BMW 125i M Sport posted the fastest time with a 1:24:534, however it was Tom Ingram in 2nd who showed the greatest consistency at the front of the pack. Andy Priaulx was 3rd fastest to add to his morning's second place with Gordon Shedden maintaining his good form with his second 4th fastest time of the day.

Jason Plato was a disappointing 15th in both sessions

Once again Team BMR really struggled in the second session with Jason Plato down in 15th, Colin Turkington 16th and Warren Scott 17th. Only Aron Smith made it into the top 10 for the team and he was in a lowly 9th palace. The BMWs were the real threat in the Manufacturers' Championship with the three of them finishing the session 1st, 3rd and 7th - although at one point they were running 1st, 2nd and 3rd.

This afternoon's qualifying session is now full of interest as we wait to see if Team BMR can rescue something from a so far dismal day, whilst Tom Ingram and the three BMW drivers will all be thinking that this is their chance to claim pole position for tomorrow's first race here at Croft Circuit. We will bring you all of the qualifying news later this afternoon.

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