Jason Plato has won the second race of the day at Thruxton taking his 90th career win in the process.
BMR driver Plato led from pole but had a fierce challenge from second place starter Rob Collard the whole race. Collard got ahead of Plato on the start and led initially but once Plato got back past he made his car very wide. Collard came close to making a move several times but could never quite pull it off. He looked to have his best chance of the race going into the last lap but dropped back slightly in the end.
Collard was still very happy with second, one place better than he managed here last year at his home circuit.
The drama came right from the start as on the first corner Andy Priaulx and Adam Morgan came together and spun. Morgan headed towards the barriers but somehow saved it and re-joined having only lost a few places. Priaulx on the other hand dropped much further down the order. He then had another coming together at the complex with several drivers including Warren Scott and Stewart Lines. Jeff Smith and Josh Cook had to take avoiding action and were left with hoardings on the front of their cars which needed to be removed in a pit visit.
Gordon Shedden had initially made it three drivers battling for the lead but dropped away as the race went on and fell into the clutches of Jack Goff in his MG6. Goff however couldn’t find a way past and took fourth behind Shedden.
Matt Neal and Aron Smith had been fighting for fourth initially before they had a coming together at the complex that put Neal out of the race and Smith dropping down the order.
The top four were ahead of the rest of the field which was headed by Turkington’s BMR VW CC in fifth. He had a bit of a gap himself to Sam Tordoff, whose sixth place finish was the highest position he’s held so far this weekend. Just behind Tordoff was Andrew Jordan, who still can’t find the breakthrough he needs to get to the front.
Adam Morgan took eighth which proved to be significant as Tiff Needell of Channel fives Fifth gear drew that position out live on ITV4 for the race three pole. Just behind Morgan was Rob Austin taking ninth place narrowly missing out on race three pole.
Aiden Moffat took a hard fought tenth place ahead of a recovering Aron Smith in eleventh. Twelfth was Dave Newsham, recovering from his DNF in race one which saw him start at the back this time.
Martin Depper was thirteenth ahead of Hunter Abbott, scoring his first points of the day. Kieran Gallagher took the final points in fifthteenth. It was the Scottish Newcomer’s first overall points of the season.
Full results are on TSL timing.
Race three gets underway at 17:17 with Adam Morgan on pole from Andrew Jordan. Tordoff and Turkington make up row two with Goff and Shedden on the third row. With cars towards the front of the grid which haven’t run there so far weekend we should be in for a very interesting race. By Marc Waller
