Motorbase’s Mat Jackson has led the way so far as the Penultimate BTCC rounds got underway at Silverstone with the free practice sessions.
The first session was cut short after Warren Scott his BMR VW CC crashed heavily in the closing stages. He was taken to the circuit medical centre and then was transferred to a local hospital. He escaped from the car on foot but complained of back pains and so has been taken to hospital as a precaution.
Scott had been going well and had set the third fastest time in the session but his participation in the rest of the event is not in doubt. Josh Cook took an impressive second place in his Power Maxed Chevrolet Cruze. His team mate Dave Newsham also went well with fifth place with Jack Goff’s MG splitting the two Chevrolets. Sixth was Gordon Shedden on a circuit which traditionally hasn’t suited the Honda team so he’ll be happy if he can repeat that result in qualifying. Colin Turkington was seventh in the second of the BMR VW’s. Andrew Jordan’s MG was eighth with Andy Priaulx ninth on his return after missing Rockingham. Tenth was Aron Smith after being fastest early in the session. Jason Plato was down in fifteenth but it’ll be a surprise if he is still there in qualifying. Matt Neal made twelfth in the Honda. In the Team Hard car, there was a last minute change on Friday when Tony Gillham (Also the team boss) replaced Kieran Gallagher. The team have refused to comment on the reasons for Gallagher’s departure but Gillham stepped in so the team could race and avoid losing their TBL. He was twenty fifth with the car having it’s first run since a rebuild after a Rockingham crash.
In the second session, again no one could match Jackson’s time by the end. Jack Goff’s MG was second this time ahead of Turkington’s VW CC in third. Josh Cook maintained his front running pace with fourth in his Chevrolet. Tom Ingram was fifth in his Speedworks Toyota, with the young driver hoping to keep his run of success going after his maiden podium last time out.
Aron Smith’s BMR VW was sixth ahead of Gordon Shedden’s Honda. Matt Neal’s Honda was further back in twelfth just ahead of Plato in Eleventh. Eighth was Andrew Jordan’s MG with Adam Morgan’s Wix Mercedes in ninth and Rob Austin rounded out the top ten in his Excocet Alcosense Audi A4.
In both sessions, only a second separated the entire top twenty so things are very close.
Full results are available from TSL timing, the BTCC’s official timer.
In other BTCC related news Jason Plato has been announced as one the Team England drivers in the forthcoming (November20th-21st) Race of Champions at the former Olympic Stadium in London. To have a BTCC driver inamongst the top drivers of the world shows the high regard that the championship is still held in by the international motorsport community. By Marc Waller
