Plato wins for the first time in 2016 in his 500th BTCC race

Plato initially pulled away (Photo by Marc Waller)

Plato initially pulled away (Photo by Marc Waller)Jason Plato has won his five hundredth race here at Knockhill in a lights to flag victory.

He initially pulled out a big lead before Jack Goff gradually caught him towards the closing stages. A late race safety car then reduced his lead to nearly zero but he held on for his first win of the season and 95th overall, making eleven different winners so far during 2016. Plato was pleased to get his first win and was in reflective mood;

“Before this weekend I wasn’t getting caught up in any of the numbers,” said Plato. “You cast your mind back to where it all started – struggling in single-seaters with no money, and door stepping Sir Frank Williams. 500 races later and we’re still winning. Whilst we all wanted to get that first win at Subaru, did it matter too much to me? It was just great to see the cars winning come what may out of the car. In the car, I was obviously disappointed! The ball was just yet to roll my way.”

The top six on the grid all chose to run the soft option tyre and all six remained in the same positions over the opening lap.

Behind Matt Neal hit Adam Morgan causing him to make a trip through the gravel on the second corner. Alex Martin also went off in the same area.

At the start of the second lap, Andrew Jordan in his Pirtek Ford Focus, found his way past Colin Turkington’s Subaru for fifth place.

This held Turkington up as he appeared to have the quicker car but now was stuck behind Jordan until lap fourteen when he took back fifth.

At the front Goff fought his way past team mate Sam Tordoff and then second placed Tom Ingram to move into second and his chance to challenge Plato.

The safety car was scrambled on lap twenty after two incidents, firstly Dan Welch and Warren Scott collided leaving Warren Scott stuck off the track then on the next lap, Josh Cook and Jeff Smith collided at the first corner sending Smith spinning into the rest of the pack with suspension damage.

Smith had actually managed to continue to the pits so the marshalls just had Scott’s car to clear which they did relatively quickly setting up a short burst of action before the chequered flag.

Goff was unable to find a way past Plato, but behind Turkington was on the move. Firstly passing Tordoff on the restart he then stole the final podium position from Tom Ingram with a late braking move at the hairpin.

Things are close on the restart (Photo by Marc Waller) Jeff Smith spins out after contact with Cook (Photo by Marc Waller) Track action (Photo by Marc Waller) The top three with independent winner Tom Ingram on the podium (Photo by Marc Waller)

 

 

 

Turkington was happy with his race;

“I really enjoyed that, the car was obviously strong. I lost a positon to Andy (Jordan) on the inside of the hairpin early on. I got bunched up the inside and he out dragged me down the straight. It was just about being patient though. I knew the race would come to me and my pace was electric once I got past AJ [Andrew Jordan]. I’m really pleased for the team – another double podium, so it’s great.”

Jordan came past in sixth just off the leading pack just ahead of the returning Dave Newsham who had an impressive race to take seventh on his one off return this season. It’s the team’s best finish so far this season.

The Honda’s were eighth and ninth, Matt Neal ahead of home favourite Gordon Shedden. Rob Austin continued his excellent run of form with tenth.

Ashley Sutton was just outside the top ten in eleventh ahead of Mat Jackson in the other Motorbase Ford Focus.

Thirteenth was Aiden Moffat, in the points at his home race with Martin Depper in fourteenth nearly stealing Moffat’s place on the line.

James Cole took the final point in his Silverline Subaru.

1 Jason PLATO (GBR) Silverline Subaru BMR Racing 25:30.213 (80.47 mph)
2 Jack GOFF (GBR) Team IHG Rewards Club +0.503s
3 Colin TURKINGTON (GBR) Silverline Subaru BMR Racing +1.003s
4 Tom INGRAM (GBR) Speedworks Motorsport +2.375s
5 Sam TORDOFF (GBR) Team JCT600 Racing with GardX +2.781s
6 Andrew JORDAN (GBR) Motorbase Performance +4.034s
7 Dave NEWSHAM (GBR) Power Maxed Racing +5.265s
8 Matt NEAL (GBR) Halfords Yuasa Racing +7.605s
9 Gordon SHEDDEN (GBR) Halfords Yuasa Racing +8.143s
10 Rob AUSTIN (GBR) Handy Motorsport +8.357s
11 Ashley SUTTON (GBR) MG Racing RCIB Insurance +9.206s
12 Mat JACKSON (GBR) Motorbase Performance +10.160s
13 Aiden MOFFAT (GBR) Laser Tools Racing +11.295s
14 Martin DEPPER (GBR) Eurotech Racing +11.346s
15 James COLE (GBR) Silverline Subaru BMR Racing +11.495s
16 Jake HILL (GBR) RCIB Insurance Racing +12.307s
17 Robert COLLARD (GBR) Team JCT600 Racing with GardX +12.581s
18 Josh COOK (GBR) MG Racing RCIB Insurance +13.652s
19 Michael EPPS (GBR) RCIB Insurance Racing +14.484s
20 Hunter ABBOTT (GBR) Power Maxed Racing +14.863s
21 Dan WELCH (GBR) Goodestone Racing +15.114s
22 Adam MORGAN (GBR) WIX Racing +15.991s
23 Ollie JACKSON (GBR) AmD Tuning.com+16.868s
24 Michael CAINE (GBR) TLC/RCIB Insurance Racing +18.868s
25 Stewart LINES (GBR) Maximum Motorsport +19.479s
26 Mark HOWARD (GBR) BKR +21.057s
27 Alex MARTIN (GBR) Dextra Racing +1 laps
DNF Jeff SMITH (GBR) Eurotech Racing +8 laps
DNF Warren SCOTT (GBR) Silverline Subaru BMR Racing +10 laps
DNF Aron SMITH (IRL) BKR +14 laps
DNF Matt SIMPSON (GBR) Speedworks Motorsport +18 laps By Marc Waller

 

Written by