Matt Neal has put his Honda Civic Type R on pole at Oulton Park for the second time in as many BTCC meetings. After not taking pole for five years, the triple champion has now done it twice in a row. But Neal didn’t have it all his own way initially as a series of cars were on top.
Andrew Jordan’s Pirtek BMW was the first pace setter with his BMW going well round Oulton which has always been a good circuit for the WSR run machines. Rob Collard and Colin Turkington also set times to put themselves at the front of the field at that stage.
Shedden saved his Honda from a big off at Cascades before Matt Simpson had a big off at Druids which brought out the red flags.
By now, Neal had set his pole time to overhaul Jordan who dropped to second. Aiden Moffat took an excellent third in his Laser Tools Racing Mercedes. Turkington was fourth in his BMW.
Shedden took fifth despite his off. Ashley Sutton took sixth in his Subaru, with all four of the manufacturer backed Levorgs doing better here than they have been. Unfortunately for Sutton’s team mates, their best pace was in the earlier practice sessions. Plato, Cole and Price found themselves in eighteenth, twenty third and thirty first respectively.
Mat Jackson is seventh with things looking up for the Shredded Wheat backed driver with one of his best positions of the season. An excellent eighth was Josh Cook in the Maximum Motorsport Focus beating the third BMW of Rob Collard. Senna Proctor’s Vauxhall was a strong tenth for the rookie driver.
There was a brief five minute restart once the Honda of Matt Simpson was cleared up but there were no significant improvements and the session was then ended for good by Martin Depper planting his Focus in the barriers. He ended the session dead last.
Things look close for tomorrow’s races with the top twenty five separated by a second and the whole field separated by less than two seconds. (1.798)
Tickets are available on the gate at Oulton Park and the weather forecast looks good! By Marc Waller
2017 Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship – Qualifying – Oulton Park
1 Matt NEAL (GBR) Halfords Yuasa Racing 1m26.151s (93.01mph)
2 Andrew JORDAN (GBR) BMW Pirtek Racing +0.126s
3 Aiden MOFFAT (GBR) Laser Tools Racing +0.249s
4 Colin TURKINGTON (GBR) Team BMW +0.458s
5 Gordon SHEDDEN (GBR) Halfords Yuasa Racing +0.461s
6 Ashley SUTTON (GBR) Adrian Flux Subaru Racing +0.511s
7 Mat JACKSON (GBR) Team Shredded Wheat Racing with Duo +0.549s
8 Josh COOK (GBR) Team Parker with Maximum Motorsport +0.571s
9 Rob COLLARD (GBR) Team BMW +0.587s
10 Senna PROCTOR (GBR) Power Maxed Racing +0.615s
11 Jake HILL (GBR) TAG Racing +0.650s
12 Tom INGRAM (GBR) Speedworks Motorsport +0.668s
13 Jack GOFF (GBR) Eurotech Racing +0.689s
14 Michael EPPS (GBR) Autoaid/RCIB Insurance Racing +0.728s
15 Rob AUSTIN (GBR) Handy Motorsport +0.791s
16 Adam MORGAN (GBR) Ciceley Motorsport +0.803s
17 Matt SIMPSON (GBR) Simpson Racing +0.812s
18 Jason PLATO (GBR) Adrian Flux Subaru Racing +0.823s
19 Aron TAYLOR-SMITH (IRL) MG Racing RCIB Insurance +0.891s
20 Jeff SMITH (GBR) Eurotech Racing +0.894s
21 Ant WHORTON-EALES (GBR) AmDtuning.com with Cobra Exhausts +0.980s
22 Luke DAVENPORT (GBR) Team Shredded Wheat Racing with Duo +0.990s
23 James COLE (GBR) Adrian Flux Subaru Racing +1.002s
24 Ollie JACKSON (GBR) AmDtuning.com with Cobra Exhausts +1.005s
25 Stephen JELLEY (GBR) Team Parker with Maximum Motorsport +1.017s
26 Daniel LLOYD (GBR) MG Racing RCIB Insurance +1.109s
27 Tom CHILTON (GBR) Power Maxed Racing +1.156s
28 Will BURNS (GBR) Autoaid/RCIB Insurance Racing +1.242s
29 Dave NEWSHAM (GBR) BTC Norlin Racing +1.288s
30 Chris SMILEY (GBR) BTC Norlin Racing +1.451s
31 Josh PRICE (GBR) Adrian Flux Subaru Racing +1.669s
32 Martin DEPPER (GBR) Team Shredded Wheat Racing with Duo +1.797s
Stop Press
Penalties
Chilton, Proctor, Taylor-Smith, Lloyd, Morgan and Davenport all had their fastest times disallowed for a yellow flag infringement
2017 Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship – Qualifying (Updated) – Oulton Park
1 Matt NEAL (GBR) Halfords Yuasa Racing 1m26.151s (93.01mph)
2 Andrew JORDAN (GBR) BMW Pirtek Racing +0.126s
3 Aiden MOFFAT (GBR) Laser Tools Racing +0.249s
4 Colin TURKINGTON (GBR) Team BMW +0.458s
5 Gordon SHEDDEN (GBR) Halfords Yuasa Racing +0.461s
6 Ashley SUTTON (GBR) Adrian Flux Subaru Racing +0.511s
7 Mat JACKSON (GBR) Team Shredded Wheat Racing with Duo +0.549s
8 Josh COOK (GBR) Team Parker with Maximum Motorsport +0.571s
9 Rob COLLARD (GBR) Team BMW +0.587s
10 Jake HILL (GBR) TAG Racing +0.650s
11 Tom INGRAM (GBR) Speedworks Motorsport +0.668s
12 Jack GOFF (GBR) Eurotech Racing +0.689s
13 Michael EPPS (GBR) Autoaid/RCIB Insurance Racing +0.728s
14 Rob AUSTIN (GBR) Handy Motorsport +0.791s
15 Matt SIMPSON (GBR) Simpson Racing +0.812s
16 Senna PROCTOR (GBR) Power Maxed Racing +0.819s
17 Jason PLATO (GBR) Adrian Flux Subaru Racing +0.823s
18 Jeff SMITH (GBR) Eurotech Racing +0.894s
19 Ant WHORTON-EALES (GBR) AmDtuning.com with Cobra Exhausts +0.980s
20 Adam MORGAN (GBR) Ciceley Motorsport +0.996s
21 James COLE (GBR) Adrian Flux Subaru Racing +1.002s
22 Ollie JACKSON (GBR) AmDtuning.com with Cobra Exhausts +1.005s
23 Stephen JELLEY (GBR) Team Parker with Maximum Motorsport +1.017s
24 Luke DAVENPORT (GBR) Team Shredded Wheat Racing with Duo +1.089s
25 Aron TAYLOR-SMITH (IRL) MG Racing RCIB Insurance +1.115s
26 Daniel LLOYD (GBR) MG Racing RCIB Insurance +1.181s
27 Will BURNS (GBR) Autoaid/RCIB Insurance Racing +1.242s
28 Dave NEWSHAM (GBR) BTC Norlin Racing +1.288s
29 Chris SMILEY (GBR) BTC Norlin Racing +1.451s
30 Tom CHILTON (GBR) Power Maxed Racing +1.455s
31 Josh PRICE (GBR) Adrian Flux Subaru Racing +1.669s
32 Martin DEPPER (GBR) Team Shredded Wheat Racing with Duo +1.797s
