BTCC 2013 : The season hots up at Oulton Park

Plato's car catches fire in race three

A packed grid took to the Oulton Park circuit in perfect conditions

MG KX Momentum racer Jason Plato scored a flawless double BTCC victory at Oulton Park today (9 June) before a dramatic fire put him out of the final contest, handing his Honda Yuasa Racing rival Matt Neal the championship lead.

Two-time champion Plato is no stranger to winning at the Cheshire venue, having taken seven victories at the circuit prior to this weekend, and he duly added to his impressive tally.

He was in dominant form throughout the event – claiming pole position before securing two lights-to-flag wins in commanding fashion. But for the agony of race three, the Oxfordshire driver was still pleased with his weekend’s work, “I’ve been on fire – literally,” he said in reference to both his fine form and later misfortune!

Plato’s young team-mate Sam Tordoff starred in race one by claiming second – the best result in his short BTCC career so far and the first ever one-two for MG KX Momentum Racing.Reigning champion Gordon Shedden took third in the opener before going one better in race two in his Honda Civic, whilst 2009 champion Colin Turkington claimed third in his eBay Motors BMW 125i M Sport.

The chaotic final encounter was won by Andrew Jordan in his Pirtek Racing Honda Civic after his team-mate Jeff Smith spun away the lead with just three laps remaining. Turkington scored another podium, rounding out an extremely encouraging weekend for the eBay Motors driver.

The impressive Adam Morgan took his first ever Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship podium in the final race, which was just reward for the Ciceley Racing driver and continues his fantastic form so far in 2013.

Matt Neal finished just 0.078s off the rostrum after hounding down Morgan in the closing stages but his race results of sixth and two fourth places were enough for him to leave Oulton Park with the championship lead. Such is the competitiveness of the 2013 BTCC season that Neal, Jordan and Plato are separated by just seven points at the top of the standings.

Other notable results belonged to the Rob Austin Racing-run Audis of Rob Austin and Will Bratt – the duo finished fifth and sixth respectively in race three.
 

Lea Wood and Liam Griffin shared Jack Sears Trophy honours

Lea Wood looked set to claim a first ever treble in the Jack Sears Trophy but after taking two wins he was forced into retirement in the final contest, which handed Liam Griffin’s Ford Focus his fourth win of the season. Wood heads the S2000 order with five victories.

Further to Neal’s lead in the overall Drivers’ standings, Honda lead the Manufacturers’ Championship and Honda Yuasa Racing also top the Teams’ Championship. Andrew Jordan and his Pirtek Racing squad hold the advantage in the Independents’ Drivers’ and Teams’ standings respectively.

Rounds 13, 14 and 15 of the Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship take place at Croft on the 22/23 June.

Jason Plato said: “I’ve been on fire – literally! It has been a fantastic weekend. What happened in the final race was just one of those things. The most important thing for me is that we’ve got the performance and we’ve sent a shockwave down the pit lane. There’s a long way to go but we’ve put on a pretty dominant display here, which bodes well for Croft and beyond.”

Andrew Jordan said: “If you’d asked me how my day was going after race two I’d have been a lot less happy than I am now. To pull that result off has made my weekend – you can never be sure what’s going to happen in race three and it was only once I got up into fourth that I thought I could actually win it. It’s a shame that we couldn’t get a one-two for the team – there were no team orders, Jeff (Smith) just lost the rear going into the chicane and didn’t quite manage to save it. Consistency is key for me this year and while I didn’t get great results in the first two races, we scored big in the last one while Shedden and Plato didn’t finish, so that makes it an even better result.”

Colin Turkington said: “That’s the first podium (race two) that we’ve had on raw pace. We didn’t have any luck or a reverse grid to be there so we’re definitely moving forward, but we have to keep our feet on the ground. We’ve still got more performance to find in the car and it’s not there yet. I didn’t expect two podiums, especially with the speed of the Hondas and the MGs, so to take those results when they're in the kind of form they are is absolutely fantastic.”

Adam Morgan said: “It’s absolutely amazing to get that result, not just for myself but for my team, my family and all the sponsors that support me. The race was pretty hectic – I didn’t get a second to catch my breath, but I just kept pushing and to get my first BTCC podium at my home circuit – it’s brilliant. The car felt really really good, and now I've got one, I'll be pushing harder than ever to get up there again.”

Penalties:
Liam Griffin received a one second time penalty in race one for gaining an unfair advantage

Andrew Jordan received three penalty points and a £500 fine for an incident relating to driving standards in race three

Jeff Smith received three penalty points and a £500 fine for an incident relating to driving standards in race three

Photos courtesy of btcc.net

Honda BTCC team takes home trophies - before the 2013 starts!

Gordon Shedden celebrates with the rest of the Honda BTCC team

Technical Director, Barry Plowman, recieves the MIA Teamwork Award

The Honda Yuasa Racing team have kick-started 2013 in a winning fashion by adding four more top achievements to their awards cabinet.

Hot off dominating the 2012 Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship by claiming all three titles on offer, the Honda Yuasa Racing Team has been named as the winner of the ‘Teamwork’ Award at the prestigious Motorsport Industry Association (MIA) Business Excellence Awards.

Jayne Thomas from the MIA commented; “The MIA Awards are for business excellence and the Teamwork Award recognises the significant and varied management issues which must be overcome, throughout the season to win any major motorsport Championship.

“Honda Yuasa/Team Dynamics showed stunning teamwork throughout 2012 – with a clean sweep of both the drivers’ and team titles in the Dunlop MSA BTCC Championship.”

Barry Plowman, Technical Director at Team Dynamics, who collected the trophy at the Awards ceremony which took place at the 2013 Autosport Show added; “To be nominated for this award against high-profile competition such as Red Bull Racing, Silverstone Circuits, and the RML/Chevrolet WTCC team was a great achievement in itself, but to go and win is a fantastic accolade and one which everybody involved in our 2012 BTCC programme should share.

“The MIA award is very special in that it is voted for by industry peers who really understand the scale of what it takes to succeed at this level, it’s an incredibly proud occasion for us”
Not only were the team recognised by industry peers, the fans have also spoken. The readers of TouringCarTimes have voted the Honda Civic the best car of the 2012 British Touring Car Championship and Honda Yuasa Racing as the best team, while Gordon ‘Flash’ Shedden topped the driver vote by a landslide.

These accolades are a great finish to a fantastic year which saw the Honda Yuasa Racing team and drivers Flash and Matt Neal behind the wheel of the NGTC specification Civic dominating the 2012 season by claiming a total of 13 victories throughout the year.

The season ended on a high at Brands Hatch in October with Flash claiming his first Drivers title and the team collecting the Manufacturers/Constructors title and HiQ Team’s trophy.

Peter Crolla, Team Manager, Team Dynamics, concluded; “It’s great to receive recognition from the readers of TouringCarTimes for these three awards and it adds to the team’s motivation in the build-up to the start of the 2013 season.

“Everybody at Honda Yuasa Racing worked incredibly hard to hit the ground running with the new Civic at the start of 2012 and to deliver the results we did in the first year of a new car, built to new regulations was a fantastic achievement. We’ve continued to develop the car during the winter so we’re looking forward to starting our testing programme in the coming weeks and doing it all again!”

The Honda Yuasa Racing team will once again be lining up on the grid when the 2013 Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship kicks off with qualifying at Brands Hatch on 30 March.
Fans can follow all the Honda Yuasa Racing Team’s exploits on Facebook and Twitter - www.facebook.com/HondaRacingBTCC and www.twitter.com/hondaracingbtcc

Autosport International 2013 : Ariel Atom Cup - Video Interview

Our presenter, Chris Lucas, meets Atom Cup organiser Mark Harrison to talk about the first one make racing series for the Ariel Atom at the Autosport International Show 2013

Pop Bang Colour artist paints Gordon Shedden's BTCC Honda

This weekend racing fans got a real treat at Europe’s largest dedicated motorsport exhibition, The Autosport Show, as drivers from all areas of motorsport came together to celebrate racing on four wheels.

This year’s Autosport Show illustrated a real celebration of the Honda Yuasa Racing team and current British Touring Car Champion Gordon ‘Flash’ Shedden. Contemporary British artist Ian Cook, known as PopbangColour, paints using only radio controlled cars, car tyres and toy car wheels and as the Honda Civic Type R was the first car Ian painted in this unique way, he felt right at home tackling a Honda again.

Gordon Shedden’s 2012 BTCC winning Honda Civic was a natural choice for this year's Autosport Show. While working on a project in Europe during the final round of the 2012 BTCC season, Ian used the Popbangcolour Twitter feed to announce that he would create the car that won the championship as an artwork at Autosport. With Flash crowned champion, Ian arranged to create the artwork live on the Popbangcolour.com stand on the public days of the event.

Painting in front of a live audience and to a deadline, with the world watching on social media channels, adds its own challenges. When asked about how he feels about performing with an audience, Ian commented, “I love the pressure of people watching an artwork being created, whether they are attending the event in person or watching the artwork unfold online.” Ian continued to say “The Autosport Show offers the perfect event to produce such an artwork, as there are many BTCC and race fans there to watch and share my progress across social media platforms.”

Ian’s work of the BTCC Civic unfolding was shown live on the @HondaRacingBTCC Twitter feed as well as the @Popbangcolour Twitter feed throughout the event, with further images uploaded to www.facebook.com/HondaRacingBTCC.

We met Ian Cook last year - and we'll be bringing you an update from the paint splattered one from this year's show soon - meanwhile, here he is painting a very special art work at the 2012 Autosport show

Ariel takes the Atom racing in new championship

Ariel Motor Company’s latest offering, the Ariel Atom 3.5, will make its UK public debut at The Performance Car Show on 12-13 January 2012, held at Birmingham’s NEC.

One of the fastest cars money can buy, the new Atom 3.5 features a host of updates, including a boost to 310bhp with the supercharged version of its 2.0-litre Honda iVTEC K20Z4 engine. British designed and built, it accelerates from 0-60mph in just 2.7 seconds and boasts a top speed of 155mph.
The Atom’s iconic look remains, but with a stiffer chassis, improved balance and traction, it’s even more fun behind the wheel!

Debuting alongside the new road-going mean machine is the race-ready Ariel Cup, which has been specially designed to compete in Ariel’s new one-make race series, launching in 2013 and visiting tracks such as Silverstone and Brands Hatch. The Ariel Cup is powered by a 2.0-litre Honda Type R iVTEC engine and features more enclosed bodywork, a modified chassis, rollover protection, race instrumentation and Ohlins suspension.

One of the world's most recognisable cars!

“The Atom is one of the most unique cars in the world and we’re delighted to debut these new editions to the UK public at The Performance Car Show,” said Simon Saunders, Director of Ariel. “Moving from road to racing is something that we’ve long talked about. We’ve worked hard to make sure the Ariel Cup is right for on-track competition and we’re looking forward to the public’s feedback at the show.”

“The Atom is one of the most exciting cars around, and it’s great to host the first public showing of these fantastic models,” said Paul Garlick, PistonHeads.com Brand Manager. “Renowned for its looks and even more so for its performance, both the new road-going Atom and its racing counterpart are set to be outstanding to drive.”

Ariel’s new offerings will be on show at The Performance Car Show alongside a host of the most coveted supercars and sports cars from top manufacturers, including Lamborghini, Ferrari, Audi, Porsche and Mercedes-Benz.

Tickets for The Performance Car Show are on sale now, priced at £31 for an adult and £20 for children (under fives are free). Tickets also include entrance to sister show Autosport International, which features some of motorsports finest cars and top racing stars.
For more information call 0800 581 1419 or visit www.pistonheads.com/show.

Honda Retains Shedden and Neal for 2013

Matt Neal leads the BTCC Pack at Silverstone - Number 1 passes to team mate Gordon Shedden next season.

Honda Yuasa Racing has announced that Gordon Shedden and Matt Neal will once again spearhead the team's challenge in the 2013 Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship after coming first and second in the Driver's titles and scooping both the Manufacturers and Team prizes in the new Civic this year.

2012 brought Team Dynamics many challenges in the BTCC with new regulations and a new car. Operating out of Pershore, Worcestershire, Dynamics under the leadership of Steve Neal and Team Manager Pete Crolla, built and tested the Civic to the new NGTC rules in record time with Matt winning at the Brands Hatch opener at the season start. Matt has now won three championships with Honda and Gordon scooping his first title win in 2012.

Commenting on the year's success both Gordon and Matt had a special thanks for all the fans who they said gave them the strength to fight every step of the way. Gordon said, "It's been a long road for both of us and without the fans who have endured some very wet races this year, we could not have achieved this success. Their support has been amazing."
Honda UK and title sponsor Yuasa Battery Sales (UK) Ltd will continue their winning partnership next year.

Take a look at Honda's YouTube channel for a short video from the driver's announcing their continued partnership and spreading a little holiday cheer http://bit.ly/UXicID
To see an overview of everything that happened this season go to http://www.honda.co.uk/cars/btcc/ 

SILVERSTONE The countdown begins

 The countdown begins. 

Little more than a week remains before Northamptonshire’s world-famous Silverstone circuit (Sat 6/Sun 7 Oct) hosts the crucial penultimate round of this year’s Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship. The three races at Silverstone will decide who will then still be in with a chance of winning the UK’s most prestigious motor racing title on Finals Day at Brands Hatch in Kent a fortnight later.

Seven drivers can mathematically still be crowned BTCC Champion in 2012, namely Honda Yuasa Racing Team team-mates Gordon Shedden and Matt Neal who lead the way, MG KX Momentum Racing’s Jason Plato, Pirtek Racing’s Andrew Jordan, eBay Motors pair Robert Collard and Tom Onslow-Cole and Redstone Racing’s Mat Jackson.

Arriving at Silverstone it is Hampshire’s Collard, Surrey’s Onslow-Cole and Warwickshire’s Jackson who will be most under pressure to perform if they are to keep their fading title hopes alive. All are presently more than 67 points adrift of leader Shedden with that then being the maximum available when the cars take to the legendary Brands Hatch Grand Prix circuit for the season finale on the weekend of 20/21 October.

Of the four ahead, two wins for Scotsman Shedden last weekend at Rockingham, also in Northamptonshire, have moved him into the championship lead by three points from Worcestershire’s Neal. Shedden has never won the BTCC before while Neal is looking to retain his crown from last season – achieved when he defeated Shedden at Silverstone – and make it four titles to his name.

For Oxford’s Plato, himself a double BTCC Champion, Silverstone is very much his home event as it is for Lichfield youngster Jordan who, like Shedden and Neal, races a Honda Civic. All three Honda drivers, though, are expecting to struggle around Silverstone’s high-speed National circuit and Plato, in his MG6, will be hoping they are right.

Plato is currently 32 points behind Shedden with a maximum of 67 available from Silverstone’s three races. What’s more his MG team-mate Andy Neate, another local from nearby Aylesbury, will surely be out to aid Plato’s chances by stealing vital points away from his Honda rivals…

Silverstone’s short lap and long, wide straights never fail to deliver plenty of doorhandle-to-doorhandle entertainment for fans. Indeed the view from Woodcote corner of cars slipstreaming and fanning out five abreast along the Wellington Straight is one of the most evocative of the season.

As ever ‘the home of British motor sport’, easily accessible from across the Midlands just off the A43 dual carriageway between the M40 and M1 motorways, is making its big BTCC weekend hugely popular among audiences both young and old. Adult tickets for race day (Sunday) start from just £29 if booked in advance with admission for accompanied children aged 15 and under FREE all weekend. All admission includes access to grandstands, the main central BTCC teams’ paddock and Sunday’s specially organised autograph session with the star touring car drivers.

To book in advance visit www.silverstone.co.uk or call the ticket hotline 0844 3750 740.

In addition to the BTCC’s three penultimate races of 2012 which headline the event a further 12 races for the Ginetta GT Supercup, Ginetta Junior Championship, Porsche Carrera Cup, Renault Clio Cup and guesting Formula Renault BARC categories are also in store during the weekend.

BTCC heads north to Knockhill

Gordon Shedden (pictured leading) will be hoping for a win or two in front of his home BTCC crowd at Knockhill this weekend when the Fife circuit celebrates 20 years of touring car action.

There is now less than a week to go before the UK’s premier motor racing championship – the Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship – makes its annual trip to Scotland and one of the most spectacular circuits on its calendar, Knockhill in Fife which hosts the series’ latest three races this weekend (Sat 25/Sun 26 August).

 

With its off-camber corners and blind brows, Knockhill is rated by many as one of the toughest driving challenges of the BTCC season. Furthermore its trackside crowd is among the most passionate of the year as tens of thousands of people turn out to cheer on their home heroes, namely, in 2012, Dalgety Bay’s Gordon Shedden and Inverness-based Dave Newsham.

 

Shedden, vying to become the first Scotsman since John Cleland in 1995 to win the BTCC title, will arrive lying second in the standings to his Honda Yuasa Racing Team team-mate Matt Neal who pipped him to last year’s crown. Meanwhile Newsham, driving a Team ES Racing.com Vauxhall Vectra, will go into the event truly on a confidence high following his first race win in the BTCC just over a week ago at Snetterton in Norfolk.

 

Making 2012’s event extra special is the fact that this year Knockhill is celebrating 20 years of BTCC action. Almost every living Scottish driver to have graced the BTCC grid at Knockhill during the past two decades will be present, including Cleland who will be reunited with his famous Vauxhall Cavalier for several demonstration laps. A number of iconic BTCC cars will also be present, including a Honda Accord once raced by the much missed David Leslie.

 

Shedden is now the most successful Scottish driver in the BTCC in terms of race wins and also boasts an unrivalled six victories to date in 2012.

Three of his 27 career wins have come in front of his home fans at Knockhill and he commented: “It is just going to be a phenomenal weekend for Scottish sport. The BTCC is always spectacular, particularly so at Knockhill because of the nature of the circuit and the fact it falls at such a crucial time in the calendar. After this weekend we start to get a picture of who are the men most likely to be in with a shout as we get to the business end of the season.

“I was a kid watching the likes of John Cleland from the spectator banks when the BTCC first came here 20 years ago and this year’s event is going to be a hugely important landmark in both Knockhill’s and Scottish motor sport’s history.”

 

While Shedden hopes to close down the gap to leader Neal in Sunday’s three races – he is eight points adrift with 20 awarded per win – he will also be wary of his pursuers. Jason Plato, with two titles and a record 71 race wins to his name, is just two points further back in his MG KX Momentum Racing MG6. Plato has also achieved an unrivalled eight career wins to date at Knockhill…

 

In all seven drivers – Neal, Shedden, Plato, Newsham, Andrew Jordan (Pirtek Racing Honda), Robert Collard (eBay Motors BMW) and Mat Jackson (Redstone Racing Ford Focus) – have won races so far this season. Others, including Frank Wrathall (Dynojet Toyota Avensis) who took a career-first pole position in qualifying at Snetterton last weekend, have shown they are more than capable of mixing it with the title protagonists as well.

 

Keeping the BTCC crowds at Knockhill this weekend (25/26 Aug) further entertained will be an additional 11 races for the supporting Porsche Carrera Cup GB, Ginetta Junior and Ginetta GT Supercup categories as well as the ‘guesting’ Celtic Speed Mini Cooper Cup and Scottish Classic Sports & Saloons series.

 

Rory Butcher (Kirkcaldy) and Glyn Geddie (Aberdeen) are among the front-runners in the Carrera Cup – indeed Butcher still has a realistic chance of winning the crown. Charlie Robertson (Aberfoyle), aged 15, is also a title contender in Ginetta Juniors while Fergus Walkinshaw (Edinburgh), son of the late, great Scottish touring race winner and team boss Tom Walkinshaw, is one to watch in the GT Supercup.

 

Admission to the event is FREE all weekend for accompanied children aged 12 and under. Tickets for adults will remain on sale at special advance rates until Saturday (25 Aug) via the www.knockhill.com website or by calling 01383 723337.

Apologies for the interruption to posts. This is due to technical difficulties to do with our RSS feeds.

Wrathall beats Plato to take his first Pole Position

Frank Wrathall narrowly beat Jason Plato to achieve his first BTCC pole position at Snetterton Norfolk.

Frank Wrathall has spectacularly taken the first pole position of his Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship career at the Snetterton circuit in Norfolk.

 

The 25-year-old from Preston achieved pole in a time of 1m57.595s in his Dynojet Toyota Avensis to pip former double Champion, Oxford’s Jason Plato in his MG KX Momentum Racing MG6 by just 0.015s.

Motorbase debured the new Focus ST

 

Wrathall’s pole is the first for a Toyota driver in the BTCC since 1993 and also a qualifying record for the championship around the Snetterton track.

 

Inverness’s Dave Newsham was also close to pole, just 0.054s away from Wrathall in third in his Team ES Racing.com Vauxhall Vectra.

 

An elated Wrathall said: “That was very close as Jason and I were trading fastest times but in the end I came out on top. I’d come back into the pit lane and knew he was out there giving it one final go, but it seems he made a mistake and went off the track – when the team told me I was shouting a lot in the car! To beat a driver of his stature makes it all the more rewarding and I’m delighted.”

 

Plato replied: “Congratulations to Frank – it’s always nice to see a young driver doing well, even if it is at my expense! The important thing is I’m ahead of the two drivers I’m chasing for the title and from here can start thinking about taking points back off them.”

 

And added Newsham: “Finally the Vectra feels like it did back at the start of the season when I had three really strong opening events. From what we’ve seen in the earlier practice sessions our tyre wear rate is also excellent so I’m hoping for three very strong races tomorrow.”

 

Marshals rush to put out Gordon Shedden's burning Honda

There were career-best qualifying results, too, for Preston's Adam Morgan and Fleet's Daniel Welch – a fine fifth and sixth fastest in their Speedworks Motorsport Toyota and Welch Motorsport Proton respectively.

 

That'll polish out. The mechanics had the car out later on.

But there were major frustrations for the two championship leaders, Honda Yuasa Racing Team team-mates Matt Neal and Gordon Shedden. Worcestershire's Neal was a lowly seventh by his standards and Fife's Shedden 22nd and last after on-going problems with his Civic – which had suffered a major fire in practice this morning – prevented him from setting a time.

 

Elsewhere Warwickshire's Mat Jackson, another of the championship’s top names, qualified the Redstone Racing team’s all-new Ford Focus ST an encouraging 16th fastest on its debut. The Focus, only completed at 7.00am, becomes the seventh different make of car to be built to the BTCC’s new and much-applauded NGTC regulations…

 

Meanwhile Neal will go into tomorrow’s three BTCC races at Snetterton leading the standings by a point from Shedden. Plato is a further 28 back with 20 awarded for a race win. All the action will be shown live on the ITV4 and ITV4 HD channels plus www.itv.com in a seven-hour show from 11.00am-6.00pm.

 

Top positions, Dunlop BTCC qualifying, Snetterton, Sat 11 Aug 2012

1. Frank Wrathall (GBR), Dynojet/Toyota Avensis, 1m57.595s
2. Jason Plato (GBR), MG KX Momentum Racing/MG6, +0.015s
3. Dave Newsham (GBR), ES Racing.com/Vauxhall Vectra, +0.054s
4. Andrew Jordan (GBR), Pirtek Racing/Honda Civic, +0.538s
5. Adam Morgan (GBR), Speedworks/Toyota Avensis, +0.610s
6. Daniel Welch (GBR), Welch Motorsport/Proton Persona, +0.668s
7. Matt Neal (GBR), Honda Yuasa Racing Team/Honda Civic, +0.957s
8. Lea Wood (GBR), BINZ Racing/Vauxhall Vectra, +1.104s
9. Tom Onslow-Cole (GBR), eBay Motors/BMW 320si, +1.286s
10. Jeff Smith (GBR), Pirtek Racing/Honda Civic, +1.620s

Pictures courtesy of BTCC.net

Teams prepare for Snetterton : Honda

The two Hondas squabble for position at Croft. Can they bring home success at Snetterton?

Matt Neal and Gordon ‘Flash’ Shedden will be defending their lead in the MSA Dunlop British Touring Car Championship as the Honda Yuasa Racing Team heads to Snetterton this weekend.

After a long summer break, the duo will be making its second race visit to the 300 version of the Norfolk circuit, this time with the title-leading NGTC Honda Civics.

Despite being at the top of the table, the squad has been working hard over the break so that it can continue its fine run. Work has been ongoing with the chassis as the boost restrictions in the series are still limiting the Civic’s straightline speed.

“Our engines have been away for a check over and we’ve been tweaking bits and bobs,” says points leader and reigning champion Neal. “Everyone’s learning the NGTC package and we’ve had the best grip of it so far, and we’ve got a few new bits to try.”

The triple champion had a difficult time at Snetterton last year on his way to the title, but he still likes the new layout, which was used for the first time in the BTCC in 2011.

“We’ll get left on the straights at Snetterton, so we’ll have to work in the corners,” he said. “[MG driver and rival] Jason Plato will be there, and so will the Fords, but we should be in the mix again.

“The 300 circuit still has long straights, but it’s more technical than the old layout, which should help us. I enjoy it – I loved the old circuit, but I like the new one even better. It’s challenging.”

Shedden, who is just one point behind Neal in the drivers’ table, did win a race at Snetterton last year and is not worried about the lack of testing he has had since the last BTCC round at Croft.

“We had quite a few things we needed to make changes too and we focused on those rather than running,” he said.

“There are a lot of corners at Snetterton, but there are a lot of straights too. You’re flat in sixth on the start/finish straight, again on the straight behind the pits, and again on the Bentley Straight. It’ll make it a bit tricky, but we’ll have to make the most of the corners.

“It’ll be the usual suspects and I can see the Fords and BMWs being quick. The racing was quite good last year, but it’s quite easy to defend.”

As well as leading the drivers’ table with its two stars, the Honda Yuasa Racing Team leads the team’s table and the manufacturers’ championship heading into the weekend.

The Snetterton action gets under way at 09:35am on Saturday with free practice. Qualifying is at 3:15pm, and the first of three races on Sunday is scheduled for 12:00.

In addition to heading to the circuit or watching ITV4’s live BTCC TV coverage, fans can also follow Honda Yuasa Racing’s exploits on Facebook and Twitter for news and race results as the action happens - www.facebook.com/HondaRacingBTCC and www.twitter.com/hondaracingbtcc

BTCC : Shedden and Jackson share wins at Thruxton

Shedden leads Jackson at a soaking wet Thruxton

Warwickshire’s Mat Jackson and Fife’s Gordon Shedden, the latter with a victory double, shared the wins in today’s three rain-soaked Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship races at the high-speed Thruxton circuit in Hampshire.

Oxford’s Jason Plato continues to lead the points table but only just from new second-placed man Shedden as Britain’s premier motor racing championship now heads to the spectacular Oulton Park circuit in Cheshire for its next three races on the weekend of 9/10 June.

Staffordshire’s Andrew Jordan had headed Saturday’s qualifying session to line up on pole position for the first of today’s races. But it all went wrong for the Pirtek Racing driver at the first bend as his Honda Civic tangled with Plato’s MG KX Momentum Racing MG6 and crashed.

This left the way clear for Jackson to reel off his second win of the season in his Redstone Racing Ford Focus ahead of Inverness’s Dave Newsham in his Team ES Racing.com Vauxhall Vectra and Plato. Newsham’s second place was the best of his career so far. Having started from lowly 18th and 19th spots after a disastrous qualifying session, Shedden and team-mate Matt Neal, the reigning Champion, were sixth and tenth.

Shedden was unstoppable in race two as he quickly made up positions to pass Jackson for the lead and a comfortable win. Plato took second ahead of Jackson in third. Neal was fifth. In race three Shedden and Neal then simply romped clear of the opposition to give Honda a dream 1-2 result. Third, adding to earlier fifth and fourth place results, was the impressive Frank Wrathall in his Dynojet Toyota Avensis. Plato was fourth.

 

As a result, Plato leaves Thruxton holding a four-point lead from the charging Shedden. Next up are Neal, Jackson and Hampshire’s Robert Collard who, on his home track, took a fourth and two seventh places today in his eBay Motors BMW.

 

Plato enthused: “We’ve had zero running in the wet before with the MG so to take away a big points haul on a rainy day is very pleasing. We’ve got a big test programme planned between now and Oulton which should really enable us to make big gains with the car.”

Dalgety Bay’s Shedden, who also set the fastest lap in all three races at Thruxton, added: “Two wins at Donington a fortnight ago and another two wins today… it’s been a mega weekend, even if qualifying didn’t go our way. The Civic’s chassis really came into its own today in the wet and round the fast corners but it’s still early days.”

And commented Droitwich Spa’s Neal: “It’s been a bit of a scruffy day for me so to get on the podium in the third race was a good way to finish – and of course it’s another great result for Honda. The main thing is I’ve come away still in the hunt but it’s extremely competitive out there.”

Jackson, from Henley in Arden, said: “The conditions today haven’t been ideal for the Focus which runs a slightly smaller tyre compared to the Honda and MG so I’m delighted by what we’ve achieved today. It’s all about consistent scoring and not letting the others escape at this stage.”

Meanwhile, Honda/Dynamics and the Honda Yuasa Racing Team have extended their respective leads in the Manufacturers/Constructors and HiQ Teams championships respectively. Jackson and Redstone Racing have taken over at the top of the Independent Drivers and Teams standings.

 

Elsewhere, two drivers were today penalised for on-track incidents. Redstone Racing’s Liam Griffin was handed a time penalty in race three which relegated him from 11th to 12th place while team-mate Aron Smith was officially reprimanded and had two penalty points added to his competition licence for an incident in the previous round at Donington Park.

BTCC At Thruxton : Qualifying Report

Andrew Jordan attacking the final Chicane at Thruxton, on his way to Pole

Andrew Jordan has taken pole position for the first of tomorrow’s three Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship races at Hampshire’s high-speed Thruxton circuit, but there were major problems in this afternoon’s qualifying session for three of the series’ big names, Gordon Shedden, Jason Plato and Matt Neal.

 

Staffordshire’s Jordan, driving a Pirtek Racing Honda Civic, set the pole position time in 1m16.983s – a dizzying average speed of 110.17mph. It is the second pole of the 22-year-old’s career.

 

Oxford’s Plato, the current championship leader, ended up second overall but had to rely on the time he set earlier in the session as he then crashed at high speed in his MG KX Momentum Racing MG6. Preston racer Frank Wrathall, another of the championship’s rising young stars, was a career equal-best third fastest on a damp but rapidly drying track in his Dynojet team’s Toyota Avensis.

 

Plato also attacked the kerbs...

Jordan, from Lichfield, commented: “That was a real man’s pole position lap – to do it around Thruxton which is an ‘old school’ style circuit with no margin for error makes it extra satisfying. Even more so as we beat the 1m17s barrier which hardly ever happens.”

Plato added: “The car swapped ends on me as I went into Church Corner at about 140mph, but I managed to get it pointed in a straight line before it left the track. That helped and it was a fairly soft landing all things considered. A shame, though, because I was up on my best lap at that point…”

And said 25-year-old Wrathall: “I’m delighted and felt I could have gone even faster. I’m just going to enjoy the moment and not even think about tomorrow. Everyone’s talking about the weather but I couldn’t care less. We get what we get and then get on with it.”

... And the Scenery (and yes, the recovery truck is stuck)

 

Meanwhile Mat Jackson (Redstone Racing Ford Focus), Dave Newsham (Team ES Racing.com Vauxhall Vectra) and local Hampshire ace Robert Collard (eBay Motors BMW) were next up to make it six different cars in the top six positions.

 

But having looked supreme in morning practice, it all went wrong for the factory Honda Yuasa Racing Team team-mates Neal and Shedden in qualifying. Neal finished up a lowly 19th after a crash and Shedden, on course for his first pole of 2012 having set the fastest lap, then had all his times disallowed mid-session when it was discovered his car had exceeded the permitted turbo boost limits. He rejoined the session for one final flying lap but a costly error meant he could do no better than 18th.

 

Tomorrow’s three BTCC races at Thruxton will be shown on ITV4, ITV4 HD and www.itv.com as part of its mammoth live broadcast of the event (11.00am-6.00pm).

 

Leading Qualifying Times, Dunlop BTCC, Thruxton, Saturday 28 April

1. Andrew Jordan (GBR), Pirtek Racing/Honda Civic, 1m16.983s

2. Jason Plato (GBR), MG KX Momentum Racing/MG6, +0.824s

3. Frank Wrathall (GBR), Dynojet/Toyota Avensis, +1.019s

4. Mat Jackson (GBR), Redstone Racing/Ford Focus ST, +1.468s

5. Dave Newsham (GBR), Team ES Racing.com/Vauxhall Vectra, +1.595s

6. Robert Collard (GBR), eBay Motors/BMW 320si, +1.643s

7. Aron Smith (IRL), Redstone Racing/Ford Focus ST, +1.888s

8. Lea Wood (GBR), BINZ Racing/Vauxhall Vectra, +2.066s

9. Liam Griffin (GBR), Redstone Racing/Ford Focus ST, +2.168s

10. Tom Onslow-Cole (GBR), eBay Motors/BMW 320si, +2.244s

Photos courtesy of BTCC.net

Honda returns to Thruxton

Shedden was victorious last time out at Donington Park

 Honda Yuasa Racing Team stars Matt Neal and Gordon Shedden will be looking to continue their strong start to the 2012 Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship as the series moves to Thruxton this weekend.

Neal and Shedden have already taken victories in the first season of the NGTC Honda Civic, and Thruxton provided a great weekend for them in 2011. Shedden led a Honda one-two in race one last year, while Neal returned the favour in the second encounter.

Thruxton is a test of speed over handling - Dunlop has even made special tyres!

Shedden, who currently lies fifth in the standings while Neal sits in second, is certainly a Thruxton fan. “I’ve had some great results there and some terrible times with punctures,” he said. “It’s always been exciting!

“Thruxton is a unique challenge. You either take to it or you don’t and I love it.”

Despite BTCC rules limiting the Honda’s turbo boost and restricting their straightline speed, many other cars have been allowed more boost for Thruxton under the championship’s lap-time equalisation regulations. Shedden hopes the Civic’s fine chassis will help negate the disadvantage.

“You need a good, balanced chassis, but it’s the fastest track in the UK so you need straightline speed as well,” said Shedden, who will also run with 9kg of success ballast compared to Neal’s 36kg. “The target is to score as many points as possible. I’m reasonably light so hopefully that will help in qualifying, then we’ll see how it pans out.”

The high-speed Hampshire circuit is notoriously hard on tyres too, and Dunlop has produced special rubber for the event. Despite suffering no problems last year, Shedden believes the switch to the NGTC Civic creates an unknown. “It’s a completely different beast, so it’s a clean sheet of paper really,” he said. “It’s a different tyre and we don’t know how the set-up will work with it.

“The first two practice sessions will be crucial, but Matt and I will work together to find the right set-up for qualifying.”

Reigning champion Neal, who is just four points behind the points leader, also believes tyres will be key. “The 18-inch NGTC tyre is meant to be more bulletproof than the old one, but no-one has run the new tyre at the speed and with the weight we’ll have,” he said. “On paper it should be better.”

Despite a mixed history with the circuit, Neal also likes racing at Thruxton. “It’s never been a happy hunting ground for me, but I love it,” he added. “It’s unspoiled and is a big-commitment circuit.

“They’ve flattened the chicane this year so it will be a learning curve to see how much speed you can take through there, but apart from that I don’t think it’s changed since I first raced there in the BTCC in the early 1990s.”

The Thruxton action gets under way at 09:30am on Saturday with free practice. Qualifying is at 3:20pm, and the first of three races on Sunday is scheduled for 11:37am.

As well as heading to the circuit or watching ITV4’s live BTCC TV coverage, fans can also follow Honda Yuasa Racing’s exploits on Facebook and Twitter for news and race results as the action happens - www.facebook.com/HondaRacingBTCC and www.twitter.com/hondaracingbtcc

Honda top of table after successful Donington Park Meeting

Gordon Shedden scored a pair of victories - one after a penalty for Jason Plato demoted the MG driver.

Matt Neal had some bad luck at Donington Park

The Honda Yuasa Racing Team moved to the top of the manufacturers’ and teams’ tables in the 2012 Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship with an impressive performance at Donington Park last weekend.

Despite only being in its second race meeting with the new NGTC Civic, the squad took two wins and five podium finishes across the three races.

Last season’s championship runner-up Gordon Shedden overcame the bad luck he experienced at Brands Hatch earlier in the month to finish a fine second in the first race, just 0.229 seconds behind winner Mat Jackson, before winning races two and three to record his best ever weekend in the championship.

“I think at the end of first practice I’d done more laps than I had during the whole weekend at Brands!” he said. “I was trying everything just to get some points – it was critical for me after Brands – and there were some shenanigans with other drivers in race three.

Shedden’s three podiums move him up to fifth in the driver standings, 15 points behind leader Jason Plato, and he is now ready for a championship fight.

“We’re six races in and you can see how quickly the tide can change – just look at what happened to Matt in race three – but it was crucial for me to have such a good weekend,” he added. “The car was good and consistent all weekend but the game is moving on and there’s a whole lot happening with other teams.”

Shedden’s team-mate, reigning champion Matt Neal, also scored good points at Donington. He followed Shedden home in the first two races – helping the Honda Yuasa Racing Team to its first one-two of the season in the second encounter – and believed a podium was possible in the reversed-grid finale. However, a multi-car incident. triggered by Rob Collard’s BMW, resulted in Neal being spun into the McLeans gravel.

“In race three the car was feeling great,” confirmed Neal. “It was just a catalogue of events and I ended up the worst off, but that’s life.”

“It was a really positive weekend for the team – three podiums for Gordon and two for me. We’ve overhauled MG in the manufacturers’ and teams’ table.”

Despite the race-three disappointment, Neal is only four points away from the championship lead in second. “It’s early days, but it’s always nice to have big points in the bag,” he added. “Every time we go out we understand the NGTC Civic more.”

The squad’s next outing at the end of the month will be at the high-speed Thruxton circuit in Hampshire, where Neal and Shedden each took wins last season.

Fans can follow the Honda Yuasa Racing Team’s exploits on Facebook and Twitter for news and race results as the action happens - www.facebook.com/HondaRacingBTCC and www.twitter.com/hondaracingbtcc

Shedden's success moves Honda into the lead of the BTCC Constructor's championship.

BTCC : Crashes and Controversy at Donington Park

Shedden (52) leads the pack to victory, meanwhile Plato and Collard fall foul of each other.

Mat Jackson and Gordon Shedden shared the wins in today’s three highly-charged Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship races at Leicestershire’s Donington Park circuit. But it is Jason Plato who, despite a crash, still leads the points table as Britain’s premier motor racing series heads south for its next three races at the fastest circuit on the calendar, Thruxton in Hampshire, on the weekend of 28/29 April.

 

Plato had given his MG KX Momentum Racing MG6 a first-ever pole position in Saturday’s qualifying session. But he could only finish fourth in today’s first race behind Jackson’s Redstone Racing Ford Focus ST and the Honda Yuasa Racing Team Honda Civics of Shedden and team-mate Matt Neal.

 

Shedden then led home Neal in race two for a dream 1-2 result for the factory Honda squad with Jackson following in third. It also meant the season’s first five races had each been won by a different driver, while Neal now took over the championship lead after Plato crashed out in a tangle with Robert Collard’s eBay Motors BMW.

 

In race three Jackson crossed the line in first ahead of Plato and Shedden. But officials then demoted Plato to third with a time penalty after they judged he had unfairly bumped Shedden off the track at the final bend. Officials also later excluded Jackson from the results after it was discovered his car had exceeded the permitted turbo boost limits, meaning the Warwickshire driver had to be content with just the one win on home ground.

 

His exclusion also meant Shedden inherited the victory ahead of Plato and a jubilant Tony Gilham who, in his Team HARD. Honda Civic, had achieved a maiden top three result as well as his first maximum score in the Independent Drivers Trophy. Plato also moved back to the top of the standings as Neal, the reigning Champion, span out of the race in a clash with Pirtek Racing Honda driver Andrew Jordan.

 

Oxford racer Plato, aiming for a third BTCC title in 2012, commented: “It’s been a very topsy-turvy day for me. The speed of the MG was clear for all to see with that brilliant pole position lap but then things just didn’t go our way in the races. My crash was just a racing incident but then to drive through from 17th to finish on the podium in race three again underlined just how special the MG is and I believe it will fly at Thruxton.”

Worcestershire’s Neal said: “Everything was going great until race three – a third in race one and then a great result for Honda in race two. But race three showed just how quickly it can all change in the BTCC and now I find myself chasing Jason again as we go to Thruxton. But the main thing is we’re still right in the hunt and my Honda won’t have quite so much success ballast to deal with as his MG around there.”

Following a torrid opening round two weeks ago at Brands Hatch, Fife ace Shedden, who becomes the first driver to win twice in 2012, has vaulted to sixth in the championship. He said: “I feel we’ve got our just rewards today despite Jason’s best efforts! The Honda has been fantastic all weekend around Donington and that’s a great sign for Thruxton where again having a good car in high speed corners counts for a lot. It’s the perfect way to bounce back after Brands Hatch and my championship is now back on track.”

Jackson was left to rue what might have been, saying: “Losing the win in race three is a big blow but a win and a third in the first two races are still two very good results. It’s shown we’re capable of taking it to factory teams and I’m going to Thruxton fully intent on rattling their cages again.”

 

Meanwhile Honda/Dynamics and the Honda Yuasa Racing Team respectively have moved to the top of both the Manufacturers/Constructors and HiQ Teams championships. Jordan and his Pirtek squad have also increased their leads in the Independent Drivers and Teams title races.

 

Elsewhere a number of teams and drivers were penalised by officials at Donington Park. MG KX Momentum Racing, Rob Austin Racing and Thorney Motorsport all received verbal warnings for moving their cars into their pit garages without permission before the session had ended. Chris James received an official reprimand and 2 penalty points on his competition licence for an on-track incident in race one plus, later, a further 3 penalty points and a £1000 fine for using abusive language and behaviour within the venue. Jeff Smith, Dave Newsham and Andrew Jordan received verbal warnings for on-track incidents. Jason Plato received a 2-second penalty for gaining an unfair advantage on-track. Mat Jackson was excluded from the results of race three for a technical infringement.

 

2012 Dunlop BTCC Drivers’ Points after Donington Park (round 2 of 10):

1. Jason Plato, 84 points

2. Matt Neal, 80

3. Andrew Jordan, 76
4. Robert Collard, 71

5. Gordon Shedden, 69
6. Mat Jackson, 60

 

Manufacturers/Constructors’ Points:

1. Honda/Dynamics, 168

2. MG/888, 160

HiQ Teams’ Points:

1. Honda Yuasa Racing Team, 146

2. Pirtek Racing, 129

3. eBay Motors, 112
4. Redstone Racing, 104

5. MG KX Momentum Racing, 93

6. Team ES Racing.com 54

Independent Drivers’ Points:
1. Andrew Jordan, 98

2. Robert Collard, 80

3. Mat Jackson, 70
4. Jeff Smith, 69
5. Tom Onslow-Cole, 59

6. Dave Newsham, 56

 

Independent Teams’ Points:

1. Pirtek Racing, 102

2. Redstone Racing, 92
3. eBay Motors, 91

4. Team ES Racing.com, 75

5. Team HARD., 65

=6. Speedworks Motorsport & BINZ Racing, 46

*All points remain provisional

Honda ready for Donington Battle.

Matt Neal won't relinquish the sought after number 1 without a fight!

The fight for the 2012 Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship heads to Donington Park this weekend and Honda Yuasa Racing Team drivers Matt Neal and Gordon Shedden are aiming to be in the thick of the action.

Gordon Shedden : " I think the issue at Donington will be straightline speed"

Reigning BTCC champion Neal gave the new NGTC Honda Civic a win on its debut at Brands Hatch earlier this month and currently lies second in the drivers’ standings. That means he will have to carry 36kg of success ballast in the first Donington race, but the three-time title winner believes he will still be in the fight.

“We’re expecting more of the same – our strengths are braking and high-speed corner stability,” said Neal, who feels a bigger issue could be the low boost level all the Civics have to run compared to its rivals.

“There’s a lot of braking and high-speed corners at Donington, but also quite a few straights and we’re quite restricted on the boost. The car looks in pretty good shape, so we’ll just have to go and see what we’ve got.”

Neal took a race win and a third at the Leicestershire venue last year, and he thinks the racing will be even more competitive this weekend. “I think there’ll be more people in the hunt this year and I really don’t know how we’re going to go,” he said.

There is also a chance of rain at Donington. Neal feels the new car could be good in wet conditions, but hasn’t had a chance to test. “In the wet, bring it on,” he added. “I haven’t driven the car in the wet or on the new 18-inch Dunlop wet tyres, but we should be fine.”
Neal’s team-mate, 2011 runner-up Gordon Shedden, also believes the boost restriction could hurt Honda at Donington, despite the high abilities of the chassis. “Handling wise it was very good at Brands, I think the issue at Donington will be straightline speed,” he said.

“If we’re slowest through the speed traps at Brands, where we got good pace off the corners, we could be struggling at Donington. There’s only so much you can do in the corners and the drag out of the Old Hairpin is about straightline speed.”

Nevertheless, Shedden is hoping to bounce back from a difficult Brands Hatch weekend. Despite good pace, the 33-year-old was limited to one fifth place thanks to electrical gremlins, but he now believes the car should run smoothly.

“I really hope so – we ran at [test circuit] MIRA last week and everything went OK,” he added. “We’ve got to go to Donington and kickstart my championship. I think it will be close and we need to make the most of what we’ve got, stay out of trouble, and score some good points.”

As well as watching ITV4’s live BTCC TV coverage or heading to Donington Park, fans can also follow Honda Yuasa Racing’s exploits on Facebook and Twitter for news and race results as the action happens - www.facebook.com/HondaRacingBTCC and www.twitter.com/hondaracingbtcc

BTCC heads to Donington Park

I'm sure that this sort of Sponsor hunting has been recently employed in F1

The famous East Midlands circuit of Donington Park will host the region’s biggest motor racing event of the year this weekend (14/15 April) when the stars of the Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship arrive for the latest three races of their action-packed season.

For tens of thousands of fans from its huge surrounding catchment area – including the cities of Birmingham, Derby, Leicester and Nottingham – the picturesque parkland circuit’s spectacular swoops have conjured up some of the BTCC’s most memorable and controversial moments down the years.

Tickets for Donington’s big BTCC race day (Sun 15 April) remain priced at just £25 if booked in advance from the official www.donington-park.co.uk website or the hotline 0844 873 7343 while admission for accompanied children aged 15 and under is FREE for the whole weekend. All admission includes access to the teams’ paddock and a specially organised pit lane autograph session with the BTCC’s star drivers.

And after the sensation of the opening three races at Brands Hatch, Kent the timing for Britain’s premier motor racing championship to make its annual visit to Donington could not be better.

Neal is out to continue his success in the new Civic

Worcestershire’s Matt Neal and Rob Austin, Staffordshire’s Andrew Jordan and Warwickshire’s Mat Jackson were all big points’ scorers at Brands Hatch and will surely be out for glory at their home circuit on the first weekend after Easter. Indeed, reigning Champion Neal from Droitwich Spa got the defence of his crown off to a flying start with a victory in his Honda Yuasa Racing Team’s brand new Civic racer.

Double Podium at Brands for Jordan gives the Litchfield driver something
high to aim at

Lichfield’s Jordan was twice on the podium with a pair of second places in his Pirtek Racing Civic while Pershore’s Austin and Henley-in-Arden’s Jackson were never far away from the top three places in their Rob Austin Racing Audi A4 and Redstone Racing Ford Focus respectively.

Plato made sure the MG made it's mark on the BTCC at Brands Hatch,
Repeat at Donington?

But out-scoring them all on the day and giving the iconic MG name a winning return to the BTCC was double Champion Jason Plato in his new MG KX Momentum Racing team’s MG6. It is Plato who will arrive at Donington holding a slender points advantage over Neal and then Jordan with Austin in fifth and Jackson eighth. Significantly in fourth is eBay Motors BMW ace Robert Collard who also won at Brands – his first victory since Donington in 2009.

Made in Derbyshire!

Furthermore Donington is also a ‘home event’ for the BTCC’s two privateer Toyota teams, Dynojet and Speedworks Motorsport – the Avensis model they both race originated from the manufacturer’s successful plant in nearby Burnaston, Derbyshire. Proton, Vauxhall and VW are also represented on the grid meaning no fewer than nine different car makes for enthusiasts to cheer.

In addition to three bumper-to-bumper BTCC races, a high-profile supporting bill from the Ginetta GT Supercup, Ginetta Junior, Porsche Carrera Cup and Renault Clio Cup categories will add to the value-for-money entertainment during the weekend. On the Clio Cup grid will be Nicolas Hamilton – brother of British Formula 1 hero Lewis Hamilton.