Plato endures highs and lows (From Banbury Cake)

Plato endures highs and lows

11:01am Monday 18th August 2008

• Print
• Email
• Share

SEAT's Jason Plato endured an afternoon of highs and lows as he narrowed the gap in the HiQ MSA British Touring Car Championship by three points after the latest round of races at Knockhill.

The 39-year-old from Oxford won the first two races at the Fife circuit to close the gap on championship leader Fabrizio Giovanardi from 44 to 35 points.

But in the final race he clashed with Greatworth-based VX Racing's Tom Onslow-Cole and was unable to finish, which saw him finish the day 41 points behind.

In the first race, Plato stole the lead from SEAT team-mate Darren Turner off the start and led all the way, setting the fastest lap ahead of Vauxhall's Giovanardi.

Giovanardi chased down Onslow-Cole to grab the runner-up spot on lap 26. Onslow-Cole had held second after clashing with pole sitter Turner on the opening lap.

Turner ran off the circuit at The Scotsman corner and then began a fight back through the field.

His progress then came to a halt after a coming together with Tom Chilton on lap 14 - bringing his race to an end.

Plato continued to shave points from the lead in the second race of the day to clinch his seventh victory of the season.

Giovanardi and Onslow-Cole finished in the next two places to repeat the result from the opening race in the morning.

Turner pulled out a storming drive to move from 18th on the grid to finish eighth and claim an extra point for fastest lap of the race.

In the third outing of the day, all Plato's good work in the previous two races was undone after he crashed out, allowing Italian Giovanardi to keep a comfortable lead.

Onslow-Cole forced the SEAT driver into the tyre barrier while Giovanardi, who started in eighth, went on to finish fifth.

It was better news for Turner, though, who made amends for his disappointment in the first race - where he qualified on pole but twice suffered contact and failed to finish the race - with a deserved victory.

Joining Turner on the podium in the final race was BMW driver Rob Collard and Honda's Andrew Jordan, who backed up his race-three Oulton Park podium with another third place in Scotland.

• Print
• Email
• Share