|
Oulton Park is widely regarded as one of the top venues in the country for both driver and fans alike where the British Touring Car Championship is concerned. The hot weather, and promise of top class action drew massive crowds to the sleepy Cheshire village of Little Budworth for round seven of the BTCC.
The SEAT Sport duo of Jason Plato and Darren Turner set the pace during Saturday’s qualifying session, with them locking out the front row of the grid with Plato on pole. Andrew Jordan claimed a highly commendable tenth place.
The start of the first race saw Tom Chilton pass Darren Turner off the start, and Fabrizio Giovanardi passed his VX Racing teammate Tom Onslow-Cole. Matt Neal was issued with a drive through penalty for not being aligned in his grid position properly. Turner began to push Chilton hard but couldn’t find a way past, but as Turner was focusing his efforts on Chilton, Giovanardi got alongside Turner out of the Knickerbrook chicane. The sheer torque of Turner’s turbo diesel allowed him to pull back in front up the hill. As the third lap began, Chilton and Turner were again fighting hard, as Turner made a move stick through Cascades, but Chilton rightfully tried to take the inside again. Contact was made and Turner slid wide, he controlled the car well and rejoined but someway down, as Chilton held second place. Gordon Shedden was pushing Onslow-Cole, as behind him Colin Turkington was also pushing hard. Turkington managed to successfully pass Shedden, and Turner also moved past the Team Halfords driver, as Andrew Jordan made a perfect move on Mat Jackson. The Motorbase pairing of Rob Collard and Steven Kane were enjoying a battle, but Stephen Jelley was sat just behind looking for a chance. That chance came as he passed both into the hairpin, but he went wide and conceded the positions immediately. Mat Jackson overtook Adam Jones for eighth place, whereas at the front Plato was on his own. His nearest rival was Chilton who was some way back, and then in turn Giovanardi who had given up on any chance of catching Chilton, and was settling for third place, with Onslow-Cole acting as his rear guard. Mike Jordan got passed Shedden on the home straight, but from footage he seemed to move across a little too early, causing his car to touch the front of Shedden’s, which in turn fired him across the track into the wall. He walked away, but the car was badly damaged. Turkington was pushing Onslow-Cole hard, and the pressure paid off in the final lap, as Onslow-Cole locked up and ran wide, allowing Ulsterman Turkington to take the position. At the chequered flag Plato cut a lonely figure as he crossed the line with headlights blazing, Tom Chilton finished a fine second and Giovanardi was someway back in third.
The second race saw the BMW of Colin Turkington enjoy an electric start, as he moved passed Fabrizio Giovanardi and Tom Chilton. Adam Jones moved passed Steven Kane. Darren Turner began to slow during, and pitted at the end of, the lap. Turkington passed Jason Plato who had got away well, but it soon became apparent that Plato was suffering from problems, and with both SEATs struggling, thoughts were cast back to Snetterton where similar events damaged a productive weekend for the team. Giovanardi and Onslow-Cole made moves on Chilton and took the position. By lap three, Matt Neal was up to tenth from eighteenth, which was caused by his drive through penalty in race one. In another lesson in his changeover from single-seater racing to tin-tops, Stephen Jelly was shown by Matt Neal, Mat Jackson and Andrew Jordan how overtaking is done, as the trio moved passed the Team RAC driver. Adam Jones, Mat Jackson and Matt Neal all moved passed Tom Chilton, as Chilton took to the escape road at the Knickerbrook chicane. This bore a massive penalty, as all had agreed that if the escape road was used for whatever reason, then on top of the chicane-like configuration the driver would also come to a halt before continuing. Mat Jackson moved passed Adam Jones, and soon enough Matt Neal was continuing his superb drive as he passed the Team Air Cool car of Jones, however before the race was over Jones took the position back. Turkington crossed the line to take the race win, and was some way clear of second placed Giovanardi, who was in-turn followed by Onslow-Cole.
Colin Turkington drew the number to determine the number of positions that would be reversed for the third and final race of the round. He drew number nine, which meant that youngster Andrew Jordan would start from pole in the John Guest Racing Honda Integra.
The first attempted start for race three was delayed, due to Chris Stockton experiencing problems on the grid after the formation lap. A second formation lap was run, and race distance was reduced from fifteen to fourteen laps. Andrew Jordan and Gordon Shedden both had good starts, as the notoriously fast starting BMW of Mat Jackson moved into third. Mayhem ensued as the pack entered the Knickerbrook chicane, Tom Chilton seemingly missing a braking point, locking up and sliding past Fabrizio Giovanardi and spinning Steven Kane into the tyre bundles. Giovanardi escaped with slight contact to the right rear, but Kane was stranded in the circuit as Jason Plato rounded the corner and made heavy contact with the side of Kane’s Motorbase prepared BMW. Kane and Chilton retired, Plato managed to continue with substantial damage, and finished the race. The safety car was deployed to allow marshals to clear the stricken car of Kane, and it came back in at the end of lap three, meaning that the race distance was increased to sixteen laps. Andrew Jordan managed the restart well, but he was unable to fend off Shedden for long, the Scotsman got passed and never looked back. Mat Jackson was pushing Andrew Jordan hard, but the youngster was showing signs of great maturity in his race craft. The pressure eased off as Adam Jones got passed Jackson, and those two battled intensely for position for some time, and Matt Neal rolled up behind the pair to add to the occasion. Jones broke away from the chasing pack slightly, and focused his attentions on Jordan again. He was more successful that Jackson, as Andrew Jordan ran wide and allowed Jones through. Jones eased away, but Jackson again tried his luck with Jordan, but Jordan drove a splendid final lap to hold off Jackson, and to take his first podium in the BTCC. He was led over the line by Adam Jones ahead, and runaway race winner Gordon Shedden.
The next round of BTCC will be held from the 16th - 17th August 2008 from the Scottish circuit of Knockhill.
Final Race 1 Standings (Top 10):
1. Jason Plato
2. Tom Chilton
3. Fabrizio Giovanardi
4. Colin Turkington (I)
5. Tom Onslow-Cole
6. Darren Turner
7. Gordon Shedden
8. Adam Jones (I)
9. Steven Kane (I)
10. Robert Collard (I)
NB: 1. (I) Denotes drivers eligible for the Independents Trophy
Final Race 2 Standings (Top 10):
1. Colin Turkington (I)
2. Fabrizio Giovanardi
3. Tom Onslow-Cole
4. Steven Kane (I)
5. Mat Jackson (I)
6. Adam Jones (I)
7. Matt Neal
8. Gordon Shedden
9. Andrew Jordan (I)
10. Stephen Jelley (I)
NB: 1. (I) Denotes drivers eligible for the Independents Trophy
Final Race 3 Standings (Top 10):
1. Gordon Shedden
2. Adam Jones (I)
3. Andrew Jordan (I)
4. Mat Jackson (I)
5. Matt Neal
6. Fabrizio Giovanardi
7. Colin Turkington (I)
8. Robert Collard (I)
9. Jason Plato
10. Jason Hughes (I)
NB: 1. (I) Denotes drivers eligible for the Independents Trophy
Driver's Championship Standings (Top 10):
1. Fabrizio Giovanardi 198 Pts
2. Jason Plato 154 Pts
3. Colin Turkington 120 Pts
4. Matt Neal 147 Pts
5. Mat Jackson 136 Pts
6. Tom Onslow-Cole 124 Pts
7. Gordon Shedden 118 Pts
8. Darren Turner 97 Pts
9. Adam Jones 90 Pts
10. Tom Chilton 75 Pts
Independents Trophy Standings (Top 10):
1. Colin Turkington 229 Pts
2. Mat Jackson 201 Pts
2= Adam Jones 201 Pts
4. Steven Kane 131 Pts
5. Robert Collard 106 Pts
6. Mike Jordan 98 Pts
7. Stephen Jelley 90 Pts
8. Andrew Jordan 88 Pts
9. Harry Vaulkhard 57 Pts
10. Jason Hughes 56 Pts
Manufacturer's Championship Standings:
1. Vauxhall 492 Pts
2. SEAT 381 Pts
|
Latest
