Silverstone BTCC: Jason Plato quickest in damp opening practice
Jason Plato topped the first British Touring Car free practice session at Silverstone on Saturday morning
In damp conditions, Plato's works MG6 set an early benchmark of 1m04.819s, which stood as the fastest throughout the session.
Mat Jackson's NGTC Ford Focus was second for much of the session, only briefly being usurped by Frank Wrathall's Dynojet Toyota Avensis, which ended up third.
Aron Smith (S2000 Focus) made it two Motorbase Fords in the top four, ahead of the two WSR BMWs of Rob Collard and Tom Onslow-Cole.
With dry conditions expected for the rest of the weekend, some runners elected to complete only a handful of laps.
These included Independent Trophy leader Andrew Jordan, who nevertheless ended up seventh in his Eurotech-run NGTC Honda Civic.
Championship leader Gordon Shedden also failed to make a big push in the works Civic and ended up 14th.
BTCC returnee Chris Stockton was 20th in Thorney Motorsport's Vauxhall Insignia.
Pos Driver Team/Car Time Gap 1. Jason Plato MG 1m04.819s 2. Mat Jackson Motorbase Ford 1m05.035s + 0.216s 3. Frank Wrathall Dynojet Toyota 1m05.182s + 0.363s 4. Aron Smith Motorbase Ford 1m05.656s + 0.837s 5. Rob Collard WSR BMW 1m05.733s + 0.914s 6. Tom Onslow-Cole WSR BMW 1m05.777s + 0.958s 7. Andrew Jordan Eurotech Honda 1m05.804s + 0.985s 8. Matt Neal Honda 1m05.858s + 1.039s 9. Rob Austin Austin Audi 1m05.988s + 1.169s 10. Adam Morgan Speedworks Toyota 1m06.017s + 1.198s 11. Will Bratt Austin Audi 1m06.122s + 1.303s 12. Lea Wood Wood Vauxhall 1m06.264s + 1.445s 13. Howard Fuller Gilham Honda 1m06.303s + 1.484s 14. Gordon Shedden Honda 1m06.330s + 1.511s 15. Liam Griffin Motorbase Ford 1m06.457s + 1.638s 16. Chris James ES Vauxhall 1m06.553s + 1.734s 17. Tony Hughes Speedworks Toyota 1m06.663s + 1.844s 18. Jeff Smith Eurotech Honda 1m06.677s + 1.858s 19. Daniel Welch Welch Proton 1m06.709s + 1.890s 20. Chris Stockton Thorney Vauxhall 1m06.970s + 2.151s 21. Ollie Jackson AmD Volkswagen 1m07.020s + 2.201s 22. Nick Foster WSR BMW 1m07.212s + 2.393s 23. Andy Neate MG 1m08.412s + 3.593s 24. Dave Newsham ES Vauxhall 1m12.930s + 8.111s
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