BTCC Knockhill: Jason Plato on pole for his 500th BTCC race

The Subaru Team BMR driver snatched the top spot from Speedworks Toyota driver Tom Ingram as he passed the chequered flag to seal a 49th career pole.

Plato, who is carrying no success ballast coming in to the meeting because he is languishing in 11th in the points, said: "It was tough to get the lap because there was a lot of traffic.

"I managed to get a pretty OK lap, apart from coming across a Honda at the last corner, but I managed to get the corner right despite not being able to see the apex properly.

"It was a relief really, because I knew there was a pole time in the car."

Ingram held on to second spot in the session that was interrupted twice when backmarkers went off, leaving a five-minute charge for pole.

Ingram pipped Tordoff's WSR BMW 125i M Sport time with minutes to go before Plato's charge.

Behind Tordoff, his team-mate Jack Goff snatched the fourth best time in the dying moments.

Colin Turkington was on pole in the opening part of the running but the Subaru Team BMR driver fell to fifth at the end.

Andrew Jordan planted his Motorbase Performance Ford Focus sixth from Team Dynamics Honda Civic Type R driver Matt Neal.

Adam Morgan (Ciceley Racing Mercedes-Benz A-Class) will line up eighth from Rob Austin (Handy Toyota Avensis) and returning home favourite Dave Newsham (Power Maxed Chevrolet).

Works Honda driver Gordon Shedden suffered turbo problems during the session and could only manage 11th.

"I think we were 20 or 30 horsepower down, there was just no boost," said the Scot. "We have a lot of work to do."

Championship leader Rob Collard, carrying 75kg of success ballast, was 18th.

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