Jason Plato set the pace in first practice for Snetterton BTCC meeting

The works Chevrolet Cruze driver was the first driver to break the two-minute barrier on the BTCC's first visit to the new Snetterton layout.

Plato's time of 1m59.797s remained the best, despite charges from Gordon Shedden (Honda Civic) and James Nash (Triple 8 Vauxhall Vectra), both of whom joined him under the two-minute mark.

Shedden's Honda team-mate Matt Neal put in a late effort to go fourth, pipping Tom Chilton's Arena Motorsport Ford Focus and the Eurotech/Pirtek Vectra of Andrew Jordan.

Alex MacDowall (works RML-run Chevy) and Paul O'Neill (Tech-Speed Chevy) made it three normally aspirated cars in the top 10, while Dave Newsham was eighth in one of Special Tuning Racing's turbo SEAT Leons.

Martin Byford was 12th fastest on his first official session with AmD Milltek's VW Golf.

The brand new Proton Gen-2 of Welch Automotive made it out on track for the first time. Daniel Welch completed five laps, finishing 25 of the 26 runners with a time a little over six seconds slower than Plato's best.


Pos  Driver           Team/Car                Time       Gap
 1.  Jason Plato      Chevrolet               1m59.797s
 2.  Gordon Shedden   Honda                   1m59.923s  + 0.126s
 3.  James Nash       Triple 8 Vauxhall       1m59.954s  + 0.157s
 4.  Matt Neal        Honda                   2m00.511s  + 0.714s
 5.  Tom Chilton      Arena Ford              2m00.615s  + 0.818s
 6.  Andrew Jordan    Eurotech Vauxhall       2m00.691s  + 0.894s
 7.  Alex MacDowall   Chevrolet               2m00.778s  + 0.981s
 8.  Dave Newsham     Special Tuning SEAT     2m00.791s  + 0.994s
 9.  Mat Jackson      Motorbase Ford          2m00.926s  + 1.129s
10.  Paul O'Neill     Tech-Speed Chevrolet    2m00.972s  + 1.175s
11.  Tom Boardman     Special Tuning SEAT     2m01.101s  + 1.304s
12.  Martyn Byford    AmD Milltek Volkswagen  2m01.119s  + 1.322s
13.  Frank Wrathall   Dynojet Toyota          2m01.354s  + 1.557s
14.  Rob Collard      WSR BMW                 2m01.571s  + 1.774s
15.  Rob Austin       Austin Audi             2m01.764s  + 1.967s
16.  Jeff Smith       Eurotech Vauxhall       2m01.887s  + 2.090s
17.  Tom Onslow-Cole  Arena Ford              2m01.911s  + 2.114s
18.  Nick Foster      WSR BMW                 2m02.493s  + 2.696s
19.  Tony Gilham      Triple 8 Vauxhall       2m02.586s  + 2.789s
20.  Andy Neate       Arena Ford              2m03.189s  + 3.392s
21.  Liam Griffin     Motorbase Ford          2m03.542s  + 3.745s
22.  John George      Tech-Speed Chevrolet    2m04.824s  + 5.027s
23.  Tony Hughes      Speedworks Toyota       2m04.855s  + 5.058s
24.  Lea Wood         Wood Honda              2m05.387s  + 5.590s
25.  Daniel Welch     Welch Proton            2m06.104s  + 6.307s
26.  Chris James      ES Chevrolet            2m06.626s  + 6.829s