Mondello 2: Plato wins again

Plato beat poleman Michael Bentwood away from the lights and almost immediately took a solid lead, which he kept to the chequered flag - easing off towards the end to let Huff into the victory shots.

Bentwood only lasted to the exit of the first corner, his Astra spat out of the pack onto the outfield after a clash with Huff. He rejoined way behind, but only managed to finish one from last. Huff was protested after the race over the clash, and although the team appealed the decision, he was thrown out.

Huff had to defend from Tom Chilton's Honda in the early laps, but then gradually pulled away as Chilton came under pressure from a gaggle of Vauxhalls and MGs.

Chilton's defence looked to be solid until he locked up on lap 11 and James Thompson, the leader of the chasing pack got a nose alongside. Once the opening was there, Chilton was dead meat and within half a lap two more Vauxhalls - Luke Hines and Yvan Muller - and two MGs - Anthony Reid and Colin Turkington were through.

Chilton, seemingly down-on-power now, lost another place to James Kaye before the end and almost lost out to impressive 10th placed newcomer Gavin Smith in the GA Astra.

Thompson kept the pack behind him to the flag, as the difficulties of passing at Mondello became all too plain again - and Reid spent a second batch of 14 laps tucked up under Muller's rear wing, hassling constantly without ever finding a way past.

Jason Plato SEAT 25m50.141s
Rob Huff SEAT +0.832s
James Thompson Vauxhall +7.088s
Luke Hines Vauxhall Matt Neal Honda +7.934s
Yvan Muller Vauxhall +9.260s
Anthony Reid MG +9.592s
Colin Turkington MG +112.353s
James Kaye Honda +14.083s
Tom Chilton Honda +20.149s
Gavin Smith Vauxhall +20.589s