Plato wins again in race 2
Jason Plato claimed his eighth British Touring Car Championship win of the season, and his second of the day, with another lights to flag win from pole position in the 26th round of the championship at Brands Hatch
Despite race runner-up and championship leader Matt Neal threatening the fully-ballasted Plato's lead at the restart following a safety car deployed to clear up Adam Jones's Xero Competition Lexus IS200 from the Paddock Hill Bend gravel, the SEAT Leon driver pulled away in the second half of the race to take victory by 2.386 seconds.
With Neal taking a comfortable second to close to within touching distance of securing a second successive BTCC crown, Colin Turkington took his second podium finish of the day with a strong run to third.
He had briefly held second place in his WSR MG ZS after squeezing past Neal on the run to Paddock, only to lose out to the Team Dynamics Honda Integra-R at Druids on the first lap.
Gordon Shedden finished fourth from seventh on the grid, but was disappointed not to get past Turkington for third as he struggled for grip.
Fabrizio Giovanardi was the best of the Vauxhall Astra Sport Hatch drivers - just - having held off teammate Tom Chilton for sixth in the second half of the race. Rob Collard, in the second WSR car, and the third Dynamics Integra of Gareth Howell, completed what was a dramatic high-speed train for fifth.
David Pinkney finished ninth ahead of the flying Jason Hughes, who deposed Paul O'Neill of the final points-scoring position in the closing stages.
Mike Jordan's Eurotech Honda Integra-R and Darren Turner's SEAT Leon were significant retirees. Jordan managed to complete 22 laps despite an ongoing gearbox problem, while Turner pulled into the pits during the warm-up laps with an engine problem following a change after race one.
CLASSIFIED:
Pos Driver Make Time
1. Jason Plato SEAT Leon 23:50.523
2. Matt Neal Honda Integra + 2.386
3. Colin Turkington MG ZS + 2.946
4. Gordon Shedden Honda Integra + 3.204
5. Fabrizio Giovanardi Vauxhall Astra Sport Hatch + 7.347
6. Tom Chilton Vauxhall Astra Sport Hatch + 7.840
7. Robert Collard MG ZS + 8.415
8. Gareth Howell Honda Integra + 8.617
9. David Pinkney Honda Integra + 11.057
10. Jason Hughes MG ZS + 12.064
11. Paul O'Neill Vauxhall Astra Coupe + 20.049
12. Chris Stockton Lexus IS200 + 20.820
13. James Kaye Honda Civic Type R + 21.086
14. Mark Smith Alfa Romeo 156 + 50.157
NOT CLASSIFIED/RETIREMENTS:
Driver Make On Lap
Mike Jordan Honda Integra 22
Mark Jones Lexus IS200 22
Darren Dowling Lexus IS200 14
Gavin Smith Vauxhall Astra Sport Hatch 10
Adam Jones Lexus IS200 7
Darren Turner SEAT Leon 0
Martyn Bell BMW 320i E46 0
Fastest Lap: Jason Plato, 49.780 on lap 3
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