Plato wins race three
SEAT's Jason Plato bounced back from a troubled day to claim his second British Touring Car Championship win of the season in race three at Oulton Park
Plato had lost a likely victory from pole position in race one after being hit with a stop/go penalty for a timing infringement on the grid, but made amends by passing teammate James Thompson at Island on lap four.
Vauxhall's Tom Chilton claimed a strong third place after leading in the early stages from pole position, with Rob Collard unable to launch a podium challenge and having to settle for fourth in the lead WSR MG ZS.
Colin Turkington fought through to take a superb fifth from the back of the grid, passing Vauxhall's Fabrizio Giovanardi at Island mid-race.
Gavin Smith made it three Vauxhalls in the top six, ahead of Mike Jordan, with championship leader Matt Neal down in eighth after losing several positions when Turkington forced him wide at Cascades.
His Team Dynamics teammate Gordon Shedden also endured a luckless race after burying his Integra in the gravel trap at Lodge with a braking problem.
Neal now leads the championship by 14 points from Turkington, with Plato a further point back in third.
CLASSIFIED:
Pos Driver Make Time
1. Jason Plato SEAT Leon 26:31.186
2. James Thompson SEAT Leon + 0.516
3. Tom Chilton Vauxhall Astra Sport + 2.655
4. Robert Collard MG ZS + 3.139
5. Colin Turkington MG ZS + 6.011
6. Gavin Smith Vauxhall Astra Sport + 7.668
7. Mike Jordan Honda Integra + 8.093
8. Matt Neal Honda Integra + 9.677
9. F. Giovanardi Vauxhall Astra Sport + 11.205
10. Jason Hughes MG ZS + 14.918
11. Fiona Leggate Vauxhall Astra Coupe + 27.969
12. Adam Jones Lexus IS200 + 30.939
13. Mark Proctor Honda Civic Type R + 48.186
14. Martyn Bell BMW 320i E46 + 53.320
NOT CLASSIFIED:
Driver Make Laps
Mark Smith Alfa Romeo 156 14
Gordon Shedden Honda Integra 5
David Pinkney Honda Integra 1
Fastest lap: Jason Plato, 1:28.603 on lap 3
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