Plato in Cruze control as he tops BTCC table
08-10-2010 | 11:50 AM
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Plato in Cruze control as he tops BTCC table
JASON PLATO turned his fortunes around at Snetterton on Sunday and now leads the Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship by 20 points.
The Newcastle-educated former champion had been trailing Team Honda Racing’s Matt Neal by eight points as the series returned after its summer break.
But, after taking two wins out of three races, he now has a comfortable cushion at the top of the points table.
Plato, who had qualified second on the grid behind his Silverline Chevrolet team-mate Alex MacDowall, led from lights to flag in both the first and the second of the day’s races – despite his Chevrolet Cruze being laden with 36kg of success ballast in race one and 45kg in the second.
He also set the fastest lap in both to ensure he grabbed maximum points.
In the third race he brought his car over the line in fifth spot, grabbing more points to leapfrog Neal in the standings, who suffered mixed fortunes at the fast Norfolk track.
With BTCC wins now under his belt, Plato is just three shy of Andy Rouse’s all-time record of 60, although he admits his only concern is to win what would be his second title in the class.
He last won in 2001 while driving for Vauxhall.
Plato said: “I expected us to be strong here and so it has proved.
“The team has used the summer break really well and dug deep into all the data.
“We have improved two key areas, and the result is a fantastic race car now in the Cruze.”
Plato’s season is turning into a carbon copy of last year, when he upped his championship charge towards the end of the season – although this time he is gunning for better than runner-up sport.
He added: “This is where last year we really got our championship going, and I have a sneaky feeling we are going to be very strong again from here on in.
“I am feeling very confident for Silverstone. What you are seeing is a result of all the hard work we have put into the car during the summer break.
“The Cruze is a great race car which does not deteriorate over a race distance.”
Neal, meanwhile, was forced to retire from race one when his Honda Civic picked up a puncture, and was only able to limp home ninth in the second.
In race three he managed to grab a third place. He warned that the rest of the season looks very close thanks to Plato’s strong form.
He said: “I knew we were in for a tough weekend and it has been a case of damage limitation, whereas Jason has gone and pulled a rabbit from the hat. That is ominous for the rest of us.”
Sunday’s result means Plato now has 151 points in the Drivers’ Championship, with Neal second on 131.
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The Newcastle-educated former champion had been trailing Team Honda Racing’s Matt Neal by eight points as the series returned after its summer break.
But, after taking two wins out of three races, he now has a comfortable cushion at the top of the points table.
Plato, who had qualified second on the grid behind his Silverline Chevrolet team-mate Alex MacDowall, led from lights to flag in both the first and the second of the day’s races – despite his Chevrolet Cruze being laden with 36kg of success ballast in race one and 45kg in the second.
He also set the fastest lap in both to ensure he grabbed maximum points.
In the third race he brought his car over the line in fifth spot, grabbing more points to leapfrog Neal in the standings, who suffered mixed fortunes at the fast Norfolk track.
With BTCC wins now under his belt, Plato is just three shy of Andy Rouse’s all-time record of 60, although he admits his only concern is to win what would be his second title in the class.
He last won in 2001 while driving for Vauxhall.
Plato said: “I expected us to be strong here and so it has proved.
“The team has used the summer break really well and dug deep into all the data.
“We have improved two key areas, and the result is a fantastic race car now in the Cruze.”
Plato’s season is turning into a carbon copy of last year, when he upped his championship charge towards the end of the season – although this time he is gunning for better than runner-up sport.
He added: “This is where last year we really got our championship going, and I have a sneaky feeling we are going to be very strong again from here on in.
“I am feeling very confident for Silverstone. What you are seeing is a result of all the hard work we have put into the car during the summer break.
“The Cruze is a great race car which does not deteriorate over a race distance.”
Neal, meanwhile, was forced to retire from race one when his Honda Civic picked up a puncture, and was only able to limp home ninth in the second.
In race three he managed to grab a third place. He warned that the rest of the season looks very close thanks to Plato’s strong form.
He said: “I knew we were in for a tough weekend and it has been a case of damage limitation, whereas Jason has gone and pulled a rabbit from the hat. That is ominous for the rest of us.”
Sunday’s result means Plato now has 151 points in the Drivers’ Championship, with Neal second on 131.
[source]
More...
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