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BTCC 2012 Index

Chilton wins wet opener at Brands Hatch

BTCC News | Sun 2nd May 2010

Tom Chilton won the opening race at Brands Hatch this afternoon - the first LPG win in the BTCC and the first victory for Ford in 10 years.

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With rain falling heavily all morning, it was anything but straightforward, but Chilton managed to lead away from the line. However, it was Rob Collard who made the best start. The WSR driver leapt from fifth up to second off the line and almost led into Paddock for the first time, but opted against a risky move around the outside of Chilton in the treacherous conditions.

The pack made it safely through Paddock Hill Bend and Druids, but the first casualty came at Surtees. Jason Plato made a strong start, passing his Racing Silverline teammate Alex MacDowall to mobe up to sixth. The former champion moved to the inside of fifth-placed James Nash as the pair headed into the left-hander and a slight touch was enough to send the Vectra off into the gravel. Nash was left stranded and the safety was immediately called into action.

Two laps behind the safety car were required while Nash's Vauxhall was recovered, but come the restart, Chilton held on at the front. Behind the Focus, Rob Collard lost second position to Gordon Shedden through Paddock. Later in the lap, Collard was also passed by Matt Neal in the second of the Honda Racing Team Civics, only to take the position back when Neal ran wide at Clark Curve.

With the rain persisting, a second safety car period was triggered when David Pinkney went off at Hawthorn Bend on lap eight. Another two laps at reduced pace followed, but it was another controlled restart from Chilton. Shedden was still looking untroubled in second, with Onslow-Cole in third.

Further down the order, the battle for sixth position pitched Silverline Chevrolet teammates Jason Plato and Alex MacDowall against each other. Plato had the advantage until he ran wide at Paddock Hill Bend on the second restart, allowing MacDowall through on the inside.

Meanwhile, just behind the two Chevrolets, Team Sunshine.co.uk's Paul O'Neill was enjoying another strong race. He claimed eighth position by driving around the outside of Tom Boardman at Paddock, before taking seventh away from Plato when he dived down the inside heading into Clark Curve on lap 15. He made it a pair of Chevrolet passes when he squeezed inside MacDowall at Druids on the penultimate lap of the race.

The rain was still falling as Tom Chilton led onto the last lap of the race, but that didn't trouble the Team Aon driver and he held on to take the first LPG victory in the BTCC. He was followed across the line by Honda Racing Team's Gordon Shedden and his Team Aon teammate Tom Onslow-Cole. Rob Collard finished fourth for WSR, ahead of Neal and O'Neill. Chevrolet drivers MacDowall and Plato finished seventh and eighth respectively, while Boardman and Mat Jackson rounded out the points positions.

Race winner Tom Chilton said: "I thought I did quite a good job out there in my swimming trunks and goggles! I think that's probably the best car I've ever driven in the wet. We had the perfect setup. It's so good for the team because everyone has worked so hard. All we want to do is win. Hopefully from now on it's only going to get better!"

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