Chilton takes third pole of year at Croft

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Sat 19th June 2010 Tom Chilton will start round 13 of the 2010 Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship from pole position after topping qualifying for the third time this year.

Chilton set a best lap of 1:24.629 in his LPG-powered Team Aon Ford Focus at a breezy Croft circuit this afternoon. It's a new qualifying lap record for the North Yorkshire circuit, while it’s also a fourth straight pole position for Team Aon.

Chilton’s session had not started so well, with an early visit to the gravel trap almost leaving him stranded as he struggled to get the Focus moving again.

The only other driver to have started from pole this year – Gordon Shedden – will join Chilton on the front row of the grid for Sunday's first race. Rob Collard (WSR) was the quickest of the BMWs in third, while Alex MacDowall starts fourth for Silverline Chevrolet.

MacDowall set the early pace in the 30-minute session, but was soon knocked off the top spot by Team Aon's Tom Onslow-Cole. Gordon Shedden was the first driver to break the one minute 25 seconds barrier and held provisional pole until Chilton edged him out in the closing stages of the session.

Behind the front pair, third spot changed hands several times in the last few minutes, with Matt Neal, Alex MacDowall and eventually Rob Collard staking their claims.

Championship leader Matt Neal starts fifth on the grid, just ahead of his closest rival, Jason Plato.

WSR's Andy Neate qualified 16th but starts from the back of the grid after the application of his six-place penalty incurred as a result of his clash with Andrew Jordan at Oulton Park.

Sunday's first race is scheduled to start just after midday.