SEAT Sport UK has re-established a healthy 99 point lead in the Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship after a fantastic race day at Snetterton circuit. Jason Plato recorded two race wins and a fume-filled 6th after his SEAT Leon’s rear window shattered in the final race and the car sucked in all the exhaust gases, while team-mate James Thompson came from as low as eighth to finish 2nd in all three races. The results also see Jason move back into 3rd position in the Drivers’ standings, while James is 4th – despite missing six races owing to his clashing FIA World Touring Car Championship commitments.

SEAT Sport UK has always performed well at Snetterton – winning races on the ultra-fast 1.952 mile Norfolk circuit in both 2004 and 2005. This year’s performance was even better, signalling one of the best race days the team has ever had in its three years of competing in the BTCC.

Round 19: SEAT Sport UK scored its third 1-2 finish of the season when Jason led home James in extremely slippery conditions. On a wet but drying track, tyre choice was critical – and the team made the perfect choice by sending both SEAT Leons out with slick tyres on the front and wets on the rear. Jason made a great start from pole, but James (who started alongside Jason on the front row) lost out to Fabrizio Giovanardi as the Italian made a good start from 3rd. They were side-by-side around the first corner, Riches, but Giovanardi had the inside line for the following Sear Corner and overtook. The top three drivers began to pull away from the rest of the field, with Jason and James setting a string of fastest lap times. James followed Giovanardi closely until the Vauxhall driver ran wide at Coram on lap 12, allowing James to pull alongside. Giovanardi half spun going into the Russell chicane and temporarily blocked James’ path. James was able to drive around him, but only after Gavin Smith had sneaked past. With two laps remaining, Smith collided with Fiona Leggate when trying to lap her at Russell Bend – and James didn’t need a second invitation to overtake. Jason and James were then able to cruise to a sensational 1-2 victory for SEAT, while Giovanardi finished a distant 3rd.

Round 20: SEAT Sport UK scored its first back-to-back 1-2 race victory in the BTCC since Rounds 17 and 18 in 2004 when Jason and James finished 1st and 2nd again at Snetterton. Jason started from pole and led from the start and in the most exciting finish of the year so far, he held off the challenge of Matt Neal to score his fifth win of the year. James started from second on the grid, but dropped to sixth when Giovanardi nudged him onto the grass at The Esses on lap seven and then hit him up the rear when the Leon rejoined the track. Despite his tracking now being out of line, James drove magnificently to overtake Giovanardi, Gareth Howell and Smith to move up to 3rd – and then claim 2nd place when he overtook a recovering Neal on the final corner.

Round 21: SEAT Sport UK rounded off a fantastic race day at Snetterton by finishing the third and final race in 2nd and 6th places – after a randomly picked reverse grid saw James start in 8th and Jason in 9th. James made a fantastic start and was 3rd after three laps, while an equally quick Jason was up to 5th. James closed in on Tom Chilton, and when Chilton ran wide at the Bomb Hole on lap nine, James overtook to snatch 2nd place. By this time Neal had established an unassailable lead, so James made sure he continued his faultless run to record a trio of 2nd place finishes. Jason was involved in a close battle with Gordon Shedden when his Leon’s rear window suddenly shattered, showering him in glass. Without a glass barrier, the exhaust fumes were sucked into the car and towards the end of the race Jason could hardly see anything as tears streamed down his face. Having finished 6th, Jason went to the medical centre where he was given oxygen and a clean bill of health.

Jason (1st/1st/6th) said: “There aren’t many teams, people or characters in the BTCC pit lane that can bounce back from the terrible weekend we had at Donington last time out and put in a performance like we’ve done today. I’m not talking about me, but everyone in the team. Everyone has dug deep and worked at one hundred percent to achieve this result and it’s fantastic. I’m not just saying this, but we are the best team on the grid and we were the class of the field today. We’re the class act because of the way we go racing, the style in which we do things and in our performances.

“It’s been an excellent day for the team. To qualify on pole, have two wins and a sixth – even with a little bit of misfortune in the last race when the rear window imploded and we got a lot of fumes in the car – and score as many points as we have is a great weekend. We’re all looking forward to the next race meeting at Knockhill and try to replicate what we’ve done here.”

James (2nd/2nd/2nd) said: “I’m really pleased with my performance today, because to finish second in all three races is really something special – especially if you come from sixth in one race and eighth in another. The car’s worked really well today. We made a few minor set-up adjustments for the final race and I think that’s about as good as the car can be. It was so nice to drive, because it gave you so much confidence.

“Best of all it’s been a fantastic team effort. To score back-to-back first and second race wins and to bag a load of Manufacturer Championship points isn’t easy, but everyone in the team deserves this result for all the hard work they have put in. My next BTCC race for the team is the final at Silverstone. I’ll be keeping a very close eye on what’s happening at Knockhill and Brands Hatch when I’m away at WTCC events – but at least I’ll get to go to the end of season party at Silverstone!”

The next rounds of the Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship take place at Knockhill in Scotland on September 2/3, where Darren Turner will rejoin the team alongside Jason.