Race one report

Sun 4th October 2009 Jason Plato snatched victory away from Tom Chilton in the final metres of round 28 of the 2009 HiQ MSA British Touring Car Championship at Brands Hatch this afternoon. Chilton’s Team Aon Ford Focus led the race all the way to the final corner and beyond, only for Plato’s Chevrolet Lacetti to edge ahead as they crossed the line to take the chequered flag.

Chilton started the race from the front after securing the first pole position for Team Aon. The Focus led away from the start, ahead of Plato and Giovanardi. The Italian was quick away from the line, but his efforts to gain places were blocked by Plato, who ensured the Italian remained boxed in behind Chilton, who struggled to find second gear as he headed into Paddock Hill Bend.

There was contact further down the pack, which resulted in Martin Johnson and Matt Hamilton landing in the gravel at Paddock. Johnson was able to drive out the other side, but Hamilton’s Honda Civic became stranded, bringing an early safety car period.

Championship leader Colin Turkington started tenth on the grid, but he was up to eighth by the time the pack picked up the safety car at the end of the opening lap. He passed Paul O’Neill away from the line and gained another spot when there was contact between Matt Neal and Mat Jackson heading into Surtees, dropping Jackson down the order.

The race restarted after a couple of laps and Chilton made a stronger getaway than Plato behind him. The Focus was quick over a single lap in qualifying, but there was a question mark over whether it could sustain that pace over a full race distance. Chilton was consistent though, with Plato right on his tail.

There was a second safety car period later on in the race when Johnny Herbert went off at Druids, leaving five racing laps before the chequered flag. Chilton was clearly starting to feel the pressure and Plato was looking for any possible opening around the Brands Hatch GP circuit.

Chilton looked to have done enough, but he took the defensive line heading into Clearways for the last time. Plato was able to switch back to the inside and it was a drag race to the line. There was heartbreak in the Team Aon pit as it was Plato that nosed ahead, crossing the line, just 0.015 seconds ahead of the Focus in one of the closest finishes in the history of the BTCC.

For Plato, it was his fifth win of the season, ahead of Chilton in second – his best finish of the year. Third place went to Giovanardi, ahead of VX Racing teammates Andre Jordan and Matt Neal. Rob Collard finished sixth, with Airwaves BMW teammate Jonny Adam seventh and points leader Turkington eighth. Paul O’Neill finished ninth and Anthony Reid was tenth.

With two races remaining, Colin Turkington’s lead over Giovanardi is down to six points, with Jason Plato a further eight points behind.

Jason Plato said, “I knew Tom would start to tighten up towards the end of the race and I knew my car would be better than his over the last few laps. I was just a case of getting right up close, right on the back of him. Then I was able to cut back and get on the inside and get ahead across the line.”

Tom Chilton said, “I’m very, very happy with that. The Team Aon Focus led every corner of every lap of the race. It was just down the straight that he got me. I wanted that win, but I made a little mistake at the end and I couldn’t quite get it. I drove a really good race though and I’m happy that we’re here on the podium.”