Race one report

Sun 2nd August 2009 VX Racing’s Fabrizio Giovanardi won the first race at Snetterton this morning after championship leader Colin Turkington clashed with Jason Plato on the opening lap.

Plato started from pole but inevitably it was the rear-wheel-drive BMW of Turkington that led into the first corner, ahead of James Thompson and Andrew Jordan. Plato’s Chevrolet was quick along the Revett straight and the Racing Silverline driver held the inside line into the Esses for the first time. Turkington was not going to give the place away easily though and as he defended his line, the rear of his RAC-backed BMW was tapped by Plato. Turkington slid onto the grass and Plato was through into the lead.

It didn’t last long for Plato however. The move on Turkington had slowed him enough for Andrew Jordan to latch onto his tail and before long it was Plato’s turn to be on the receiving end of a robust move. Jordan gave Plato a little knock before taking over the lead of the race.

Like Plato, Jordan was not destined to lead the race for long, handing over to reigning champion Giovanardi on lap three. Behind them, James Thompson was up to third after passing Airwaves BMW’s Jonny Adam. Meanwhile, Plato’s miserable race was complete as he retired on lap four.

Thompson was looking quick and soon put the pressure on Jordan in second. The Honda driver tracked the Vauxhall closely for a couple laps before taking the place at Russell – only to slow with a gearbox problem on the following lap. Thompson briefly came to a stop at the Esses, which brought the safety car out on track. It was only out for a single lap though, as Thompson managed to get going again – long enough to make it back to the pits.

At the restart, Giovanardi was out on his own at the front as Jordan held up Mat Jackson who was now up to third. Jordan ran off the track at the Esses later that lap, handing third to Jackson, who in turn was now under pressure from Jonny Adam and a very quick Paul O’Neill.

O’Neill passed Adam to move into a podium position on lap 12. With seven laps remaining, the question was whether fans’ favourite O’Neill could wring the pace out of the old BTC-spec Integra to hold onto third. In the end, it was Jonny Adam in fourth who had to do the defending, with championship leader Turkington breathing down his neck.

Indeed, there were no further changes as Giovanardi took his third win of the season, ahead of Jackson and O’Neill. Adam successfully held onto fourth, with Turkington fifth and Stephen Jelley sixth. Adam Jones finished seventh for Cartridge World, in front of David Pinkney and Matt Neal. Harry Vaulkhard finished tenth for the new bamboo engineering outfit.