Race two report

Sun 20th September 2009 Victory in race two marked Jason Plato’s 50th BTCC win and did his championship hopes no harm whatsoever. It was a 1-2 for Racing Silverline as Mat Jackson trailed the former champion across the line.

Race one winner Stephen Jelley led the early stages of the race from Jackson and Plato. Rob Collard should have started from fourth on the grid but peeled off into the pitlane at the end of the green flag lap with engine issues.

The safety car was out on track after four laps to allow for the recovery of John George’s stricken Honda Integra, which was in the gravel at Pif-Paf. Jelley’s lead over Jackson disappeared and it was not long after that the Team RAC driver lost out to Jackson and Plato. Fabrizio Giovanardi found a way past at the same time, moving up to third position. Jonny Adam was fourth for Airwaves BMW, just ahead of Colin Turkington and Jelley.

The race was just about getting back into a rhythm when a second safety car period disrupted proceedings once again. This time it was the stranded Matt Hamilton Honda Civic that triggered its deployment.

Six laps remained when the race resumed again. Jackson continued to lead from Plato, but the Racing Silverline drivers swapped positions within a couple of laps, with Plato taking over at the front. Behind the lead pair, Giovanardi was third and closing on Jackson but the Vauxhall driver now had Colin Turkington right on his tail.

With the three championship protagonists all running close together, there was potential for the result of this race to impact massively on the points standings. In the end though, there were no further changes.

Plato took the win and was joined on the podium by Jackson and Giovanardi. Turkington finished fourth, with Adam fifth and Jelley sixth. James Nash crossed the line seventh, with Andrew Jordan eighth and Tom Chilton ninth. Johnny Herbert claimed the final points-paying position.

Melanie C was on hand to draw the reverse grid for race three. The former Spice Girl and sister of BTCC racer Paul O'Neill selected the number nine, handing pole position to Tom Chilton.