NEAL ENJOYING "JESUS-LIKE" LUCK SAYS PLATO
Former champion Jason Plato says Matt Neal's current Dunlop
MSA British Touring Car Championship lead is down to "Jesus-like"
luck as much as it is results.
Plato has now ruled himself out of this year's title race
after two retirements in the most recent rounds at Donington
Park sent him spiralling down to fourth in the championship
standings, 54 points behind Neal.
One of his retirements followed a collision between his SEAT
Leon and Neal's Team Halfords Honda. Plato later retired in
a multiple pile-up at the start of race three in which Neal
finished eighth after running off the track.
Plato, the 2001 BTCC title-winner, said: "Matt's luck
has been Jesus-like, but it has to end some time. It cannot
last. He's been walking on water - driving out of gravel traps,
getting away with a lot of collisions with other drivers.
"Unless Matt has some hideous luck then I can't get
back into it now. It's not my turn this year."
Plato says he's happy with his own performances, though,
comparing favourably in identical machinery to team-mate James
Thompson who has also recently taken the lead of the World
Touring Car Championship.
"My team-mate James Thompson's only a few points behind
me and he's contested six races less than me - that says a
lot about how my season has worked out," added Plato.
"But I'm happy with my speed and racing so far. I've
out-qualified and been ahead of James everywhere except at
Croft."
And Plato is content knowing that had he not retired five
times so far compared to Neal's single non-finish then he'd
be a genuine title contender.
He said: "Bear in mind that every time I've retired
I've been on for big points, more than enough to be right
up there with Matt. But you can't even think of the title
when you have five non-finishes."
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