PLATO ON POLE POSITION AT SNETTERTON
Jason Plato and team-mate James Thompson made it a SEAT 1-2
in qualifying for the first of tomorrow's (Sunday) Dunlop
MSA British Touring Car Championship rounds at the high-speed
Snetterton circuit in Norfolk. In the fight for the BTCC Drivers'
title, current series leader Matt Neal qualified fifth and
closest rival Colin Turkington sixth, meaning they will line
up alongside each other on tomorrow's 21-strong grid.
Plato tore to his second pole of 2006 with a time of 1m11.793s,
while Yorkshireman Thompson was right behind on 1m11.854s.
Their SEAT Leons were the only cars to dip beneath the 1m12s
barrier and the message from Plato after qualifying was ominous.
Former champion Plato, from Oxford, said:
"I knew after the two practice sessions we were in good
shape and pole was a possibility. Getting pole wasn't a total
surprise but, if I'm honest, I feel more confident about our
race pace. The team has got the car working really well and
we've got the engine cranked right up. If it stays dry tomorrow
or goes and rains I don't mind."
Third fastest, his best qualifying performance so far this
season, was Vauxhall's Italian driver Fabrizio Giovanardi
who two weeks ago at Donington Park came within yards of giving
the Luton marque its elusive 100th BTCC race win. Giovanardi,
a former European touring car champion, said: "I could
have been even quicker, but it started to rain just as I got
the set-up correct. Over a race distance, though, it should
get better. I really want to win and I've only got two cars
to overtake at the start - simple!"
Qualifying fourth fastest in his Team Halfords Honda was
Scot Gordon Shedden - the Dunfermline driver will go into
tomorrow's two races full of confidence after taking a pair
of wins at Donington. Next up were his team-mate Neal and
Team RAC MG driver Turkington and all eyes will surely be
on these two tomorrow as they head for the first corner.
Neal, the reigning champion from Droitwich, said:
"I thought third was possible so I'm a bit frustrated
because the times from third onwards are very close. Behind
the SEAT boys, I think we can give anyone a run for their
money and at the moment my car's also running with maximum
success ballast. That could change during the day and that's
when I'll be looking to sneak a win."
Northern Irishman Turkington, aged 24 aiming to become the
youngest ever BTCC champion and who at Donington cut down
Neal's lead over him to 22 points, remained upbeat about his
chances.
Turkington, from Portadown, said: "The
car has been on an intermediate set-up all day because we
never knew what the weather would do, so with that in mind
I'm very pleased with the time I set. If it stays dry tomorrow,
then I know we will move forward and I always fancy my chances
in the wet in the MG. But it's very close between everyone
and I doubt anybody will have an easy ride tomorrow."
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