The reverse grid, as chosen by former BTCC driver John Cleland, saw Alex MacDowall starting on pole in front of Team Aon driver of Tom Chilton and team mate Jason Plato. The Honda’s of Neal and Shedden would be starting from 8th and 9th respectively. How would it all pan out as the end of the 2011 championship drew ever closer?
A disappointing weekend for James Thompson saw him not starting on the grid, but from the pit lane.
A good start from Chilton saw him take the lead as Jason Plato took second ahead of Silverline Chevrolet team mate Alex MacDowall. Matt Neal leads ahead of Gordon Shedden – the two Honda Racing drivers in 7th and 8th place respectively before heading into Maggots and Beckets complex. Neal had 9 kilos less ballast that Shedden going into race three – could this help the Worcestershire driver to his third title?
Dave Newsham, who ran so well in the first two races of the day for Special Tuning Racing, pulled off from ninth position on the grid with a problem and later retired from the race, leaving team mate Boardman to battle it out with the leaders.
Andy Neate was the next car to enter the pits whist team mate Tom Chilton was still holding the lead to Silverline Chevrolet’s Jason Plato. The third Aon driver Onslow-Cole was running down in sixth position ahead of the two Hondas.
Despite starting from the pit lane and lying in eighteenth position, James Thompson on his one off return to the BTCC saw him set the first fastest lap of the race with a one minute lap around the National Silverstone Circuit in Northamptonshire.
Mat Jackson, who was giving everything in the Airwaves Ford Focus after the day’s earlier calamities, was running down in thirteenth place ahead of WSR’s Rob Collard, who’d rejoined the track having done some off-roading after contact with Wrathall’s Toyota Avensis.
Back with the Hondas, and Shedden was now 0.4 seconds behind team mate Matt Neal in the battle for seventh place – the Scot needed to make a move on Neal in order to be in contention for winning his first championship. Up front, Silverline Chevrolet’s Jason Plato was starting to put some pressure on Tom Chilton for the lead.
Rob Austin in the NGTC Audi A4 was flying behind the two Hondas – could a move by the Worcestershire based driver be a factor in the title decider? Both Matt Neal and Gordon Shedden were also now getting closer to the back of Onslow-Cole’s Global Ford Focus.
The first of the black and white warning flags to be shown in race three were for James Thompson and Andrew Jordan – who was lying in a lonely fifth place on the grid. James Thompson was soon given a drive through penalty by track stewards for exceeding track limits.
Newly crowned Independents Champion James Nash tried to make a move stick on the Audi, but was unable to gain enough momentum to take the place, whilst behind the Triple 888 Vauxhall Vectra, Jackson was preparing a fight. A quick burst in the Ford saw Jackson take the place however a mistake from Jackson saw Nash regain his place on the circuit. A few seconds later and Mat Jackson made a daring move into Abbey and took the place again from rival Nash – despite damage to the bonnet of his car.
Rob Austin managed to separate the Hondas after Shedden went very wide going into Copse corner – this move gave Matt Neal a bigger margin in terms of the championship going into the final stages of the race.
James Nash, currently sitting in eleventh, was the second driver to be handed a drive through penalty of which he took immediately. Up front, Chilton was still leading the race ahead of Jason Plato and team mate Alex MacDowall.
Another brilliant move by Rob Austin saw him take seventh place from Matt Neal, and was now lying behind Tom Onslow-Cole. This was a good result from the NGTC giving the team’s earlier catastrophes. The only way that Gordon Shedden would be able to win the championship at this stage of the race would be by finishing in fourth position or better.
Frank Wrathall was now coming up to the back of the Hondas, and was looking to make a move on Gordon Shedden for seventh place. Contact between Tom Onslow Cole and Rob Austin saw the Audi driver take fifth from the Aon driver in the closing stages of the race.
The chequered flag saw Chilton win the final British Touring Car Championship race of the year ahead of the two Chevrolet team mates Jason Plato and Alex MacDowall. A fourth place finish for Matt Neal saw him take his third BTCC championship for the Honda Dynamics team, with team mate Gordon Shedden finishing a close second in the standings.
Speaking about winning the championship after the race, Neal said to ITV4, “It’s surreal. I never thought it was going to happen.”
Both the Manufacturers and HIQ Teams Championship also went to Honda Dynamics, whilst the Independents Team Championship went to Triple 8 Racing.
An exciting years racing drew to a close as the sun set at Silverstone Circuit; the home of British motor sport. Roll on 2012.
A disappointing weekend for James Thompson saw him not starting on the grid, but from the pit lane.
A good start from Chilton saw him take the lead as Jason Plato took second ahead of Silverline Chevrolet team mate Alex MacDowall. Matt Neal leads ahead of Gordon Shedden – the two Honda Racing drivers in 7th and 8th place respectively before heading into Maggots and Beckets complex. Neal had 9 kilos less ballast that Shedden going into race three – could this help the Worcestershire driver to his third title?
Dave Newsham, who ran so well in the first two races of the day for Special Tuning Racing, pulled off from ninth position on the grid with a problem and later retired from the race, leaving team mate Boardman to battle it out with the leaders.
Andy Neate was the next car to enter the pits whist team mate Tom Chilton was still holding the lead to Silverline Chevrolet’s Jason Plato. The third Aon driver Onslow-Cole was running down in sixth position ahead of the two Hondas.
Despite starting from the pit lane and lying in eighteenth position, James Thompson on his one off return to the BTCC saw him set the first fastest lap of the race with a one minute lap around the National Silverstone Circuit in Northamptonshire.
Mat Jackson, who was giving everything in the Airwaves Ford Focus after the day’s earlier calamities, was running down in thirteenth place ahead of WSR’s Rob Collard, who’d rejoined the track having done some off-roading after contact with Wrathall’s Toyota Avensis.
Back with the Hondas, and Shedden was now 0.4 seconds behind team mate Matt Neal in the battle for seventh place – the Scot needed to make a move on Neal in order to be in contention for winning his first championship. Up front, Silverline Chevrolet’s Jason Plato was starting to put some pressure on Tom Chilton for the lead.
Rob Austin in the NGTC Audi A4 was flying behind the two Hondas – could a move by the Worcestershire based driver be a factor in the title decider? Both Matt Neal and Gordon Shedden were also now getting closer to the back of Onslow-Cole’s Global Ford Focus.
The first of the black and white warning flags to be shown in race three were for James Thompson and Andrew Jordan – who was lying in a lonely fifth place on the grid. James Thompson was soon given a drive through penalty by track stewards for exceeding track limits.
Newly crowned Independents Champion James Nash tried to make a move stick on the Audi, but was unable to gain enough momentum to take the place, whilst behind the Triple 888 Vauxhall Vectra, Jackson was preparing a fight. A quick burst in the Ford saw Jackson take the place however a mistake from Jackson saw Nash regain his place on the circuit. A few seconds later and Mat Jackson made a daring move into Abbey and took the place again from rival Nash – despite damage to the bonnet of his car.
Rob Austin managed to separate the Hondas after Shedden went very wide going into Copse corner – this move gave Matt Neal a bigger margin in terms of the championship going into the final stages of the race.
James Nash, currently sitting in eleventh, was the second driver to be handed a drive through penalty of which he took immediately. Up front, Chilton was still leading the race ahead of Jason Plato and team mate Alex MacDowall.
Another brilliant move by Rob Austin saw him take seventh place from Matt Neal, and was now lying behind Tom Onslow-Cole. This was a good result from the NGTC giving the team’s earlier catastrophes. The only way that Gordon Shedden would be able to win the championship at this stage of the race would be by finishing in fourth position or better.
Frank Wrathall was now coming up to the back of the Hondas, and was looking to make a move on Gordon Shedden for seventh place. Contact between Tom Onslow Cole and Rob Austin saw the Audi driver take fifth from the Aon driver in the closing stages of the race.
The chequered flag saw Chilton win the final British Touring Car Championship race of the year ahead of the two Chevrolet team mates Jason Plato and Alex MacDowall. A fourth place finish for Matt Neal saw him take his third BTCC championship for the Honda Dynamics team, with team mate Gordon Shedden finishing a close second in the standings.
Speaking about winning the championship after the race, Neal said to ITV4, “It’s surreal. I never thought it was going to happen.”
Both the Manufacturers and HIQ Teams Championship also went to Honda Dynamics, whilst the Independents Team Championship went to Triple 8 Racing.
An exciting years racing drew to a close as the sun set at Silverstone Circuit; the home of British motor sport. Roll on 2012.
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