Nick Foster was chosen to start on
pole position from the reverse grid draw, ahead of KX Momentum Racing driver
Andy Neate in the MG6 – who was looking to have a good race to bring home
strong results.
Nick Foster made a strong start off the line, as did all three eBay Motors BMWs, with Rob Collard and Tom Onslow-Cole moving up the order. Tony Gilham had a spin in his Team HARD Honda, which left him in the gravel at turn one and the safety car called out on track. At the restart, Foster pulled out ahead of Andy Neate and the battling BMWs of Rob Collard and Tom Onslow-Cole.
Having started in fourth, Jason Plato was down to sixth, whilst Rob Austin was battling with the two Hondas of Gordon Shedden and Matt Neal, with Shedden making a move of the inside of Tower to take Austin for ninth.
Although Neate was getting closer to Foster in his MG6, the eBay Motors driver was doing a good job to keep Neate at bay, however couldn’t hold on for long, as Neate jumped into the lead at Tower followed closely by Fosters team mate Rob Collard who took advantage of this manoeuvre by Neate.
With Mat Jackson up into seventeenth having started down at the back of the field, it was his Redstone Racing team mate Liam Griffin causing a stir on track. Contact between Griffin and the BINZ Racing Vectra of Lea Wood saw them both have heavy impacts with the safety barriers at Tower. With fuel still running through the battered Focus, the front end of the car caught fire. Liam was out of the car in no time – and both drivers were unharmed in the incident – whist marshals were quickly on scene and had the fire out in no time at all. Naturally, the safety car was called out to clear the scene, and also to repair the barriers before racing recommenced.
A lengthy safety car period came to end on lap twelve, and it would be a seven lap sprint to the end of the race. Andy Neate made another good restart, and got on the gas, whilst team mate Plato was up alongside Frank Wrathall on the start finish straight. The two Honda Racing boys Matt Neal and Gordon Shedden were lying seventh and ninth respectively, the Civic of Shedden possibly struggling with the maximum ballast from his race two win. Wrathall then goes wide at Tower due to the track surface still being a little slippery after the early incident. This led to the Dynojet driver losing places as a result, with Plato now tackling a feisty Collard – who was now sitting in a MG sandwich – for second. A lock-up from Collard saw Plato take the position, who was now holding a KX Momentum 1-2 with five laps remaining.
Whilst Shedden was fighting at the bottom end of the top ten with pole sitter Nick Foster, Aron Smith came into the Redstone Racing pits to retire his Ford Focus, with team mate Mat Jackson now up into twelfth.
Despite running so well throughout the duration of the race, Andy Neate went wide at the chicane, allowing Plato to get up close and personal with the MG6’s gearbox, before finally making his move at Tower to take the lead of the race, with Tom Onslow-Cole in the eBay BMW also taking advantage to get into second. A whole gaggle of cars battle through the chicane, with Andrew Jordan coming through the pack to take third place. Rob Austin was running well in the top ten with the BMW of Nick Foster.
Andy Neate went wide again at Tower on the following lap, this time unable to hold on to his position – and lost a number of places down the field. Chris James was out of the race after a double whammy of contact with Ollie Jackson heading onto the final lap. A less chaotic final lap saw Jason Plato take the chequered flag ahead of Tom Onslow-Cole in the eBay BMW and Andrew Jordan, who had a great drive in the Pirtek Racing Honda Civic. Andy Neate ended up ninth having led the race early on, whilst Dan Welch also drove well to finish in the top ten.
Paul O’Neill finally had some luck in the Speedworks Motorsport Toyota Avensis, and finished in a point scoring thirteenth place on his return to the championship.
One point now separates the two Honda drivers Matt Neal and Gordon Shedden in the standings, as the championship heads into the seven week summer break. It’s all to play for in the second half of the season – you won’t want to miss it.
Final Results:
Nick Foster made a strong start off the line, as did all three eBay Motors BMWs, with Rob Collard and Tom Onslow-Cole moving up the order. Tony Gilham had a spin in his Team HARD Honda, which left him in the gravel at turn one and the safety car called out on track. At the restart, Foster pulled out ahead of Andy Neate and the battling BMWs of Rob Collard and Tom Onslow-Cole.
Having started in fourth, Jason Plato was down to sixth, whilst Rob Austin was battling with the two Hondas of Gordon Shedden and Matt Neal, with Shedden making a move of the inside of Tower to take Austin for ninth.
Although Neate was getting closer to Foster in his MG6, the eBay Motors driver was doing a good job to keep Neate at bay, however couldn’t hold on for long, as Neate jumped into the lead at Tower followed closely by Fosters team mate Rob Collard who took advantage of this manoeuvre by Neate.
With Mat Jackson up into seventeenth having started down at the back of the field, it was his Redstone Racing team mate Liam Griffin causing a stir on track. Contact between Griffin and the BINZ Racing Vectra of Lea Wood saw them both have heavy impacts with the safety barriers at Tower. With fuel still running through the battered Focus, the front end of the car caught fire. Liam was out of the car in no time – and both drivers were unharmed in the incident – whist marshals were quickly on scene and had the fire out in no time at all. Naturally, the safety car was called out to clear the scene, and also to repair the barriers before racing recommenced.
 |
| Not in the game plan: Liam Griffin and Lea Wood escape this fiery encounter unharmed. Picture Credit: Anthony Keenan. |
Whilst Shedden was fighting at the bottom end of the top ten with pole sitter Nick Foster, Aron Smith came into the Redstone Racing pits to retire his Ford Focus, with team mate Mat Jackson now up into twelfth.
Despite running so well throughout the duration of the race, Andy Neate went wide at the chicane, allowing Plato to get up close and personal with the MG6’s gearbox, before finally making his move at Tower to take the lead of the race, with Tom Onslow-Cole in the eBay BMW also taking advantage to get into second. A whole gaggle of cars battle through the chicane, with Andrew Jordan coming through the pack to take third place. Rob Austin was running well in the top ten with the BMW of Nick Foster.
Andy Neate went wide again at Tower on the following lap, this time unable to hold on to his position – and lost a number of places down the field. Chris James was out of the race after a double whammy of contact with Ollie Jackson heading onto the final lap. A less chaotic final lap saw Jason Plato take the chequered flag ahead of Tom Onslow-Cole in the eBay BMW and Andrew Jordan, who had a great drive in the Pirtek Racing Honda Civic. Andy Neate ended up ninth having led the race early on, whilst Dan Welch also drove well to finish in the top ten.
Paul O’Neill finally had some luck in the Speedworks Motorsport Toyota Avensis, and finished in a point scoring thirteenth place on his return to the championship.
 |
| O'Neill overcame technical gremlins to get his first points scoring position of the weekend. Picture Credit: Anthony Keenan. |
Final Results:
1) Jason Plato
2) Tom Onslow-Cole
3) Andrew Jordan
4) Matt Neal
5) Rob Collard
6) Gordon Shedden
7) Rob Austin
8) Nick Foster
9) Andy Neate
10) Dan Welch
11) Jeff Smith
12) Mat Jackson
13) Paul O'Neill
14) Adam Morgan
15) Frank Wrathall
Fastest Lap: Jason Plato - Lap 6 - 1:26:026
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