■Massive roll and puncture affect Plato’s weekend■MacDowall scores points in all three races■Amazing turnaround sees Silverline Chevrolet take manufacturers’ trophy in race three
A spectacular triple roll, a puncture and an amazing display of teamwork made for a frustrating but exciting weekend for the Silverline Chevrolet Team as the Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship returned to Donington Park.
After qualifying midway through the pack on a circuit where turbocharged challengers were always expected to be quicker, Jason Plato worked his way up into sixth place in the day’s first race before falling victim to a puncture – but that was nothing compared to the drama that unfolded in Race Two.
After a coming together between Gordon Shedden’s Honda, Rob Austin’s Audi and Liam Griffin’s Ford on Lap One, Plato was knocked from behind onto the gravel at the Craner Curves. The car slid across the infield before mounting a bank and flipping up into the air, rolling three times before coming to rest on its remaining three wheels.
Amazingly unscathed from such a dramatic accident, Plato thought his weekend was over, to the extent he even changed back into his civvies. But even one of the biggest smashes in BTCC history wasn’t going to stop the Silverline Chevrolet team, run by Wellingborough-based RML, from fighting their way back onto the grid for the third race.
It was the RML mechanics’ amazing display of teamwork and efficiency, including two staff members who simply happened to be spectating at the East Midlands circuit on their day off and mucked in, that was the real story of the day.
Team manager, Rod Underwood, said: “We had to give it our best shot. We didn’t think there was a hope of getting the car out at first, but somehow it all came together and we did it. I’m still not quite sure how – two hours to fully rebuild a car, most of it was broken!”
“It was amazing,” added Plato. “It looked an impossible task, the car looked like a Transformer, but the lads were just amazing, you could see the passion in everybody. They’re the best racing team in the world, forget F1. That was teamwork - I had tears in my eyes, they had tears in their eyes, and to see their commitment makes up for all the bad weekends we’ll ever have. There was real emotion out there today.”
Race Three didn’t disappoint, with Donington delivering its usual drama – five retirements in the first lap led to chaos, and a regrouping under the safety car that left pole-sitter Alex MacDowall vulnerable to attack from the faster turbo cars. Even so, MacDowall held on valiantly for fourth overall, with Jason yet again driving incredibly, bringing his bruised Cruze home sixth overall from 21st on the grid.
The next BTCC round takes place at Thruxton on Sunday May 1st – a circuit that will suit the Silverline Chevrolets renowned good handling.
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