Jason Plato has won todays first Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship race to take a huge bite out of Matt Neals points lead.

Plato led all the way from pole position for his fourth win of the season and also set a new race lap record in his KX Momentum Racing MG6.

Pirtek Racings Andrew Jordan and the Honda Yuasa Racing Teams Gordon Shedden were second and third in their Honda Civics. Shedden just held off Mat Jackson who took fourth in his Redstone Racing Ford Focus. Jackson had held second into the first corner but was quickly re-passed by the Honda drivers.

Similarly Robert Collard had his hands full in the closing stages as he kept behind Sheddens team-mate Neal to finish fifth in his eBay Motors BMW.

The result means reigning Champion Neal, racing this weekend with a broken hand, continues to lead the standings but by the reduced margin of just five points from Shedden. Plato, in third, has moved to within 23 points of Neal having started the race some 36 adrift.

Plato commented: One down, two to go. It was important I made a good start and got away from the battle behindits a great start to the day but I need that again in the second race. This is a strong circuit for the Hondas and taking points out of them here is a real bonus.

Jordan added: Im pleased with second. Jason was always out of reach so once Id pulled a bit of a gap to Gordon I just worked at looking after the tyres so they were in good shape towards the end.

And added Shedden: The car wasnt quite there but Im pleased with a podiumits more valuable points.

Taking seventh was Platos team-mate Andy Neateafter dropping to seventh at the start hed scraped past Collard for sixth and then cleared Neal for fifth only for his car to slow briefly and cost him valuable ground to the leaders.

Collards team-mate Tom Onslow-Cole came out on top of a five-way scrap for eighth place. Rob Austin followed in his RAR Audi A4 but it could have been higherhed been challenging Neal for sixth only to spin when their cars collided.

Elsewhere newcomer Howard Fuller scored points on his BTCC debut with 14th in his Team HARD. Honda Civicit could have been 13th but he was passed on the last lap by Chris James (Team ES Racing.com) Vauxhall Vectra.

Meanwhile there was heartache for Adam Morganthe Speedworks Motorsport ace had just passed fellow Toyota Avensis driver, Dynojets Frank Wrathall for eighth when his car lost drive.

Aron Smith retired when his Redstone Racing Ford Focus was sent into a spin at the Tarzan hairpin following contact with Jeff Smiths Pirtek Honda which later crashed out exiting the Gracelands corner. Austins team-mate Will Bratt and Ollie Jackson, in AmD Tuning.coms VW Golf, were also forced into the pits with mechanical problems on their cars

For full race results click on this link: http:/www.btcc.net/html/raceresults_detail.php?race_id=94&season_id=55