MG KX Momentums Jason Plato has won the opening race of the 2013 Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship amid high drama at Brands Hatch.
Pole-sitter Andrew Jordan had to settle for second after a last lap lunge nearly put both cars out of the race, whilst Rob Austin claimed a well earned podium in an eye-catching drive for the Audi A4 racer.
Jordan maintained position for much of the opening lap before a blistering start from Austin saw him squeeze into the lead at Clearways. The WIX Racing driver started seventh on the grid but was the highest placed driver to use the new soft Dunlop tyre option in the opening race. He stormed off the line and was immediately into fourth before Gordon Shedden slid sideways at Paddock Hill Bend ahead of him. Plato and Matt Neal baulked up to avoid the recovering Shedden, although Neal seemed to receive some contact from behind.
Austin held second, which soon became first after the move on Jordan, as the soft compound proved hugely advantageous in the early running. Plato made use of Austins manoeuvre on Jordan to immediately sneak by before his Honda rival had recomposed himself. The top three battle was halted at the end of lap two as a safety car was deployed after James Cole spun his Vauxhall Insignia into the gravel at Paddock.
Cosmetic damage for Neal meant he had a gaggle of cars held up behind him at the restart with a part of his bodywork rubbing on his rear right tyre. This allowed the top three to escape before MGs Sam Tordoff eventually made it by Neal on lap 12. Shedden followed him by passing Neal on the run down to the start/finish line, despite being squeezed on to the grass. Disaster struck Honda Yuasa Racing however, with both cars pitting on the same lap after separate problems Neals due to his first lap contact and Shedden because of the grass in his radiator that he picked up during the move by his team-mate.
Plato made his move by Austin on the entry to Druids on lap 14, as the soft tyre on the Audi seemed to be finally losing performance. Jordan was soon back into second with his own clean move at Clearways, before the same corner saw huge drama on the final lap.
A closing Jordan made one final lunge in an attempt to claim the victory, and the rather optimistic move ended in contact, with both drivers sliding off the track. Incredibly both drivers scrabbled their way back on to the circuit before third placed Austin had arrived, and Plato hung on to win the first race of the 2013 season.
Austin grabbed a fantastic podium ahead of a close battle between Tordoff and Pirtek Racings Jeff Smith.
Arguably the drive of the race belonged to Dynojets Frank Wrathall in his Toyota Avensis. He stormed from the back of the grid to take a top six finish ahead of the soft tyre starters of Adam Morgan and Colin Turkington the latter having also started at the rear of the order.
Aron Smith (Airwaves Racing) and Ollie Jackson (Speedworks Motorsport) completed the points paying positions, whilst their team-mates endured difficult races. Mat Jackson limped his Ford Focus to the finish with an intermittent fault in the car and Dave Newsham retired with a mechanical problem despite a fantastic start.
Jack Sears Trophy honours went to James Kaye in the VW Golf after he pulled off a late move on Lea Wood. The Vauxhall Vectra of Wood had led for the duration of the contest before his tyres began to go off in the latter stages.
Round one will be remembered however for a pulsating battle between Plato and Jordan, which thankfully ended with both drivers taking the top two places despite contact. I know it wasnt intentional, said Jason. He made a mistake and we all make mistakes. I initially thought I was P3 having seen the Hondas go through. I calmed down after I realised Id still won!
2013 Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship - Brands Hatch Indy - Race 1
1 Jason Plato MG KX Momentum Racing 27 Laps2 Andrew Jordan Pirtek Honda +2.168 3 Rob Austin WIX Racing +6.1304 Sam Tordoff MG KX Momentum Racing +7.7815 Jeff Smith Pirtek Honda +8.2456 Frank Wrathall Dynojet +13.6227 Adam Morgan Ciceley Racing +16.9488 Colin Turkington eBay Motors +18.9239 Aron Smith Airwaves Racing +20.25310 Ollie Jackson Speedworks Motorsport +22.114
