Donington delivers drama: BTCC Rnd 4/5/6

Three different drivers took to the top step of the podium when the BTCC headed to Donington Park for the second round of the season – further showcasing why the 2014 campaign is already shaping up to be a classic.

Defending champion Andrew Jordan had topped the standings heading to the East Midlands on the back of his double success in the season opener at Brands Hatch, but the Pirtek Racing man was forced to play second fiddle to three of his title rivals after a dramatic, rain-affected day of racing.

Free practice had suggested that records could tumble come qualifying, and MG’s Jason Plato duly smashed the previous best as he snared his first pole position of the year; beating the Honda of Gordon Shedden to top spot on the times.

Such was the pace of the field that the top ten all beat Shedden’s previous record – with Adam Morgan also bettering the mark before losing his times for a ride-height infringement.

Aware of the fact that Colin Turkington’s fast-starting BMW was lining up on row two, Plato was aware of the need to get away well when the lights went out for the start of race one; held in wet conditions after rain arrived on race morning.

The former champion duly did what he needed as he led the pack into Redgate for the first time ahead of Turkington, who was quickly shuffled back to fourth behind Plato’s team-mate Sam Tordoff and Shedden.

The MG pair would control proceedings from the front, with Plato being kept honest by his young partner as they snared the first 1-2 finish of the 2014 season for the Triple Eight-run team.

“It’s nice to get a win in such tricky conditions,” Plato said. “The difficult thing was that me and Sam are racing each other all the way – I wanted to lower the pace to save the tyres but I couldn’t give him too much of an opportunity to nip through and nick the win.

“As long as we keep it sensible out there like we did in that one it’s great fun.”

Behind the top two, it was Jordan who would secure the final place on the podium, fighting his way through to third despite carrying maximum ballast on his Civic. Behind him, Rob Collard stormed through from 13th on the grid to fourth, with Turkington and Shedden rounding out the top six in a run to the flag having both slipped back from the front as the race wore on.

MG’s second 1-2 finish wouldn’t take long to follow, although in race two it was Tordoff who crossed the line first to take his first victory of the year.

With rain still falling, Tordoff got the better start when the lights went out to get ahead of Plato into turn one and wouldn’t then be headed in a race that saw two spells behind the Safety Car.

The first of those caution periods came when Alain Menu spun through the middle of the field – astonishingly without being collected by anyone – and got beached in the gravel on the run towards McLeans, with the second coming after Robb Holland James Cole went off heavily into the wall at Hollywood; the damage sustained being enough to put both out of the remainder of the day.

When the race was able to get into a proper rhythm, Tordoff did enough to keep Plato at bay for his second win in the series.

“It was probably one of the hardest races I’ve ever driven, but I’ll take that result any day of the week!” he said. “I aspire to be one of these top guys and that means beating JP too, so I’m delighted.

“The restarts were tricky but I just want to thank Triple Eight for providing me with such a fantastic car and I hope we can be on the top step of the podium regularly.”

It would again be a Honda rounding out the podium, although this time it was Shedden taking third spot at the wheel of his Civic Tourer.

The Scot had benefited from errors from Rob Collard, who spun out of third early on, as well as from Jordan and team-mate Neal – both of whom followed him home.

Turkington rounded out the top six and was then drawn on pole for the final race of the weekend, which would be the only race to run in dry conditions.

The BMW made the perfect start when the lights went out only to see his lead eradicated when the Safety Car was deployed following an off for Marc Hynes on the opening lap.

On the restart, Turkington was able to drive away from the pack behind but as the race wore on, the Northern Irishman started to struggle with his soft compound tyres.

Unfortunately for Turkington, Shedden was only getting stronger as he fought his way through to second and then set about chasing down the leader – closing onto the tail of the BMW heading into the final lap.

Having failed to make a move around the outside at McLeans, Shedden attacked again on the outside into the final chicane with both cars running through the gravel before Shedden crossed the line first. Despite an appeal from WSR into the move, the result stood to leave Shedden as the first BTCC winner at the wheel of an Estate.

“I was miles away from the lead, but the Civic Tourer absolutely came alive on the soft tyres – even with the success ballast,” he said. “Honda really has done a great job with this car.

“As soon as I got into clear air, I couldn’t believe how good it was; I had mega traction and so much extra pace all the way round, and I was catching Colin by over a second-a-lap. With five laps to go I was six seconds behind, and what a last lap! History has been made with this first win for the Civic Tourer.”

Turkington by contrast was more disappointed at failing to secure his second success of the campaign having led from the start.

“I got away well in race three but we are still learning about the soft tyre and the performance dropped away more than we would have liked,” he said. “It was totally different to Brands Hatch where we were quite strong on it and meant Gordon was able to catch me on the final lap.

“I’m a bit aggrieved with the move he pulled at the final corner as going across the gravel like that isn’t the way to make up a position. It’s obviously disappointing to lead from the start and then lose the win like that.”

Neal completed the podium in the second Tourer, with Mat Jackson a fine fourth in his Airwaves Racing Ford after easily his best race of the campaign to date.

Jordan, having survived a lurid slide at turn one at the start, and Plato rounded out the top six; with special mention to Collard who made up no fewer than 21 places to come from 28th on the grid to seventh at the finish.

Ahead of the next round of the season at Thruxton, Jordan and Plato sit level on 87 points, just one clear of Shedden and three ahead of Turkington.