SILVERLINE CHEVROLET HEADS CHAMPIONSHIP AFTER BTCC DEBUT

The new Silverline Chevrolet racing team enjoyed a promising start to the Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship at Thruxton, amassing 74 points to leave the team first overall in the manufacturers’ standings.

And thanks to a solid day’s work, Jason Plato finished the day in second place in the overall drivers’ championship, having set out to lay a firm foundation for his championship campaign.

“I set myself a target of 30 points and came away with 31,” said the Oxfordshire-based former champion. “Our championship campaign starts in earnest at Rockingham – there, we’ll be really going for it.”

In the first of three races, Plato finished second to bring home 12 points, from starting fifth on the grid.

Jason made an early pass on Andrew Jordan in the Pirtek Racing Vauxhall, taking fourth place and defending fiercely to keep Onslow-Cole’s Aon Ford at bay as the pair raced door-to-door through the chicane. With both Hondas suffering tyre problems, the door was opened for Plato to charge through to a solid second place. The grid’s youngest driver, 19-year old Alex MacDowall, came home a strong seventh overall.

Speaking to ITV after the race, Jason commented: “It’s always tough here, and this is the Vauxhall hunting ground. We played it conservative with the tyres, because it is hard here on them.  The game plan for us was to finish strongly.  Second place is a lot of points; it’s a good start to our campaign.” 

In the second race, Plato came home fourth after a minor altercation with Matt Neal’s Honda at Club two laps from the finish, while MacDowall improved on his first race performance to come home in sixth.

“Matt had such a good run, so I knew he’d have a go,” said Jason. “I thought, I’d let him come round the outside of me and I’d hold him out as long as I could, so he wouldn’t be able to get up the inside. But it didn’t quite work.  As we got onto the brakes, I lost the rear of my car, so it sent me in to him and it was game over.  I was trying to be crafty but it was a bit of a mistake from me.  It would have been nice for a second, but we’ll take fourth.  My championship campaign begins at Rockingham.”

The draw for grid positions in race three saw MacDowall start from fourth position, with Plato a row behind in sixth.

But a slow start from MacDowall saw him drop down to 14^th, working his way back up to ninth as the race went on to secure a points finish.

The gap was left open for Plato to secure his second podium position of the day, taking advantage of a collision between Matt Neal and Rob Collard to move up to third overall, after fighting off a tough challenge from Fabrizio Giovanardi and Gordon Shedden.

“Thruxton was primarily about turning in a solid points performance,” said Jason. “It’s a hard circuit, it really takes its toll on tyres and BTCC cars are heavy things – my aim was to make the car last and get some decent points on the board ahead of Rockingham and Brands, where we’ll really go for it.”

For Alex MacDowall, Thruxton was a great opportunity to familiarise himself with the Cruze ahead of the rest of the season.

“It was a little daunting at first,” said the Carlisle-based youngster, “I was thinking I’m on a grid surrounded by BTCC drivers, and they’re not renowned for being gentle, but after the first two races I really settled in.

“The car is great – it has a lot of straight line speed, and I’m sure that with the RML team behind us, as well as Chevrolet and Silverline, we can get plenty more out of it as the season progresses.”

For more information, and to see more pictures of the day’s action, visit www.chevroletbtcc.co.uk