BTCC Knockhill - Rounds 19, 20 & 21

[VkmSpouge]

So many cars are missing this weekend. Morrison, McMillan and Bell again are not there but joining them on the sidelines are James Nash (budget) and Adam Jones (technical problems with car). So I think only 17 cars will be taking part, a bit of a disappointment considering Knockhill usually produces the best racing.

Mat Jackson and Jason Plato are fastest in the practice 1. I must the biggest surprise there is Martin Johnson timing less than a second off the pace and in a very respectable 12th place.

http://www.tsl-timing.com/?loc=major&season=2009&series=BTCC&event=races&source=toca2006&eventid=93303&table=93303fp1trg&tabletype=gif

[Allyc85]

Must be so frustrating waiting for the BTCC to come to your local round and to find that loads of drivers wont be there :(

Great lap by Martin Johnson, hopefully he can keep it up :)

[mattie007]

Bit of a worry being 6 cars down.
Id hate to think what the grid would be like if we were at Mondello!

[Allyc85]

Bad isnt it, live timing is showing 9 cars for the G50 cup!

P2 times...

1. Jason Plato Racing Silverline Chevrolet Lacetti 54.184secs I
2. Gordon Shedden Cartridge World Carbon Zero Racing SEAT Leon 54.187secs I
3. Matt Neal VX Racing Vauxhall Vectra 54.438secs C
4. Jonathan Adam Airwaves BMW BMW 320si 54.465secs I
5. Colin Turkington Team RAC BMW 320si 54.469secs I
6. Fabrizio Giovanardi VX Racing Vauxhall Vectra 54.669secs C
7. Mat Jackson Racing Silverline Chevrolet Lacetti 54.695secs I
8. James Thompson Team Dynamics Honda Civic 54.713secs I C
9. Andrew Jordan VX Racing Vauxhall Vectra 54.813secs C
10. Rob Collard Airwaves BMW BMW 320si 54.831secs I
11. Tom Chilton Team Aon Ford Focus ST 55.050secs I C
12. Harry Vaulkhard bamboo engineering Chevrolet Lacetti 55.157secs I
13. Paul O'Neill Sunshine.co.uk with Tech-Speed Honda Integra 55.379secs I B
14. Dave Pinkney Team Dynamics Honda Civic 55.637secs I C
15. Martin Johnson Boulevard Team Racing Vauxhall Astra Coupe 56.367secs I B
16. John George TH Motorsport with JAG Honda Integra 56.893secs I B
17. Stephen Jelley Team RAC BMW 320si 58.721secs I

[VkmSpouge]

Race 1 Result

1 Jason Plato
2 Gordon Shedden
3 Mat Jackson
4 Colin Turkington
5 Jonathan Adam
6 Fabrizio Giovanardi
7 Andrew Jordan
8 Stephen Jelley
9 Paul o'Neill
10 Harry Vaulkhard
11 Tom Chilton
12 Martin Johnson
13 John George
DNF James Thompson
DNF Dave Pinkney
DNF Rob Collard
DNF Matt Neal

Pretty easy win for Jason Plato taking maximum points from the race.
Well done to Gordon Shedden for taking a good second place at his home track.
The Collard-Adam-Neal incident looked like a simple case of too many cars trying to get into the same piece of track. I don't think it was anyone's fault.

[BDunnell]

The Collard-Adam-Neal incident looked like a simple case of too many cars trying to get into the same piece of track. I don't think it was anyone's fault.

Yes, definitely. The outcome was unfortunate but these things happen.

[wedge]

Collard-Adam-Neal incident looked like a simple case of too many cars trying to get into the same piece of track. I don't think it was anyone's fault.

I'm all for hard racing but arguably Adam looked like he was looking for trouble as he pushed Jackson onto the grass earlier and did the same to Neal who went completely onto the grass. All in all more of a racing incident as two cars trying to get round Collard at the same time.

[VkmSpouge]

Race 2 Result

1 Fabrizio Giovanardi
2 Mat Jackson
3 Colin Turkington
4 Matt Neal
5 Paul o'Neill
6 James Thompson
7 Jonathan Adam
8 Stephen Jelley
9 Gordon Shedden
10 Andrew Jordan
11 Tom Chilton
12 Rob Collard
13 Martin Johnson
14 John George
DNF Dave Pinkney
DNF Harry Vaulkhard
DNF Jason Plato

Fabrizio Giovanardi driving superbly in that race.
Gordon Shedden did well to hang onto the lead as long as he did and I think both he and Rob Collard should be punished for pushing each other like that.
Good drives by Matt Neal and James Thompson from the back of the grid.
Paul o'Neill having a good race to take a top five finish.

EDIT: Johnny Herbert draws his future car to start from pole in race 3. James Thompson gets a shot to take a first win at Knockhill.

[Allyc85]

Cracking race, lets hope James can get that first win in the last race of the day!

[m0rk]

Finally. Edge of the sofa racing... I've been missing that this year

[christophulus]

Great last race but spoiled slightly by the VXR team orders at the end.

[Allyc85]

Fantastics day racing! Got to love watching the cars running so close together, especially from the rear view camera :D

It was dissapointing to see team orders as I always feel drivers should earn the points them selves but you cant blame VXR for doing it really.

[Neil Adams]

Race 2 Result
Gordon Shedden did well to hang onto the lead as long as he did and I think both he and Rob Collard should be punished for pushing each other like that.


i was thinking that, it seems that the points exclusions etc are only dished out if the pushing ends in a big crash

the 2nd part when shedden crashed into the back of collard wasnt particularly well shown, im sure i caught a glimpse of collard going off through the seat curves, i reckon he came straight back on into the path of shedden

[wedge]

Last year Sheddon moaned at Neal's usual driving style. This year he's had discreet taps in comparison, doesn't like it, and decides to ram off Plato at Brands and does the same to Collard (who didn't even leave a dent on your rear bumper at the final hairpin).

Sheddon, you're an utter prat and I hope you get your license endorsed.

[NoahsGirl]

Phew I am glad I'm not the only one who cannot stand Mr Sheddon. I was amazed - given that Flash is Scottish - the big cheer Fabrizio got when he overtook Sheds at the hairpin for the lead. I was cheering loudest I think!

[BDunnell]

I thought the racing was very good indeed on Sunday — and I doubt you'll see a classier drive than Plato's in race three. Truly outstanding, even bearing in mind the smaller field he had to get through.

[reidy_fan]

Phew I am glad I'm not the only one who cannot stand Mr Sheddon. I was amazed - given that Flash is Scottish - the big cheer Fabrizio got when he overtook Sheds at the hairpin for the lead. I was cheering loudest I think!

well give gordon credit he spent about an hour with us in the marshals forum on saturday night as did Martyn Bell, Paul O'Neill, Harry Vaulkhard and for a shorter time Jonny Adam. so for drivers to do that shows something

[wedge]

Phew I am glad I'm not the only one who cannot stand Mr Sheddon. I was amazed - given that Flash is Scottish - the big cheer Fabrizio got when he overtook Sheds at the hairpin for the lead. I was cheering loudest I think!

I did like Sheddon in the glory days of Team Dynamics but now with the #2 moniker now banished we've seen his true colours come out. When he runs out of talent, gets stumped and resorts to deliberately taking out a fellow competitor. It's a disgrace nothing has been done about it.

[Martin-MC]

Phew I am glad I'm not the only one who cannot stand Mr Sheddon. I was amazed - given that Flash is Scottish - the big cheer Fabrizio got when he overtook Sheds at the hairpin for the lead. I was cheering loudest I think!

Funny that! I made the long trip North for the weekend as had never been before. Thouroughly enjoyed my weekend away and sundays events.
Was sat on the bank nr the hairpind as was amazed at the anti Sheddon feeling within the crown.
Probably not among my faves either but I was amused by the cheers and wondered what he had done to upset his fellow Scots.
My only gripe was the car park well getting out, what a shambles!
When you got out the fields you went left or right and then joined up again at a T junction nr the hairpin. After this it was clear all the way to the gate so why not just have one direstion and let it run instead of holding up one lane then the other.

[reidy_fan]

i really had to laugh at the so called traffic chaos, i left the track after sorting out the caravan just before 7pm and had a clear run out, cheers to the dude in the black MX5 that let me out with the caravan, i did let him pass on a straight within a minute or so. the amount of folk that left before the legends final was stupid, all they did was sit wasting fuel

also FYI car drivers when a caravan indicates left when there is no left turn it means it is safe to overtake, i did wave cars past too. thanks to those that gave me a toot and thumbs up to say cheers, i dont want to hold up cars but cant tow the van as fast as i drive solo

[Martin-MC]

i really had to laugh at the so called traffic chaos, i left the track after sorting out the caravan just before 7pm and had a clear run out, cheers to the dude in the black MX5 that let me out with the caravan, i did let him pass on a straight within a minute or so. the amount of folk that left before the legends final was stupid, all they did was sit wasting fuel

also FYI car drivers when a caravan indicates left when there is no left turn it means it is safe to overtake, i did wave cars past too. thanks to those that gave me a toot and thumbs up to say cheers, i dont want to hold up cars but cant tow the van as fast as i drive solo

Well as I was staying local at a camp site I too "hung" around a while watched last race and had a slow walk back to car hoping most would of gone, got to car at 18:30 started to move at 18:55, once moving was out in five mins. but if the guys directing traffic had done it differently the whole lot would of been out 30 mins quicker!

[reidy_fan]

martin, it is always the same at the bogs end of the hairpin, it takes half an hour to clear after a smrc meeting, knockhill need a steward on there or preferably one of perths finest, the police on the powmill road and at powmill itself did a good job

[JBAFCB]

I'm surprised Shedden isn't very popular. I've always thought he was an under-rated driver and always did a solid job at Dynamics. As for his clash with Collard he was only getting him back after Collard nurfed him out the way at the hairpin

It was only his second meeting in that car and he drove well to get second in that first race