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00:00There we go.
00:30There we go.
00:59It's been a long, hard winter for competitors and for my team as well, but from what we
01:28see and what we hear, things are looking very good.
01:29From a technical perspective, completely different cars to the old Super Touring era, and they
01:34sound different, they look different, they drive different.
01:36I mean, it is a completely new, brave new world almost.
01:39So what are we talking about?
01:40Well, these are the two classes of car that are going to contest this year's championship,
01:45BTC Touring and BTC Production.
01:48Now, at a glance, the difference between these two things is pretty obvious.
01:51This car looks like it's on steroids, but make no mistake, both of these cars are hand-built,
01:57state-of-the-art racing cars.
01:59Key differences between them?
02:00Well, obviously, you can see the Vauxhall here is a lot fatter, but on top of that, it's allowed
02:03wings at the front and the rear, whereas the production car is very much the way the manufacturer
02:09intended.
02:09Bigger wheels on the Touring car as well.
02:1117s on the front, 15s on this one.
02:14It's fatter, and it's also heavier, 40 kilos more, the Touring car, at 1,150, but it does
02:19have just a little bit more squirt to lug that bulk around.
02:22About 40 horsepower more, maybe, 270-odd for the Touring car, maybe something like 230
02:28in this production car.
02:29Now, as I said earlier, really huge rule changes this year, and a really important one is to
02:33do with controlled components, they call it.
02:36It means that no fewer than 27 important bits of this car have to be the same, no matter
02:40who builds it.
02:41So that means things like the gearbox, the brakes, they're all the same.
02:44That makes the car cheaper to build, but it also makes it much closer racing.
02:56Qualifying for the AA.com British Touring Car Championships, and finally time for all the
03:01chatter to cease.
03:03Now only the stopwatch would do the talking.
03:11Big names heading the star-studded line-up.
03:15A line-up of stars and matched by some ritzy new toys for the boys.
03:18In the production class, the Peugeots of Simon Harrison and Roger Moen gave the HTML team
03:34the front row for their class, while Ivan Mullik kept up his practice pace, snatching pole
03:39for Vauxhall.
03:40Yeah, it was exciting, because I think the lap time is very close with Jason, and no, very
03:47exciting.
03:48I'm especially happy because all the session was, everything was perfectly, the plan we
03:55make before the session, we have made exactly what we planned, so I'm happy for that.
04:00She was a pretty close session, I mean, we're talking sort of hundreds between us all, which,
04:05you know, translates on the track to feet and inches, you know, so it's great, but I think
04:10that it's great for the whole team for all four cars to be one, two, three, four.
04:14I'm struggling a little bit in turning to some of the corners, I've got a bit more understeer
04:18than I want, in other words, the front of the car's not as sharp as I need it to be,
04:23so I can't carry as much speed into the middle part of the corner as I want, and we need to
04:26maybe get everything like 20%, 20%, 20% is there, whereas if you go 30%, 20%, 10%, it's
04:32not, and at the minute, we just haven't quite got all the dials in the right places, so, you
04:37know, we'll get there, but it's, you know, I want to be on par.
04:41And today is the day, no more rehearsals for all of these teams, or for us for that matter,
04:46the first rounds of the British Touring Car Championship getting underway today at Brands
04:51Hatch.
04:51Now, this year, we're going to be joined by Dawn McDaniel, give us the lowdown behind the
04:55scenes and in the pit lane, and as ever by the Oracle, John Watson, Formula 1 ace, to
04:59explain to us what's happening on track, and Waddy, it's not looking bad so far.
05:03It's going to be very close, and overtaking is going to be very difficult.
05:06And with that in mind, Brands Hatch, absolutely the best place to start a series with two classes
05:10involved, it'll really keep them close.
05:12Well, I can't disagree with that, and of course, Brands Hatch, southeast of London, in the
05:16Garden of England, the county of Kent, and this famous 1.2-mile circuit.
05:21Lap record, 44.9 seconds, but here's a man who took full position for both his races.
05:28Ivan Mudder tackles, catacled bend, fourth gear, the road just drops away from you, then
05:33the compression, and then the climb up into the second gear through its corner.
05:37Keep it tight all the way around.
05:39If you get out too far to the left, too early, you'll be in trouble.
05:43Then the run down to bottom bend.
05:44This is the revised corner.
05:46Nobody really likes it.
05:47Loses the rhythm of the circuit.
05:49Now you're on Cooper straight, up the gears, coming to this quick left-right that leads
05:54into clearways.
05:55This is one of the few places in the circuit where you will see people trying to dive up
05:59the inside to the right of Muller, but you've got to hook the wheel over the curb to keep
06:02it in all the way around clearways.
06:04Car gets light over the crest, runs out to the edge of the track, then you cut back.
06:08You come onto the start-finish straight, and for even Muller, two pull positions for his
06:13two races, doesn't get better than that.
06:14With the rain promising to stay away for a change, well, just, the new-look touring
06:21cars drew a bumper crowd for the Easter Monday.
06:23Well, we might be short just a couple of cars at this end of the season, but I tell you
06:32what, there's no shortage of interest in what happens in just a couple of minutes' time
06:35when we have the first sprint race of the year for BTC touring cars.
06:40Now, I'll tell you what, you wouldn't want to be a betting man and bet against Vauxhall.
06:43They've got the first two rows of the grid.
06:44Van Muller on pole position, James Thompson alongside him, two one-thousandths of a second
06:49behind him.
06:50And then, on the second row of the grid, Muller's teammate, Jason Plato, he's only two one-hundredths
06:55of a second further back.
06:56It's that close.
06:57It's like London Fashion Week here, dear me.
06:59Moving further back through the grid, we've got the legendary Steve Soper in one of the
07:03Peugeots, making a welcome return to touring cars.
07:06And another one of the Peugeots, same colour as Soper's car, keep an eye out for him, Matt
07:10Neil, didn't qualify because of mechanical problems, but in warm-up this morning, third
07:14quickest, so he might be a bit of a charger.
07:16Either way, this is a ten-minute sprint.
07:18Remember that.
07:19Brace yourself.
07:20Derek, hello.
07:21Hi.
07:22Can you tell me any secrets about today?
07:25About the secrets?
07:26Well, for the sprint race, it's fairly simple because it's 12 laps.
07:30Obviously, as the race says, we're going to go flat out from the start.
07:34The worrying thing for us, of course, is that any of our drivers make a professional fail
07:39and take each other off, so we had a row with them.
07:42They can have a clean, open race.
07:44There's no team orders, and it'd be nice for us to finish 1-2-3.
07:49Well, good chance of finishing 1-2-3.
07:51Four Vauxhalls in the top four.
07:53Look at those qualifying times.
07:5549.062, 49.064 for Thompson.
07:58That close.
08:00Then come the Peugeots, Soper Eves, Dave Pinkney in the sole alpha, and Matt Neil starting
08:05at the back after those qualifying problems.
08:07Red lights are on, ready for a start.
08:09Rebs are up.
08:10Green, and they're away.
08:12That's the view from Bennett.
08:14That's James Thompson right ahead of us.
08:16And look right in the middle there.
08:17That's Jackson Plato.
08:18Great start from Plato.
08:19Really nuzzling up behind Muller.
08:21Muller has held on to it.
08:22Muller still in the lead.
08:23Plato and James Thompson side by side.
08:26Thompson on the right.
08:27Plato on the left.
08:28Up into Druids for the first time.
08:29Jason Plato just nuzzling past James Thompson there.
08:34Thompson will have to be careful.
08:35He doesn't get force wide.
08:37That's Steve Soper in the first of the Peugeots putting him under real pressure down into
08:40bottom bend.
08:41Matt Neil.
08:42That's Matt Neil being turned sideways into bottom bend.
08:45That was the fourth of the Vauxhalls.
08:47Let's have another look.
08:49And we're on board with Phil Bennett in his first touring car ride and a big bang on the
08:53right-hand side of his Vauxhall Astra.
08:55Now he gets down into bottom bend and repays that favour.
08:58Matt Neil on the right-hand side.
09:01Absolutely shoveled around.
09:02Excuse me.
09:03Well, yeah.
09:03What a way to start your career.
09:05Bang.
09:05There you see Matt Neil.
09:06He just slides into the side of Bennett.
09:08Now down into bottom bend.
09:11You think that was easy, Matt?
09:12Oh, really?
09:13Try this besides.
09:14That's what my Vauxhall tastes like.
09:15Thanks very much for the smoochy smooch with your Peugeot.
09:18Everybody else recruit back at the front.
09:20It's smaller.
09:20Followed by Plato.
09:21There's James Thompson.
09:22Right behind him, Steve Soper.
09:25And then Bennett, who we saw in the fourth of those Vauxhalls, still circulating fine.
09:29There's Thompson.
09:29There's Soper.
09:30Already a big gap opening up, though, for these two red and white works Vauxhalls.
09:38Lutter took a perfect start.
09:39Plato got off the second row of the grid.
09:41Got ahead of Thompson.
09:42That's key for these two drivers.
09:44Because they know that James Thompson's going to be a major threat in this year's
09:47championship.
09:48Speaking of major threats, there's Mr. Bennett.
09:51And he is being followed by Dan Eves in the second of the three Peugeots.
09:55And if there's any score settling to be going on, that's where it'll be happening.
09:58His car looks okay.
10:00It wasn't a really big contact with Matt Neill, but just enough to turn the car around.
10:03It did.
10:04It was a heavy enough contact, I think.
10:05Probably felt much worse, particularly for Matt Neill in bottom bend.
10:09Car on balance.
10:10Thrown completely sideways.
10:11There's go sideways, Woody.
10:12Absolutely through Clearway's corner.
10:14That was Phil Bennett, who just drove very neatly.
10:17Here's the view of him on board.
10:18He's got his eyes in, in through Clearway's corner.
10:21What if he was focusing?
10:22I think he was very focused.
10:23I'm not quite sure what he was focusing on, but certainly on the gravel.
10:27Hello, family.
10:27This is me in the car.
10:30Nightmare in a bubble car.
10:31Terrible way to start the race.
10:32But there you go.
10:33He is well and truly beached there.
10:34There are leaders.
10:35There's James Thompson in third place.
10:37Steve Soper in fourth.
10:38Now, this is not helping James Thompson's cause at all, because all of the time he's trying
10:42to look ahead and catch up to these two.
10:44Muller number one, Plato number two.
10:46He's still going to look over his shoulder for that Soper fellow.
10:49Well, Steve Soper irreplaceable.
10:51And there's the Alfa Romeo.
10:52That looks pretty terminal.
10:53Yeah, kennel's on.
10:55That's Dave Bigny.
10:57He brought the car to the grid.
10:59Very late in putting it together.
11:00That looks like steam, doesn't it?
11:01Something not too serious, but obviously stopping the race.
11:03Not too serious, but a side of the race.
11:05So a big battle going on.
11:06And it really is now up to James Thompson.
11:08Here comes Steve Soper.
11:11Unceduled pit stop.
11:12This is a ten minute screamer.
11:13Yeah, right front wheel.
11:14The guy has dived in with the air gun.
11:16Maybe Soper thought the front wheel was coming loose.
11:19But certainly last time, last position.
11:22Well, here are our top three positions.
11:24Muller, Plato, and then just behind them, James Thompson.
11:27Vauxhall, Vauxhall, and Vauxhall.
11:30Stiffly sprung little cars really cocking a wheel up there through clearways.
11:33And you'll notice it as they come up into braking into Druids as well.
11:36The back of the car gets light.
11:38The rear wheel grabs.
11:39That's where the puffer smoke's coming from.
11:41Well, there it is after lap five.
11:42There's the confirmation.
11:43Muller, Plato, Thompson, and then Eves a fairway adrift.
11:46It really, really is of Vauxhall benefit.
11:49This is a ten minute repeat.
11:51Ten minute screaming lap.
11:53And lots and lots of smoke from the rear end of both of these cars.
11:56If you think they ain't trying, look again.
11:58They're trying hard.
11:59And it's such a battle between the four Vauxhall's.
12:01Remember, Plato and Muller on one team.
12:03Bennett and Thompson on the other.
12:05Here's interesting, here's interesting.
12:07That's on board with Steve Soper.
12:09We're back out of the pits.
12:10And he is now dicing with our race leaders.
12:13Steve Soper makes new friends.
12:15That's Ivan Muller moving out to the left.
12:17Right behind him is Jason Plater.
12:18Hey, hey, hey, this isn't your race, Soper.
12:20He's actually come back out of the pits.
12:22But he's in the thick of it and loving it.
12:24Yeah, and also it's giving him an opportunity just to see where the Vauxhalls are strong.
12:27Remember, the Peugeot relatively underdeveloped compared to the Vauxhall.
12:31But there's the answer.
12:32They've just got more performance.
12:33Yeah, no prisoners taken either there either.
12:35A little bit of paint rubbing between Jason Plato and Soper.
12:38On the way past.
12:39He's in a really big hurry.
12:41Now James Thompson comes into the fray.
12:42What he does not need is Steve Soper performing demonstration laps for him right before his very eyes.
12:48And between him and the leading two Vauxhalls, Ivan Muller and Jason Plato, as we go down across the strike.
12:55James Thompson, the fourth car, and that gaggle of cars fast running out of laps to catch up with his lead two.
13:01Now here's a replay.
13:03And look at that, Thompson.
13:04He thought he could have gone the long way around.
13:06Steve Soper into Panticle Bend.
13:08Soper is really, well, let's call it showboating, but it's giving him a little bit of an insight
13:12and showing that the Peugeot really is going to be a car that will challenge Vauxhall later this year.
13:17Nice big showboating too.
13:19It's down into bottom bend.
13:20That has really cost James Thompson some time.
13:23Steve Soper off James Thompson's Christmas card list.
13:26James really had to race into a position to get past.
13:29Great fun for Soper.
13:29Great for us to watch.
13:30But nevertheless, it has really cost James Thompson some time.
13:33You can see the gap there.
13:35The lead two Vauxhalls.
13:38Nice comparison between these two cars coming back onto the straight.
13:42Yes, Vauxhall really, the developed car.
13:45But I spoke to James Thompson before this race and said,
13:47tell me, are your cars going to be prepared to the same level as these two lead cars?
13:51He says, absolutely.
13:53Well, James, there's the answer.
13:54There are the lead, you're in third.
13:56Okay.
13:57Well, if it's not the preparation, it's maybe the driving or the opportunity.
14:00You have to pay this man the point.
14:02Jason Clayto seized the opportunity.
14:04He was on the second row with a grid.
14:05He absolutely threaded the eye of the needle on the start.
14:09Made a brilliant start.
14:10Not good enough to catch Muller, but must take a bit more.
14:12There were a huge fright.
14:13Well, Plato got off the blocks quicker than anybody else in the grid.
14:16But Miller had just enough momentum to take Paddock Hillbent.
14:19And he's maintained it.
14:20But the cars are so evenly matched.
14:22It's only a mistake from one or the other driver.
14:24We'll see a pass.
14:28This big to Plato at work.
14:29Now building up through the gears.
14:31I'm on board with Muller now.
14:37And that's what he likes to see.
14:38Absolutely nothing in front of him except a checkered flag.
14:41Ivan Muller takes the first race win of the year.
14:45Second place, Jason Plato.
14:47And third, James Thompson.
14:48It was a fast start.
14:49Yeah.
14:50The start wasn't really perfect.
14:52The five first meta was good.
14:54And then I nearly stole the engine and I restarted.
14:58And it was okay.
14:59Not perfect.
15:00It wasn't perfect, but it was good enough.
15:02It did the job.
15:03A win for Ivan Muller.
15:04Jason Plato getting himself up into second position courtesy of that blinding start.
15:08And James Thompson, third place also in a Vauxhall.
15:12Yeah, Vauxhall have really, really paid dividends, haven't they?
15:14In getting their homework done and getting out on track early.
15:16But although Steve Soper had the fit, his performance coming back out again was encouraging
15:21because he was able pretty much to keep with those Vauxhalls.
15:23And you're not some passive.
15:25Steve Soper's almost as old as I am, Charlie.
15:27Yeah, well, that can't be possible, but I'll take your word for it.
15:30He doesn't x-ray as well as you.
15:33Well, the main race of the day combines production and touring classes,
15:37but there is a separate production sprint race.
15:39It was a knock-em-down, drag-em-out affair.
15:42This is how they lined up on the grid.
15:45Peugeots of Harrison and Moen, really the guys to watch.
15:48They locked out the front row of the grid.
15:50Piper as well in the red Alpha.
15:52Also a man to watch on the second row.
15:53And James Kaye, the stalwart in the independent Honda.
15:57On the second row of the grid as well, the Accord.
15:59A man who's campaigned that car very strongly.
16:01That front group very, very close together.
16:04Harrison on the left, Moen on the right.
16:09That was not the greatest of starts there, as you can see.
16:12For Gavin Piper and the Alpha, really slid to the right-hand side of the track,
16:16but amazingly managed to hang on to the position.
16:18This gaggle of cars side-by-side over Paddock Hill Bend for the first time.
16:24And the first roller at the bottom.
16:27The Paddock Hill Bend, that was Paul O'Neill.
16:30Got a bit of a tap, brought out the safety car.
16:32Paul was fine.
16:33The car just dug in as it hit the gravel.
16:35No problem there.
16:36Did not improve his afternoon.
16:37Green flag, everything underway again.
16:39Once again, Harrison was the guy to beat.
16:41Brilliantly quick in that rolling start off the line.
16:44And everybody away cleanly.
16:46Really good race between Harrison.
16:47There is Piper on the right-hand side of the screen.
16:50And that Alfa Romeo really giving a very, very big charge to Harrison.
16:54But Moe and his teammate in the second of those orange Peugeots
16:58really bringing Piper under some pressure.
17:00Now have a look at this for a move into Paddock Hill.
17:03Excuse me, says Moe and shovels Piper sideways.
17:06Then Howell in that yellow forward focus thinks,
17:09I'll have a bit of that as well.
17:10It was really a dog day afternoon for Piper.
17:13Just watch this.
17:14Going for challenging the lead in one lap to,
17:18can I possibly hang on to fourth or fifth place by the end of the next lap?
17:22There he is in that red Alfa, sandwiched between the two yellow forward focusers
17:25as the rest of the field stream down.
17:27And there Colin Blair.
17:28Yeah, that was almost a carbon copy of Paul O'Neill's accident.
17:32Exactly the same place.
17:33But a couple of laps later, he got tangled.
17:34That was one of the Honda records.
17:36Now there goes Gavin Piper.
17:37His afternoon went from bad to worst as well.
17:39He got tangled.
17:40That was one of the forward focusers.
17:41Surprise, surprise.
17:43Safety car out again to gather up all the littered cars.
17:47Then a race restart.
17:48Still this fellow Simon Harrison in the lead.
17:50His teammate right behind him.
17:52And have a look at that very, very strong charge
17:54in third position in the forward focus for Howell.
17:57Very strong.
17:58P1 for Simon Harrison.
17:59He knew all about it.
18:00Showed real grace under pressure on the start and the restarts as well.
18:04So no surprise then.
18:06There was a big gap as he came down and took the checkered flag for the win.
18:10Just heading off his teammate, Roger Moen, in the second of the Peugeots.
18:14And then a very good performance as well for the forward focus.
18:18Gareth Howell and Matt Jackson.
18:20Simon, congratulations.
18:22Great start to the season.
18:23Yeah, I'm really pleased with that.
18:24You can't wish for better, really.
18:25A win first time out.
18:26Pole position, a win.
18:28Racking up the points.
18:29Roll on the feature race.
18:30But I tell you what, it's hard work out there.
18:3225 laps is a long time and we've got 50 to come.
18:35So, but roll on the feature race.
18:36Want another win.
18:38Might have been hard work.
18:39I thought he made it look pretty easy.
18:41Two Peugeots followed by two forward focusers.
18:44Young Tom Boardman as well makes it into the top eight.
18:46He's the youngest man ever to race touring cars in the UK.
18:51So, as we leave Simon Harrison celebrating, it's time for Dawn to make some new friends.
18:59So, do either of you remember a moment in your childhood when you decided you wanted to be a racing driver?
19:07I can remember sat him in the grandfather's knee, driving his car.
19:13I used to send his knee and steer the car in Oxford, actually, going up a place called Shot Over Hill.
19:17And I was about, I don't know, I can't have been any more than four.
19:22And that's kind of my first memory of driving a car.
19:25And ever since then, I thought, these are great.
19:26I like cars.
19:27And Matt, do you remember anything?
19:29No.
19:30My dad was a racing driver, so...
19:31Oh, really?
19:32I can remember as a young kid being, like, three and four, being dragged around circuits around Europe and that.
19:39And I just, I got a car when I was five, and I just wanted to drive from then.
19:46You know, it's just the aspirations.
19:47Everyone was at school saying, what do you want to be, astronauts or whatever, and I was just a racing driver.
19:52Petrol in the veins.
19:53Yeah, absolutely.
19:54I mean, you must have some fantastic stories.
19:58We do, but they're not, they're not, Watershed Springs to mind.
20:03I think it might be a nine o'clock cutoff, maybe.
20:06OK, well, we'll venture there another day, maybe.
20:08You wouldn't believe it.
20:09He's been, I've been up in a plane with him, and he is Captain Sensible.
20:12He's like Jekyll and Hyde from on the ground to off the ground.
20:16Good.
20:17I was surprised.
20:17I was surprised.
20:19I was hearing all these horrific stories and actually going up with him.
20:22I was pleasantly surprised.
20:24Good.
20:25Well, good luck today.
20:26Thanks a lot.
20:27And thank you.
20:28See you later.
20:28Not too much good luck to him, but...
20:30OK.
20:30Well, we'll do it.
20:33We've had some surprises before from touring cars, but this afternoon's feature race is about to take the cake.
20:38This is a combined race with BTC production cars and BTC touring cars running side by side.
20:44But, wait for it, it's a rolling start, which means this entire pack of enthusiasts are all going to arrive at the first corner together, yep, at full race speed.
20:55Now, what that will do is give these lead production guys like Simon Harrison, who won this morning, give them a good chance to mix it up with the back end of the BTC touring pack.
21:03Another thing which gives Simon and his colleagues a very good chance to mix it up with these guys as well is compulsory pit stops.
21:09You can hear them changing wheels now.
21:11The touring cars have to do pit stops, the production cars do not.
21:15Ian, any last-minute tactics that you can share?
21:17No, I think we've done what we can, and that's up to the drivers, and obviously the tactic for us is to go as fast as possible and win.
21:24Yeah.
21:24That's what we're trying to do.
21:25Any plans for the feature that you can tell me?
21:27Well, the feature's going to be really, you know, quite an interesting race.
21:30You know, there's going to be a lot of cars out there, and looking at the race that they had previous to us, they had a lot of accidents, and there was a lot of safety cars.
21:39So, if we've not made our pit stop, and there's a safety car on the track, then it could be very, you know, very interesting.
21:45So, pit stop strategy's going to be the key to it.
21:48Mate, I reckon the entire thing is going to be very interesting, as we watch touring cars weaving, getting ready for two abreast for a rolling start.
21:55Muller, Plato first, then Thompson and Bennett, second row of the grid.
21:59They're followed by Soper and Eves in the first of the Peugeots, then Pickney and Neil, but Pickney has not made the grid, still changing an engine.
22:06Harrison and Moen, they lead the production class, then Piper, Kaye, right behind them, then O'Neill and Jackson.
22:14Another Peugeot, and one of the first Ford Focuses.
22:17Everyone getting in position now, safety car lights are off, we're even getting ready for this start.
22:22Look at them, they're two abreast, because this is a rolling start, not a restart, so they will start two abreast.
22:28Those who've raced sports cars will be at an advantage.
22:31Muller on the left, Plato on the right, they're getting very close to each other.
22:34A rolling pace, no one's allowed to break, momentum until they get across the line.
22:39That white line at the bottom of the screen is where the race starts.
22:43Rebs are up, well the rolling's up, and they are off and away, and it is a great start by Ivan Muller, hanging onto it well.
22:49Plato alongside him.
22:51Next two voxels have to sort themselves out, and look better to head, and James Thompson cracking stuff from him.
22:57Nice pass over the top of the hill, and we've got a spinner already.
23:00That's Annie Templeton, very high speed, neat reverse, park in the gravel, no harm done.
23:05Down into Bommet Ben for the first time, deja vu.
23:09Muller first, Plato second, and then right behind him, an absolute gaggle of production cars.
23:14Everyone pops the smoke just getting through there clearly.
23:17Nice start from Bennett.
23:18Yes, also a very good start for the first time, a rolling start in touring cars.
23:23Everybody behaved well.
23:24Sadly, Annie Templeton ended up in the gravel at the exit of Adam.
23:27And speaking of behaving well, we're on board with Matt Neal just threading our way through Clearway's corner, down onto the back straight again.
23:34And there's the safety car sign.
23:35So the safety car is out backing this field up.
23:38They enjoyed their rolling start so much, they're going to have another one.
23:41And there's the reason.
23:42You can see the Peugeot stuck in the gravel.
23:44Not enough time for the marshals to get the car cleared to safety.
23:47So the safety car comes out.
23:48There we see it.
23:50That is a very popular place to come to rest if you get yourself into trouble.
23:54Going over the top of Paddock Hill.
23:55Now as we dig that Peugeot out of the gravel, a good chance to have a look from Ivan Muller's car at the restart.
24:02Jason Plato just slotting in behind over the top of Paddock Hill.
24:07And Bennett and Thompson behind.
24:09He was really on a chart into that first lap, Guido, really pushing up.
24:12He did, but he also was sensible.
24:14He didn't try to force the issue.
24:15This is a long race, 50 laps.
24:17So he gave Mudder working room and got both cars around the first quarter.
24:22Now here's the lead production car as well.
24:25Almost the lead production car.
24:27I can say that on the replay because you can just see right ahead of us Roger Mowen, Simon Harrison's teammate,
24:31getting a cracking start there and actually taking the lead in the production class on that rolling start.
24:37It was almost as if Simon didn't want to get involved with the touring cars.
24:40And he allowed Mowen to take the line around the outside of Paddock, Brian.
24:44It's the quick line if you're brave enough to do it.
24:46But you've got to watch the car that's ahead of you on the exit.
24:49Otherwise, you could be in collision.
24:50OK, well, we're on a restart now across the line, and they are one, two, three, four in line now
24:56because it was a rolling start, a restart, so not too abreast.
24:59On board with Steve Soper.
25:01There's the view ahead of us.
25:02The pair of dicing voxels of Bennett and Thompson.
25:05Soper lunging down the inside into Druid.
25:07There's the view back.
25:08There's the voxel.
25:09We've just slithered past.
25:11That's Bennett right behind us.
25:13Down into bottom end.
25:14We've got to hang a left in a minute here, boys.
25:16What's going on?
25:17Bennett really pressuring.
25:18Oh, and a little bit of an understeer there.
25:20That's cost him time.
25:21Yeah, I think because Super just slowed down momentarily in bottom bend, Bennett had to
25:25take a quick avoiding action to the right.
25:27That was what the correction was all about.
25:29Wily old Fox Soper.
25:31Now there is Matt Neal challenging as well.
25:33Matt Neal just sliding up on the inside.
25:36Sliding up on the inside.
25:37Nussling in and saying, hi, welcome to touring cars.
25:39Well, it's the second time this afternoon we've seen, I see, third time, first time this
25:43race, twice in their sprint race.
25:45Well, there they are.
25:46Muller, Plato, Thompson, Soper.
25:47Three seconds covers the first four so far.
25:50There's Bennett.
25:51Still bristling with static electricity from his Matt Neal.
25:55Welcome to the series.
25:57There are two leaders.
25:58Muller followed by Plato.
26:00Now there, actually, Bennett is not doing too well here.
26:02He's kind of storming to the back of this touring field at the moment.
26:06He's only one behind him.
26:07Well, when he let Thompson get past, there was a momentarily loss of momentum, and that
26:12then allowed Soper to get through, and when all that confusion is going on then, we see
26:16Matt Neal getting through as well.
26:18Probably a momentary burst of sanity.
26:20What on earth am I doing here, Bennett?
26:22Is it too late now?
26:23He's got to keep up with it.
26:24That's Dan Eves, also new to touring cars, right behind him in the third of the Peugeots.
26:28There's Bennett, there's Eves.
26:29Getting a run down through Clearways, fastest part of the circuit.
26:33This is the sharp end of the field.
26:34Muller, Vauxhall.
26:35Plato, Vauxhall.
26:36Thompson, Vauxhall, then Soper.
26:38Now here's Bennett moving down the inside.
26:40Very, very forceful pass there for Bennett.
26:42Back past Matt Neal.
26:44I'm quite liking this stuff.
26:45I think that's four strikes out of two races, so somehow or other, these two cars seem to
26:49be attracted to one another.
26:50Well, he's making hard work of it.
26:52Passing, repassing, passing, repassing.
26:54Look at all the black scuff marks down the side of Matt Neal's lime green Peugeot.
26:59It's really had some close contact.
27:01And you want to see what it was like after the sprint race.
27:02This is the repair job they've carried out of the car.
27:05That's pretty in a glance.
27:07Up through the S's now.
27:10That was our very strong maneuver from Bennett.
27:12Now that has left Matt Neal to deal with Dan Eves in the third of those Peugeots.
27:17There they are.
27:18Bennett then right behind him, Matt Neal, trying to get some momentum and get the thing going
27:22again.
27:23Then Eves behind him.
27:24Now this is the battle for the productions.
27:26Right ahead of us is Roger Moen.
27:27He got a great start.
27:28Right now, Simon Harrison, winner of race one, is lining him up.
27:31We're coming up into Paddock Hill.
27:32And this is for the not the faint-hearted.
27:36And a great pass.
27:37Yeah, I mean, it's totally blind in the approach to Paddock.
27:40We are that close on the right-hand side.
27:42Mayan saw him coming.
27:43He said, look, I'm going to give up this time.
27:45I'm not going to give up the race, though.
27:46Oh, indeed, that was a very, very strong pass from Simon Harrison, showing all his experience.
27:51He let Moen get past him early on, but it's forced that maneuver back very, very strongly
27:56now.
27:57The big question is, is Harrison going to disappear off into the distance, or can Moen
28:00stay in touch?
28:01Well, in the sprint race, they stayed fairly much in touch.
28:04This is a much longer race, 50 laps.
28:06Remember, these cars don't make pit stops.
28:08So you must look after your tires, but that's not going to help letting the car come up in
28:12the inside.
28:12Now it's James Kaye.
28:14He's moved up into second position in the Honda Accord.
28:16That will not amuse Roger Moen at all.
28:19He was leading that race, but a lap ago.
28:21Lost a bit of momentum, perhaps.
28:22It's given James Kaye just enough of a sniff.
28:25So now that means that Kaye will be on the hunt after Simon Harrison up in the lead.
28:29Now here are our lead class A runners, and this is about to be a very focusing moment,
28:33indeed.
28:34Peter Cate in one of the production Hondas.
28:39Nice race manners there, letting them past.
28:40Yeah, very important for these cars, particularly at the back of the production range, to keep an
28:45eye on the mirrors, because the tourists are coming through so quickly that if you blink,
28:49you're going to have three or four of them all over you.
28:51If you blink, mate, I'd be keeping my eyes shut.
28:53I think it'll be very, very busy as this race unfolds with these touring cars wedged in a block
28:58like this, still very close to each other, threading their way through the traffic.
29:01And a very important point, of course, the production guys are in a big, big race of
29:05their own, too.
29:06But look already at the gap these two have opened up.
29:08Muller-Plato, there's the confirmation.
29:10Close, so close together.
29:11Then Thompson in third position.
29:14Now here's the view back from Steve Soper's car, and that's that guy Bennett.
29:17He just will not go away.
29:18Well, Phil's having a big day.
29:20This is his first important motor race in his life.
29:22He's racing with somebody so famous as Steve Soper.
29:25Not only racing with him, mate, he's giving him a pretty hard time as well.
29:28There he is, cuts to the inside through Druids.
29:31Now Soper moves wide.
29:32He knows to cover that line.
29:34Pass Peter Cates.
29:36Into the bottom bend left-hander.
29:38Now this is where a lap or so ago we saw that Vauxhall lose front-end grip.
29:42Not so now.
29:43No, and he's trying to get a run as he comes into clearways, but he's just not quite fit there.
29:48Now there's the view.
29:48We're looking ahead at Soper.
29:49He has.
29:50He's tucked down the inside.
29:51Can he make it stick?
29:52No, side by side.
29:53Soper on the left.
29:54And he's running a little bit wide.
29:55Soper says, you can try that sunshine.
29:57But I've been around the block once or twice.
29:59Now this is how it's done.
30:00Watch me flick back.
30:01That's experienced Steve Soper.
30:02He saw Bennett coming through.
30:05He ducked back in, cut back, got the advantage.
30:07But Bennett just got the speed in a straight line.
30:09He's still trying to hang with it though.
30:11Then decides to cut back.
30:13Big leap over the curb there.
30:14Top of Paddock.
30:15He'll bend.
30:16Down up into Druids.
30:17He's got it all to do again.
30:19There's Steve Soper.
30:20There's Bennett right behind him.
30:21And Matt Neal looking to see if he can pick up anything out of this as well.
30:27Now this is exactly as we were a lap ago.
30:29What can he do all over again?
30:31Well, he's strong going into clearways.
30:33He's got an advantage in terms of grip and handling.
30:35He can try it again.
30:36But Soper is so clever and wily.
30:38He's wily indeed.
30:40He stepped back and let him do it last time.
30:41Now here we go.
30:42Let's try that again.
30:43Soper moves left.
30:45Then Bennett goes to the inside.
30:46Ah, but he's got it.
30:47He's learned second time around.
30:48But he's up the curb.
30:50He didn't quite overrun into the corner the second time around.
30:53Checked his speed.
30:53Kept the car in tight.
30:55And maintained the position.
30:56Old dogs and new tricks spring to mind.
30:59But he has made the position stick.
31:02Bennett, the new man to touring cars.
31:03Steve Soper.
31:04See more touring car races than he probably cares to remember.
31:08There's the view.
31:09And now he's got more than just when he thought it was safe to get back out on the racetrack.
31:13Now he's got Matt Neal lunging.
31:14Well, he had all that battle with Bennett going on.
31:17Deeper going by his teammate Matt Neal.
31:18Matt, very late in the breaks, runs right under the rear wing of Soper's Peugeot.
31:24Soper's up to his exhaust pipe in it.
31:26One after the other.
31:27Still the lead, Peugeot.
31:29And there's Bennett.
31:31There is Soper.
31:33And Matt Neal is very much on a charge.
31:35Almost costing Soper time there as he ran a slightly defensive line into the corner.
31:43But it's come out okay.
31:44Now, that's the gap back from our first three runners back to Bennett in fourth position.
31:52A full ten seconds.
31:53Muller, Plato and Thompson.
31:56There's Plato there.
31:57James Thompson right behind him.
31:59They are the class of the field.
32:01The lead trio by a very big margin.
32:03And that must be disappointing for Plato.
32:05He's got a battle on his hands with James Thompson.
32:08Watching his teammate just disappear into the distance.
32:12There's Peter Cate once again.
32:13He seems to find himself in the thick of things.
32:16He passed.
32:17And that's actually cost Jason Plato just a little bit of time.
32:20Had to correct and change.
32:21And there's our first pit stop man, James Thompson in.
32:23Interesting strategy.
32:24Thompson deciding.
32:26When he's getting into traffic like this,
32:27this is the opportunity to make your pit stop.
32:29Now, these pit stops are going to be a little bit different this year.
32:33But the car goes up.
32:34Changing only the front two wheels, remember.
32:36Standardized equipment.
32:38Wheel nuts, hubs.
32:39All the same in all these touring cars.
32:42Well, there's our first benchmark time.
32:437.9.
32:44That's very good.
32:45It's a lot quicker than they were doing in practice this morning prior to the race.
32:50Ambling down the pit lane now.
32:52James Thompson feels so slow.
32:54Then on the gas.
32:55Back out on track.
32:57Clear track ahead of him.
32:58Yes, that's what he wants.
33:00But remember, James, you've got a set of cold front tires.
33:03Take it very carefully.
33:05Yeah, it didn't look like a very orderly line, actually, did it?
33:07Out and down the hill.
33:09Now Muller in.
33:10Race leader.
33:11We've seen James Thompson's team do a 7.9 second stop.
33:15Muller will want to be in at least that amount of time.
33:20Car slew up off the jacks.
33:22Didn't look like it was as quick as Thompson.
33:24For almost 7.9 seconds, they're still putting the wheels on.
33:27Car still up in the air.
33:30Please hurry up.
33:3113.2 seconds.
33:32That was poor.
33:34Listen to it.
33:35It sounds like it's pumped itself.
33:36Big problem for Muller's car.
33:38That is not the right exhaust note.
33:40Have a listen.
33:41Well, there's Jason Plato, in the meantime.
33:43He is out on track.
33:45Our race leader.
33:45He's still got the yellow stripe above his name, which means that he hasn't pitted the tear-off.
33:50There's Matt Neill.
33:51You just saw the tear-off coming off his car.
33:53He's in the pits.
33:54Watch for his time.
33:55First of the Peugeot is Matt Neill.
33:56Again, over the time we saw for James Thompson.
33:5910, 11, 12, 11.8.
34:02Well, I have to say, we've seen one great stop from Thompson and two very average runs from
34:08Muller and Matt Neill.
34:09Yeah, it wasn't a bad stop from James, but it's really being flattered by the last two
34:13that we've seen.
34:13I don't know if both of these cars had problems in their pit.
34:16Now, here's Vauxhall once again.
34:18This must be Plato.
34:20So, let's see if the Vauxhall team can do better for Plato than they did for Muller.
34:24Remember, Muller, 13.2 seconds.
34:26That was a terrible stop.
34:27Jason Plato looking to beat 7.9, 8.5.
34:30That's in the ballpark.
34:32He'll like it.
34:32Now, this is critically important because Plato has pitted.
34:35So has James Thompson, where Plato emerges on track, given they had similar pit stop times.
34:40It's going to tell us what the race.
34:42We're on board now with James Thompson coming down the pit straight.
34:44So, Plato is going to be coming down the pit lane somewhere.
34:47Where is he?
34:47There is he.
34:48Right there.
34:49There's the red Vauxhall.
34:50Now, he's coming out in front of James Thompson.
34:53Fabulous stop for Plato.
34:54Thompson's really going to have to get his skates on if he's going to get past.
34:57But also, Plato on those cold front tires.
35:00We've seen Thompson be very edgy on that first corner paddock.
35:03Look at Plato.
35:05He's on tippy toes.
35:06Maximum defensive line.
35:08Thompson's lunging down the inside.
35:10Now or never?
35:10Well, it isn't now because Plato says never.
35:13Shuts the door.
35:13Brave stuff from Plato with a cold set of front tires.
35:16James Thompson's been out there for two or three laps.
35:18He's got his eye in and his tires are ready.
35:20And he's got to try to get past this guy now or it will not happen.
35:24He's got about one lap to get the job done on Plato.
35:27If he doesn't, Plato will retain the lead.
35:30Now look at the line.
35:31Jason Plato has run a defensive line.
35:34Trying to hold him up.
35:35James Thompson very cleverly ran wide.
35:37Gave himself a great big run.
35:39We're coming down into Paddock Hill Bend.
35:40And Plato's around here somewhere.
35:43There he is.
35:43Just shuts the door.
35:45Now Thompson moves to the inside.
35:46Side by side up the Druids.
35:48This is the U-turn.
35:49Side by side.
35:51Door handle to door handle.
35:52Literally Thompson slides through.
35:54Uses the heat.
35:55Uses the momentum.
35:55And he's through.
35:56Great pass.
35:57And he got on board with David Pinkney.
35:59He's rejoined the track.
36:00He was on board with Pinkney very briefly.
36:03That's, well, he was in the pitch for a very long time.
36:06Now he's out obviously doing some sort of stunt demonstration.
36:10That's a pirouette up into Druids.
36:13And that's it.
36:13And it's Phil Bennett into the pitch.
36:16We saw a great stop for James Thompson by the Boxall Egg team.
36:207.9 seconds.
36:21What will do for Phil Bennett?
36:22Look, flames licking.
36:248.3 seconds.
36:26But flames licking out of that left front brake.
36:28He must be very hard here on the brakes.
36:30Devon Muller now back into the pits.
36:35Obviously some big make.
36:36Listen to it.
36:38Running very roughly.
36:40Yeah, I think there's maybe one cylinder or maybe two cylinders not firing.
36:44And that is disaster.
36:45Muller who destroyed the field in the sprint race.
36:48Now it looks like he's just been destroyed.
36:50Now pulling into the pits like that, the car was running fine.
36:53Right up until the moment they put it up on Jackson and went back to Ida.
36:56The only thing I can think is that something electrical has been affected during that pitch.
37:00Or maybe just purely coincidentally.
37:02But what disappointment for Muller.
37:05Well, there's the universal signal says it all.
37:09The car's over with.
37:10Now here's our new race leader.
37:12Steve Soper has not yet pitted.
37:14Soper, Eves and Plato are the top three.
37:16Steve Soper yet to go in the pits.
37:18Still has the yellow tag right above his name on the window to let us know.
37:22He has yet to go into the pit lane.
37:24But clear track ahead of him.
37:25No point, I guess.
37:26Well, he's certainly got one point for leading the race.
37:28But as long as the track is clear, we'll just stay out and take advantage of it.
37:33Because Cinderella leader is going to hit traffic anyway.
37:35And now will be the time to make your pit stop.
37:38Well, learning about tyre wear is still going to be a key in the early stages of this.
37:41They really, really don't know how well these cars will run on a long race.
37:44That's true, but the one big advantage they have today is that it is pretty cool.
37:48Tyre wear won't be a problem.
37:50I'm so sorry.
37:51What happened?
37:52I don't know exactly.
37:53Something with the engine.
37:57I lost one cylinder, but we don't know the cause.
38:00I mean, it looked as if you were absolutely ruling the race.
38:03Yeah, I had a big advantage.
38:05I was driving at 95% of what I could.
38:09I was looking for the 50 lap race.
38:12Ah, shame his motor racing.
38:14Sometimes when you need to have a Victorita, then go and sometimes it's been worse.
38:20Okay, on the next one.
38:23Delightfully pragmatic, Urban Muller, our first race winner.
38:27Back with the action, Jason Plato and James Thompson.
38:30These two are still at it.
38:32Very, very close indeed.
38:34This is the view from Jason Plato's car.
38:36Thompson is ahead of us.
38:37Now everything is even.
38:39All of their tyres are warm on both of the cars now.
38:41They've been chasing each other around for a couple of laps.
38:44And it's close enough.
38:45Jason Plato is going to keep stalking James.
38:47James is going to meantime work out the best way to get through traffic.
38:51It's David Pinckney's Alfa being wheeled away for its next demonstration.
38:57A lot of work to do on the Alfa.
38:58Nice to see it out there.
39:00Disappointing day, but they're there.
39:02Not such a disappointing day for Jason Plato there, because he's muscling his way down
39:05the inside of James Thompson.
39:06Thompson looked as though he might have outbraked himself a little bit there.
39:09Now we're on board with Plato.
39:11Thompson's got to be around here somewhere.
39:12He'll be out to the left.
39:14There we are.
39:14We're on board with Thompson.
39:15Well, where's Plato?
39:16They must be side by side, because they can't see each other from each other's cars.
39:20They're still side by side.
39:21There you've got it.
39:22Plato on the right.
39:23Thompson on the left.
39:24Siamese Vauxhall's up into Druid's corner.
39:28Still side by side.
39:29This can't work.
39:30A little glimpse there from James Thompson's car.
39:33Obviously some contact.
39:34There's Plato on the right of us.
39:36We've got to turn left tight here.
39:37Is there room only just?
39:39That's as close as you'd like.
39:40Well, that's virtually a lap side by side.
39:42Run, Brands Hatch.
39:43But it all went wrong for Thompson in this segment of the circuit.
39:46Into Clearways.
39:47He got a bit of a wobble into the right-hand part of Clearways.
39:49And that gave Plato the...
39:50And look at Plato this time.
39:52He heard your script on Watson.
39:53That's exactly the same.
39:55There's what happened to James Thompson.
39:57Now we're on board with Jason Plato.
39:59And Thompson is just in front of us again.
40:01They're watching each other too much.
40:03Well, there was a mirror image.
40:04One did it wrong.
40:04One lap and the following lap was the other's turn.
40:08Meantime, it's all working out okay for this fellow so far.
40:10Steve Soper continues to lead in the Peugeot.
40:13Although bear in mind, as we have a Soper's eye view of events,
40:16bear in mind, he is yet to pit.
40:20Now this is up into the right-hander.
40:23This is exactly where the last couple of laps we have seen.
40:27The great fun between Jason Plato and James Thompson
40:30as Steve Soper relinquishes the lead to come into the pits.
40:34And the final of the three Peugeots with Steve Soper.
40:37It takes forever to get down this pit lane.
40:39Remember, it's a 40 mile an hour speed limit.
40:43Peugeot pits down at the bottom of the pit lane,
40:45so the exit's not so bad.
40:46But, you know, sometimes you wonder,
40:48please let me get there as quickly as possible.
40:51Let's look at the time.
40:515, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11.
40:58Well, 10 and a half seconds for Soper.
41:00He'll not be very happy with that.
41:01And he gives his answer with a plume of blue tires.
41:04James Thompson, our race leader, Jason Plato.
41:10They are still as close together as they were.
41:13A pit stop for Steve Soper.
41:14A go.
41:17Thompson just trying to eat out a little bit of an advantage.
41:20They've just had to come through a little bit of traffic.
41:21That won't have helped Plato at all.
41:24It's real feel your way, isn't it?
41:26Trying to get through the traffic,
41:28whether or not it's an advantage for the guy in front
41:30or the guy following.
41:31Well, the big difference I see this year
41:32is that the production cars and the touring cars
41:34don't have that big power differential.
41:37And, in fact, if you get caught behind one of the production cars,
41:40your momentum is lost.
41:41Well, that's what this man, Jason Plato,
41:43is going to be hoping is happening to James Thompson ahead of him.
41:46What he needs is for Thompson to be delayed
41:48so he can close up the gap.
41:49Now, James is coming up on Gareth Howell.
41:51We can have a look at the speed differential between them.
41:53Gareth Howell and the Focus,
41:55one of the production cars,
41:56and it's got plenty of mumbo down the pit straight.
41:58Yeah, I mean, it really was a struggle.
41:59Thompson had to dive down the inside of Howell
42:01to make sure he didn't lose that momentum
42:03and give Plato the opportunity
42:05and the run on him up into Druids.
42:07Well, Gareth Howell is now between the pair of them.
42:09James Thompson is through.
42:10Jason Plato has to negotiate his way around the Focus.
42:14Howell moves to the inside.
42:15Nice driving.
42:16Yeah, he backed off to that.
42:17Plato goes through.
42:18There was no advantage in holding Plato
42:20while it could have taken both the cars out.
42:24James Thompson just passing Gavin Piper
42:26in one of the lead contending production Alfa Romeos.
42:29James Kaye, second position in the production class.
42:32Right behind.
42:32Well, not right behind anymore.
42:34That's Harrison off.
42:35The leader of the production class.
42:37Off as was his wheel.
42:38Up to just over the top of Paddock Hill.
42:41Scary moment for Simon Harrison.
42:43The left front wheel.
42:44There you see it rolling down.
42:45The gravel trap came off just as he was entering the corner.
42:49Let's just see what it felt like for Simon.
42:51There it is.
42:52No control whatsoever.
42:53Just about comes to a rest before he solidly hits that tire barrier.
42:58Bad time.
42:59There's our new production class leader, James Kaye in the Honda.
43:03Very focusing moment for Simon, though.
43:05That safety barrier really coming up on your whip screen quickly.
43:09Just stopped the car in time.
43:12Good solid drive from Kaye.
43:13He was there or thereabouts.
43:14We saw him muscle past Harrison's teammate, Roger Moen, early on.
43:18And had been running in second position in production class for the bulk of this race.
43:22After a terrible morning, he was on the track, off the track, up near the lead, up in the bushes a couple of times.
43:27But now he's really well placed.
43:29And expect to see the Honda very strong throughout the season.
43:32James Kaye, loyal to Honda for many years, has been outstanding in this category.
43:36And Persia and Honda battled this championship out last year.
43:40Very experienced campaigner, and they've spent a lot of time developing this, of course.
43:45Firewall Engineering and the company responsible.
43:48James Kaye certainly knows his way around the Honda Accord.
43:50Probably better than anybody in the field right now.
43:53Really lifts the rear wheel as it goes down through bottom bend there.
43:55It's a big car in this field.
43:58It is a large car, but it's got the advantage of a 2.0-litre Honda engine as opposed to the Honda ahead of it.
44:03That's the John B&Q, a bit of a do-it-yourself merchant, we believe, with the 1.8-litre Integra.
44:09Well, Kaye's just put a lap on him as he puts the power down now and then gets back down onto the pit straight.
44:16And it does seem to have a fair bit of a squirt over his nearest competitor.
44:20What he'd like is a bit more squirt over his nearest competitor.
44:22James Thompson I'm talking about.
44:24His nearest competitor is Jason Plato.
44:26James in the green and blue Vauxhall Astra.
44:30And then Jason Plato right behind him in the red and white one.
44:33Plato was a little bit closer than he was a couple of laps ago.
44:36Headlights are blazed.
44:37Get out of my way, James.
44:38I want to get past him.
44:39Get out of my way.
44:39Anybody else, I'm lapping too.
44:42Jason Plato frustrated.
44:43He's tried every trick in the book.
44:44He's used the headlights.
44:46That's principally for the slower cars.
44:48But he hopes it's going to distract James Thompson.
44:50But Thompson's strong.
44:52This is the best accident drive in a couple of years.
44:55Yeah, he's really got his eye in.
44:56He was a little bit of a skeptic about this car when he first drove it.
44:59But he's fallen in love with it and is enjoying it.
45:01And it's really working for him.
45:03The love affair, of course, has always improved when you're leading a race.
45:06This year's touring cars are much different package as well.
45:09Much more reliance on tire grip.
45:10Yes, but also just watching this race, in fact, watching the whole weekend, the cars are visually moving around more.
45:17They're more exciting to watch.
45:18And when we get more cars out of the grid, which we'll do in future events, it's going to be fantastic.
45:24Well, they're carrying a big rear wing, but the actual overall downforce is much lighter in these cars now, isn't it?
45:29They've made a big change aerodynamically.
45:30They've taken the cars with standardized front and rear wings.
45:34And what I hope doesn't happen is that some of these teams get a bit too clever,
45:37go into a wind tunnel and try and find a way to take advantage of what is a standardized formula,
45:43really there to provide close and exciting motor racing, not domination.
45:47Well, I'll tell you what, Jason Plato in that red and white Vauxhall are taking advantage.
45:51He can lay his hands on right now because we are on the last lap.
45:54There are some cars up ahead of us.
45:56Plato is trying to get within striking distance of Thompson, but he is rapidly running out of time.
46:00This is the last complex of corners, running back down under the pit straight,
46:03both stiffly strung, copying a wheel again over the curves on the inside,
46:07but Thompson looks like he's got it covered.
46:10Down across the strike for the last time, James Thompson.
46:13Everyone runs up to the wall to congratulate him, and he's through.
46:16Thompson just holds off Plato. Great drive.
46:19Well done, James. Good race, Jason.
46:21And good news for Phil Bennett as well.
46:23New man in the series gets a podium.
46:25Third place, then Steve Soper in the Peugeot.
46:27Fourth, followed by Matt Neal and Dan Eves.
46:31Well, first day back at school. What do you reckon?
46:34I'm very impressed. I think we're going to see a very strong season.
46:36Most importantly, we've got a formula which works.
46:39It isn't stratospherically expensive,
46:41and we're going to see more manufacturers coming back to British touring car racing.
46:45Indeed we will. Dave Pinkney and a second Alpha to join him,
46:48as well as a pair of Lexuses.
46:50And at the end of 50 laps, it was this close.
46:52Only half a second between Thompson and Plato.
46:55Phil Bennett, a podium, and third, lovely stuff.
46:57So for fourth position, Matt Neal, fifth, Eves, sixth.
47:00Great drive for James Kaye.
47:01Winning production, Moen in second place,
47:04followed by Jackson, Piper, and Howell.
47:08James!
47:11Congratulations!
47:13Congratulations. Superb race.
47:15Thank you very much indeed. That was good.
47:16I think pretty hard but fair.
47:18My sparring partner.
47:19Hello, mate.
47:19Hello, mate.
47:20It was excellent, wasn't it?
47:21Yeah, good track.
47:23Great, great race.
47:24Yeah, I obviously was really pleased with that.
47:26The lads did a great pit stop and got me out ahead of the van.
47:30And then Jason and I had been sort of battling before the pit stops
47:34and then we zoomed battle afterwards.
47:36But I think just because I had those extra two or three laps on the tyres
47:39just enabled me to knit past him.
47:42And then it was a matter of keeping him behind.
47:44He got past, we repassed him.
47:46And it was great.
47:48Really great racing.
47:49Tell me about the race.
47:50It was a great race, wasn't it?
47:52I mean...
47:52Yeah, I managed to get past James.
47:56When I came out of the pit stop, my stop was ahead.
47:58But on cold tyres, it takes like three laps to get the heat in.
48:01So he got past, I couldn't hold him back.
48:04And then managed to get past him at...
48:06It was up here.
48:08I saw. It was fantastic.
48:09And then we've had...
48:12Well, I mean, to cut a long story short, I made a mistake.
48:15Fortunately for us at the moment, the Voxel's quite a lot stronger than the Peugeot.
48:19So that made my job quite easy when I was battling with the Peugeot earlier on.
48:24Then, unfortunately, a van's had a problem, but I don't quite know why.
48:27Because suddenly I came through on the start finish straight
48:31and saw a P3 on the pit board.
48:34And I thought I'd misread it, actually.
48:36So I took a couple of laps for it to sink in.
48:39Well, yeah, fantastic. I'm chuffed to bits.
48:41Yeah, beauty, mate. Good for your team as well.
48:43Team X-Sport, victors on the day.
48:45Peugeot in second.
48:46Voxel Motorsport third, paying a price for Ivan Moller's DNF in race two.
48:51A feature race with the production cars in it was great.
48:53Lots of overtaking.
48:55And I think some of them felt it was a very long race.
48:58Fifty laps around here is quite a long time.
49:01But, you know, they all behaved themselves and had a great time.
49:05And I thought it was a fabulous race.
49:07It's fantastic.
49:08It was an absolutely fantastic race.
49:10A bit dodgy this morning.
49:12Yeah, so I did make a big mistake this morning.
49:14A very good start.
49:16I missed a gear off the line.
49:17And then got caught back in the pack and then made my way forward.
49:20And fortunately got hit from behind by somebody else,
49:22which put me in the fits, which spoiled the race.
49:24So, but I hope I made it for you in the second race.
49:27You certainly did, Sunshine.
49:29You put your team in lead position after the end of the first round.
49:32GR Motorsports, second place.
49:34HTML, they are the team that run the Peugeots, in third.
49:37But up at the front, it was James Thompson and Vauxhall's day.
49:40What a weekend.
49:44The first outing of the new look British Touring Car Championship for 2001.
49:49And if you thought that was fast and furious,
49:50just wait till we've added yet a couple more BTC Touring Cars into the mix.
49:55The tight twists and turns of Brands Hatch, well, that was one thing.
49:58Next time out, we're at Thruxton Circuit in Hampshire,
50:01the fastest track in the country.
50:03Will be something to watch.
50:04See you in three weeks.