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00:00This weekend the drivers in the AA.com British Touring Car Championship are enjoying some
00:05Scottish hospitality.
00:13But as we've seen already this year, it isn't always that hospitable on the track.
00:19I'll see you next week.
00:49I don't know what they were thinking when they built Knock Hill way up here in the Scottish
00:53Hills, but I tell you what, they sure had an eye for a view.
00:57This is the only circuit I've ever been to where your ears pop on the way to the track.
01:02Now, three things are a given here.
01:04Number one, touring cars at Knock Hill always attract a huge enthusiastic crowd.
01:09Two, well, the racing is fast and furious and the drivers have to be aggressive.
01:14And three, it will rain at some time during the day.
01:17Lovely countryside around Knock Hill, just a half an hour up the road from Edinburgh.
01:23And as you can see, a very short, tight and demanding circuit.
01:27If this was skiing, Knock Hill would be a black mogul run.
01:34It is by any doubt the wildest, most undulating circuit in all of Britain.
01:39A whole host of very challenging, but very exciting corners.
01:43This is the first one, Duffer Stip.
01:45The drivers arrive here going downhill.
01:47They club this curb I'm standing on.
01:49And unbelievably, they keep going downhill and have to hook it into a tight left-hander.
01:54It's a real fine line between getting it right and having a big moment.
01:58From there, they've got to gather it up in time for this really tight right-hander, McIntyre's.
02:03And remember, at this point, we're still going downhill.
02:06It's a corner where you can lose a hell of a lot of time.
02:08Get a load of this.
02:09This is what they call the chicane.
02:11It's not a corner, it's more like a ski jump.
02:13And this is a fabulous view of just what the drivers can't see when they approach it.
02:18The car jump everywhere.
02:19You can see just the sky.
02:23And this is Clark Corner.
02:25Once again, almost blind, but super important for your speed down the back straight.
02:29It's actually quite hard because it's coming uphill slightly to it.
02:32And this is the sting in the tail, Taylor's hairpin.
02:34Super tight, and it's also uphill, so you have to get it right.
02:38Because after this, it's the drag uphill to the finish line.
02:41It's possible to see three cars side to side on this corner now, I think.
02:45Because of the unique nature of this circuit, the cars require a very particular suspension setup.
02:50They have to run softer springs so that when the cars go over the high curbs here, they don't literally get launched.
02:56As well as that, they use heavier shock absorbers, more damping, to actually steady the wheel travel of the car up and down.
03:02Now, how all this translates into a lap?
03:04Jason Plato shows us.
03:05So, here we are at Knock Hill.
03:07We're going to have a look at my qualifying lap, which put me on pole.
03:12Right, we're coming up over this start-finish line to start the lap.
03:17This first corner's very difficult.
03:18It starts the lap.
03:19It's crucial.
03:20If you don't get this one right, the whole lap just doesn't flow.
03:23It'll be nice and smooth.
03:24This corner's tight, second gear.
03:27Got to be slow in and get the power on early and not scrub any speed off on the exit.
03:31Because we're going to downhill over the curbs into the famous chicane, where we're going to have two wheels, land again, and try not to use too much curb on the exit.
03:40Climb up this next corner's a right-hander, third gear.
03:43Crucial because of the long straight, but you've got to use every bit of road.
03:46Well, in fact, and a little bit more on the exit.
03:49Down for the long straight, back into the hairpin again.
03:51It's very easy here to make a little mistake.
03:53You're going a little bit hard.
03:55And, in fact, on this lap, I think I'll remember, I missed my apex by about a foot.
04:00Yeah, in fact, I do.
04:01But it looks like it's still good.
04:03That's where the gear's nice and gentle.
04:07And there we go.
04:08Oh, looks easy, but it wasn't.
04:12And a new face in the Lexus team this weekend.
04:19Kurt Luby's been replaced by his teammate.
04:23Well, my name is Thomas Erdos.
04:25I'm from Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
04:27I came to England first in 1987 and did a school, well, racing school, with the Jim Russell Racing School.
04:36And started racing, really, in 1988 in single-seaters.
04:39I went on to compete in Formula Renault and won the British Formula Renault Championship.
04:45I moved on from there into a sports car.
04:48I just couldn't quite bring the sponsorship necessary to take me to the Formula One path.
04:52So, I had opportunities in sports cars, in GT racing.
04:56Did that for a while.
04:57And, obviously, came up this opportunity for the ABG Motorsport Lexus seats.
05:04Well, Vauxhall's front row again in qualifying.
05:08But, absolute jubilation for Jason Plato and his team.
05:12Two pole positions.
05:13Great stuff.
05:14We took a bit of a gamble in the second session that we sacrificed the first ten minutes of it to make some changes to the car, and that worked.
05:23So, yeah, it's good.
05:24You know, we're back.
05:25You know, everyone was saying, ooh, a van's up the road, a van's up the road.
05:28How have things changed, eh?
05:30Now, here's a turn-up for the books.
05:32A local bloke.
05:33He's an instructor here.
05:34But, he's not raced in the championship before, and he's stuck it on pole.
05:37That's his name.
05:38Gordon Shedden.
05:40Gordon Shedden, congratulations.
05:42Thanks very much.
05:42First race of the season, and you get pole.
05:45Yeah, it's the first time I've been in a race car for seven months, and first time out in the BTC production car this year.
05:51So, yeah, I'm absolutely ecstatic, obviously.
05:54A little bit of local knowledge has helped me with the circuit, but there's no substitute for actual time in the car.
05:58So, I'm really delighted for GR Motorsport to have put together such a good car that's enabled me to get pole position today.
06:04Well, he might have had a great qualifying, but Dan Eves sure didn't.
06:07Big fire in Dan Eves' Peugeot near the end of qualifying.
06:12Fortunately, repairable, but a huge job for those mechanics.
06:16Had to pull the car apart, get all that foam out from underneath it, all their extinguisher foam.
06:21Massive amount of work, but it's always hard, Yakka, for these teams.
06:24They put in so much work because they all want the same thing.
06:28That championship trophy on the mantelpiece at the end of the year.
06:31143 points is a long way to go in the championship.
06:33My car's getting better.
06:35I've got 144 points.
06:37We're approaching the mid-weight of the season.
06:39Only two good races at Knock Hill today.
06:41I'm on pole, so that should be good.
06:43And there's a long way to go and a lot to play for, but this wallpaper's not very good, is it?
06:49I have 164 points.
06:51Six wins, but I still keep to win.
06:53Well, it's tight at the top of the championship.
07:01It's also tight at the front of this grid.
07:03Our tour guide for the day, Jason Plato on pole position.
07:06But very close, his teammate, Ivan Muller.
07:09Nothing either in the next pair of Vauxhalls, Phil Bennett and James Thompson.
07:12Now, we've had a very encouraging qualifier this weekend from Tommy Erdos in the Lexus, who's just making his way up the grid now.
07:19Very, very, very much improved performance.
07:21Here he comes now.
07:23Just let him slide past us.
07:25Up onto the third row of the grid.
07:31Really good stuff for him.
07:33Now, also, some fabulous news.
07:34Dan Eves in the Peugeot, he's actually made it out.
07:37The guys worked till 2 o'clock this morning sorting this car out, and job done.
07:41Now, in the production ranks, watch out for this guy here, Gordon Shedden.
07:45Local boy, bit of a hero.
07:47First time out in the championship, and he's only banged it on pole.
07:49Now, quick reminder on the rules.
07:51This is the sprint race.
07:52Touring guys take off first.
07:53These guys, 10 seconds later, and, of course, the touring guys have to do one extra lap.
08:00Told you it was close at the top.
08:02Jason Plato out in front, but then Muller, Thompson and Bennett all on the same 10th of a second.
08:06Extremely close.
08:07What a great qualifier there for Tommy Erdos in fifth position.
08:11Dan Eves didn't get a time because of his qualifying problems.
08:13Shedden up there in pole, as we said.
08:15Then Kaye, Harrison, Moen and Graves.
08:17Always the four of those so close together.
08:20Colin Blair, bit of a local hero up here.
08:2210th position, running down through to Tom Boardman in 13th.
08:26Beaumont, Alan Templeton, and then Clark on the next row.
08:29Our leaders perched up on the crest of the hill.
08:38Plato on the left and Muller on the right.
08:39Down the hill are the production boys.
08:41Jason Plato getting ready.
08:42There's James Thompson.
08:45Führer start on the lights.
08:46Green, off they go.
08:47Muller on the right.
08:48Great start.
08:49I think he might have just hauled in front of Plato.
08:51Has he side by side down the hill?
08:53Soper darting around in the back of the field.
08:55And yeah, Muller is through.
08:56Past Plato.
08:57Thompson right behind.
08:59Then Bennett.
09:00Down through Duffers for the first time.
09:02Getting ready for McIntyre's.
09:05Clubbing over those curves.
09:06Great start for Muller.
09:07Well, Muller certainly did a very good job on the start.
09:10Plato lost that pole position.
09:11And losing that around Knock Hill is a huge disadvantage.
09:15Yeah, it's all ahead of him now.
09:16And he's really trying to get it back.
09:18Coming up into Clark Curve.
09:19Look at that.
09:19Muller faints.
09:21Plato just trying to get down the inside.
09:23Muller's got that covered through Clark.
09:24And then down the back straight for the first time.
09:27I think that was Soper running a little bit wide there.
09:30Couple of wheels up on the grass.
09:31Coming down into the hairpin for the first time.
09:33Now this is the Thompson's eye view.
09:35That's Plato.
09:35And Muller is just ahead of us.
09:37Puff of smoke.
09:38This hill here, though, is so steep now.
09:40And it's so important here, Knock Hill,
09:42to get good traction out of the heaven bend
09:44because you pass at the end of this straight into Duffus.
09:46Now here are the production boys.
09:48Ahead of us, James Kay, race leader.
09:51Absolute tank slapper from James Kay.
09:54Save of the day, but it's cost him the place.
09:56It certainly did, but that's what happens.
09:58Start of a race.
09:58Cool rear tyres.
09:59You could be in big trouble.
10:00Ain't over yet.
10:01Here's more action.
10:02Tom Boardman, Colin Blair, side by side.
10:04Bit of contact.
10:05They've got to turn right.
10:06He's turned him inwards.
10:08This is Blair home circuit.
10:09And Blair's off.
10:10Welcome home, matey.
10:11In fairness to Boardman, he didn't have much room to work with.
10:14But it's a new car for Boardman to hit.
10:16This time it's Colin Blair.
10:17OK, well, red meets pink.
10:19Here's red on red.
10:21It's Muller and Plato.
10:22And already they've got a little bit of a gap over the rest of the field.
10:24Tommy Erdos there in the Lexus.
10:26Having a battle all of his own there with Dan Eves in the Peugeot.
10:29Eves trying to find a way past.
10:33Now, what can Plato do?
10:34Down into the hip.
10:35And again, Muller's had to cover.
10:36He's really determined.
10:38Plato's been strong all weekend and qualifying in practice.
10:40And he wants to reassert that authority.
10:43Yeah, well, it was such a cracking start from Muller.
10:44He's got a banker.
10:45But he's coming under some really big pressure.
10:47That's a defensive line.
10:48Meantime, we've got a spinner there.
10:49That's Alan.
10:50Round and round.
10:51Which way am I facing?
10:53Well, that may be another car.
10:54Cold rear tyre.
10:55So easy here in Northfield.
10:56You load the back of the car up.
10:58Then you're in trouble.
10:59That's easy for Ivan Muller.
11:00He's only got two tyres on the ground at any one point.
11:02As we can see.
11:03Absolutely lurid stuff from him.
11:05Working down the hill.
11:06Still downhill.
11:07Still downhill now.
11:08Look at this.
11:09Up and over that chicane.
11:11Makes you feel sick to think about it.
11:13James Thompson clipping one of those markers.
11:15Everybody else airborne on the way past.
11:17And even Bennett got it completely sideways going through the chicane.
11:20Up three, very sideways.
11:22James Thompson.
11:23Talk about maxo commitment.
11:25Well, that's what no kill is, bud.
11:26It is about 100% commitment.
11:28OK, now here's James Thompson again on board.
11:32There are more of those floppies.
11:33Dead ahead.
11:34It's a strike.
11:35I bet he's good at 10-pin bowling.
11:37I think that was a question of...
11:38He had to do it.
11:39He didn't have a choice.
11:40The car was out of shape.
11:41That was the expedient answer.
11:43Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah.
11:44Sure.
11:44I think you're being very kind to him.
11:45Now, Jason Plato sideways.
11:47Trying to get past Ivan Muller.
11:49Really committed under brakes.
11:50I thought he had that there for a minute.
11:52He got a good run into Duffers.
11:54But Muller was just enough in front.
11:55Are there any questions?
11:56Jason Plato has to regroup.
11:58Let's try that again.
11:59Up and over the chicane.
12:01Leap bounce.
12:01Still a couple of those left.
12:02And look at Ivan Muller.
12:04Sideway stuff.
12:05Absolutely beautiful to watch.
12:07Torval and Dean would be jealous.
12:08But I think it's cost him the place here.
12:10Plato through.
12:11Plato saw it.
12:12He had the advantage.
12:13He had the momentum.
12:14He got the lead.
12:15Brilliant stuff.
12:16It was a hot save there from Ivan Muller.
12:18That was awesome stuff.
12:19But I guess just too much speed?
12:21Too much speed.
12:21Again, the rear tower's cool.
12:22But watch James Thompson.
12:23He's watching all this.
12:25Trying to get into the action.
12:26I'll have a bit of that, he says.
12:27Banging panels side by side.
12:29Muller and Thompson up the hill together.
12:31Muller moves to the right to try to cover.
12:33Has he just got a nose in front?
12:35Now here's another look from Plato ahead of us Muller.
12:38Here's that slide.
12:39So coming up through the chicane.
12:41Over the curb.
12:41He reads.
12:42Look at Muller.
12:43Car sideways.
12:44Plato gets out.
12:45Has the advantage and speed.
12:46Enough to take the lead into class.
12:48I know it cost him the place.
12:49But it was beautiful to watch.
12:52Now, down through the bottom part of the circuit again.
12:54Down yet another dip through Butchers.
12:56Then up and over that chicane once again.
13:00Bill Bennett is really committed there.
13:02Big time.
13:02Okay, now here's the battle for production.
13:06And indeed the race lead so far.
13:07And local boy Shetton.
13:08He's out in front.
13:10James Kaye still in touch in second place.
13:12But Shetton's got a little bit of a lead in that focus.
13:14He's very strong here at Nork Hill, of course.
13:16He is a circuit instructor.
13:17But nonetheless, first time in a production touring car leading.
13:20That's pretty good.
13:22Now, Jason Plato looks as though, speaking of pretty good.
13:24He's getting himself, in touring car terms, a little bit of a lead up.
13:28I think Peter's got an advantage here all weekend.
13:30He's got his car set up well.
13:32He's able to use it.
13:33His car looks much better over the kerbs.
13:35Not as wild as Muller.
13:36That's because he's got his eyes shut.
13:38Leaping over them now.
13:39Speaking of your eyes shut, here's James Thompson.
13:41Eyes wide open.
13:42Great view of him at work.
13:46Real concentration.
13:50Quick check in the mirrors because Bennett isn't far behind.
13:54Now, here are the production boys there.
13:56Shedden, followed by Kay and Graves, then Harrison.
13:59Then here are the two Ford Focuses leaping over.
14:02The cabin pipe are very sideways there.
14:03And that's Jackson in one of the Focuses running wide.
14:06Howell gets through.
14:07Yes, see, that was pretty wild stuff.
14:09It certainly was a private battle of these two Focuses,
14:11but it isn't Focuses hitting these cars right now.
14:14Well, he lost his focus there a bit.
14:15That old joke, I shouldn't do that.
14:16Oh, smoke screen.
14:18Who's that?
14:18That's one of the Peugeot 306 Productions.
14:22Annie Templeton.
14:24Big fire there as well.
14:25Well, as they say, he can't stand the heat.
14:28Get out of the kitchen.
14:29Prigliani, you're on fire.
14:31Must have blown an oil line or something like that.
14:33But she's obviously out okay in time.
14:35Jason Plato, touring leader.
14:37Muller behind him.
14:38Still James Thompson.
14:40Now, Steve Soper is giving Phil Bennett an absolute workout.
14:43Over Clark.
14:44Down the back straight.
14:45Bennett trying to recover there.
14:47Weaving a little bit to cover the line.
14:49Soper's really got a run on him.
14:50Coming down into the hairpin bend.
14:51Now, he moves to cover onto the left-hand side.
14:54Soper's taking a wide line.
14:56Cuts back.
14:57Bennett stands on the gas.
14:58Up the hill.
14:59Back contact.
15:00And they have both off.
15:01What was that all about?
15:03Well, very simply, Bennett was trying to defend not just into the corner, but out of the corner.
15:07Lost it, Vic.
15:08Bonkless.
15:14Well, that was Ian Harrison from Vauxhall in no uncertain terms telling Vic Lee from the Peugeot team,
15:19your guy's fault.
15:20What do you reckon, Wadi?
15:20Well, first of all, I think if the camera hadn't been there, he'd have been a little bit stronger in his comment.
15:24But watch.
15:25Bennett out on the left.
15:26Soper gets the run on the inside.
15:27Bennett then cuts across to stop Soper.
15:30Soper, of course, on full power and accelerating quicker than Bennett.
15:32But, well, whatever the rights and wrongs of it, Soper's the loser because he is out of the race.
15:40And now back in the race, there's Muller, the second-placeman.
15:42James Thompson still very much in touch with him.
15:45And Jason Plato still ahead of them in the touring car battle.
15:49Around that hairpin, where just a lap ago, we saw Soper and Bennett come to grief.
15:56Now here's our race leader and production leader as well, Gordon Shedden, getting a handy lead in that focus.
16:01Yes, the other three, these two Hondas and the Peugeot, are battling amongst themselves, allowing Shedden to pull away.
16:07Clean air, no traffic, dead easy.
16:09And it's as close as you like between these three.
16:11That's James Kaye, Graves right behind him, Simon Graves, and then Harrison trying to find a way around.
16:17Through the hairpin, Graves tries to get a toe up the hill from his teammate.
16:23Interesting comparison, horsepower there with Harrison.
16:25He seems to have plenty of squirt in that Peugeot.
16:27Again, it's all about traction as well as squirt.
16:29But again, the toe down the straight, not enough to bring the Peugeot to the back of those two Hondas.
16:34Well, here's more colour and movement.
16:36It's Edwards, Collard and Boardman.
16:38Wouldn't you know it?
16:38Three of them just banging into each other like castanets up the hill.
16:42Boardman in the toe now.
16:44Followed by O'Neill over the crest of the hill.
16:46Here's the battle again.
16:47The Cleo in front.
16:49Now Tom Boardman, more pink problems.
16:51Lunges to the inside.
16:52Can he get through?
16:52Tough pass.
16:53A little bit of a tap.
16:54That's gutsy stuff.
16:54Yeah, that was a brave pass.
16:56He went down the inside late in the brakes.
16:58Kept it under control.
16:59Good move, Tom.
17:00Now, Collard and Boardman.
17:03We've seen them play many times before.
17:05Let's hope they stay well enough away from each other as the race continues.
17:09Boardman, very active indeed across that curb.
17:11Too active indeed.
17:12Running a wide line.
17:13I think he was just saying, well done, Tom.
17:15I've made a good pass.
17:16He forgot he had a corner coming up.
17:18Well, speaking of a corner coming up.
17:20He is great.
17:20She's got one.
17:21And Harrison as well with Kay.
17:23Gives Kay the hip and shoulder out of the hairpin.
17:26And Kay has last time in.
17:27Oh, I think he must have missed a gear.
17:29He suddenly stopped going forward.
17:30And the lead Honda and Peugeot.
17:31Just look how much they've pulled away.
17:33Missed a gear in about three layers of paint as well.
17:35Down the hill again.
17:37Into Duffer's dip.
17:38Two wheels there for Graves.
17:40Into the left-hander.
17:41Then hooks in tight to the right.
17:43Harrison was complaining before this race.
17:45He thinks these Hondas are good around here because they turn in so well.
17:48But that Peugeot looks like it's hanging on pretty well.
17:51Now, here's a Muller's eye view passing Tom Boardman.
17:53And look, the horsepower differential isn't that dramatic.
17:57Horsepower isn't big, but the difference is in aerodynamics.
17:59The production cars have got little downforce.
18:02Well, how long do you reckon aerodynamic aids would last on Tom Boardman's car?
18:05In fairness, Wattie.
18:06Now, on board with Jason Plato.
18:08Clubbing those curbs ahead of us is Rob Collard.
18:10Now, remember the production guys have got one lap less to do.
18:14So, really, Plato is actually battling for position here as he pulls past Collard now
18:18and picks up another spot.
18:20Big lock-up.
18:21That's Dan Eves.
18:22That was quite a hard hit.
18:24Straight into the wall there at Duffus.
18:26Yes, he just came down the straight.
18:28Got it all locked up and no steering straight into the tyre barrier.
18:32On board.
18:33Let's have a listen.
18:39Well, apart from the noise of metal and rubber,
18:41it sounds to me like he might have lost a gear somewhere.
18:43I'm out of lock-up.
18:51I'm in the tyres.
18:52You ain't kidding, sunshine.
18:54And remember, on top of that, the boys worked so hard to fix that car last night.
18:58Up till two o'clock this morning to sort it out from a fire yesterday.
19:01So, he'll be popular when he gets back to the pits.
19:03They say things happen in threes.
19:04That was the second of them this weekend for Dan Eves.
19:07I'll keep my head down in that case.
19:09Jason Plato getting a handy lead in this touring race.
19:11On board now with Tommy Erdos and the Lexus.
19:14Ah, who's that?
19:15That's O'Neill.
19:16O'Neill running very wide.
19:17Heaving rocks and gravel up onto the circuit.
19:19Where are you?
19:20Stay where you are, Paul.
19:21Easy, Tiger.
19:22That could have been ugly.
19:23I think O'Neill was very wise.
19:25He didn't know what O'Neill was going to do.
19:27He waited.
19:27He got past.
19:28And he's on his way.
19:29Don't worry.
19:29O'Neill didn't know what he was going to do either.
19:31Now, Thompson trying to get past Mohan.
19:33And he's tagged him.
19:34Very unfortunate.
19:35They're just coming through Clark.
19:37Thompson just catching the end of him.
19:38Now, here's another look.
19:41Yeah.
19:41Thompson gets up inside.
19:42Mohan really not in a position to give way.
19:44Closes the door.
19:45Thompson.
19:46Now, he just accelerates.
19:47Spins Mohan round.
19:48That's a bit cruel, but probably it was the safest thing to do in the circumstances.
19:52Not a driving tactic.
19:53It was a cannon.
19:54Now, there's Jackson.
19:56Forward focus.
19:57Remember, he went off a couple of laps earlier.
19:58That must be related.
19:59Yeah.
20:00And there's also an awful lot of right-hand lock in that right-hand front wheel.
20:03And here's some right-hand lock as well, because this is the battle for the lead.
20:05It's Graves down the inside.
20:07Shedden in the focus on the outside.
20:09And he's got him.
20:10That shows you what happens when you get it clear of other cars.
20:13You can run at your own speed.
20:15Graves has been able to do it and get up to it behind Shedden.
20:17Yeah, he's just worked away.
20:18Now, Shedden doesn't want to give up.
20:20We're on board with him now in the focus.
20:21Coming down to Duffer's dip.
20:22There's Dan Eves.
20:23Stranded car over to the left.
20:24Graves cocks a couple of wheels up there.
20:26Very forceful through there.
20:28Now, he's moving to cover as we turn into McIntyre's.
20:30Holds the inside line.
20:31But that's going to help Shedden a little bit,
20:33because he'll be able to carry some more momentum.
20:35Down towards the chicane again.
20:37And over the top.
20:38Real commitment.
20:39He's hunting him.
20:40Yeah, and also the focus looks better over the kerbs than the Honda does.
20:46Past Jackson.
20:47Stranded car as well.
20:48Through Clark.
20:49Real commitment from both of these guys.
20:50Running very wide.
20:52Shedden's going to run out of laps.
20:53And Graves looks as though he's got just the legs a bit down that back straight.
20:57I think it's the same thing as before.
20:58That old Mumba from the Honda.
21:00Just enough to keep it ahead.
21:01Well, he'll need it going back up the hill,
21:03because this could be his salvation.
21:04There's Simon Harrison in third place.
21:06Then Kay in fourth.
21:07Here's the first of your tour.
21:09It's a great big lock-up to let us know he's arrived.
21:11Jason Plato in the Vauxhall.
21:14Muller still in touch.
21:16Now, here's the outright lead and the production lead all in one.
21:19Still hanging on to it is Graves.
21:21There's Harrison in third.
21:22Kay in fourth.
21:23Then it's Plato.
21:24Headlights ablaze in that red and white Vauxhall.
21:28Down through this complex weave of corners.
21:30Left, right, left.
21:32Downhill.
21:32More downhill.
21:33Nice driving there from James Kay.
21:35Gives enough room to let Plato through.
21:37That's good stuff.
21:38Really leaping over the curve in that focus.
21:40Oh, and look.
21:41I mean, you've got Plato looking ahead at Harrison.
21:43The pressure's all over the place.
21:45Brilliant stuff.
21:46Action aplenty.
21:48Carrying a lot of speed through here is important.
21:50This is Clark.
21:50Harrison is not giving Jason Plato a pofteenth more room than he has to.
21:54Just moves over at the end.
21:56Plato's got the momentum down the back straight, of course,
21:58and is in the quicker car.
22:00Here's the battle for the lead still.
22:01Graves.
22:02Chiddon hanging on.
22:03There's Plato in third.
22:04Muller in fourth.
22:05Just tucking inside of Harrison.
22:08Standing on the gas for the run up the hill.
22:14Last lap.
22:15And I don't think Chiddon's in a great position to do it.
22:17And meantime, Plato, of course, is trying to pick up track position.
22:20He's just bearing down on the Ford Focus.
22:26Well, that's a clunky old gear change I've ever heard.
22:28Do these guys not know how to change gear, even in this part of the season?
22:32Very, very forceful indeed.
22:35In fact, you wouldn't want to be a transmission on any of these cars, would you,
22:38on a circuit like this?
22:39Very tough on the machinery.
22:40I mean, he's shedding through that chicane.
22:41He had one wheel on the ground, all three others up in the air, all shapes.
22:45OK, he's tough on the gearbox, but he's very easy on the tyres.
22:48They're hardly ever on the road.
22:50Down the back straight for the last time.
22:51Here's Plato.
22:52What can he do?
22:52We've got two production cars ahead of him.
22:54He's bearing down on Shebham.
22:56Surely he'll pick up.
22:57Yeah, he must pick up that spot into there.
22:59No, he hasn't.
23:00Shebham's still got him holding off.
23:02This whole, the inside line, should be able to drag him off up to the hill.
23:05Meantime, Graves in the lead, and Graves is going to take this.
23:07Yep, great winner for Simon Graves.
23:09Thanks a lot, guys.
23:10What a piece of entertainment.
23:12That was fabulous racing and not easy for anybody.
23:14Graves had to club his way past Shebham.
23:17And also, Jason Plato had to fight back so hard,
23:20having lost that lead at the start from Ivan Muller,
23:23who got a cracking opening lap.
23:26Plato and Muller just congratulating each other at the race end.
23:29No, you couldn't get a more shuffled pack than that, could you?
23:31Graves in a production car.
23:33Then Plato touring, Shebham production, and Muller touring.
23:36Doesn't get much better than that.
23:37And what about that scrap between Harrison and Kaye?
23:40Race long dice, great result.
23:41I was hanging back behind my team-mate for the first few laps,
23:45just to see how things panned out.
23:46But he's obviously carrying a little bit more weight than me,
23:48so eventually I had to go past him.
23:50And I didn't really want Sheldon to get away too far,
23:53because I felt I could catch him.
23:55But if he had too much for a lead, it would have been a bit of a problem.
23:57I managed to get past the van before it forced me into an error.
24:04But, I mean, I knew I had to pace.
24:06I think a van knew I had to pace.
24:08So it was just a case of getting past everyone.
24:09Cheers, Jimmy.
24:10Follow me.
24:11Well, we've been here before this weekend.
24:13The front of Dan Eves' car absolutely in pieces.
24:16This time, after that, off in race one.
24:18But it's not the only damaged Peugeot.
24:20Soper's cars are wiped out as well, and he's not happy.
24:23He chopped me over, just came straight across in front of me.
24:27So there's nowhere to go.
24:28I mean, if I wanted to push him off, I'd push him off going in.
24:30I wouldn't try and push him off coming out.
24:32To be fair to Steve, I got held up massively in the chicane.
24:37And it meant I had to defend my position a little bit more strongly
24:40than perhaps I would normally do.
24:43But the upshot of it all is he just sort of hit the back of the car,
24:47stayed on the throttle, and just took me off the circuit.
24:49As I got alongside him, he just changed from the outside of the circuit,
24:55which is where he ended up going into the corner,
24:58to the inside of the circuit, and basically drove me off the circuit.
25:03So, you know, if he wants to immediately close the gate after the corner,
25:08he's got to at least look in his mirror and make sure there's not someone there.
25:11The point is, you know, I've been to Donington, now I've come here.
25:14Two races, twice he's taken me out of the race.
25:17Maybe it's time he retired.
25:19Well, this championship's starting to get a bit gritty.
25:22How do you call it, Oracle?
25:23Well, I think Phil Bennett thinks he's in the Irvine.
25:25But look, Super takes a very wide line, cuts back.
25:28Now, what Bennett didn't appreciate was the speed Super's accelerating.
25:31He tries to block Super.
25:33The consequence is he takes Super out.
25:35Don't feel under any pressure, Derek.
25:49They're a competitive lot, these guys.
25:51The day before qualifying, the drivers grabbed their drivers
25:54to take on the team managers for a round at Glen Eagles.
25:57James, we saw you at Glen Eagles earlier.
26:02Tell me who won.
26:03Well, I was fair to say that we lost in comprehensive fashion,
26:06but there was a fair bit of underhand antics going on.
26:10I mean, I'm sure old Colin Montgomery doesn't have to put up
26:14with the heckling in the background that we did.
26:17So, yeah, it was nice.
26:19I organised it and, you know, we went up there
26:22and we had a really good fun day.
26:24Anyone see that?
26:26You've had two big accidents in your career.
26:3095 here at Knock Hill.
26:31A few more than two.
26:33Big ones.
26:34Oh, yeah.
26:35Two big ones.
26:3695 here at Knock Hill and one in 2000 at Brands Hatch.
26:41Alan Menuh, the leader, was just in front of me after the pit stops.
26:44And I noticed that Alan had backed off quite significantly for this corner.
26:51And I thought, well, my chance to really pull some time back on him
26:55is if I can commit myself, you know, full style.
27:00And unfortunately, it bit me badly.
27:02And we ended up reversing into the barrier.
27:06It's about just over 100 miles an hour.
27:08So it was quite a big one and snapped the seat and all sorts of things.
27:13You find yourself in the position now
27:16where your only serious rivals are also your teammates.
27:20How does that work?
27:23It's exciting, but it depends how you deal with it.
27:25You know, what you've got to remember is if you take somebody off now,
27:30it's going to be your teammate and he's in the same bus as you.
27:33And it's not like before.
27:34If you took somebody off who was in the Volvo camp,
27:36you'd go and hide in your bus and lock the door.
27:39Nowadays, there's nowhere to hide because they're all in the same bus.
27:43Obviously, there's a pressure build through the year.
27:45And if it does keep going like it is doing now,
27:49and it becomes everybody's getting closer,
27:51particularly now we've made my car a little bit better.
27:54You know, we're all much closer.
27:57You know, I'm sure there's going to be a few fireworks.
27:59If you've ever wondered how we get some of those amazing on-car action shots,
28:05well, here's one of the cameras to have a look at.
28:07This is hanging off the rear wing of Tommy Erdos' Lexus.
28:10And it's not a bad camera to think about
28:11because it might just give us a bird's-eye view
28:14of the resumed grudge match, if you like,
28:16between these two guys,
28:17Steve Soper here in the Peugeot
28:19and the man dead ahead of him, Phil Bennett, in the Vauxhall.
28:22Now, remember in those race one shenanigans,
28:24they both took each other out.
28:25Both drivers have been taken aside by the stewards and told,
28:28cool it.
28:29So let's hope that cool heads prevail.
28:31Now, right at the front of the grid,
28:32Jason Plato once again in pole position.
28:34But he's got his teammate, Ivan Muller, alongside.
28:36And Ivan will be desperate to prove a point.
28:39Because in race one, as we saw, he got ahead,
28:41then he lost the place.
28:42So he will not want that to happen again.
28:44Now, remember, this is the feature race,
28:45so it's a pit stop race.
28:47First time we've had pit stops here at Knock Hill
28:49for the full feature race.
28:51And just as a footnote,
28:52remember Dan Eves,
28:53stuffed his car into the wall down there
28:55after the mechanics had worked all night to fix it.
28:57So as pennants look out for Dan Eves,
28:59they're making him be the pit crew for Steve Soper.
29:12Safety car leading the feel around
29:13because this is a rolling start.
29:15And if you're wondering why it's going so quickly,
29:17the safety car this weekend is being driven
29:18by special guest Anthony Reid,
29:20who is probably enjoying leading the field.
29:23Yes, and he's stayed on the track so far this afternoon.
29:27Well, I'm sure the next time we see Anthony on track,
29:29it won't be so sedate
29:30because he's joining the championship later on this year,
29:33of course,
29:34driving the MG touring car.
29:37He's getting his eye in first.
29:38Safety car lights are off.
29:39That means that when he goes around this bend,
29:41he will pull off the track
29:42and the field will commence the rolling start.
29:45Everyone's starting together here.
29:47Touring cars and production cars,
29:49one screaming horde,
29:50all heading over the crest of the hill
29:52and down into Duffus for the first time.
29:54Safety car will peel off to the right any second.
29:57Off he goes.
30:01Cars building up to speed.
30:03No one can pass till they get across the start-finish line
30:07on board with Tommy Erdos.
30:08Lights are still red-green,
30:09and away they go,
30:10and Jason Plato has made a cracking start this time.
30:13He's not going to waste that pole position.
30:14Ivan Muller is trying to do something about it,
30:16but can't.
30:17So it's Plato,
30:17then it's Muller,
30:18then it's Thompson.
30:19Little bit of a touch there from his teammate Bennett.
30:21Erdos right behind.
30:22Huge gaggle of cars just streaming down the hill.
30:28Mercifully, everyone through cleanly, it appears.
30:31Shedden made a good start as well
30:32in the lead production car.
30:34Plenty of those apex markers
30:35getting knocked off by the field first time around.
30:38Up through Clark.
30:41Plato's still in the lead.
30:44Running very wide there.
30:46Once again,
30:47Steve's hoping using all of the grass and more to get through.
30:50Huge field of production cars.
30:52Now.
30:54Muller's having a run around the outside.
30:56What can he do?
30:56Can he cut back on Plato?
30:58Plato takes the racing line.
30:59Muller still sticks in tight as well.
31:01Four voxels in the lead.
31:02Tom Boardman.
31:04In the pink pleasure.
31:05He's off.
31:06Well,
31:06there'll be all the contact we saw on the sprint race.
31:08That's the result of bottom wishbone
31:10on the left-hand side.
31:11Wheel cocked to wherever you want to call it.
31:14Up the hill for the first time now.
31:17Colin Blair.
31:18Contact there.
31:18That's Colin Blair off sideways,
31:20and he's off.
31:20That's a very big off.
31:22And if you want to see that car going at 100 miles an hour in reverse,
31:25there you've seen it.
31:26Colin Blair spins, rolls, ends up on his side.
31:29Now he's parked there right on the crest of the hill.
31:32Marshall's running straight to him.
31:34I hope he's fine.
31:35That's the view from Ivan Muller meantime.
31:37There's a little bit of contact between him and Jason Plato.
31:40Plato just cuts back.
31:41Now James Thompson moves in.
31:47Just trying to get passed down into McIntyre's, and that didn't work.
31:50Now Muller's coming under some very big pressure from Phil Bennett as well.
31:54Bennett all over the back of Ivan Muller,
31:56which is not what you would expect to see.
31:57Down the back straight.
31:58Plato, Thompson, then Muller.
32:00Bennett right behind him.
32:01We're coming down into the hairpin.
32:03Bennett's moved to the right-hand side of Muller.
32:04Muller is defending.
32:06Now James Thompson as well is trying to run around the outside of Plato.
32:09Is that an opportunity for Muller?
32:10I don't think so.
32:11Muller holds the inside line.
32:13Now Bennett moves in.
32:14There's the safety car.
32:15They're obviously backing up the field.
32:17Stop everything while they get Colin Blair out of that car.
32:20Still on its side.
32:25I assume he's fine.
32:29Let's get the car over and get the door open.
32:33It was pretty big contact in the rear.
32:37Ah, good stuff.
32:37He looks okay.
32:39But at least when it rolled, it had lost most of its energy.
32:43Yes, when it hit the tyre barrier, that dissipated a lot of the speed,
32:46and the car then went into a series of slow rolls,
32:49and it looks like Colin Blair's okay.
32:51Let's have another look.
32:52Coming up the hill.
32:53Yeah, there's contact with one of the Hondas.
32:55I think that might be Edwards.
32:56Tagged the rear of the car.
32:57They're very close together.
32:59At that point, then, all the energy shed.
33:01The tyres go everywhere,
33:02and it's just a matter of just going through the various tariffs of a roll.
33:07And Blair looks to be okay.
33:09Well, he's had a foul day because he was off in the first lap of race one.
33:14Now that, and as well as we saw during that replay, we also saw Tommy Erdos.
33:19His car is out as well.
33:20I don't know what the problem is.
33:21Parked up during these circulating laps under the safety car.
33:25That's been the end of him.
33:26Safety car is peeled off.
33:28That means we're about to start running again.
33:29As soon as we get across the strike, which we have now done, we are racing once again.
33:34Plato is in the lead.
33:35We're on board with James Thompson, hunting him down the hill.
33:37Ivan Muller in third.
33:39That is Phil Bennett in the second of the green and blue voxels,
33:44trying to get in touch with Ivan Muller.
33:46Muller's coming under some real pressure.
33:48It's unusual for him to be in this position.
33:50Normally, he's pressurizing Plato, or he's leading.
33:53Suddenly, the two egg.com voxels are all over him.
33:57And Chetton is all over those curbs as well.
33:59Once again, leading production.
34:02I reckon Muller's got a real problem.
34:04Soper is starting to pressure the back.
34:06Soper, once again, plowing his own furrow out into the grass there.
34:10It seems to work for him, though.
34:11He seems to not lose very much speed, which is unusual.
34:14But Steve, he's been around a long time.
34:18Plenty of revs down there as he works down through the gears,
34:22through the hairpin, chasing Bennett up the hill.
34:24That's where they came to grief in the last race.
34:26You can just see how steep that hill is.
34:31A little bit of breathing space there for Plato.
34:33Thompson, or just a second behind him, then Muller, then Bennett.
34:36You can see how close it is on the timing.
34:39Down through Duffer's dip into McIntyre's.
34:42Muller trying to fight back, see what he can do.
34:44Can he get past James Thompson?
34:46All of this seems to be playing into Plato's hands.
34:48Plato has the lead.
34:49Comfortable, clear air.
34:50All he's got to worry about is a quick pit stop, and this future race is going to be his as well.
34:55Just see how hard they work.
35:02Watching Ivan Muller there just skipping over the curves and out under the dirt.
35:05Soper as well again.
35:07He's just making a career out of going wide, coming out of Clark's.
35:10He's actually playing on a completely different fairway from everybody else.
35:15Lap after lap up through Clark, runs wide, but it doesn't seem to cost him time.
35:19Look how close he is to the back of Phil Bennett's Vauxhall.
35:22Big drag up the hill.
35:23Now, I reckon Ivan Muller must be having some sort of a problem.
35:27He's falling way back behind James Thompson now, and is really having to work to hold off Phil Bennett.
35:31No, he's not anymore.
35:32Phil is through.
35:33That all went wrong as they came out of the hairpin band.
35:36He didn't have the momentum.
35:37Bennett did.
35:38But as you're right, Charlie, there's something wrong with Muller's Vauxhall at the minute.
35:42Yeah, he must be working really, really hard.
35:45Just falling back, still circulating, but that's an opportunity for everybody else.
35:49Yeah, look, very slow over there.
35:51And even now Steve Soper is able to pull out and pass without any difficulty whatsoever.
35:55Well, that's disappointing.
35:56These touring cars are dropping like flies this afternoon.
35:58Great opportunity for the production guys to make some sort of a dent into that.
36:02Remember, the touring cars will be making pit stops during this race.
36:05The production cars will not.
36:08Now, here's the Muller view, and he's still running.
36:10He ain't dead yet.
36:11That's Soper to the left of us.
36:12What can Muller do?
36:13Running down the inside into the hairpin takes him back again.
36:16Don't write him off.
36:17No, but as you can see, I think just the problem is in the corner again.
36:21Soper gets out alongside.
36:22It's just a drag race all the way down to Duffer's corner.
36:26And Soper's got the line.
36:27No way he's going to let that go.
36:29A little bit of a wiggle there for Muller.
36:31But Soper's got it covered.
36:32That car is not handling happily.
36:34No, and I don't think Muller's terribly happy either.
36:36The body language of the car, I'm sure, is mirroring precisely what Muller's feeling right now.
36:41And I'll not tell you what it is.
36:45Down through Butchers.
36:48Once again, very pedestrian.
36:50Ivan Muller is just circulating now.
36:52He's not doing the job.
36:54Big problem.
36:55It just looks as if he's just not able to manhandle the car.
36:58Normally Muller's got this thing dancing everywhere.
37:00Now it's plodding its way around the track.
37:03Yeah, he's buttoned off altogether.
37:06I reckon he'll pit this lap probably.
37:08Just crawling around.
37:12That's very disappointing for him.
37:14Because he worked very hard in race one.
37:16And of course, ultimately, Jason Plato drove brilliantly and muscled his way back past Ivan.
37:20Yeah, he does go into the pits.
37:21You can see he's been crawling.
37:23Yeah, and also you can just see there's some kind of smoke or something coming from the bottom of the car.
37:26Now whether that's the problem or just an axillary problem.
37:29Well, this isn't the scheduled pit stop.
37:34No, but I think the teams just go through the motions of changing the front tires.
37:37They'll take the strip off.
37:38But I think they're going to spend a bit more time looking at this car.
37:41Yep, up comes the bonnet.
37:46Well, it just goes to show.
37:47Meantime, back with the production men who are never dull.
37:50That is Simon Harrison and James Kaye tasting each other's cars as they drive up the hill.
37:55Graves just in front of them.
37:57So it's Graves in the first silver Honda, then it's Kaye, then it's Harrison in that red Peugeot.
38:01Now, Simon Harrison and Kaye, they have been at a hammer and tongs all afternoon.
38:05Remember in race one, banging panels as they came out of that hairpin together.
38:09Now they're doing it again.
38:10Very close racing.
38:11Neither of them giving any quarter whatsoever.
38:14And this is helping Graves.
38:15Well, all he has to do is keep an eye on his mirror to make sure they don't get any nearer than they are.
38:19But he has to keep an eye out for Shedden, who's actually leading the class at this minute.
38:23Yeah, he's driving a pretty good race, isn't he?
38:25Very impressive indeed.
38:27How bad luck Muller's out.
38:29Power steering fell off.
38:31So I tried during three laps to carry on.
38:35But when the power steering goes off, it's impossible to turn.
38:39If it will be five laps to the end, okay.
38:41But 20 and something laps to the end is no way.
38:46Now hang on, I'm finding this baffling, actually.
38:50There are so few touring cars left out there.
38:52Even if he circulated at 40 miles an hour and finished, he'd pick up points.
38:56I don't get it.
38:56Well, at least he didn't take his boots off and run away, did he?
38:59Fair enough.
39:00Anyway, I'm sure these things...
39:01As we watch James Thompson coming into the pits now.
39:04As I was saying, I'm sure these things are almost impossible to drive without power steering.
39:08But I can't imagine he couldn't have inched around somehow.
39:11I agree with you.
39:12But this Thompson, his one and only stop of the afternoon.
39:15Thompson wants to get in and out quickly.
39:17But this is not happening.
39:1910, 11, well, 11 seconds.
39:21That's very poor indeed.
39:23And Thompson will be not very happy.
39:25Well, this bloke will be delighted, though.
39:27Jason Plato looking to consolidate his lead.
39:29He needs some really quick laps now.
39:31He's holding the lead so far, but he needs to be dynamite quick.
39:35Build up enough of a buffer in time for his pit stop.
39:37He's still got the bright day glow strip under his name on the windscreen.
39:41Side of the car there, which shows he has not pitted yet.
39:44James Thompson once again opting for an early stop.
39:47Well, Plato peels off at the very last moment.
39:51Dives into the pit lane, so this is going to be crucial for the lead.
39:54Boxhole comes to a standstill.
39:56Wheel, perfect.
39:58Stops right on the button.
40:00Wheels off, wheels on.
40:01Watch the clock on the left-hand side.
40:037, 7.3 seconds.
40:06A lot of 4.3 seconds quicker than Thompson.
40:08He'll be delighted with that.
40:10Yeah, there's a big help.
40:11There's James Thompson coming up the hill,
40:13and there is Jason Plato going down the hill.
40:15Well, he's really given himself a huge margin there.
40:18He'd be disappointed, though, to come out behind that Honda.
40:20He'll only get past.
40:21He has.
40:22That's in McIntyre.
40:23Well, he'll think he's seeing double.
40:25He pitted behind one Honda and has come out behind the identical team car.
40:29But a very helpful...
40:30Templeton off again.
40:32She's having a rotten day.
40:33Yes, it is.
40:34But here's the second of the egg boxholes.
40:37Bill Bennett, remember, 11 seconds for his teammate, James Thompson.
40:426, 7.
40:437 seconds exactly.
40:45And that's going to put Bennett, I believe, ahead of Thompson if he gets out of the pit lane in time.
40:49Well, let's see how it washes through.
40:51Here is James Thompson coming up and over the start-finish line,
40:55and out comes Bennett, weaving to get the little bit of heat into the front of those tyres,
40:58but he's in front.
40:59He's going to be a happy little camper ahead of Thompson and on Merritt.
41:03Now, lots of work for James Thompson to do if he can get that place back again.
41:09Great shot of him soaring away at the wheel here.
41:11Look how busy they are on this circuit.
41:13Very hard work circuit, a high work rate for the drivers.
41:17Concentration at a premium.
41:26No prizes for guessing.
41:27He was coming down into the hairpin there all the way down through the gears.
41:30And you'll not be happy at the thought of looking at the back of his teammates, Foxhole,
41:34as they come up over the hill.
41:36But I'll tell you what, it's hoving into view.
41:37It's much closer than it was a lap ago.
41:39He's starting to make some real inroads on Phil Bennett.
41:41Bennett probably a little bit cautious on those new tyres, not wanting to make a mistake.
41:44Thompson's up to temperature and up to speed.
41:48Now, all these pit stops, of course, mean that Steve Soper, who has yet to pit in the Peugeot,
41:52is now our race leader.
41:53Hang on, that Thompson's off.
41:55He's gone straight across.
41:56I've got a problem with the car.
42:01I don't know what it is.
42:02I've got a problem with the car.
42:08How's steering's gone?
42:09Well, it's really alarming for James Thompson.
42:15Here's a replay.
42:16Look what happened.
42:17Yes, and he realised something went wrong there very quickly.
42:20We actually saw the brake lights come on before he went off.
42:23A big fight for James.
42:24Well, he's really got some work to do.
42:25I'll tell you what, because we've already seen a van Muller retire with this problem.
42:30Now, look, almost as if he's trying to get himself comfortable here to muscle this car around.
42:34Well, what he needs to do now is steer the car really from his shoulders, not his arms.
42:38Front-field drive without power steering.
42:40It's a nightmare.
42:42Look at it fighting back.
42:45Look at that quick grab of the gear, stick their hands straight back on the wheel again.
42:50Believe me, the weight in the steering now is a real workout.
42:55You can see even under his helmet, his brows furrowed.
42:58He's working so hard, whether or not he continues with it.
43:01Now, in the production ranks, there's Simon Graves, still having this race-long battle with Gordon Shedden in that Ford Focus
43:08as they drag up the hill just in the distance.
43:10You can see Graves' teammate, James Kaye, and he is continuing his race-long battle with Simon Harrison in the Peugeot.
43:20Down into Duffer's dip.
43:23There's James Kaye.
43:25Lights ablaze, then that red Peugeot right behind him.
43:29Now, here's race leader.
43:31Steve Soper in the touring car Peugeot.
43:35The 406 jumps the kerbs up the hill and into the pits.
43:39Last man in.
43:39Yes, and a very long way into the race, of course.
43:42Soper will get that extra point for leading in the feature race.
43:46Brings the Peugeot 406 coupe.
43:48The Peugeot guys go to work.
43:50Let's see what they can do.
43:51We've seen a seven-second stop from Bill Bennett.
43:53That was the quickest of the voxels.
43:55Stripped off.
43:56Dan Eves is holding that strip.
43:58Well done, Dan.
43:59You got three out of three this weekend.
44:01But there's a problem there at front.
44:02Come on, guys.
44:03Get that wheel nut on.
44:04A driver sits in the car.
44:07He's going absolutely mad.
44:09Hurry up.
44:10Steve Soper.
44:11Well, I've had a wicked weekend this weekend so far.
44:14And this is just about 23.2 seconds.
44:17And he almost loses the engine on acceleration.
44:19Dan Eves bringing his own particular brand of good luck to that pit stop.
44:23Got unlucky in race one when he went off.
44:25And that was a terrible pit stop with that problem.
44:28Now, Graves is really bringing Shedden under real pressure now, meantime, in the production battle.
44:33Shedden in the focus.
44:34Graves turns in.
44:34And he's nailed him.
44:36Really big hit going into the hairpin.
44:38Shedden's still running.
44:39So is Graves.
44:40Graves is, well, that's one way to get through.
44:42It was a bit basic and a bit crude.
44:44But it's effective.
44:45But look at there's the damage.
44:46Graves' car is going to not make it very far down this road.
44:50You'd have to say Graves is a bit unlucky there, though.
44:52I mean, it was quite a late cut from Shedden.
44:53Yeah, but you have to say also that Shedden probably found reverse gear and not second gear.
44:58Well, it hasn't worked and Graves is off.
45:00Unbelievable.
45:00Down into Duffer's Dip.
45:01Keep it rolling, son.
45:02Keep it rolling.
45:04Toes half the track back on with him.
45:06Kitty litter all over it.
45:07Down through Duffer's Dip.
45:09Still 38 tonnes of gravel as he turns right into McIntyre's as well.
45:13Now, here's the first bit of contact.
45:15Well, I think Graves just took a bit of a punt down the inside.
45:19Shedden did cover it.
45:20But unfortunately, too much speed from the Honda and a Ford Focus too close to avoid.
45:26Well seen and much action, that hairpin at Knock Hill.
45:28No exception today.
45:30Meantime, Jason Plato is starting to make this look very easy.
45:32Leading this race outright in the touring car.
45:35Daylight back between him and Phil Bennett in second place.
45:38There is Bennett.
45:39Might be daylight, but headlights ablaze as he comes up behind Rob Collard in the Renault Clio.
45:45There's Bennett.
45:47P2.
45:48Not much chance of catching Plato.
45:50He's red hot today.
45:52Oh, and rotten luck.
45:52Graves is in.
45:53I got quite close to him and had a go down the inside.
45:55Committed myself firmly down the inside.
45:57And he moved over very late and it was going a lot, lot slower to me.
46:01And he just braked in the middle of the corner and couldn't do nothing but hit him.
46:04You know, just on the intro to the corner, he just pulled over very, very late and just sat there, you know.
46:09So there was nothing I could do.
46:10I was really committed to making the pass.
46:12Well, he drove well all day and I reckon old Graves can consider himself very, very unfortunate indeed.
46:18Phil Bennett, he's feeling pretty fortunate indeed because he's up into second position.
46:22A couple have dropped away, but he is driving a stormer of a race.
46:25That's it.
46:26Fire there.
46:27No.
46:29Okay, Phil, keep going.
46:31Keep going.
46:31You've got a big gap behind you.
46:33Keep going.
46:34A big gap in front of him as well because Jason Plato has pulled so far off into the distance.
46:39That is the third car power steering failure.
46:41This is a tough old circuit.
46:43I think it's all the curb hopping that we see at Knock Hill in spite of those marker pulls on the corners to try and reduce it.
46:50It's happening.
46:51Well, we're on the last lap, so he should be able to limp home from here.
46:53But I can't help thinking that with so few touring cars now running,
46:57Ivan Muller must be kicking himself that he at least didn't sort of crawl around at 40 miles an hour and finish in the points.
47:02Well, there are points down to 10th place, and I can't believe Muller would have finished as low as 10th in spite of having new power steering.
47:08Yeah, really big surprise.
47:11James Thompson, meantime, has been soaring away for at least half this race distance.
47:15And he's in third place.
47:17Yeah, so he's picking up valuable points.
47:19Jason Plato, as we watch him come down into the hairpin for the last time, has had an absolutely stunning day.
47:24Two poles, and he's looking at two wins.
47:26You can't get better than that.
47:27Well, the only thing he didn't win this weekend was at goal.
47:30Oh, yeah, you had to spoil it, didn't you?
47:32Terrific Jason Plato.
47:33Up to take the chequered flag.
47:36Lovely stuff, sunshine.
47:37And Phil Bennett, lights flashing as he comes up the hill.
47:40I don't know if that's in jubilation or relief.
47:43It'll be a relief for James Thompson in third place.
47:45Great drive without any power steering this afternoon.
47:49Well, they might feel cause for celebration, but it'll be difficult for any of them to lift a glass in celebration.
47:54They'll all have such tired arms from racing without power steering.
47:57Plato, Bennett and Thompson.
47:58Bennett and Thompson limping home with wounded cars.
48:01Shedden leading the production ranks.
48:03Great drive for him on his debut.
48:05James Kaye, second place.
48:06Harrison and Collard.
48:12It's always been a bit of a bogey circuit for me, this.
48:15And, you know, the record's been put straight now.
48:17We've had an absolute maximum score.
48:19Tough luck for a van, but, you know, we're all equal now on the no-fifth.
48:22Finishes, he's had two.
48:23I've had two, and now it's all to play for.
48:27It was fantastic, especially after the outcome of the sprint race,
48:30where we were doing a bit of a rallycross.
48:33And now, P2.
48:35Happy days.
48:36Well, we said at the start of the feature race, it was tight at the top,
48:39and it's even tighter now.
48:40Have a look at that.
48:41Plato just in front of Muller.
48:42Thompson not far behind, and Phil Bennett in touch too.
48:45Vauxhall leading the team's championship,
48:47and not surprisingly, they've taken out the Manufacturer's Cup.
48:51Isn't that fantastic?
48:52So early in the year.
48:53And I tell you, it's down to these guys, Derek and Ian,
48:56and everybody out there, the drivers,
48:57and everybody at Vauxhall is so happy about this,
49:00and it's a tremendous fillet for us.
49:02They've done a fabulous job,
49:03and the car's been generally very reliable, good racing.
49:06I think I'm in love with him.
49:11Oh, it's beautiful to watch.
49:13Still very tight at the top of the drivers' championship for production as well.
49:16Kay and Harrison, they swap paint on the track,
49:18and they're so close in the points.
49:20And a great day for the Ford Focusers.
49:22They even lead the production team's championship.
49:24After going so well in the sprint race,
49:29and just kind of bending the steering,
49:30hitting the curves too hard, and finishing second,
49:32I was really, really up for it for the feature race.
49:34Learned at last how to conserve these tyres,
49:37and just kind of kept the times consistent.
49:39And, oh, what a feeling.
49:40To win a feature race, my first time out in a touring car,
49:42it's just absolutely unbelievable.
49:44Really good.
49:45Hopefully I can do it again sometime.
49:45Well, I told you, this place never fails to surprise.
49:50We've come away with a new championship lead,
49:52a brilliant racing, although it didn't rain.
49:54A couple of spots, but it didn't rain.
49:56Next time out, it could not be more different.
49:58We're going to be racing under lights,
49:59and we're back at sea level,
50:01because we'll be at Snetterden in Norfolk.