Oulton Park

[AndySpeed]

Plato's gone fastest in FP1:

http://www.btccaction.co.uk/results/2008/oultonprac1.php

Wonder if he can carry that through to qualifying. I thought that the BMW's would go strong here, it's not looking that great so far but there's a long way to go!

[tyreman2]

Plato's gone fastest in FP1:

http://www.btccaction.co.uk/results/2008/oultonprac1.php

Wonder if he can carry that through to qualifying. I thought that the BMW's would go strong here, it's not looking that great so far but there's a long way to go!
It is fantastically close 2 tenths between Plato and TOC in tenth,What about Jones! thats way quicker than Plato or Turner went last year in the petrol Leon.

[AndySpeed]

Session two times: http://www.btccaction.co.uk/results/2008/oultonprac2.php

Those SEATs are flying as usual!

[SEATFreak]

Those SEATs are flying as usual!

Oh no. You know what that means. Once again tomorrow I am going to see the coverage and I am going to be force-fed the usual belly full of debate about the unfairness of the diesel with Ian Harrison and Alan Gow yet again hogging the limelight. :(

Fear not everyone and relax. The TDI's flew at Thruxton and look at what happened as the day progressed. People worry over nothing as far as SEAT is concerned. The fact the SEAT's "fly" in practice doesn't mean they are going to fly in the race and dominate. And happily chances are they won't again tomorrow.

[AndySpeed]

Believe it or not I actually like to see the SEATs do well, SEATFreak. Especially car number 12 with Darren Turner in it.

[AndySpeed]

Qualifying times, Plato on pole, Turner second:

http://www.btccaction.co.uk/results/2008/qual19.php

Anyone know where Erkut is this weekend?

[VkmSpouge]

Where's Erkut Kizilirmak? He wasn't in any of the practice or qualifying sessions.

SEATs looking dominant again.

Qualifying:

1. Jason Plato SEAT 87.688
2. Darren Turner SEAT 0.167
3. Tom Chilton Honda 0.444
4. Tom Onslow-Cole Vauxhall 0.453
5. Fabrizio Giovanardi Vauxhall 0.473
6. Gordon Shedden Honda 0.562
7. Matt Neal Vauxhall 0.564
8. Colin Turkington BMW 0.747
9. Adam Jones SEAT 0.919
10. Andrew Jordan Honda 1.072
11. Mat Jackson BMW 1.214
12. Stephen Jelley BMW 1.215
13. Jason Hughes MG 1.322
14. Harry Vaulkhard Chevrolet 1.426
15. Mike Jordan Honda 1.456
16. Steven Kane BMW 1.553
17. Rob Collard BMW 1.780
18. Michael Doyle Honda 2.240
19. John George Honda 2.361
20. Chris Stockton SEAT 2.689
21. Martyn Bell Vauxhall 2.793
22. Gareth Howell SEAT 3.552
23. Alan Taylor Honda 3.906
24. Erkut Kizilirmak Vauxhall No Time (is he at Oulton Park?)

Second consecutive pole for Jason Plato, they have got that SEAT working very well.
Chilton being the best non-diesel car once again.
Jason Hughes putting in a very good time for 13th place.
Motorbase must be very disappointed with their performance, just 16th and 17th.
Good to see BTC Racing back though their times aren't terribly good. Gareth Howell a long way behind Stockton and slower than Martyn Bell, maybe some problems for Howell?

[mattie007]

Great qualifying from Jason Hughes, only 1.3s off pole in 13th!

[tyreman2]

Great qualifying from Jason Hughes, only 1.3s off pole in 13th!

I'll second that!

[SEATFreak]

Qualifying:
1. Jason Plato SEAT 87.688
2. Darren Turner SEAT 0.167

Very good news. I am very happy that SEAT do seem to be getting things together in a very strong and positive way in qualifying. I mean I think this is the first consecutive ocassion this season they have proven to be the strongest team in the BTCC. But atlease the reaction to that from observers appears to be certain to be good and warm.

I think it is when they replicate that as a race result, that I find personally the subsequent response from observers isn't quite so certain.

Snetterton has deffinitely left an indellible mark on my concience in as much as I possibly get very tense whenever SEAT win in the manner they can do in case during interviews the issue of SEAT and the use of the diesel is raised. Because as Snetterton proved if SEAT do win instead of questions about the good SEAT has just done I found the questions were instead about whether they ought to be running diesel.

I hope they do well tomorrow, but I hope they can do that without too much debate being started as to the merits of the win whilst running diesel.

[AndySpeed]

Congratulations to Andrew Jordan on his first BTCC Podium! Looked lovely weather at Oulton, wish I had made the journey to be there with the other 35,000 people - a BTCC record for the past 10 years! Just goes to show how strong the championship is this year, even if Giovanardi does look like he's going to walk it.

Results (with grid position)
Round 21 Results (http://www.btccaction.co.uk/results/2008/rd21.php)
Round 20 Results (http://www.btccaction.co.uk/results/2008/rd20.php)
Round 19 Results (http://www.btccaction.co.uk/results/2008/rd19.php)

[christophulus]

Weather was great, my bright red arms/face are proof of that! And it being a record crowd wouldn't surprise me, got there at 9.30am and struggled to find a space to park, never mind watch the racing from.

Did look as though the SEATs (Plato at least) would walk it after watching the first race, but once again they fell apart. Mike Jordan kindly had his accident right in front of me, didn't see the contact with Shedden but I'm off to watch the highlights to catch up...

[SEATFreak]

What can I say? I feel in myself right now I want to chuck my dummy out of my pram and get all angry and upset because up the pent-up frustration but all I really feel I want right now is an answer.

Why is this happening to the cars? I talk of SEAT's diesel Leons obviously. Why are, and what is causing, both cars experiencing such problems in particularly the second and third race of the meeting? What is ca I know it is only the second time but a second consecutive time is one time too many in my book. Is it the diesel? For all it's pace is it having an adverse effect on reliability?

That is the worst part of having seen VXR keep such a large margin between themselves and my beloved SEAT for virtually most of the season.

The only comfort is seeing the fantastic Adam Jones also in a Leon who I also like. Thanks to his 35pts at Oulton he is now level on 201pts with Mat Jackson and together they are only 28 shy of leader Colin Turkington. Looking at the points table none of them appear to have ever at any point ran away with things or slumped behind as far as I can tell. The Independents trophy is really turning into, at the right time, a fantastic 3-way fight for the title.

It would be amazing if any of them won it. For Turks it would mean he would achieve what I think is a rarity; to defend the title for a second time. For Mat and Adam it would really be a massive tribute to the influence of the UK's BMW dealer and Team Air Cool respectively.

Shame this seasons Drivers Championship race looks like it won't be as close. Unless I have misjudged Fabrizio could I think, if Jase has another Snetterton or Oulton at Knockhill, possibly sew up the title at Silverstone.

[ATF]

Wasn't able to make it but on tv, it was a fantastic days racing!

Shame for Mike Jordan in race 1, he could have had a brilliant weekend. But not sure why he was so angry when he turned across Shedden!

[Eurotech]

I didnt see the TV programme because I was at oulton - was it good and when are the Highlight shows?

[VkmSpouge]

Very well done to Andrew Jordan, excellent 3rd place and it might have been second had he not made that mistake that let Adam Jones through. Jones also had a good race weekend, he's almost always in the points.
SEATs are fast but fragile.
Well done to Jason Hughes on a fine drive in race 3 to get 10th place.

[stevevxr]

Well i did'nt see this weekends racing due to a short holiday away but i had updates via the text message from the crew back at home...

I here the SEAT team where POP/BANG And WHISTLING again !!! :laugh:

Dear ohh Dear SEAT!!!

Perhaps try the Skoda next year, Might be better off !!

VXR have had more poduims again, what can i say ??? Ohh and Gio has increased is lead..

What brilliant news to come back to !!

Can't wait to watch it now !!

More to follow !!! :D :D