Jason Plato scored his third consecutive pole position of the season in qualifying for the British Touring Car Championship at Brands Hatch, as Sam Tordoff once again ensured a front-row lock-out for the MGs.
Click here for the full Round 28 qualifying results.
Plato moved to the top of the times with his first timed lap, posting a 1:31.823. The former double champion then progressively improved throughout the half-hour session, as he was pushed along by his young team-mate Tordoff. Plato then retired to the pits with five minutes remaining in the session, confident that his final lap of 1:31.214 was the best he could achieve.
Second-placed Tordoff was just 0.036 seconds behind his experienced team-mate, ensuring his fifth front-row qualifying result of the season, and ensuring that it is the third consecutive time the Triple Eight-run MGs have locked out the front row of the grid.
Championship leader Andrew Jordan was third fastest, ahead of fellow title rival Gordon Shedden in fourth. Honda’s Shedden was baulked on his final qualifying lap by BTCC débutant Tom Barley and was thus unable to improve his time at the end of the session.
Ciceley Racing’s Adam Morgan took his best qualifying result of the season in fifth, ahead of eBay Motors’ Colin Turkington in sixth.
The only championship contender not to qualify in the top ten was Honda’s Matt Neal, who caused the only stoppage of the session exactly half-way through. Neal lost the back of his Civic at the bottom of Paddock Hill Bend, spinning into the barriers on the inside of the circuit. His time remained good enough for 16th.
Airwaves Racing’s top driver was Tom Onslow-Cole in seventh, ahead of the Dynojet Toyota of Frank Wrathall in eighth. Rob Collard ensured there were two BMWs inside the top ten with ninth, despite spinning off on the GP circuit with nine minutes remaining.
Jake Hill enjoyed an impressive début in NGTC machinery, out-qualifying team-mate Rob Austin to take tenth on the grid.
Lea Wood took pole in the Jack Sears Trophy in 19th, with rivals Liam Griffin and Shaun Hollamby in 22nd and 24th respectively.
Árón Smith did not participate in the session as a result of damage sustained in his second practice accident earlier in the afternoon.
Round 28 takes place at 11:32 BST on Sunday.