Jason Plato topped this morning’s first practice session at Snetterton, setting a best time of 1 minute 12.658 seconds. Tom Chilton was the second fastest driver, 0.128 seconds slower than Plato’s Chevrolet.
Overnight rain had left the circuit with a damp feel to it and as the morning went on track conditions improved – although the skies remained heavily overcast. Plato’s time is all the more impressive considering he is carrying 36kg of success ballast for being 2nd in the championship. Chilton, who was expected to breeze to the fastest time by many, was “only” second in his Turbo LPG-powered Ford Focus.
Rob Collard set the third best time, marginally slower than Chilton. Another turbo powered car running well around Snetterton was Andrew Jordan who was the fourth fastest driver. Jordan, who is one of two drivers along with David Pinkney running the new turbo NGTC engines, had the third fastest straightline speed through the speedtraps, whilst Pinkney himself was the clear fastest.
The Airwaves BMW driver’s Steven Kane and Mat Jackson set the fifth and sixth fastest times. Honda, who had skipped the mid-season Snetterton test, were seventh and eighth fastest with championship leader Matt Neal the fastest of the two, despite carrying 45kg of success ballast to Gordon Shedden’s 27kg. Both driver’s will be keen to work on their car set-up’s to improve their positions by this afternoon’s qualifying session.
Completing the top ten were Tom Onslow-Cole in ninth and Paul O’Neill in tenth.
Full practice times can be viewed in the result section, or by clicking here.