Pirtek Motorsport’s Andrew Jordan was a massive 0.830 seconds quicker than anyone else in first practice for the British Touring Car Championship at Croft – with works Honda drivers Gordon Shedden and Matt Neal second and third.
Jordan set a time of 1:24.835, comfortably faster than anyone else, with Gordon Shedden 0.830 seconds adrift in second although laden with maximum ballast for leading the championship, and Matt Neal 1.551 seconds back in third.
Team ES Racing.com’s Dave Newsham put in a strong performance to finish the session in fourth, less than a tenth off Neal’s pace. Rob Collard was fifth quickest in the first of the turbocharged BMW’s.
Oulton Park polesitter Jason Plato was sixth fastest in his MG, with Speedwork’s Adam Morgan once again showing himself in the top ten in seventh and as the last driver within two seconds of Jordan.
Rob Austin, who missed the Oulton Park meeting due to budget constraints, was eighth quickest on his return to the series. Nick Foster and Árón Smith completed the top ten.
Paul O’Neill, making his first appearance in the BTCC since the end of the 2011 season, managed the 21st fastest time in the Speedworks Motorsport Toyota Avensis ususally driven by Tony Hughes. O’Neill’s time was 4.659 seconds off the pace, with the Widnes racer completing just 9 laps during the session – his first competitive run in the car.
Second practice takes place at 1150 GMT.