Jason Plato set the fastest time in the opening free practice session ahead of the eighth round of the 2012 British Touring car Championship at Rockingham.
MG KX Momentum Racing driver Plato moved to the top of the times early on and despite being knocked off top spot momentarily by Honda Yuasa Racing Team’s Gordon Shedden, the 2001 and 2010 Champion soon moved back to the top of the times.
Shedden led an NGTC Honda Civic 2, 3, 4, 5 with Matt Neal rounding out the top three – Neal is racing this weekend with a broken hand – while completing the top five were the Pirtek Racing duo of Jeff Smith and Andrew Jordan. Smith put in two best laps right at the end of the 40 Minute session as he finished as the top Independent driver.
Rounding out the top six was the second MG6 of Andy Neate while finishing as the fastest S2000 driver was Aron Smith in the #5 Redstone Racing Ford Focus ST. Smith, on the back of his best weekend to date last time out at Knockhill finished seventh fastest, just ahead of his Redstone Racing team-mate Mat Jackson while the top ten was completed by the Dynojet Toyota Avensis of Frank Wrathall and Rob Collard in the eBay Motors BMW 320si.
Both Wrathall and Tom Onslow-Cole overshot the Deene hairpin during the session, the latter on consecutive laps.
Rob Austin finished 12th fastest on his return having missed Knockhill while Will Bratt in the sister Rob Austin Racing Audi A4 finished 15th in his first appearance since Croft in June.
BTCC debutant Howard Fuller finished 19th fastest in the Team HARD. Honda Civic, with the returning Ollie Jackson in the #48 AmDTuning.com Volkswagen Golf bringing up the times after finishing his session early due to car issues.
The second 40 minute practice session gets underway at 12:15 with qualifying due to start at 15:10.