The third round of the BTCC took place Saturday 4th May- Sunday 5th May at Thruxton. The Yuasa Honda team dominated the races with Matt Neal winning race one and two and Gordon Shedden completing the trio.
Andrew Jordan held pole position but Sheddon soon took the lead. Soon after getting in front his Honda and the MG of Plato collide and Sheddon was off into the barrier at the first chicane on the first lap. Andrew Jordan regained the lead ahead of Neal and Plato in third. Shedden managed to rejoin the race but was half a minute behind the race leaders. The leading trip soon pulled away from Tordoff in forth and Tom Onslow Cole in Fifth. Tom Onslow Cole moved up to fourth position. With only three laps to go Tom Onslow Cole had reduced the gap and was on the back wheel of plato who was having to defend his lines to stay ahead. Meat Neal had reduced the lead to 0.6 seconds behind of Jordon. Race one was won by Matt Neal after Andrew Jordan suffered a puncture on the last lap. The podium saw Neal first, Plato second and Tom Onslow-Cole in third.
The second race of the weekend started with Neal in pole position, Plato in Second and Ton Onslow-Cole in third. Aron Smith spun off track and the other drivers behind him were lucky to avoid him. Gordon Sheddon within a few laps already made his way through the pack to get into twelfth position. Dan Welch had a big crash and the safety car headed out onto track. Lap six behind the safety car Neal was still lead ahead of Plato, Onslow-Cole and Jeff Smith. The race at this point was extended to 19 laps, with ten laps remaining. Seven Laps remaining and Neal had a lead of 0.7 seconds. Tom Onslow-Cole moved into second ahead of Plato with four laps remaining. Plato lost two places as Jordan and Shedden charge ahead into third and fourth. On the final lap Shedden overtook Jordan for third, the race ended with Neal winning the second race of the weekend, Tom Onslow-Cole in second and Shedden in third.
The third race of the day had Jack Goff in pole position but soon lost the lead to Morgan. Morgan ending up pitting to remove grass from his radiator after on off track excursion onto the grass. After morgan pitted Jeff Smith headed the field ahead of Plato in third and his team-mate Tordoff in third. Within five laps the two Hondas in fifth and six soon started to set the fastest laps and chasing down the field. At lap seven Plato took the lead from Smith and soon pulled a 1.6 second advantage. As the race was drawing to a close Shedden took second place away from Smith and Neal overtook Tordoff for third. With only four laps remaining and a 4 seconds advantage it looked like Plato had it in the bag until he got a puncture and Shedden stormed into the lead. Shedden continued onto victory ahead of Team mate Neal in second and Jordan in third.
Matt Neal celebrated his 50th win the weekend a round after he celebrated his 500th Race of his career.
The results of the three races are show below
Race One
1. Matt Neal Honda Yuasa Racing Honda Civic
2. Jason Plato MG KX Momentum Racing MG6 GT +6.663
3. Tom Onslow-Cole PPCGB.com/Kraftwerk Racing Volkswagen CC +7.522
4. Sam Tordoff MG KX Momentum Racing MG6 GT +9.579
5. Jeff Smith Pirtek Racing Honda Civic +10.205
6. Colin Turkington eBay Motors BMW 125i M-Sport +14.803
7. Mat Jackson Airwaves Racing Ford Focus +15.454
8. Dave Newsham SpeedworksToyota Avensis +15.899
9. Aron Smith Airwaves RacingFord Focus +16.104
10. Adam Morgan Ciceley Racing Toyota Avensis +16.735
Race Two
1. Matt Neal Honda Yuasa Racing Honda Civic
2. Tom Onslow-Cole PPCGB.com/Kraftwerk Racing Volkswagen CC +1.468
3. Gordon Shedden Honda Yuasa Racing Honda Civic +1.676
4. Andrew Jordan Pirtek Racing Honda Civic +1.891
5. Jason Plato MG KX Momentum Racing MG6 GT +3.560
6. Jeff Smith Pirtek Racing Honda Civic +4.949
7. Sam Tordoff MG KX Momentum Racing MG6 GT +13.072
8. Adam Morgan Ciceley Racing Toyota Avensis +14.410
9. Jack Goff Team Hard Vauxhall Insignia VXR-R +20.433
10. Aron Smith Airwaves RacingFord Focus +22.457
Race Three
1. Gordon Shedden Honda Yuasa Racing Honda Civic
2. Matt Neal Honda Yuasa Racing Honda Civic +0.643
3. Andrew Jordan Pirtek Racing Honda Civic +0.692
4. Tom Onslow-Cole PPCGB.com/Kraftwerk Racing Volkswagen CC +6.646
5. Aron Smith Airwaves RacingFord Focus +8.202
6. Jeff Smith Pirtek Racing Honda Civic +9.167
7. Mat Jackson Airwaves Racing Ford Focus +9.506
8. Sam Tordoff MG KX Momentum Racing MG6 GT +13.600
9. Dave Newsham SpeedworksToyota Avensis +13.962
10. Colin Turkington eBay Motors BMW 125i M-Sport +17.289
