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BTCC: Croft testing times; Plato Proves to be Pacesetter

24 June 2000

Vauxhall's Jason Plato set down his intentions for rounds 13 and 14 of the
Auto Trader British Touring Car Championship this weekend by outgunning
his rivals in testing at Croft, North Yorkshire, today. The British star
recorded a time just two tenths of a second off the lap record in his
Vectra.

Plato, who was also quickest on one of the pre-season test days at Croft,
was closely followed by a pack of Fords with championship leader Alain
Menu only nine hundredths of a second behind in his Mondeo. Rickard Rydell
finished third fastest with fellow Ford driver Anthony Reid fourth.

Said Plato: "I like this circuit. I always enjoy driving here. It's a good
flowing track and the sort of track where a driver, and not just the car,
can make the difference. Croft also suits the Vectra as the car is good
through high-speed corners. It's like a local circuit for me as I grew up
in Newcastle, but I've never won here and I want to put the record
straight this weekend."

North Yorkshire-born James Thompson, driving despite suffering burns to
his leg during a race in Germany last weekend, was sixth quickest in his
Honda Accord. His team-mate Tom Kristensen, fresh from winning Le Mans
with Audi last weekend, was ninth fastest.

Eighth-quickest Matt Neal was the leading Michelin Cup for Independents
runner in his Team Dynamics Nissan Primera. Alan Morrison, driving a
Touring Car VIP Club Peugeot 306, was fastest of the Class B entries in
12th.

TOP TESTING TIMES FROM CROFT CIRCUIT 
1	Jason Plato  (GB)	Vauxhall Motorsport	Vauxhall Vectra		1:21.241s
2	Alain Menu  (Swi)	Ford Team Mondeo	Ford Mondeo Zetec	1:21.336s
3	Rickard Rydell  (Swe)	Ford Team Mondeo	Ford Mondeo Zetec	1:21.482s
4	Anthony Reid  (GB)	Ford Team Mondeo	Ford Mondeo Zetec	1:21.622s
5	Gabriele Tarquini  (Ita)Redstone Team Honda     Honda Accord		1:21.872s
6	James Thompson  (GB)	Redstone Team Honda     Honda Accord		1:21.910s
7	V. Radermecker  (Bel)	Vauxhall Motorsport	Vauxhall Vectra		1:22.001s
8	Matt Neal  (GB)*	Team Dynamics	        Nissan Primera GT	1:22.173s
9	Tom Kristensen  (Den)	Redstone Team Honda	Honda Accord		1:22.398s
10	Yvan Muller  (Fra)	Vauxhall Motorsport	Vauxhall Vectra		1:23.134s
Class B
1	Alan Morrison  (GB)	Touring Car VIP Club	Peugeot 306 GTi		1:30.157s

* = Michelin Cup for Independent runner