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British Touring Car Championship
Knockhill - Qualifying - 25/8/12

By MJP Media | 25 August 2012

Aron Smith qualifies a sensational 3rd for Redstone Racing with his best ever BTCC qualifying performance as Jason Plato secures pole position for the first race at Knockhill.

A BTCC career best 3rd in qualifying for Aron Smith

Following the two free practice sessions earlier today which took place in the dry, it was all change at Knockhill as torrential rain left the track soaking wet for the start of the qualifying session for the first race tomorrow. By the time the session started the rain had stopped however there was still standing water on the track, making conditions very slippery indeed.

In the early part of the session it was Gordon Shedden in the Honda Yuasa Racing Team Civic who was fastest ahead of the Team ES Racing.com Vauxhall Vectra of Dave Newsham and the Speedwords Toyota Avensis of Paul O'Neill.

Gordon Shedden will start on the 3rd row of the grid

Six minutes into the session Jason Plato went fastest in the MG KX Momentum Racing MG6. The former BTCC champion had struggled in free practice, being 6th fastest in the 1st session and 14th fastest in the 2nd, however the wet conditions seemed to suit Plato. A couple of minutes later, Rob Collard went fastest in the eBay Motors BMW 320si as Plato slipped down to 2nd ahead of Tom Onslow-Cole in 3rd and Frank Wrathall in the Dynojet Toyota Avensis in 4th.

With 13 minutes of the 30 minute session left to run, Jason Plato once again went fastest as Robb Holland got his Team HARD. Honda Civic stuck in a gravel trap which caused the session to be halted briefly as marshals assisted in getting his car back onto the track. The session quickly resumed and Aron Smith was soon up to 3rd fastest in his Redstone Racing Ford Focus ahead of Tom Onslow-Cole in the eBay Motors BMW 320si - a sensational achievement for the young Irish driver.

Jason Plato takes pole position in the tricky conditions

In the final minutes of the session, Pirtek Racing's Andrew Jordan crashed out which brought the session to an end with Jason Plato taking pole position for the first race tomorrow. Joining Plato on the front row of the grid will be the fast-starting Rob Collard who qualified 2nd. Having qualified 3rd, his best ever BTCC qualifying performance, Aron Smith will start on the 2nd row of the grid alongside Tom Onslow-Cole. Frank Wrathall and Gordon Shedden will start on the 3rd row.

With 14 drivers qualifying within 1 second of the pole position time set by Jason Plato, the racing tomorrow is certain to be close and exciting - don't miss it!

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