Jason Plato celebrated his 500th BTCC race in style by taking a commanding lights-to-flag victory at Knockhill, becoming the 11th different winner in this incredible season so far.

The Silverline Subaru BMR Racing driver made a quick getaway off the line, building a strong gap over the first half of the race. He was being reeled in by the BMW of Jack Goff in the latter stages, and also had to contend with a safety car period, but the BTCC legend held on to claim his 95th race win.

The race began in steady fashion with the top six drivers – all running the Dunlop SportMaxx soft tyre – holding station on the opening lap. Matt Neal's Honda nudged Adam Morgan's Mercedes into a spin further down the order, shortly before Andrew Jordan traded positions with Colin Turkington for fifth at the start of the second tour.

Turkington's race was compromised by the move as it was clear his Subaru Levorg was quicker Jordan's Ford for much of the contest. The duo ran side-by-side during lap eight but Turkington had to wait until lap 14 before he could finally snatch back fifth place.

Goff had passed team-mate Sam Tordoff and Tom Ingram's Toyota by that point, and now up to second, began carving into Plato's lead.

The safety car was deployed on lap 20 after Dan Welch tipped Warren Scott's Subaru into the gravel, which ironically threatened to derail team-mate Plato's chances of victory. Scott's Levorg was retrieved by the marshals and the race was soon underway, with Plato managing the remaining laps with consummate ease as a late challenge from Goff failed to materialise.

"Before this weekend I wasn’t getting caught up in any of the numbers," said Plato. "You cast your mind back to where it all started – struggling in single-seaters with no money, and doorstepping Sir Frank Williams. 500 races later and we’re still winning. Whilst we all wanted to get that first win at Subaru, did it matter too much to me? It was just great to see the cars winning come what may out of the car. In the car, I was obviously disappointed! The ball was just yet to roll my way."

"Everybody’s been fantastic with me this year," revealed WSR's Goff, after scoring his best result of 2016. "They’ve given me a great car and it was about time I repaid them with a bit of silverware for this side of the garage. The tyres drifted towards the end there but before the safety car I was really closing in on (Jason) so it came at a bad time for us. I spoke to my engineer about having a go but I’d got past before I’d finished asking!"

The excitement in the closing laps came from Turkington as he carved his way past Tordoff with a sensational move at the restart. He then grabbed the final podium position with an expert late move by Ingram at the hairpin on the penultimate lap.

"I really enjoyed that," enthused Turkington. "The car was obviously strong. I lost a positon to Andy (Jordan) on the inside of the hairpin early on. I got bunched up the inside and he outdragged me down the straight. It was just about being patient though. I knew the race would come to me and my pace was electric once I got past AJ. I’m really pleased for the team – another double podium, so it’s great."

Jordan eventually claimed a lonely sixth, ahead of the impressive Dave Newsham. The series returnee starred throughout for Power Maxed Racing, rewarding the squad with its best result of the season.

Halfords Yuasa Racing duo Matt Neal and Gordon Shedden claimed eight and ninth respectively, whilst Handy Motorsport's Rob Austin rounded out the top ten.

2016 Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship – Round 19 – Knockhill:

1 Jason PLATO (GBR) Silverline Subaru BMR Racing 25:30.213 (80.47 mph)
2 Jack GOFF (GBR) Team IHG Rewards Club +0.503s
3 Colin TURKINGTON (GBR) Silverline Subaru BMR Racing +1.003s
4 Tom INGRAM (GBR) Speedworks Motorsport +2.375s
5 Sam TORDOFF (GBR) Team JCT600 Racing with GardX +2.781s
6 Andrew JORDAN (GBR) Motorbase Performance +4.034s
7 Dave NEWSHAM (GBR) Power Maxed Racing +5.265s
8 Matt NEAL (GBR) Halfords Yuasa Racing +7.605s
9 Gordon SHEDDEN (GBR) Halfords Yuasa Racing +8.143s
10 Rob AUSTIN (GBR) Handy Motorsport +8.357s
11 Ashley SUTTON (GBR) MG Racing RCIB Insurance +9.206s
12 Mat JACKSON (GBR) Motorbase Performance +10.160s
13 Aiden MOFFAT (GBR) Laser Tools Racing +11.295s
14 Martin DEPPER (GBR) Eurotech Racing +11.346s
15 James COLE (GBR) Silverline Subaru BMR Racing +11.495s
16 Jake HILL (GBR) RCIB Insurance Racing +12.307s
17 Robert COLLARD (GBR) Team JCT600 Racing with GardX +12.581s
18 Josh COOK (GBR) MG Racing RCIB Insurance +13.652s
19 Michael EPPS (GBR) RCIB Insurance Racing +14.484s
20 Hunter ABBOTT (GBR) Power Maxed Racing +14.863s
21 Dan WELCH (GBR) Goodestone Racing +15.114s
22 Adam MORGAN (GBR) WIX Racing +15.991s
23 Ollie JACKSON (GBR) AmD Tuning.com+16.868s
24 Michael CAINE (GBR) TLC/RCIB Insurance Racing +18.868s
25 Stewart LINES (GBR) Maximum Motorsport +19.479s
26 Mark HOWARD (GBR) BKR +21.057s
27 Alex MARTIN (GBR) Dextra Racing +1 laps
DNF Jeff SMITH (GBR) Eurotech Racing +8 laps
DNF Warren SCOTT (GBR) Silverline Subaru BMR Racing +10 laps
DNF Aron SMITH (IRL) BKR +14 laps
DNF Matt SIMPSON (GBR) Speedworks Motorsport +18 laps

Jason Plato is set to contest his 500^th Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship race later this afternoon. A career that has spanned nearly 20 years has seen the tin top superstar amass some astonishing statistics along the way.

His BTCC career kicked off with a pole position at Donington Park back in 1997, and the man will start from the same position in his 500^th contest at Knockhill.

Two championships, 94 race wins, 220 podiums and 49 pole positions provide just some of the reasons why Plato is arguably the most coveted BTCC driver of them all.

We caught up with the man himself before his milestone weekend…

James Cole is firmly into the swing of life as a member of the Silverline Subaru BMR Racing, with the quartet now pushing towards the head of the Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship pack.

Double champions Colin Turkington and Jason Plato are now regularly scrapping for podiums – solid points at the very least – with the former also joint leading the wins tally.

Cole is looking to learn from the wealth of knowledge gathered over years and hundreds of BTCC weekends by his experienced team-mates, and highlighted the openness of the BMR outfit as key to his learning process and the team's wider success.

“The relationship between the engineers and the four drivers is very, very good,” said Cole. “Everything is kept open and it’s never in question.

“Colin and Jason are both very accepting of questions that I ask, as well as any Warren (Scott) has.

“They have years and years of experience which you would be silly not to try and use. They understand it’s for the greater good and if their help brings us along then it’s going to help them because it’ll push them along too.

“It’s a process, and our aim is a 1-2-3-4 on the grid and in races just to annoy everyone else! We’re not quite there yet but we’re definitely getting closer.”

Snetterton saw a unique result for the outfit, as all four of its Subaru Levorgs were placed in the top ten. Cole’s 10^th was a sign of personal progress, with the Southport man looking to make his mark in the series.

“To have all the cars in the top ten at Snetterton was great. I let Warren through after some discussion on the radio as he was quicker and fighting with Matt Neal.

“It’s good to have that relationship where you’re there to help each other out. That’s what it’s about. It’s about where the team is at the end of the year as much as our own results.

“I still feel I haven’t yet proven myself in the championship but this is the closest I’ve been. My strategy for Snetterton was working out well until a driveshaft failure put me out of race two. Sometimes things happen and you just have to get on with it.”

Onto this weekend at Knockhill, Cole placed his Subaru into P14 while team-mate Plato showed just what the Levorg is ultimately capable of around the tight Scottish circuit with a stunning last-gasp pole position ahead of his 500th BTCC start.

With his half-term at Motorbase last season, Cole was just getting his head around the front-wheel drive Ford Focus. A return to rear drive at BMR has been to his benefit, given much of his career has been spent in such machinery – and Knockhill should provide characteristics to suit.

“It’s unique, it’s nothing like any track we race on in the UK up and down the country in the BTCC,” continued Cole. “It has its own set of challenges and we have to have our cars suited to the circuit.”

“It’s difficult to get right because a lot of the circuits we go to have similar characteristics in sections.

“We come here and it’s a completely different kettle of fish. It’s difficult to match to the car and to match it as a driver.

“Testing is limited around here and it’s not a circuit that we really go to. It’s about trying to recall memories and lessons learned from racing here in any other championship in the past and knowing all the little tricks.

“This car suits this circuit. Rear-wheel drive suits me a lot better and it’s making sense to me.

“I was just getting my head around the Motorbase Ford last year but I’ve grown up driving these cars. You get back in one and you feel at home and you’ve so much more mental room. In front-wheel drive cars I was thinking about everything much more. It should be organic and it just wasn’t.

Jason Plato, Tom Ingram, Sam Tordoff and Jack Goff spoke to btcc.net following an enthralling Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship qualifying session at Knockhill.

JP snatched a last-gasp pole from Tom Ingram ahead of his 500th BTCC race start. Sam Tordoff has an opportunity to capitalise in race one and put pay to team-mate Rob Collard's slender standings lead, with the latter lining up P18. The third portion of the West Surrey Racing triumvirate, Jack Goff managed a season-best fourth sport.

Silverline Subaru BMR Racing star Jason Plato will start his 500th Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship race from pole position, after the tin top legend set a sensational last gasp lap record during qualifying at Knockhill.

Plato has scored at least one race win in each of the BTCC seasons he has contested, and tomorrow he will be searching for his maiden success with Subaru during his milestone contest.

The double champion had been fighting at the front throughout the day – setting the pace in the opening practice session – but was forced into waiting until the final seconds of qualifying to snatch his 49th career pole position.

Tom Ingram was close to claiming his third pole of the season, but the Speedworks Motorsport driver had to settle for second after Plato’s performance. Ingram’s Toyota Avensis has shown stellar form on Saturdays during the 2016 campaign so far, and the young charger will now start alongside the BTCC’s most decorated racer in tomorrow’s opener in Fife – evoking memories of their epic battle at Rockingham last season.

Sam Tordoff grabbed third for Team JCT600 with GardX, representing an extremely good result for the ballast-laden BMW. The Yorkshireman – currently lying second in the overall standings – edged out West Surrey Racing stablemate Jack Goff, who produced his best qualifying result of the season in fourth.

The third WSR car of Rob Collard didn’t fare so well, however, as he could only manage 18th. Incredibly the championship leader has only qualified inside the top ten on one occasion this season.

Colin Turkington made it two Subarus in the top five as he fended off two fellow former champions in the shape of Andrew Jordan and Matt Neal. Jordan was a real spectacle throughout both practice and qualifying as he wrestled his Motorbase Performance Ford Focus over and around the contours of the 1.27-mile Knockhill circuit.

Adam Morgan sat out the final five minutes of the session, watching his WIX Racing Mercedes A-Class slip down the order to eighth as the chequered flag fell, whilst Rob Austin claimed ninth – a first top ten in qualifying for Handy Motorsport, building on his podium last time out at Snetterton.

Series returnee Dave Newsham – standing in this weekend for Power Maxed Racing’s Kelvin Fletcher – claimed an impressive tenth at his home circuit.

Neal’s Honda team-mate – reigning champion Gordon Shedden – endured a difficult session in front of his passionate and partisan home crowd. He had been languishing way down the order until late on, but the Scotsman eventually clocked a lap good enough for 11th.

The top 26 cars from the 31-strong field were separated by less than a second, making this the closest qualifying session of the season so far.

Rounds 19, 20 and 21 of the 2016 Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship take place at Knockhill tomorrow, with all the action being screened live and exclusively on ITV4 from 11am.

Jason Plato said: “Going into the last lap I knew I had the pace in the car, we just had to get a clean lap in around here with the traffic. Every one I did was getting spoiled in one way or another. I’m chuffed with that and I think I’ll get a strong start tomorrow. Everything has to be perfect around here. I was relieved to get the lap in and had I not got pole I’d have been frustrated. We’ve got a good balance and we’re in good shape.”

Tom Ingram said: “It could have been even better as we set that lap on old tyres, but it was my mistake with losing the new set out there. We know I’m going to get mugged off the line by some of the rear-wheel drive cars, but if we’re inside the top five at the end of the first lap then we’ll be lucky. We’re in a decent place though and the car feels good – we’ll give it our best shot.”

Sam Tordoff said: “That was more than a tenth quicker than last year’s pole, which we actually thought would be good enough. We can be really pleased with that considering we have 66kgs on board, and particularly as those around us are carrying far less weight. The BMW is fantastic around here – it always is – but in truth that adds a little bit of pressure. We’re expected to deliver this weekend and we need to hammer home that advantage. We need to score some strong points tomorrow and we’ve given ourselves a good chance of doing so.”

Jack Goff said: “We’re up where we should be finally. I’m happy but I’m also frustrated as I was a tenth and a half up on the lap, but the traffic meant I lost a bit of concentration in the final sector. We can race from there and we have quite a light car too. We’ve been at the sharp end all day and the race pace looks good. We need three solid results here to get ourselves back up the table.”

2016 Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship – Qualifying – Knockhill:

1 Jason PLATO (GBR) Silverline Subaru BMR Racing 51.521s
2 Tom INGRAM (GBR) Speedworks Motorsport +0.021s
3 Sam TORDOFF (GBR) Team JCT600 Racing with GardX +0.030s
4 Jack GOFF (GBR) Team IHG Rewards Club +0.046s
5 Colin TURKINGTON (GBR) Silverline Subaru BMR Racing +0.098s
6 Andrew JORDAN (GBR) Motorbase Performance +0.297s
7 Matt NEAL (GBR) Halfords Yuasa Racing +0.359s
8 Adam MORGAN (GBR) WIX Racing +0.378s
9 Rob AUSTIN (GBR) Handy Motorsport +0.391s
10 Dave NEWSHAM (GBR) Power Maxed Racing +0.437s
11 Gordon SHEDDEN (GBR) Halfords Yuasa Racing +0.462s
12 Aiden MOFFAT (GBR) Laser Tools Racing +0.463s
13 Ashley SUTTON (GBR) MG Racing RCIB Insurance +0.494s
14 James COLE (GBR) Silverline Subaru BMR Racing +0.541s
15 Mat JACKSON (GBR) Motorbase Performance +0.584s
16 Martin DEPPER (GBR) Eurotech Racing +0.585s
17 Josh COOK (GBR) MG Racing RCIB Insurance +0.606s
18 Robert COLLARD (GBR) Team JCT600 Racing with GardX +0.644s
19 Jake HILL (GBR) RCIB Insurance Racing +0.669s
20 Michael EPPS (GBR) RCIB Insurance Racing +0.748s
21 Warren SCOTT (GBR) Silverline Subaru BMR Racing +0.768s
22 Jeff SMITH (GBR) Eurotech Racing +0.829s
23 Aron SMITH (IRL) BKR +0.845s
24 Hunter ABBOTT (GBR) Power Maxed Racing +0.886s
25 Matt SIMPSON (GBR) Speedworks Motorsport +0.936s
26 Dan WELCH (GBR) Goodestone Racing +0.996s
27 Michael CAINE (GBR) TLC/RCIB Insurance Racing +1.095s
28 Alex MARTIN (GBR) Dextra Racing +1.411s
29 Stewart LINES (GBR) Maximum Motorsport +1.421s
30 Mark HOWARD (GBR) BKR +1.947s
31 Ollie JACKSON (GBR) AmD Tuning.com +2.402s

Officials have handed out a number of penalties today (13 August) following further investigation into events that took place at Snetterton in July:

• Alex Martin has been officially reprimanded and handed two penalty points for an incident that took place involving Mark Howard in race three
• Mark Howard has been verbally warned for his part in the same incident
• Gordon Shedden was also verbally warned for a separate incident in race three involving Jason Plato

Speedworks Motorsport's Tom Ingram set the pace during practice at Knockhill, a position he has taken up on a number of occasions at other circuits during the 2016 BTCC season so far.

Ingram's was positive, yet cautious, when we caught up with the Speedworks man after the session. "I'm really happy," he said. "The car is strong and we've made a few positive changes. The pace is some way off last year's though so we expect it to be quicker still this afternoon. We need to find a chunk of time – we know where we need to – as we still believe the rear-wheel drive cars will be very fast in qualifying.

"We've been saying all year that it's about the weekend as whole. It's no good setting the pace in practice if you don't follow it up in the races, so it's important we keep improving."

Adam Morgan backed-up his FP1 pace by hauling his WIX Racing Mercedes into second place, narrowly edging out Jack Goff's Team IHG Rewards Club BMW.

Such was the competitveness during a fast and frantic final session that the top 24 drivers were covered by less than a second, suggesting we could be heading for the closest qualifying session of the season at the 1.27-mile circuit later this afternoon.

There was a brief stoppage mid-session to retrieve the stricken Proton on Daniel Welch, leaving the Goodestone Racing team hard at work again following the superb job to rebuild the car after a major accident at Snetterton last time out.

The same can be said of Power Maxed Racing, which had the mammoth task of preparing Hunter Abbott's Chevrolet after the race three startline incident last month. The team has clearly done a magnificent job, with Abbott also showing no lasting effects as he blasted to fourth in the closing seconds of practice at Knockhill.

Jeff Smith's Eurotech Honda sneaked into fifth ahead of Jason Plato's FP1 pace-setting Subaru, whilst West Surrey Racing's Sam Tordoff pipped reigning champion Gordon Shedden into seventh. Andrew Jordan was ninth while Rob Collard made it three BMWs in the top ten.

2016 Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship – FP2 – Knockhill:

1 Tom INGRAM (GBR) Speedworks Motorsport 51.955s
2 Adam MORGAN (GBR) WIX Racing +0.228s
3 Jack GOFF (GBR) Team IHG Rewards Club +0.275s
4 Hunter ABBOTT (GBR) Power Maxed Racing +0.599s
5 Jeff SMITH (GBR) Eurotech Racing +0.305s
6 Jason PLATO (GBR) Silverline Subaru BMR Racing +0.344s
7 Sam TORDOFF (GBR) Team JCT600 Racing with GardX +0.339s
8 Gordon SHEDDEN (GBR) Halfords Yuasa Racing 0.345s
9 Andrew JORDAN (GBR) Motorbase Performance +0.357s
10 Robert COLLARD (GBR) Team JCT600 Racing with GardX +0.360s
11 Aron SMITH (IRL) BKR +0.362s
12 Colin TURKINGTON (GBR) Silverline Subaru BMR Racing +0.368s
13 Aiden MOFFAT (GBR) Laser Tools Racing +0.376s
14 Rob AUSTIN (GBR) Handy Motorsport +0.381s
15 Jake HILL (GBR) RCIB Insurance Racing +0.413s
16 James COLE (GBR) Silverline Subaru BMR Racing +0.518s
17 Matt NEAL (GBR) Halfords Yuasa Racing +0.571s
18 Dave NEWSHAM (GBR) Power Maxed Racing +0.617s
19 Ollie JACKSON (GBR) AmD Tuning.com +0.653s
20 Ashley SUTTON (GBR) MG Racing RCIB Insurance +0.663s
21 Mat JACKSON (GBR) Motorbase Performance +0.772s
22 Josh COOK (GBR) MG Racing RCIB Insurance +0.778s
23 Martin DEPPER (GBR) Eurotech Racing +0.801s
24 Michael CAINE (GBR) TLC/RCIB Insurance Racing +0.963s
25 Warren SCOTT (GBR) Silverline Subaru BMR Racing +1.036s
26 Matt SIMPSON (GBR) Speedworks Motorsport +1.037s
27 Michael EPPS (GBR) RCIB Insurance Racing +1.134s
28 Dan WELCH (GBR) Goodestone Racing +1.555s
29 Stewart LINES (GBR) Maximum Motorsport +1.556s
30 Mark HOWARD (GBR) BKR +1.716s
31 Alex MARTIN (GBR) Dextra Racing +1.777s

Silverline Subaru BMR Racing's Jason Plato topped the times in the opening Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship practice session at Knockhill, edging out the Speedworks Toyota of Tom Ingram by just 0.007s.

The session proved extremely close around the tight and twisty 1.27-mile circuit, with the top 22 drivers separated by less than a second.

Plato's mid-session lap bodes well for the tin-top legend as he looks to score his maiden pole position for Subaru, in what will be his 500th BTCC race tomorrow. It is the first time the double champion has set the pace in any practice or qualifying session so far this season, with the rear-wheel drive Levorg seemingly suiting the contours of Knockhill.

Ashley Sutton's MG and Adam Morgan's Mercedes were covered by 0.005s in third and fourth respectively, whilst Sam Tordoff and Andrew Jordan made it six different marques in the top six. Jordan suffered some disappointment, however, as his Pirtek Racing Ford Focus came to halt out on track with a tyre issue.

There was a second stoppage late on, which scuppered several drivers' chances of improving, leaving the young gun trio of Aiden Moffat, Josh Cook and Jack Goff next on the timesheets.

Honda's home hero Gordon Shedden rounded out the top ten as Halfords Yuasa Racing carried out its usual steady start to the opening practice session.

Final practice commences at 12:10, before the all-important qualifying session takes place at 15:50, which will be streamed live via www.itv.com/btcc.

2016 Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship – FP1 – Knockhill:

1 Jason PLATO (GBR) Silverline Subaru BMR Racing 52.545s
2 Tom INGRAM (GBR) Speedworks Motorsport +0.007s
3 Ashley SUTTON (GBR) MG Racing RCIB Insurance +0.189s
4 Adam MORGAN (GBR) WIX Racing +0.194s
5 Sam TORDOFF (GBR) Team JCT600 Racing with GardX +0.306s
6 Andrew JORDAN (GBR) Motorbase Performance +0.315s
7 Aiden MOFFAT (GBR) Laser Tools Racing +0.318s
8 Josh COOK (GBR) MG Racing RCIB Insurance +0.367s
9 Jack GOFF (GBR) Team IHG Rewards Club +0.371s
10 Gordon SHEDDEN (GBR) Halfords Yuasa Racing 0.393s
11 Rob AUSTIN (GBR) Handy Motorsport +0.446s
12 Jake HILL (GBR) RCIB Insurance Racing +0.479s
13 Robert COLLARD (GBR) Team JCT600 Racing with GardX +0.486s
14 Colin TURKINGTON (GBR) Silverline Subaru BMR Racing +0.487s
15 Hunter ABBOTT (GBR) Power Maxed Racing +0.599s
16 Jeff SMITH (GBR) Eurotech Racing +0.633s
17 James COLE (GBR) Silverline Subaru BMR Racing +0.637s
18 Aron SMITH (IRL) BKR +0.638s
19 Mat JACKSON (GBR) Motorbase Performance +0.639s
20 Dave NEWSHAM (GBR) Power Maxed Racing +0.839s
21 Warren SCOTT (GBR) Silverline Subaru BMR Racing +0.973s
22 Martin DEPPER (GBR) Eurotech Racing +0.996s
23 Stewart LINES (GBR) Maximum Motorsport +1.124s
24 Michael CAINE (GBR) TLC/RCIB Insurance Racing +1.203s
25 Matt SIMPSON (GBR) Speedworks Motorsport +1.241s
26 Ollie JACKSON (GBR) AmD Tuning.com +1.275s
27 Michael EPPS (GBR) RCIB Insurance Racing +1.314s
28 Alex MARTIN (GBR) Dextra Racing +1.383s
29 Mark HOWARD (GBR) BKR +2.131s
30 Matt NEAL (GBR) Halfords Yuasa Racing +2.255s
31 Dan WELCH (GBR) Goodestone Racing +3.168s

West Surrey Racing's Rob Collard holds his lead in the Dunlop #ForeverForward standings heading into the Knockhill weekend after Andrew Jordan made his mark on the running at Snetterton, fighting through the field after starting race one from the back of the pack.

A steering issue halted any chance of Jordan making an appearance in qualifying, and he was charged with lining up for the weekend's opener 31st, and last, on the grid.

This didn't deter the Pirtek Racing man, however, as he set off on a charge from lights-out. Despite a further setback on the opening lap as he endured an off-track excursion, he clambered up into the points with a creditable P14 – 26 positions gained in all three rounds.

Jordan earmarked the weekend as an opportunity missed given team-mate Mat Jackson's podium and victory in Norfolk on a landmark weekend for Motorbase Performance as they hit their 300th race milestone in the championship.

Rob Austin is showing a consistent eye for a pass on race-day as he once more placed in the top three Dunlop #ForeverForward drivers of the weekend as he gained 20 positions at Snetterton.

It was a similar story for the Handy Motorsport man. After turning a corner in the two-day tyre test, Austin found himself contending with a suspension setup discrepancy come qualifying that left him down in a disappointing 24th spot.

The Evesham racer then battled his way back through the pack over the opening two rounds, making the top ten by the end of race two.

Starting ninth in the final bout, he stole a march on those around him on the opening lap of race three to place fourth by the time the field came around to complete the first tour. Fourth became third as Mat Jackson in the Motorbase Performance Ford was forced into retirement, and there Austin stayed – keeping Plato and the chasing pack at bay until the chequered flag.

With six events down, the results and standings are as follows – Drivers' Championship leader Rob Collard heads the pack:

Dunlop #ForeverForward drivers of the weekend

1 Andrew Jordan 26
2 Rob Austin 20
3 Jack Goff 19

Dunlop #ForeverForward overall standings

1 Rob Collard 94
2 Rob Austin 87
3 Martin Depper 81

AlcoSense will be giving away a Single Use Breathalyser to the first 7,500 spectators* through the gate at Knockhill Racing Circuit this weekend (13/14 August) - a total of £22,500 worth of breathalysers.

One in five drink drive convictions happen the morning after and AlcoSense Breathalysers is working with the BTCC to raise awareness of how easy it can be to unintentionally drink driving the morning after a few drinks by giving spectators the tools to test themselves the morning after the night before. Due to the lower limit of 0.50‰BAC (0.22mg/L in breath) in Scotland, which came into force in December 2014, these risks are even greater for Scottish drivers now than where at the old limit of 0.80‰BAC (0.35mg/L in breath). Studies show the human body processes 0.10-0.15 ‰BAC from the blood stream per hour. As a result it now takes someone 2-3 hours longer to get below the lower Scottish than it would have done at the old limit, therefore increasing the risk of unintentionally drink driving the morning after a few drinks.**

Hunter Abbott, Managing Director of AlcoSense said: “We’re proud to be giving away so many breathalysers to the public, it gives people the tools to be able to make an informed decision instead of relying of potentially fatal guesswork. If they find it useful each breathalyser comes with a 20% off voucher (expires 31^st August 2016) which can be used against the purchase of one of our re-useable breathalysers. With 52% of drivers underestimating how long it takes for alcohol to clear their system, I hope we might prevent a few people from driving the next day when they might have assumed they were clear.”

AlcoSense Breathalysers are available from Halfords and Boots nationwide and direct from alcosense.co.uk. AlcoSense single use breathalysers have an RRP of £2.99 and reusable breathalysers start at £39.99.

*Over 18’s only

**Source: Forensic Consulting Services