PLATO CROWNED 2001 BTCC CHAMPION · Harrison and GR Motorsport claim Production honours
Jason Plato from Vauxhall Motorsport has been crowned Champion of the www.theAA.com MSA British Touring Car Championship 2001 in the final Rounds at Brands Hatch. He is the first Brit to have won the BTCC since John Cleland in 1995. In the Production category, HTML’s Simon Harrison claimed the BTC Drivers’ Championship title, whilst GR Motorsport sealed the Teams’ Championship. MG Sport and Racing took their first race win, breaking Vauxhall Motorsport’s stronghold.

SPRINT RACE - Touring category
MG Sport and Racing Anthony Reid took his first win of the season in a fantastic battle for the lead. The first visit to the podium for the British marque broke Vauxhall Motorsport’s record of winning all races to date.

Reid said: “It just keeps getting better and better, MG seems to have the midas touch at the moment. Warren has pole for the next race and I have won this one. It’s safe to say that my experience definitely played a role in the win. Everybody else changed onto wets and I stayed on slicks but I knew that I could have very easily gone a lap down if I had come in to change four tyres. The chassis was so good that I was able to keep it on the track but I was pleased when the race was red flagged!”

Jason Plato made a dash for Paddock Hill bend from the off and managed to pip his team-mate and poleman, Yvan Muller, to the post. He maintained the advantage for the remainder of the race and finished in second.

Production category
Simon Graves (Team Kaliber Sport with Barwell) drove a superb race to finish first, closely followed by his team-mate James Kaye. Rick Kraemer pulled out all the stops to claim third position, his first podium finish for GR Motorsport.

Graves commented: “When it was dry, the car was good and it worked well. It was a cracking call by the team to call me in to change onto wets, as I was the only one. I had an exemplary stop so I didn’t have any time to make time up. Great team effort!”

FEATURE RACE - Touring category
In a 55 lap race, torrential rain left the Championship wide open until lap 36 when race leader Yvan Muller (Vauxhall Motorsport) was forced to out of the race due to a fire on the undercarriage of his car. Muller’s team-mate Jason Plato automatically claimed the Championship title following the Frenchman’s retirement.

Plato said: “In the beginning of the race there was just too much standing water and I spun off. The circuit was getting better and better for my car and when the safety car came out, I knew I had a chance of pulling back. I’m delighted to win the Championship. It’s been a fraught year and I’m glad it’s all over. I would like to thank my family and fans for their support.”

Team Egg Sport’s Phil Bennett subsequently took the lead but still had to pit. Team Peugeot Sport’s Dan Eaves replaced Bennett but did not have the power to claim his first win and finished in third. Plato spun off the track earlier in the wet conditions and had to make his way from the back of the pack but finished a victorious second.

MG’s winning streak was not mirrored in the Feature Race when both cars suffered suspected electrical failures and were forced to retire on lap seven.

Production category
In a close battle, Scot Gavin Pyper secured a win for GA Janspeed Racing. Gareth Howell followed him home in second, giving GR Motorsport the points they needed to win the Teams’ Championship. James Kaye made a tremendous effort to cross the line in first to steal the Drivers’ Championship from HTML’s Simon Harrison, who did not manage to make the podium. Kaye did not gain the required points advantage after finishing in third, leaving a jubilant Harrison to claim the Championship laurels.

Race winner Pyper said: “That race was a nightmare because of the wet conditions. Every lap I completed I was amazed I was still on the track. The car was great in the wet, we lacked a bit of torque but overall it had a good set-up and everything turned out ok”

Harrison said: “What a day and season! With the weather conditions, my chances looked rocky. I can’t remember a Championship that came down to the last race in both categories. This is the third time I have won a National Championship so now it’s about time for a Touring car drive!”