BTCC: VX Racing Snetterton race three notes

VX Racing's Fabrizio Giovanardi leading the field at Snetterton

Incredible drama in this afternoon's Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship round 21 saw VX Racing's Fabrizio Giovanardi survive two on-track tussles to finish third and make up further ground on title rival Jason Plato.

Defending champion, Matt Neal, was the first to try his luck up the inside of the Italian's Vauxhall Vectra, but despite a nudge that sent Giovanardi skidding sideways onto the grass, the Vauxhall works driver managed to maintain his fourth place.

Seven laps later, championship rivals Plato and Giovanardi were battling wheel-to-wheel for the first time this season. With Mat Jackson holding the pair up at the Esses, Plato pulled alongside the BMW for third place. Giovanardi, running in fourth, saw his chance up the inside and the fans were on their feet as the pair clashed door handles across the grass.

Neal, in fifth, took the advantage sneaking into second as Jackson faded, but Giovanardi came out of the breath-taking tussle in front of principle title rival Plato to take another bite out of the SEAT driver's points advantage.

Tom Chilton had a disappointing race in comparison, making a good start but struggling in the fiercely-fought mid-field to finish eighth.

Fabrizio Giovanardi #5

"Now I've shown Plato who's the boss! I'm sure he will say otherwise, but my move was very clean. What a brilliant result for us!"

Tom Chilton #7

"I got a better start this time around and made up two places. I had an incident when I lost four places in the space of a few seconds, but there was so much happening in that race that I can't remember what exactly happened! It was a big dissappointment."

-credit: vx racing