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RECORD FOUR DRIVERS TO FIGHT FOR UK'S PREMIER MOTOR RACING TITLE AT BRANDS HATCH CIRCUIT There are now less than three weeks to go before the UK's premier motor racing series - the Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship - returns to the ...

Edited: Sep 23, 2010, 3:16 AM

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RECORD FOUR DRIVERS TO FIGHT FOR UK'S PREMIER MOTOR RACING TITLE AT BRANDS HATCH CIRCUIT

There are now less than three weeks to go before the UK's premier motor racing series - the Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship - returns to the world-famous Brands Hatch circuit in Kent (Sunday 10 October) for the title-deciding final round of its exhilarating 2010 season.

Following last Sunday's penultimate round at Donington Park in Leicestershire, it will be a nail-biting four-way fight between Jason Plato, Matt Neal, Tom Onslow-Cole and Gordon Shedden to decide who lifts the UK's - and one of the world's - most prestigious motor sport trophies. Previously, no more than three drivers have gone into Finals Day with a chance of the title.

A huge crowd is anticipated as fans flock to Brands Hatch from not just the South East but all over the UK to see who comes out on top in the final three races of the season. Each driver boasts a fanbase of thousands as do the three different makes of car they race, namely Chevrolet (Plato), Honda (Neal and Shedden) and Ford (Onslow-Cole).

Oxford racer Plato is in pole position to win the championship for a second time. The Silverline Chevrolet team superstar has built up a 17-point lead over big Worcestershire rival Neal who himself is just four points ahead of Scottish Honda Racing Team team-mate Gordon Shedden. Surrey youngster Onslow-Cole is then just three behind Shedden in his unique, LPG-turbocharged Team Aon Ford Focus. While Plato and Neal are both former BTCC Champions, neither Shedden nor Onslow-Cole have previously experienced the pressures of going into Finals Day as a title contender.

Just 24 points cover Plato, Neal, Shedden and Onslow-Cole and, with a maximum 52 up for grabs at Brands Hatch, all four are guaranteed to still be in with a chance of becoming Champion going into the second of the day's three races at Brands Hatch on 10 October.

In addition, they will also have the rest of the 20-plus car grid to worry about that includes other rival teams representing makes such as BMW, SEAT, Vauxhall and VW. Indeed, it's not just the 'big four' who've done all the winning this season - to date there have been nine different winners with at least another four drivers having come close to achieving victories and they are bound to add to the uncertainty and drama by getting in among Plato, Neal, Shedden and Onslow-Cole at Brands Hatch.

Among them will be Steven Kane and Mat Jackson - driving for local, Wrotham-based team Airwaves BMW and who are both in the running for the Independent Drivers title along with Onslow-Cole and his team-mate Tom Chilton. Thurrock's Shaun Hollamby will also be keen to end his and his AmD Milltek Racing.com team's debut BTCC season on a high with a strong performance in his VW Golf in front of his home crowd.

Tickets to BTCC Finals Day at Brands Hatch - within easy reach of the M25 and M20 motorways - cost as little as £24 in advance from www.brandshatch.co.uk or 0870 950 9000. Admission for accompanied children aged 12 & under is FREE. All admissions include access to the popular Pit Lane Walkabout session when the public can meet the BTCC's star drivers for autographs, photos and team give-aways.

Adding to the line-up of entertainment, the day will include another seven races that will decide the outcome of the high-profile Ginetta, Porsche and Renault series that support the BTCC at each of its fixtures and make for the very best in sportscar, saloon and single-seater action in the country.

-source: btcc.net

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