The 2019 British Touring Car Championship was off to a thrilling start at Rockingham Motor Speedway, where Tom Ingram and his Speedworks Motorsport team emerged victorious in a heart-stopping race that saw several drivers battling for position.

As the lights went out, Ingram and teammate Turkgul got off to a blistering start, with the Volkswagen piloted by Turkgul slipping up the inside of his teammate to claim second place. Plato was hot on Ingram's heels, but the double champion was forced to sit back and bide his time as Ingram expertly navigated the treacherous track. Meanwhile, Tom Ingram had set up a thrilling race-long fight for top spot with Plato, who was right on his rear bumper.

Despite the initial advantage, Plato made several attempts to pass Ingram, but the Volkswagen driver refused to give up the lead easily. The two drivers engaged in a fierce battle that left the crowd on the edge of their seats as they fought for supremacy. However, it wasn't until lap 12 that Plato finally managed to get the better of Ingram and take the top spot.

However, the drama didn't end there. A safety car period cool things off briefly, but it wasn't long before the Flatout action resumed with all eyes fixed on the tussle for victory. The battle continued to rage at the front of the pack, with both Mercedes drivers Morgan and Moord hitting problems that sent them careening off track.

In a bizarre incident, Hunter Abbott's Audi was speared into Aiden Moord's car after taking him out of the contest, leaving two cars out of the running. Meanwhile, the Ford-powered cars were still battling it out for position, with Ingram holding on to second place behind Plato.

Despite his eventual victory, Plato was forced to reflect on a thrilling race that saw several twists and turns. "We've seen the swings and roundabouts of the British Touring Car Championship, and it's ended on a high for us," he said in the post-race interview. "We were unlucky and frustratingly so, but we had good pace all day and our performance in the next two races was just a bit unlucky. Gordon's driven brilliantly today, and had his car hooked up, but we're back in the game."

The championship leader, Gordon Shedden, was also in high spirits after extending his lead to six points over Plato. However, he acknowledged that there would be no room for error at the next round, which is just eight points away from him. "We've got to try and get out of Silverstone with a good result, either in the lead or within a point," he said. "Then it's game on for us."

Shedden also expressed his love for the iconic Silverstone circuit, which holds a special place in the hearts of British racing fans. "It's where you know for my sins I'm a bit of a BR British RAC and Drivers Club board director, and that owns and operates Silverstone," he said. "It's where all drivers want to race at – it's a circuit where all dreams are made."

Shedden also hinted that the Ford Focus would be a strong contender for the championship, citing its zero-balancing rules as an advantage over the restricted engines of the other teams. "The Ford has zero balance, which isn't being restricted like our engines, so it'll be quick," he said.

In conclusion, the 2019 British Touring Car Championship is shaping up to be a thrilling season, with several drivers and teams vying for top spot. As we look forward to the next round at Silverstone, one thing is certain – only time will tell who will emerge victorious in this high-stakes championship.

"WEBVTTKind: captionsLanguage: enRockingham is always a pivotal weekend in the Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship and the thousands of fans that packed out the immense Grand stands were not disappointed as the pendulum of the 2015 season swung in every direction at the Corby speed Bowl it was an all important 30-minute qualifying session that would set the grid for the first encounter on Sunday the crowds at the circuit and the thousands watching online via the ITV btcc website were to be treated to a piece of history as popular independent outfit motorbase performance scored its Maiden pole position with Matt Jackson at the wheel it was an incredibly close session with 3/4 of a second covering the top 19 cars perhaps the biggest upset though was for Honda's Gordon shedon who put in a stunning last gasp lap to go third that was later given a four Place grid penalty for a procedural infringement during qualifying having left the pit Lane out of ascending pit Bay order it was a Flawless getaway for Jackson as the Lights Went Out For the First Time with the top three holding station for the opening few turns the two Honda Machines of shedon and Matt Neil blasted off the line but there was Championship drama immediately as the then points leader Jason Plato careered over the grass with broken rear suspension it was undoubtedly a defining moment in the 2015 campaign as crucially the team B mrr mechanics were able to repair the car before he dropped too far behind to be classified as a finisher this meant he was able to post a lap time and secure a slot on the grid for race two with the VW Ace in trouble his Honda rival Sharon capitalized passing Jack Goff early on before diving up the inside of Aaron Smith's car at Dean Harin to secure second place despite setting the fastest lap and thus securing pole for race two shedon couldn't match the forward Focus ahead and Jackson crossed the line to take a popular first win for his team in 2015 it was a close battle all the way through for third with Smith coming under intense pressure from gof and Neil Smith and gof held on to take third and fourth but there was late drama for Neil who suffered a puncture on the final tour dropping him to eighth over the line with shedon on pole an impressive lap from the Mercedes of Adam Morgan in race one put him alongside on the front row with race one winner Jackson third after the Lights Went Out the field concertin it up into the first Hain and the top cars went three wide at the Apex and despite Morgan holding the inside from Jackson the forward driver kept his foot in to haul himself up the inside in turn three the race one pce Setters shedon and Jackson both got their heads down and drove away from the field in the middle phase of the contest but there was plenty going on behind as Matt Neil and Josh cook charged up the order Cook's teammate Dave neam on the other hand and was in Strife as contact with Nick Foster sent him off the circuit and out of contention cook was to become the star of the race for Power Max racing as he continued to take place after Place passing the likes of Colin turkington and Jack gof before closing on the Wicks racing car of Morgan for third the number 33 car had itself reeled in Jackson but with cook flying Morgan's attention soon turned to defense it was elbows out for the Mercedes man but despite holding on for two intense laps as the brace of yellow machines were side by side at almost every turn a last Corner Gambit from cook paid off and he snatched his first ever btcc podium in his rookie year Jason Plato enjoyed a superb race to seventh position pulling some impressive moves to significantly get into an ideal place for the Reversed grid draw it was Tom Ingram in the speedworks Toyota who ended up on pole though and the 22-year-old blasted off the line with a textbook start player was immediately on the Move making up a position into turn one as Jack G's mg was fired off and then slipping up the inside of teammate turkington for second position within just a couple of laps the double champ Plato was right on Ingram's rear bumper but Tom wasn't going to give up the place easily setting up a thrilling race long fight for top spot the Volkswagen tried time and again to get by into the dean heing but Ingram repelled every effort for the first half of the contest a brief safety car period cool thing things off as Mike bushell's Ford was Beed in the gravel but it wasn't long before the Flatout action resumed with all eyes fixed on the tussle for victory there was more fighting further down the order both Mercedes hit problems with Morgan running off track and Aiden moord becoming an unfortunate victim of a problem for Hunter Abbott that sent the Audi spearing into the youngsters car taking them both out back at the front it looked like Plato at last had the move down to take first place on lap 12 that a sensational fight back from demoted the team BMR car to Second once more prompting a huge cheer from the Rockingham Grand stands finally a few laps later Plato made the move stick and went on to take what could be a crucial Victory but the biggest celebrations of the day were reserved for Tom Ingram and the small speedworks Motorsport team as they held on to score second place with an incredible roller coaster of results for the top title Challengers Gordon shedon managed to turn around a 20-point deficit into a six-point lead in the championship's first of two trips to northamptonshire but it could have been worse for his main rival Jason Plato who spoke to Luise Goodman after some spectacular Podium celebrations Jason once again at Rockingham we've seen the swings and roundabouts of the British try and Car Championship it's it's ended on a high for you there hasn't it I mean it has you know but you you can't look at what happened in race one and start stomping around that's just Motor Racing you know we were unlucky and um you know frustratingly so but you know we've had good Pace all day and you know our performance in race two race three we were just a bit unlucky and Gordon's driven brilliantly today and had his car hooked up but you know we're back in the game there's a long way to go yeah well the next round is obviously silverson a home race for you just eight points in it is it eight yes um yeah you know I've got a good record at at silverson I think it will suit our car for sure it's going to suit Gordon's but probably more so mine a little bit you know we've got to try and get out a silverson you know either in the lead or or or within a point or something and then it's game on for bran hat which will be a circuit which will really s suit us you know if you look back in history it's another old part for me so yeah we just got to stay in the game silverston the the home of uh of of the Grand Prix but very much the home of BR British Motor Racing and it's important venue for the btcc to visit isn't it absolutely you know it's where you know for my sins you know it's an honor that I'm a be EC British RAC and Drivers Club board director and that owns and operates s Silverstone and it is the home of British Motorsport it's the it's a circuit where all drivers want want to race at you know I can remember as a kid going through the gates with my dad in a car to go and watch the 1976 British G Prix and I still get a good buzz when I go there now it's an interesting noise isn't it um so yeah you know and it's it's going to be it's going to be a great week again silson always produces fantastic racing I had a brilliant race around there a couple years ago with Andrew Jordan there's there's a few twists and turns to come in this Championship yet who do you think it it's going to favor give us not just yourself obviously but you know teams and cars who's it going to be good for and who's it maybe not going to be so good for well it's going to be good for the Ford F Focus because that has zero B Bal stand you know an engine which isn't being restricted like our engines so it's it's a dragster that thing and that'll be quick so you know we'll see Matt Jackson up there we'll certainly see The Hondas there I think the be you know our cars the BMR cars will be good I don't think it's a BMW circuit um and the MGs should be very strong around there that's a lot of cars isn't it sounds good to me we'll see you there thank youRockingham is always a pivotal weekend in the Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship and the thousands of fans that packed out the immense Grand stands were not disappointed as the pendulum of the 2015 season swung in every direction at the Corby speed Bowl it was an all important 30-minute qualifying session that would set the grid for the first encounter on Sunday the crowds at the circuit and the thousands watching online via the ITV btcc website were to be treated to a piece of history as popular independent outfit motorbase performance scored its Maiden pole position with Matt Jackson at the wheel it was an incredibly close session with 3/4 of a second covering the top 19 cars perhaps the biggest upset though was for Honda's Gordon shedon who put in a stunning last gasp lap to go third that was later given a four Place grid penalty for a procedural infringement during qualifying having left the pit Lane out of ascending pit Bay order it was a Flawless getaway for Jackson as the Lights Went Out For the First Time with the top three holding station for the opening few turns the two Honda Machines of shedon and Matt Neil blasted off the line but there was Championship drama immediately as the then points leader Jason Plato careered over the grass with broken rear suspension it was undoubtedly a defining moment in the 2015 campaign as crucially the team B mrr mechanics were able to repair the car before he dropped too far behind to be classified as a finisher this meant he was able to post a lap time and secure a slot on the grid for race two with the VW Ace in trouble his Honda rival Sharon capitalized passing Jack Goff early on before diving up the inside of Aaron Smith's car at Dean Harin to secure second place despite setting the fastest lap and thus securing pole for race two shedon couldn't match the forward Focus ahead and Jackson crossed the line to take a popular first win for his team in 2015 it was a close battle all the way through for third with Smith coming under intense pressure from gof and Neil Smith and gof held on to take third and fourth but there was late drama for Neil who suffered a puncture on the final tour dropping him to eighth over the line with shedon on pole an impressive lap from the Mercedes of Adam Morgan in race one put him alongside on the front row with race one winner Jackson third after the Lights Went Out the field concertin it up into the first Hain and the top cars went three wide at the Apex and despite Morgan holding the inside from Jackson the forward driver kept his foot in to haul himself up the inside in turn three the race one pce Setters shedon and Jackson both got their heads down and drove away from the field in the middle phase of the contest but there was plenty going on behind as Matt Neil and Josh cook charged up the order Cook's teammate Dave neam on the other hand and was in Strife as contact with Nick Foster sent him off the circuit and out of contention cook was to become the star of the race for Power Max racing as he continued to take place after Place passing the likes of Colin turkington and Jack gof before closing on the Wicks racing car of Morgan for third the number 33 car had itself reeled in Jackson but with cook flying Morgan's attention soon turned to defense it was elbows out for the Mercedes man but despite holding on for two intense laps as the brace of yellow machines were side by side at almost every turn a last Corner Gambit from cook paid off and he snatched his first ever btcc podium in his rookie year Jason Plato enjoyed a superb race to seventh position pulling some impressive moves to significantly get into an ideal place for the Reversed grid draw it was Tom Ingram in the speedworks Toyota who ended up on pole though and the 22-year-old blasted off the line with a textbook start player was immediately on the Move making up a position into turn one as Jack G's mg was fired off and then slipping up the inside of teammate turkington for second position within just a couple of laps the double champ Plato was right on Ingram's rear bumper but Tom wasn't going to give up the place easily setting up a thrilling race long fight for top spot the Volkswagen tried time and again to get by into the dean heing but Ingram repelled every effort for the first half of the contest a brief safety car period cool thing things off as Mike bushell's Ford was Beed in the gravel but it wasn't long before the Flatout action resumed with all eyes fixed on the tussle for victory there was more fighting further down the order both Mercedes hit problems with Morgan running off track and Aiden moord becoming an unfortunate victim of a problem for Hunter Abbott that sent the Audi spearing into the youngsters car taking them both out back at the front it looked like Plato at last had the move down to take first place on lap 12 that a sensational fight back from demoted the team BMR car to Second once more prompting a huge cheer from the Rockingham Grand stands finally a few laps later Plato made the move stick and went on to take what could be a crucial Victory but the biggest celebrations of the day were reserved for Tom Ingram and the small speedworks Motorsport team as they held on to score second place with an incredible roller coaster of results for the top title Challengers Gordon shedon managed to turn around a 20-point deficit into a six-point lead in the championship's first of two trips to northamptonshire but it could have been worse for his main rival Jason Plato who spoke to Luise Goodman after some spectacular Podium celebrations Jason once again at Rockingham we've seen the swings and roundabouts of the British try and Car Championship it's it's ended on a high for you there hasn't it I mean it has you know but you you can't look at what happened in race one and start stomping around that's just Motor Racing you know we were unlucky and um you know frustratingly so but you know we've had good Pace all day and you know our performance in race two race three we were just a bit unlucky and Gordon's driven brilliantly today and had his car hooked up but you know we're back in the game there's a long way to go yeah well the next round is obviously silverson a home race for you just eight points in it is it eight yes um yeah you know I've got a good record at at silverson I think it will suit our car for sure it's going to suit Gordon's but probably more so mine a little bit you know we've got to try and get out a silverson you know either in the lead or or or within a point or something and then it's game on for bran hat which will be a circuit which will really s suit us you know if you look back in history it's another old part for me so yeah we just got to stay in the game silverston the the home of uh of of the Grand Prix but very much the home of BR British Motor Racing and it's important venue for the btcc to visit isn't it absolutely you know it's where you know for my sins you know it's an honor that I'm a be EC British RAC and Drivers Club board director and that owns and operates s Silverstone and it is the home of British Motorsport it's the it's a circuit where all drivers want want to race at you know I can remember as a kid going through the gates with my dad in a car to go and watch the 1976 British G Prix and I still get a good buzz when I go there now it's an interesting noise isn't it um so yeah you know and it's it's going to be it's going to be a great week again silson always produces fantastic racing I had a brilliant race around there a couple years ago with Andrew Jordan there's there's a few twists and turns to come in this Championship yet who do you think it it's going to favor give us not just yourself obviously but you know teams and cars who's it going to be good for and who's it maybe not going to be so good for well it's going to be good for the Ford F Focus because that has zero B Bal stand you know an engine which isn't being restricted like our engines so it's it's a dragster that thing and that'll be quick so you know we'll see Matt Jackson up there we'll certainly see The Hondas there I think the be you know our cars the BMR cars will be good I don't think it's a BMW circuit um and the MGs should be very strong around there that's a lot of cars isn't it sounds good to me we'll see you there thank you\n"