Oxford racing driver Jason Plato goes into the final rounds of the 2010 Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship hoping to seal the title.
Chevrolet driver Plato heads into the final three races at Brands hatch this weekend 17 points ahead of the Honda Racing Team driver Matt Neal.
Neal's Honda team-mate Gordon Shedden is just four points behind his Civic team-mate. There are 54 points up for grabs at Brands Hatch.
Plato said: "It’s all to play for as we head to Brands Hatch."
Neal, who has won the title on two previous occasions, said: “There is no pressure on me this weekend because I am going to do my usual job. I am going out there to win the races, and the rest of it can take care of itself. It is a good position to be in; I would rather be the hunter than the hunted.”
“The Civic has really good handling and that is exactly what I am going to need at Brands Hatch. It is a tight and twisty circuit where the cars always stay close together and everyone’s going to be looking for the smallest edge. The Civic will be the perfect car in those conditions, and the rest is up to me. I will be giving it everything.”
Neal has already taken five wins in the championship this season and can become the most winning driver of the year if he adds to that tally.
Shedden is third in the standings and it is the first time that the Scotsman has been in the showdown for the tin-top title. The Fife flyer says that his approach will be the same as Neal’s and he has promised all-out attack.
“Honda has already wrapped up the Manufacturers’ title, so Brands Hatch is going to be all about the drivers,” said Shedden. “That’s great because it means we can go flat out for wins. Although I haven’t been in this position before I feel very relaxed about it and I know that it is down to my performances on the day.”
“I know that I need to win at least one of the races to be in with a chance of the title, so that will be my initial aim. After that, it depends on what happens to the others. The Civic is going to be one of the fastest cars at Brands Hatch but the racing there is always so close that it is going to be very hard to call. I am not going to give up on the title until it is mathematically impossible. All the time there is a chance, I will be giving it full throttle to keep the dream alive.”
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