Oxford-based Jason Plato kept up the pressure on leader Colin Turkington with victory at Rockingham in Northamptonshire on Sunday.
Plato won race two and finished second in race one in his Racing Silverline Chevrolet to close the gap on Team RAC’s Turkington, who recorded two fourth positions and a tenth place, to 28 points. Stephen Jelley recorded two victories.
All eyes now switch to finals day Brands Hatch on Sunday, October 4, when Plato will be battling it out with Turkington and Vauxhall's reigning champion, Italy’s Fabrizio Giovanardi, who trails Turkington by 13 points for the title.
And Plato, who captured the title in 2001, has clearly not given up hopes of winning the crown this time around, despite the odds.
“I really thought I was right out of it before Rockingham and I still believe 28 points is too much to make up,” said Plato.
“Realistically, it is Colin's and Fabrizio's to lose – all I can do is try and win races on the day and the rest is up to them.”
Meanwhile, Turkington has provisionally won a third consecutive Independent Drivers' title.
Plato can still equal his points tally, but will lose out on the number of privateer wins.
Plato has four compared to Turkington's haul of nine.
DRIVERS’ STANDINGS 1 C Turkington, 249 points, 2 F Giovanardi 236, 3 J Plato, 221, 4 M Jackson 165, 5 M Neal 153, 6= S Jelley 132, 6= R Collard, 132, 8 J Thompson 114, 9 A Jordan 106, 10 J Adam 103.
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