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Jason Plato Awarded BRDC Silver Star For Outstanding Performance In This Year's BTCC
Following an enthralling season in the HiQ MSA British Touring Car Championship this year, in which Jason Plato competed with the RML-powered Chevrolet Lacetti for Racing Silverline, Jason’s impressive form not only marked several important career milestones, including his 300th BTCC start and 50th career win, but for the third time in succession the BRDC has awarded him with the BRDC Silver Star.
The Silver Star award first came to fruition in 1977, when former BRDC Club Secretary, Pierre Aumonier, advised the Board that an award equivalent to the Gold Star, first instigated in 1929 for the Member with the best racing results at International level, should be presented to the most successful Club member competing at the highest level in National racing. An impressive history of BTCC winners places Jason in good company, with former victors including John Cleland, David Leslie and James Thompson.
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Points are awarded to members competing in the UK’s three major motorsport championships including British Touring Cars, British GT and Formula 3. The top ten finishers are awarded points, with a win earning the Member twenty points.
Few Members have received this prestigious acknowledgement of outstanding achievement in such highly competitive racing. Jason has now taken the award a record-breaking five times, in 2001, 2004, 2007, 2008 and 2009. James Thompson has claimed the award twice during his BTCC career, once in 2002 and 2003. This year first-class performances from several current BTCC drivers dominate the top five in the final standings for the award. Taking into account his best twelve finishes of the year, in which Jason secured seven wins, sixteen podiums and four pole positions, the Oxfordshire racer wins with 212 points, eight points clear of eventual 2009 BTCC champion, Colin Turkington, in second place. Racing Silverline’s other star driver, Mat Jackson, rounds out the top three with 173 points.
Jason will receive his Silver Star at the BRDC Annual Awards in December.
PaddockTalk Perspective
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