Diesel on top in second session - just.

Jason Plato set the pace in the second free practice session at Rockingham, although the close nature of the times has set up an intriguing battle ahead of qualifying for the latest round of the HiQ MSA British Touring Car Championship.

The 2001 champion posted a fast time of 1min 24.712secs at the wheel of his diesel powered SEAT Leon which was enough to see him edge out the Team RAC BMW of Colin Turkington by just 0.052secs. However, those who commented on the expected pace of the Leon TDi appear to have been correct with birthday boy Darren Turner slotting into third place - only 0.021secs behind the BMW.

It was also a close run thing between Vauxhall team-mates Tom Onslow-Cole and Matt Neal in the battle for fourth place, but eventually it was second-year driver Onslow-Cole who came out top by just 0.020secs to take early bragging rights for VX Racing. Former Vauxhall man Tom Chilton completed the top six.

Steven Kane bounced back from his off into the gravel in the first session to post the seventh fastest time, despite taking a trip round the oval in his BMW after outbraking himself into Deene, with Gordon Shedden, Mat Jackson and Mike Jordan rounding out the top ten.

Those to hit problems in the session included Adam Jones, who ground to a halt with a crankshaft sensor issue after just seven laps, and Martyn Bell, who managed just one lap before returning to the pits with an oil leak on his Astra.

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