In this episode of The Late Brake Show Jonny chats to BTCC legend Jason Plato about his life in cars; his road car choices, crashes, karting, Michael Schumacher trouser ripping, and how his race driving career kicked off. He also takes a trip down memory lane by getting reacquainted with his 1998 Renault Laguna Super Touring car at the Williams Heritage Centre.
Jason Plato is a two time BTCC champion and has raced in British Touring Cars for over 20 years. Since his debut in 1997 driving a Williams Laguna next to Alain Menu, he has driven over 500 BTCC races. He drove in the famous Super Touring era and has raced Chevrolets (championship winner 2010), Vauxhalls, Renaults, Seats, MGs and VWs.
Matt Neal and Jason Plato have collectively spent over 50 years racing in BTCC. They are veterans, legends and notorious rivals. Over the years much paint has been swapped between the two of them on track, and off-track things have almost come to blows. Even if you don't follow the British Touring Car Championship closely, there is no denying the high octane closeness and unpredictability of this series.
Jason Plato
BTCC driver 1997-present
Car #11
Races: 599
Wins: 97
Championship wins: 2001, 2010
Poles: 51
Podiums: 231
Fastest Laps: 86
Current team: Sterling Insurance with Power Maxed Racing
2 x 10 sec archive clips of BTCC footage credited to Duke Video (https://www.dukevideo.com/):
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zBzwXUR29YE
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fk9FYTeX5LM
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sF_i3GTUxNk
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLS1z_RrHSBaL20GLFdVolWgGf_M__RBpV
We have contacted Duke video and have used the Duke video clip(s) after careful research into the legalities surrounding 'Fair Use', knowing that we have used the clip(s) in a factual, reportage way to validate the discussion point made by the person(s) involved in the original footage. We have used a short a clip as possible to validate said point. We have also used the clip in the confidence that it will act in a positive transformative way to the original clips; with that in mind, please check out the original 'Duke' YouTube links above and please support them as you are supporting us. Many thanks to Duke and to you, our viewers.
To purchase Duke downloads and dvds: https://www.dukevideo.com/Touring-Car/BTCC
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Filmed and edited by: Mark Hankins - @Inksharkman - InkShark Studio
Thumbnail by: Matt Tarrant Design https://matttarrantdesign.com
Huge thanks to Williams Racing Heritage Centre ( https://www.williamsheritage.com/ ) for being so accommodating and willing to let TLBS film inside their stunning facility.
And thank you Jason Plato, you potty mouthed cad.
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Jonny Smith
Creative content maker, car presenter & car pervert for hire since '98
Website: http://www.carpervert.com
Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/jonnycarpervert
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/carpervert
CHAPTERS
0:00 Intro
0:25 Race stats
1:04 Karting as a kid
1:38 Janspeed is Jason's uncle
1:56 Got a kart as a bad debt
2:15 Jason's dedicated parents
3:00 1997 BTCC debut story
5:05 Stalking Frank Williams
8:44 5 mins begging Williams
9:15 Super Touring Lagunas
9:53 Max Power style mods of the '90s
10:25 1998 Laguna racing
10:40 First car?
11:04 Citroen 2CV snapping
11:31 Renault 19 16v CRASH
12:00 Written off twice in 24hrs
13:27 Lancia Integrale
13:45 Integrale crash story
14:03 'Nasty sex'
15:23 Big boy exhaust on 205 GTi
16:00 Ferrari in 1997
17:25 Jason's Porsches
17:38 Regret selling 993 Turbo
18:27 Old race suit
19:00 No hoarding, no collecting
19:40 Race of Champions (RoC) story
20:30 The only trophy kept
21:25 Swapping helmets with Alain Prost
22:09 Karting with Schumacher
22:55 Schumacher ripping trousers off
24:40 Fighting Michael Schumacher
26:45 Outro and subscribe
27:19 Plato Vs Neal!
#btcc #jasonplato #britishtouringcar #nealandplato