Jason Plato is the most successful driver in BTCC history, having amassed 94 victories in his glittering career to date, and the tin-top legend will reach another notable milestone at Knockhill next weekend.
The opening race on Sunday will be his 500th in Britain’s toughest championship, with a record of nearly one win in every five races ensuring an outstanding and long-lasting legacy in the series.
“I’m sure it’s something I’ll look back on fondly at the end of my career, but for now I’m focussed on the job at hand,” he said. “I’m more interested in the number of wins I’ve had than the number of races, to be honest.”
Winning also remains a big talking point this season, as Plato still searches for his maiden success with Silverline Subaru BMR Racing, although it’s more paddock chat rather than something the man himself is too concerned about.
Plato is signed to a multi-year deal with the Japanese marque and is playing the long game, whilst acclimatising himself to rear-wheel-drive machinery for the first time in his BTCC career.
“I feel like it’s close, but we’re not losing too much sleep over it,” commented Plato at Snetterton. “Things just haven’t quite gone my way so far this year.”
With a career spanning nearly two decades, the ups and downs of motor sport are merely part of the job, but it’s fair to say his 500 races have provided some of the best and most memorable performances ever seen in the BTCC.
The good times have outweighed the bad by quite some margin, and you wouldn’t put it past him adding to his victory tally at Knockhill next weekend. Especially given his recent form around the tight and twisty Knockhill track. Plato has only managed one win since 2010, making that 1 in 5 ratio well and truly overdue… we could be set for a Subaru surge this weekend.
