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Rockingham track next stop for BTCC
The countdown has begun: there are now less than two weeks to go before the BTCC arrives at the Rockingham circuit for its penultimate round.
And nerves are bound to be on edge among the leading contenders for they know that Rockingham marks a last chance to keep alive their title hopes before BTCC Finals Day at Brands Hatch, Kent in early October.
Northern Ireland's Colin Turkington leads Italy's Fabrizio Giovanardi by 11 points at the top of the standings - a slender margin considering there are still six races to go (three at Rockingham and three at Brands Hatch) and that each win earns 15 points. Team RAC BMW driver Turkington and Vauxhall superstar Giovanardi, Champion the past two seasons, have been the two stand-out drivers so far in 2009 with 11 race wins between them. But others could yet pip them: Jason Plato, Matt Neal and Mat Jackson can also mathematically still be crowned Champion, although realistically they need Turkington and Giovanardi to suffer some appalling luck.
Plato and Jackson are on a roll at the moment with five wins from the last six races between them in their Racing Silverline Chevrolet Lacettis run by local team to Rockingham, Wellinborough-based RML so both can expect plenty of home support.
Paul O'Neill, from nearby Kettering, can also expect plenty of cheers from the Rockingham grandstands, his giant-killing performances for the small sunshine.co.uk team this season having deservedly earned him the tag of 'People's Champion'.
Another great name to watch for will be Formula 1 star Johnny Herbert - contesting his second BTCC race event after making his debut in the championship's most recent round at Silverstone, also in Northamptonshire.