BILLERICAY driver Lewis Plato’s hopes of snatching the Radical SR3 title at Cadwell Park have been dashed.

The smallest line up of cars this season – which left Plato’s rivals Belshaw and Keen just needing to finish – effectively ended his title aspirations in Lincolnshire.

During the morning’s qualifying, Plato annihilated the opposition and took pole for both races by over two seconds.

And Plato was also in a great position from the start of race one.

He built up a huge lead to prepare for his “success ballasted” pitstop. But the Billericay driver was knocked back when a fumble in the pitstop window board saw the safety car on late and the rest of the field all pitted under safety car conditions.

This lost the local racer a lap and by the end only champions-elect Belshaw and Keen were ahead. And at the flag the gap was over five seconds.

Plato said: “The car felt awesome at the start.

“I pushed really to create the gap, then there was the safety car.

“It was that pitstop board incident that lost it for me.

“But I have enjoyed the year and it was the mechanical problems that lost the championship for me – not my driving, so that makes me feel good,” he said.

With the final race still to come Plato still had a few tricks up his sleeve. The track was wet and Nouri briefly challenged Plato for the lead – but against the stops were going to be key.

Plato was last to make his stop and he rejoined in second and was soon closing down Nouri.

Plato said: “He got into a slide at the hairpin and I dodged to the right. I wasn’t looking to go by necessarily, but chose the wrong side and clipped him, so it was my fault.”

Although Lewis took the flag 0.127s ahead he was later penalised 30 secs for the contact which left him second.