Team Halfords once more enjoyed a double podium performance in the Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship, at the popular Norfolk circuit of Snetterton.

After three close run races remarkably short of the panel damage seen last time out in the series, Matt Neal gained three points over his championship rival Yvan Muller, whilst Dan Eaves notched up two second places to strengthen his third position in the championship, and close in on Muller.

Once more the Team Halfords Integras were victims of their own success in qualifying at the 1.95 mile circuit, as the regulations in the championship means the cars at the top of the points table carry maximum success ballast for qualifying. Despite this, Dan put in a storming late effort in the session to place his Team Dynamics-built Integra as third fastest, whilst Matt lined his car up in sixth on the grid for the first race.

Sunday's first race saw the Team Halfords cars make good progress. Dan passed the poor-starting Rob Collard in his MG and from then on was by himself trying to chase down the far lighter pole-sitting Civic of Tom Chilton. Matt meanwhile found himself with the task of passing two cars from reigning champions, VX Racing.

Displaying measured aggression Neal worked his way past first Colin Turkington and then championship rival Yvan Muller to claim a well earned third place podium position.

Race two turned out much as the first, although the front-runners were far closer to each other over the race duration this time. Whilst Tom Chilton took another win in front of him, it was Dan Eaves with another strong performance to take silver, whilst Matt once more had to find a way past a fast-starting Yvan Muller to take his second bronze of the day.

The final race saw the reverse grid and Eaves start from ninth and Neal from eighth on track. Double race winner that day Tom Chilton was right behind them too for a race that was destined to lead to plenty of panel-bashing action.

At the start Dan made a terrific getaway and ended the first lap in sixth place with Matt right behind him. Ahead of both on the grid, championship rival Yvan Muller had also made a cracking launch and crucially had passed the slower SEAT of Luke Hines. With far more pace than the car of Hines ahead Eaves made contact with the Toledo as it braked harder than expected into the Esses, but both Integras were now past.

Matt, with a quicker car than Dan ahead of him, then passed his team-mate and took the fight for the third time of the day to Yvan Muller, but this time the Frenchman had each and every corner covered and Team Halfords took the chequered flag in fourth and fifth.

"We managed to make it work with the weight in qualifying and I finished third," said Dan of his race weekend. "In the first two races I was behind Tom Chilton and I couldn't do anything about it, he was absolutely flying so I was happy to take two seconds."

Matt left Snetterton with an increased lead of 234 points to Muller's 218 in the title battle. "Good races, great day," said Matt after the action. "We've increased the advantage slightly and we've had three unscathed close races."

Of his dicing with championship rival Yvan Muller, Matt explained how he twice found his way past. "I did Muller around Corum and into the chicane which was a good move for the championship. Then in the second race I ended up behind Muller again and he'd got Corum and Russell pretty much covered to the hilt, so I managed to do him at Sears which was a bit of a nip and tuck manoeuvre but he said he'll owe me one for another day on that one. In the third race I found myself behind Yvan Muller again, and he'd got everywhere covered!"

There are now just three circuits to visit in the BTCC calendar. Dan says, "Knockhill, Silverstone and Brands Hatch Grand Prix circuits all feature lots of fast flowing corners which suit us and our Hondas. With all to play for, the final three race weekends are going to be full of action, and I think we'll be right up there."

The squad next head North to Scotland and the twisty track of Knockhill on August 27-28.