Matt Neal has been crowned 2005 Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Champion after a podium finish in the second race of the day at Brands Hatch. VX Racing driver Yvan Muller kept his challenge alive through to the penultimate race of the season as he outscored Neal in race one. However, a puncture in race two put an end to the Frenchman’s hopes. There were wins in the three races for Dan Eaves, Jason Plato and Rob Collard.

RACE ONE

Starting from pole position, Dan Eaves scored a dominant victory in the first race at Brands Hatch – his first since round 15 at Croft back in July. Eaves’ Team Halfords teammate Matt Neal remains on track for the Drivers’ Title, despite finishing behind rival Yvan Muller.

Eaves comfortably converted his pole position start into the race lead at the start, with Gavin Smith also starting well to take up second position. Muller was third through Paddock Hill Bend for the first time, followed by Neal who passed Gareth Howell away from the line. Howell was involved with a first lap battle with former teammate Colin Turkington that saw the pair swap places a couple of times before Howell settled in front. Turkington also lost out to SEAT’s Jason Plato.

In the early stages of the race Eaves led from Smith, Muller, Neal, Howell and Plato. Eaves and Smith quickly opened up a gap at the front as Muller’s Astra Sport Hatch held up those behind. Matt Neal seemed content to sit behind the Frenchman, knowing that he would lose just two points in the championship chase. Neal was forced to defend once rear-gunner Gareth Howell was passed by Jason Plato on lap ten.

At the same time, Neal stepped up his attack on Muller, challenging the Astra Sport Hatch on a number of occasions before himself being passed by Plato for fourth. On the same lap, the safety car was called into action as Rob Collard became beached in the gravel at Paddock Hille Bend after contact with Gareth Howell.

The race restarted with two laps still to run. Dan Eaves held on at the front, but Yvan Muller passed Gavin Smith to move up to second. Smith slipped quickly down the order, being passed also by Plato, Neal and Howell. At the chequered flag, Eaves won from Muller, Plato, Neal and Howell. Gavin Smith eventually finished sixth, ahead of Colin Turkington, James Kaye, James Pickford and Jason Hughes.

RACE TWO

The second race of the day proved decisive in the title battle as Matt Neal did enough to secure the Drivers’ Championship. Dan Eaves started on pole position after his first race victory, and led the first half of the race, despite Yvan Muller making a bid to take the lead around the outside of Paddock on the opening lap. Colin Turkington ran wide through the gravel at the same corner, but unlike Rob Collard in the first race, was able to drive through and continue, albeit only as far as the Druids hairpin where he pulled off the track.

Matt Neal was sixth but would have been pleased to see Jason Plato dive inside Muller to take second on lap two. Neal soon gained a place, passing James Kaye to move up to fifth, but only just survived a scary moment that saw him run wide on the exit from Hawthorns. Next up for the Team Halfords driver was Gavin Smith, whom he picked off without too much difficulty at Druids.

A decisive moment followed. Neal made a passing move on Yvan Muller and there was contact between the pair. At first it seemed that both would continue, but Muller’s Astra Sport Hatch picked up a puncture, effectively ending his slim title hopes as he was forced to pit to change the tyre. As Neal’s Team Halfords crew began to celebrate, the multiple independent champion focused on bringing the Integra home safely.

At the front, Dan Eaves ceded the race lead to Jason Plato coming out of Westfield, but went on to finish second, just ahead of champion elect Neal. Plato had no hesitation in scoring his third win of the season. Behind the top three, there was further controversy for Gareth Howell, who was involved in an incident with James Pickford at Graham Hill Bend that later saw him excluded from the results. On the same lap, at the same place, there was also contact between Rob Collard and Fiona Leggate in the fight for 10th position and pole for race three.

At the chequered flag Plato took the win from Eaves, Neal, Howell and Smith. James Pickford was sixth, ahead of James Kaye, Luke Hines, Jason Hughes and Rob Collard. Despite finishing tenth, Collard failed to gain pole position for race three, as Howell’s later exclusion promoted series newcomer Andy Neate up from 11th.

RACE THREE

With all titles decided, the final race of the season was always likely to be a slightly frantic affair and it did not disappoint. Andy Neate did not take up his pole position on his BTCC debut, leaving Rob Collard to seize the lead through the first corner. He led fellow MG driver Jason Hughes and the SEATs of James Pickford and Luke Hines.

The drama started almost immediately. At the end of the first lap, a group of six cars was fighting for second position. Of these six, three ended up in the gravel trap at Paddock on lap two. It was an unfortunate end to the season for Muller, Plato and Eaves. It all started as Eaves brakes earlier than the Frenchman, causing the Astra to hit the back of the Integra, knocking it into the barrier on the inside before bouncing back into Muller’s path. Plato was then collected as Muller headed into the gravel trap. Dan Eaves continued, but only as far as Druids, where he also retired.

The safety car was brought out, closing up the gap that Collard had opened at up at the front. The WSR MG driver controlled the restart well, but continued to come under pressure from the SEAT of James Pickford. The pair battled at the front over the course of the race, and Pickford looked to have found a way past on lap 13, only to run wide at Clearways and allow Collard the sniff of a way back through, which he duly took up. Contact between the pair was enough to drop Pickford back and leave Collard on his way to his second BTCC victory in three meetings.

Behind the lead pairing, Luke Hines was third, but a slow exit from Paddock allowed Gavin Smith through. Matt Neal then challenged the impressive Smith for third position, but a tyre rubbing on bodywork was enough to slow the newly crowned champion’s progress.

After starting from the back of the grid, Gareth Howell made strong progress through the pack, passing Neal to move up to fourth in the closing stages of the race. Neal then came under pressure from VX Racing’s Colin Turkington, but managed to hang on to fifth position.

Collard was joined on the podium for the final race of the season by James Pickford and Gavin Smith. Fourth was Gareth Howell, with Matt Neal fifth. Next up were Turkington, Kaye and Hughes, with Fiona Leggate rounding out the top ten.