Fourth win of the year for Matt Neal

Matt Neal extended his championship lead and made it two out of two for Team Halfords as he scored his first Thruxton BTCC victory in round eleven. It was another 1-2 for the Team Dynamics setup, with Gordon Shedden this time playing rear-gunner to Neal.

Despite Shedden starting on pole, it was Neal who led through the first corner. Darren Turner held his third position, with Tom Chilton fourth and Rob Collard fifth. There was an early retirement for Martyn Bell, who pulled off at the end of the straight.

Neal pulled edged away at the front as Shedden focused on keeping Turner’s SEAT behind him. Slightly further back, Colin Turkington challenged Gavin Smith for sixth, which almost opened the door for Plato, who looked for a way past, but managed only to run off the track, breaking his rear suspension in the process.

The top six were running nose to tail, with Turner continuing to trouble Shedden for second. Meanwhile, Dave Pinkney closed on Smith in sixth. Pinkney made light work of the works Astra Sport Hatch, cruising around the outside at the complex. On the same lap, Rob Collard passed the fading Tom Chilton to claim fourth position at Church. Collard’s next target was Darren Turner, whose SEAT had quite an advantage.

However, the pack was closed up when the safety car was brought out at the end of lap ten to allow debris to be cleared. After two laps of following the safety car, the race restarted and Matt Neal led away.

Dave Pinkney continued his progress through the pack when he passed Colin Turkington on lap 14. Both Pinkney and Rob Collard then squeezed Darren Turner, to drop him from third to fifth in one move. A situation that arose when Turner challenged Shedden for second.

Neal and Shedden were then safe at the front and it was the battle for third that occupied the remainder of the race. Pinkney put Collard under pressure, challenging hard on the fast straights. On the penultimate lap, Pinkney tapped the back of Collard as the pair braked for the chicane. It was almost a repeat performance final time around, and Collard ended up crossing the chicane, but holding on to third position.

The result – Neal took his tally of wins for the year to four. Shedden was second, with Collard third, Pinkney fourth and Turner fifth. Colin Turkington finished sixth ahead of James Kaye, Fabrizio Giovanardi, Tom Chilton and Jason Hughes.

Racewinner Neal drew the number seven card after the race, reversing the top seven for the round 12 grid, putting James Kaye on pole.