Defending Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Champions Team Halfords experienced a mixed weekend as the 2006 season kicked off in dramatic style at Brands Hatch.

Matt Neal's title defence started on a low before he staged a stunning fight-back to secure two podium finishes on race day while new team-mate Gordon Shedden showed exactly why he has been brought in to partner the champion with an impressive showing in the final race of the weekend.

Race one

All eyes were on Matt for the first race of his title defence after brake failure in qualifying left him unable to set a time - and at the back of the grid as a result. However, showing exactly why the Team Halfords Integra was the class of the field in 2005, the champion launched an assured display on track as he quickly made up places at the start before carving his way through the mid-field to claim a place on the podium, passing the MG of Colin Turkington on the penultimate lap. Not only that, but Matt also claimed Independent honours from the race as the leading non-works driver.

'Flash' Gordon was left disappointed when his first race was hit by problems which made him start from the pitlane when the rest of the field had already completed a number of laps. However once on track, the Scot was quickly on the pace and set a fastest lap within a tenth of a second of the team leader before he was forced to retire.

Race two

After showing his prowess when it comes to overtaking in the opening round, race two was much more subdued for Matt, who started from third on the grid and held the place for the duration of the race for a second straight podium finish.

This time it was left to Gordon to provide the action as he was faced with the prospect of making his way up the order from the back of the grid. The orange Integra scythed through the field until Gordon found himself fighting for fifth place with Jason Plato in the SEAT and Mike Jordan - driving the very car that Matt used to claim the title last season. Heading into Paddock Hill on lap 20 the trio found themselves running alongside each other but three into one wouldn't go and Gordon ended up going off into the gravel after contact with the SEAT - another fighting drive not being rewarded with a result.

Race three

With the first seven finishers in race two being reversed on the grid for race three, Matt found himself in fifth place with 27 kilos of success ballast on board. After a first lap battle with James Thompson, Matt came through to complete lap one in fourth place behind Tom Chilton, Jason Plato and Rob Collard, all of who were running in non-ballasted cars.

On lap six there was a coming together between Chilton and Plato which demoted Chilton to third just ahead of Matt, and it stayed that way until lap fourteen when Matt found a way past Chilton and started to try and close a gap of over two seconds to second-placed Collard. Matt got his head down and carved nearly half a second a lap out of Collard's lead, catching and overtaking him at Clearways on lap twenty. Unfortunately Collard, in his usual aggressive fashion, decided that his only chance of recovering second place was to knock Matt off at the next corner - which happened to be Paddock Hill bend, a turn approached at 130 mph.

Collard hit Matt's left rear firing the Integra off at the fastest part of the circuit through the gravel trap and into the safety fencing. Collard's second place moment of glory was short lived as the authorities excluded him from the results, imposed four penalty points on his licence and demoted him six places on the grid for the next round.

Having missed out on the twelve points on offer for second place, Matt ends the opening weekend of the season fifth in the drivers championship with 20 points, and second in the Independents Trophy with 27 points.

"We could have had a mega points score this weekend from two thirds and a second," he said. "To walk away with not only a non-finish in the third race but a wrecked car makes me very angry. Now we regroup and look to Mondello."

The resulting red flag following Matt's accident not only ended the race early but prevented Gordon from moving higher up the order after another impressive display that saw him set the fastest time of the race in his Integra. Forced to start from 14th he had made his way up as high as fifth when the race was halted, but still picked up his first points in the BTCC and also secured the bonus point for fastest lap. Having been promoted to fourth in the final race after Collard was excluded, Gordon holds seventh in the drivers championship on 9 points and is also seventh in the Independents Trophy with 12 points.

"It's been a trying day but it is great to finish on a positive note," he said. "The car was running well and I set the fastest time overall which is great. It's a bit of cheer in the final race as Matt's accident put a bit of downer on things but lets put this one down to experience, and really go for it at Mondello Park."