SEAT Sport UK worked hard between races two and three to repair heavy damage to the Leons of Jason Plato and James Thompson, and both cars were able to join the grid for the final race of the season, albeit starting from the back.

Newly crowned champion Matt Neal suffered a suspension problem on the grid ahead of the race and pitted at the end of the green flag lap. It was a disappointing end to the season for Neal, especially in the last race with what has been such a reliable Honda Integra.

“I was driving on some of the kerbs quite heavily in race two”, said Neal. “I think it was maybe that that caused one of the rose joints to pop out. We could have gone out, but there was no point risking causing more damage to the car.”

The front of the grid had an unusual look to it. Matt Neal drew the number nine card after winning race two, putting Jason Hughes on pole position and Paul O’Neill alongside him. It was fans’ favourite O’Neill who led away from the line, with Tom Ferrier in the Motorbase Performance SEAT also passing Hughes on the run to the first corner to move up to second.

Gareth Howell and Gordon Shedden were third and fourth respectively in the two remaining Halfords Integras, but Shedden’s race was a short one when he twice ran off the track. The first time, he collected Fabrizio Giovanardi, but both drivers were able to recover. On the second occasion, Shedden parked his Honda in the gravel at Brooklands on his own.

The Scot’s stranded car was enough to bring the safety car out for a couple of laps. With the pack bunched up once again, it was a question of when, not if, someone would pass the outdated Astra Coupe of Paul O’Neill following the restart. The former works driver showed great skill to fend off challenges from Darren Turner and Gareth Howell, but the Astra lacked straight line speed and could do little to prevent Howell from taking the lead of the race.

At one point, it was like a new generation of BTCC racers at the front of the field, with Howell leading from Turkington, Chilton, O’Neill and Ferrier. Howell was able to break away from the following pack as they jostled for position. Performance of the race goes to Colin Turkington for climbing from the back of the grid up to second.

When the safety car was called upon once again, closing things up at the front, the young Irishman must have sensed his chance to go for the first win for a bio-ethanol powered car in the BTCC. In the laps that followed, Turkington and race leader Howell matched each other lap for lap, and Turkington was frustrated once more.

Howell held on at the front to take his second win of the day. As well as the race victory, Colin Turkington was also chasing second place in the championship. He started the race five points behind Jason Plato, but with the SEAT driver fourth, it was not quite enough for Turkington. Tom Chilton filled the third step on the podium. Plato finished fourth, heading home teammates James Thompson and Darren turner in fifth and sixth positions respectively.

Rob Collard finished seventh, ahead of Tom Ferrier, Paul O’Neill and Gavin Smith. After starting from pole position, Jason Hughes ended the race in 11th.