Matt Neal triumphs in action packed Donington finale

Matt Neal came out on top in a frantic final BTCC race at Donington Park while Power Maxed Racing’s Josh Cook starred with a highly impressive drive.

Neal got to the top of the field after a thrilling battle between Aron Smith and Josh Cook resulted in the two grass tracking instead of taking the traditional tarmac through the Craner Curves, promoting Rob Collard to the lead. Neal took the top spot just two laps later and never looked back.

The race began with Collard diving to the top of the field ahead of reverse grid pole-sitter Josh Cook, but the Chevrolet Cruze soon started filling the mirrors of Collard’s BMW. The two battled for a couple of laps before Cook made his move at the chicane at the end of lap three.

While Cook and Collard led at the front, the battle for third raged on between Jason Plato, Andrew Jordan and Matt Neal. Neal got past Jordan at McLeans before the pair got past Plato on the following lap at the Old Hairpin.

Jordan and Neal then battled side-by-side for the next lap, resulting in Jordan passing the three-time champion at the Old Hairpin. Neal then forced his way through at McLeans – a move that Triple Eight Racing are protesting – allowing Aron Smith to get the jump on the pair and move in to third.

The race was the neutralised by a safety car period for an incident involving Jack Goff and Sam Tordoff at the chicane, which saw the two come together and end up embedded in the gravel.

From the restart Smith quickly latched on to the back of the Power Maxed Racing Chevrolet, but a highly impressive defensive drive from Cook kept the Team BMR Volkswagen CC at bay. The two then came together on lap 14 at Hollywood, with both drivers careering over the grass and back on to the circuit, miraculously avoiding the rest of the leading group and promoting Collard back to the top spot. Smith and Cook then continued their duel, but for fifth rather than for the lead.

Matt Neal made his way to the top spot past Rob Collard at Redgate on lap 17, while Josh Cook made his way back to the tail of the leading group. Andrew Jordan then found himself having a dice with Collard through the Craners, holding on to a slightly unnerving sideways moment and making his way up to second, a position he would hold until the chequered flag flew.

Meanwhile Collard diced with Shedden for third, a battle that Shedden would eventually come out on top of, while Aiden Moffat and Aron Smith spent almost an entire lap side by side.

An incident for Rob Austin at McLeans and Dave Newsham at the chicane meant that two potential overtaking spots were removed for the final two laps, meaning there were no position changes at the top end of the field.

As well as Austin and Newsham, there were also retirements for Mike Bushell, Andy Priaulx, Sam Tordoff and Jack Goff.