Matt Neal biggest winner at Knockhil

Matt Neal had a good day for his championship hopes. Finishing well ahead of his rivals he expanded his lead to 53 points. Fabrizio Giovanardi was very pleased with his efforts too, as he took his first and Vauxhall’s 100th win in BTCC.

Knockhill Race One

In soaking wet conditions, Plato led all the way from pole position to take his sixth win of the season in a race that was twice interrupted by safety car periods. Team-mate Darren Turner, standing in for World Touring Car Championship-tied James Thompson, followed in a best-ever second, but was later demoted to tenth with a 20-second penalty by the officials for failing to keep within five cars’ lengths of the driver ahead – Plato – at the re-start after the first safety car period.

That elevated Neal to second and, to third, his team-mate Gareth Howell who had battled hard to get past Giovanardi who took fourth. Fifth, after starting from the back of the grid, was a determined Mike Jordan in Team Eurotech Racing with John Guest’s Honda Integra.

Scotland’s home hero Gordon Shedden, delayed by two pit stops and a pit lane drive-through penalty, took advantage of the two safety car periods to keep up with the field and come through to finish sixth. He also scored a bonus point for setting the race’s fastest lap.