BTCC season statistics revealed

Damn lies and statistics: Matt Neal might have won the Drivers’ title, but how did he fair against his rivals when it came to race wins or laps led for example during 2006’s Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship?

Race wins are clearly a great way to put together a title challenge and Neal and championship runner-up Jason Plato both ended the season with eight victories- double the number of any other driver.

These two BTCC giants were also miles ahead, literally, when it came down to number of laps and miles led. Out of 593 laps, Plato was in front 171 times and Neal 121. Of the season’s 1,026.581 miles, Plato led 271.582 and Neal 234.999. Plato also earned 11 bonus points for leading races compared to Neal’s eight.

Consistency, though, counts for a lot and Neal’s great record of points finishes in 27 races clearly went a long way to him defending his crown. A lack of consistency is almost certainly what cost Plato any chance of a second title, as he racked up eight retirements, seven of those while in a strong point-scoring position.

Third-placed Colin Turkington also enjoyed decent consistency – he achieved just two race wins, but seven second places and five thirds kept him in the title hunt until the final rounds.

For pole positions, it was Plato again who headed the charts with four in total, including a run of three in succession. Indeed, had he set pole during Silverstone’s Saturday qualifying session he would have achieved the magic four-in-a-row that he himself last managed when driving for Vauxhall in 2001.

Having set an unrivalled three poles in 2005, though, Turkington this time ended the season failing to head a qualifying session.

In race trim, it could be argued that Neal’s rookie team-mate Gordon Shedden was the fastest driver on the track. In his debut BTCC season, the Scottish sensation set nine fastest laps, including a lap records at Silverstone and his beloved Knockhill. That was three clear of Plato who was next up on six.

Elsewhere, on its way to the successful defence of the outright Teams’ title, Team Halfords’ Honda Integras won more races than other car, with 14 victories in total thanks to Neal (8), Shedden (4) and Gareth Howell, who twice triumphed on Silverstone’s Finals Day. Following were SEAT on 11 wins, Team RAC and Vauxhall tied on two apiece and BTCC debutant Team Eurotech Racing with John Guest on one.

Silverstone’s final round of the season also saw history being made when a bio-ethanol-powered car, Thurlby Motors with Tech-Speed’s Vauxhall Astra Coupe driven by Paul O’Neill, led a lap of a BTCC race.

Brands Hatch’s second fixture in September saw the greatest number of racing laps, with the BTCC field circulating its Indy circuit 81 times on race day. For the most miles raced, though, look to the Hampshire speed bowl of Thruxton back in May when 125.345 miles were completed.