Neal ‘excited’ with new Civic’s performance

Matt Neal bounced back from a DNF in race one to finish seventh in race two and take victory in the final race of the day to jump up to fifth place in the standings.

Neal had found an extra bit of performance from the Civic in qualifying, taking pole position with a new lap record around Brands Hatch Indy on Saturday.

“It’s exciting. For an out an out lap it feels great, but race distance is still an adventure,” said Neal about the new NGTC-powered Civic.

“For every new circuit I think it’s going to be a new adventure with new demands. Donington I’m looking forward to because I’m going to be light, but it’s going to be tough on brakes around there which is our Achilles Heel at the minute.”

With Neal now fifth in the championship, he’ll carry 9kg of penalty ballast at Donington Park, whilst Jason Plato will have to carry the same 45kg he had to carry in races two and three today.

Neal’s weekend looked to have taken a significant downturn when he was knocked out by the Chevrolet of Alex MacDowall at Druids on the first lap of the first race.

“It buggered the whole weekend, but it’s nice to finish with a win and christen the car and the new engine package.”

“When Andy dropped out with a puncture (in race three), I was worried because I’d been taking exactly the same kerbs as he had and all the rest of it…then Mat just came straight up behind me so I really tried to wring the thing’s neck because he was in striking distance, just to keep a couple of car lengths, and then I was trying to avoid the kerbs, then he’d be straight back on me again.”

Neal went on to claim victory and the first win of the season for an NGTC-engined car, just two-tenths ahead of the Motorbase Ford Focus ST of Mat Jackson.