Photo: PSP Images

Matt Neal on top in second practice session

By

Honda remained in front at Oulton Park’s second practice session, with Matt Neal topping the time sheets ahead of a trio of Chevrolets. Despite only completing nine laps during the 40-minute session, Neal managed to record a 1:27.917 with a minute and a half remaining to displace Chevrolet from the top of the time sheets.

Fastest time for Neal came despite problems with steering and turbo boost that reduced his running, but once again only a Honda could dip below the 1:28 mark.

Behind Neal came Alex MacDowall by 0.198, with the Racing Silverline youngster also recording his fastest time towards the end of the session, with teammate Jason Plato third, 0.335 off the pace.

Paul O’Neill took fourth in his GoMobileUK.com Chevrolet Cruze, having gone quickest midway through the session, before Neal, MacDowall and Plato all put in quicker times.

Andrew Jordan was fifth, and top Vauxhall, with quickest man in the first free practice session, Gordon Shedden, ending up sixth, just over half a second behind his Honda teammate.

Rob Collard, Mat Jackson, Tom Boardman and Tom Chilton rounded out the top ten, with early season Championship leader James Nash just missing out on the top ten, finishing up 11th, 0.885 behind Neal.

The session was briefly interrupted just after midway through proceedings with a red flag to allow for Jeff Smith’s Vauxhall to be recovered from Druids, and Lea Wood to also be recovered having stopped out on circuit. Smith ended the session in 18th, while Wood and Frank Wrathall both failed to set times, the latter having power steering problems.

Dave Newsham enjoyed an eventful session, leaving the track as he tried to avoid the recovering Chevrolet Lacetti of Chris James, resulting in his SEAT Leon spending much of the remainder of the session in the pits having gravel removed.

The Rob Austin Racing Audi A4, complete with its new Lehmann powerplant once again ended the session in 20th place, ahead of James and Tony Hughes’ Toyota.

Qualifying for Sunday’s Round Ten of the British Touring Car Championship gets underway at 15.15 GMT.