Triple champion Neal delighted to end on a high

Triple British Touring Car champion Matt Neal was delighted to end the first weekend of the season on a high, after a sometimes trying weekend at Brands Hatch.

The Honda Racing Team driver battled back from a tough first race to net fourth in the second, and score a textbook victory in the third, leading home team-mate Gordon Shedden for a 1-2 finish.

In race one, contact at the start left the Civic’s bodywork dragging on the right-rear tyre, eventually necessitating a trip to the pits for repairs.

Neal eventually finished 21st and a lap down, but battled back impressively to fifth in the second race. This became fourth when Shedden was disqualified for failing a ride height check.

And the improvements continued in the final race, when Neal took an early lead from a slowing Mat Jackson, his Motorbase Performance Ford Focus having hit problems.

Following a safety car for a huge crash between Rob Austin and Dave Newsham, Neal maintained his lead on the soft tyres to win, just ahead of Shedden.

With plenty of talk over the weekend about tyres, it was worth noting that Neal held off Adam Morgan’s Cicely Racing Toyota Avensis throughout, despite it running on the hard tyres.

“You’ve got to have the poor weekends to appreciate the good ones,” said Neal.

“I’m really chuffed with the one-two after what’s been a tough weekend, but they always say to finish on a high. It was a nice way to finish the race as well – it reminded me of the last race of last season.

“This weekend shows the opposition will be no pushover this year. I foresee a tough season, but I think I’m in the best team in the best car.”