Car swap for Matt Neal
British Touring Car Championship title contender Matt Neal looks likely to switch from Honda Civic to Honda Integra for the 2005 season as Team Dynamic plans a radical strategy change
The team aims to take advantage of inherent advantages of the base model Integra over the Civic as it plans its latest campaign to put an independently-run team right at the front in the BTCC.
Neal was a race winner in the team's Civic this year - as was team-mate Dan Eaves, and for 2005 team boss Steve Neal aims to make his drivers the men to beat. If his intention to field the Integra coupe comes off, just as dominant force Vauxhall swaps its Astra Coupe for a hatchback version.
"Maybe it will be a role reversal," said Steve Neal, "and we'll be looking at them in our mirrors all next season rather than the other way round."
The team's intention is to run three Integras with Matt Neal and Eaves in two of the cars and Gareth Howell in the third, subject to the necessary financial backing being secured.
Steve Neal told Autosport about the advantages of the Integra over Civic: "The problem we had with the Civic was it had several limitations - including the fact that it's the wrong shape for a BTCC car. Its terminal velocity was about 135mph and when it pulled out of the tow it went backwards.
"The simple answer would be to run the Integra. It has much better aerodynamics, a wider track and the centre of gravity is much lower. The Civic also carried a lot of unsprung weight, so it would be better in many regards."
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