Neal Champion, Plato Wins Race 2
Team Halfords' Matt Neal sealed the British Touring Car Championship crown with a race to spare after finishing third in today's second of three races on the Brands Hatch grand prix circuit
Neal was assured of the title on the seventh lap when title rival Yvan Muller brought his Vauxhall into the pit-lane with a puncture after a clash on the straight while battling for third with Neal.
"It's going to take a while to sink in," said Neal. "Yvan has been a tough rival, but to get the title with a race to spare is what we wanted."
The race was won by SEAT's Jason Plato, who capitalised on a mistake from race one winner Dan Eaves to take the lead at Hawthorns on lap eight, and was thereafter never headed. Eaves dropped back into the clutches of Neal, allowing a formation Halfords finish by way of celebration.
Gareth Howell completed the top four in the third Integra after a busy race, claiming the position from the second SEAT of James Pickford after a misjudged move into Graham Hill Bend which spun Pickford.
Gavin Smith, enjoying his most competitive weekend for Vauxhall, took third after losing ground early in the race while himself battling with Pickford.
WSR MG driver Rob Collard claimed the vital tenth place, earning pole position for the third race of the day. However, he came close to dropping to 11th after spinning at Graham Hill Bend after being hit by Fiona Leggate's bio-ethanol Vauxhall in the closing stages. Independent Jason Hughes made it an all-MG front-row for race three after claiming ninth place behind the SEAT of Luke Hines and James Kaye's Honda.
CLASSIFIED: Pos Driver Car Time 1. Jason Plato SEAT Toledo Cupra 22:07.148 2. Dan Eaves Honda Integra + 1.690 3. Matt Neal Honda Integra + 2.114 4. Gareth Howell Honda Integra + 9.938 5. Gavin Smith Vauxhall Astra Sport Hatch + 11.488 6. James Pickford SEAT Toledo Cupra + 12.201 7. James Kaye Honda Civic Type-R + 16.273 8. Luke Hines SEAT Toledo Cupra + 41.269 9. Jason Hughes MG ZS + 44.212 10. Rob Collard MG ZS + 44.367 11. Andy Neate Vauxhall Astra Coupe + 52.396 12. Yvan Muller Vauxhall Astra Sport Hatch +1:00.531 13. Ian Curley Lexus IS200 + 1 Lap NOT CLASSIFIED/RETIREMENTS: Driver Car On Lap Fiona Leggate Vauxhall Astra Coupe 12 Richard Williams Lexus IS200 7 Colin Turkington Vauxhall Astra Sport Hatch 1 Mark Proctor Vauxhall Astra Coupe 1 Fastest Lap: Gareth Howell, 1:33.454 on lap 4
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