Neal clinches second title
Matt Neal became the first driver to claim back to back British Touring Car Championship titles since Chris Hodgetts in 1986-7, with a fourth place finish in the first race of the season-ending triple header at Silverstone's National circuit
The Team Dynamics driver capitalised on title rival Jason Plato's SEAT Leon struggling for pace to make sure of the title with a solid run to fourth in a dramatic race which was won by team-mate Gareth Howell.
It was the second win of Howell's career, the first coming at the same circuit last season.
Howell held off the WSR MG ZS of Colin Turkington on the run to Copse at the start, retaining the lead to the chequered flag.
Although Turkington briefly looked threatening early in the race, by the third lap it was clear that Howell comfortably had the pace to win.
Instead, Turkington spent much of the first part of the race holding off the challenge of the lead Vauxhall Astra Sport Hatch of Tom Chilton. Chilton, who had made a flying start from fifth on the grid, made a number of determined challenges early on before settling for a comfortable third place.
With the top three remaining unchanged throughout the race, it was the battle for fourth which provided the drama.
Neal claimed the position decisively on lap eight when Darren Turner's attempt to pass Chilton in the complex left the door wide open into Luffield. SEAT's James Thompson finished close behind in fifth ahead of the third Integra of Gordon Shedden and Fabrizio Giovanardi's Vauxhall.
Plato could manage only eighth place after making good progress early in the race, holding off the late challenge of Mike Jordan.
Results
Pos Driver Make Time
1. Gareth Howell Honda Integra 22:40.400
2. Colin Turkington MG ZS + 2.100
3. Tom Chilton Vauxhall Astra + 3.098
4. Matt Neal Honda Integra + 4.291
5. James Thompson SEAT Leon + 4.785
6. Gordon Shedden Honda Integra + 5.273
7. Fabrizio Giovanardi Vauxhall Astra + 5.980
8. Jason Plato SEAT Leon + 9.909
9. Mike Jordan Honda Integra + 10.107
10. Robert Collard MG ZS + 12.713
11. Gavin Smith Vauxhall Astra + 13.030
12. Tom Ferrier SEAT Cupra Toledo + 15.287
13. David Pinkney Honda Integra + 15.665
14. Paul O'Neill Vauxhall Astra + 24.683
15. Jason Hughes MG ZS + 35.039
16. Martyn Bell BMW 320i E46 + 40.757
17. Richard Marsh Peugeot 307 + 57.596
18. Mark Smith Alfa Romeo 156 + 1:02.522
19. Chris Stockton Lexus IS200 + 1:03.143
20. Darren Dowling Lexus IS200 + 1 lap
Not Classified
Nick Leason Vauxhall Astra N.C.F.
Eoin Murray Alfa Romeo 156 D.N.F.
Darren Turner SEAT Leon D.N.F.
Mark Jones Lexus IS200 D.N.F.
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