Neal loses Croft podium
Reigning British Touring Car champion Matt Neal has lost his podium finish in the third race of yesterday's meeting at Croft for driving off the circuit to overtake rival Jason Plato
Honda driver Neal, who had passed Plato cleanly to take yesterday's second victory, was behind him going into the final hairpin.
However they touched, and Neal effectively cut the corner as a result. Neal was able to get marginally better drive out of the corner on the final straight, edging Plato by just eight thousandths of a second at the line for third.
However, although the BTCC clerk of the course only reprimanded Neal for his actions, an appeal by Plato's SEAT team was successful, and the positions were later reversed.
It means that series leader Neal's advantage over nearest rival, Team RAC's Colin Turkington, is now 37 points. Plato is now only 40 points adrift of Neal.
"It was just one of those things - there was certainly no malice in it," Neal said. "I'm just sorry Jason took it so badly, but I'm not going to get upset about it. I tried but it wasn't to be."
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