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British Touring Car Championship (BTCC)

BTCC Rounds 19-21

Matt Neal bounced back from two bruising BTCC encounters to extend his championship lead

Matt Neal bounced back from two bruising BTCC encounters to extend his championship lead after three typically torrid and controversial touring car encounters at Snetterton.

The Team Halfords driver survived a couple of collisions in the opening race – including one with main title rival Colin Turkington – to bring his battered Honda Integra home in sixth position.

Then, in an equally dramatic showdown in leg two, Neal lost a safe second place when he got embroiled in a needless final lap skirmish with Jason Plato’s leading SEAT.

Plato proceeded to take his second win of the day, while big Matt spun at the final corner and could only finish eighth. With so much at stake, it was a rash move that Neal will rue at the end of what’s becoming an increasingly acrimonious campaign, should he miss out on taking back-to-back BTCC titles by a handful of points.

Indeed, with both Plato and Turkington finishing race two on the podium, the title race appeared to be tightening up before Sunday’s third and final round at the Norfolk venue. Unbowed by what had gone before, Neal ended the day’s hectic action with a confidence-inspiring victory. “We all needed that,” admitted the Mid­lander. “We had a rough pair of races, and so it was incredibly important to end the weekend on a high note.”

With nine rounds remaining, Neal leads Turkington by 27 points, with Plato a further 13 points adrift in third place. Battle is resumed at Knockhill in Fife at the start of September.