Subscribe

Sign up for free

  • Get quick access to your favorite articles

  • Manage alerts on breaking news and favorite drivers

  • Make your voice heard with article commenting.

Motorsport prime

Discover premium content
Subscribe

Edition

USA

Neal fends off Goff for Brands finale win

Matt Neal delivered a second victory in three BTCC races for Honda's new Civic Type-R after fending off Triple Eight MG's Jack Goff in another tight finish at Brands Hatch.

Matt Neal, Honda Yuasa Racing

Matt Neal, Honda Yuasa Racing

Pat Cranham/PSP Images

Matt Neal, Honda Yuasa Racing
Jack Goff, Triple 8 MG
Andy Priaulx, Team IHG Rewards Club
Andy Priaulx, Team IHG Rewards Club
Matt Neal, Honda Yuasa Racing

The pair were split by just 0.196s at the flag after a battle that raged in the final laps of the race after they cleared reverse grid polesitter Rob Austin, with Neal using all his experience to keep his younger rival at bay in another entertaining scrap.

Austin led for much of the distance, but was passed by Neal and Goff in successive corners with a handful of laps to go, before being pushed aside by Andrew Jordan's factory MG in a clumsy move by the former champion at Clearways.

That allowed Team BMR's Aron Smith to come through to take third place, a result that puts the Irishman just a point adrift of joint championship leaders Neal and Goff, as Jordan was eliminated from contention by a puncture as a result of his contact with Austin.

Sam Tordoff was the best of the West Surrey Racing BMWs in fourth place, ahead of a recovering Austin, Tom Ingram's Speedworks Toyota, the Mercedes of Adam Morgan and the BMW of race two runner-up Andy Priaulx.

After his puncture that denied him a near-certain victory earlier in the day, Jason Plato suffered another troubled outing - the Volkswagen driver rose as high as 12th from his grid slot of 24th, before fading to 16th, four places behind team-mate Colin Turkington, who suffered an early spin.

Race one winner Rob Collard was an early casualty as his WSR-run BMW wound up in the gravel at Paddock Hill Bend at the start, one of several incidents lower down the order that brought out an early Safety Car, while race two victor Gordon Shedden was to forced to pull into the pits early on with engine issues, before later returning to the circuit and setting fastest lap.

Pos. Driver  Car  Time/gap 
Matt Neal Honda 25m10.270s
Jack Goff MG 0.196s
Aron Smith Volkswagen 1.706s
Sam Tordoff BMW 4.553s
Rob Austin Audi 4.719s
Tom Ingram Toyota 5.662s
Adam Morgan Mercedes 7.537s
Andy Priaulx BMW 8.825s
Dave Newsham Chevrolet 8.909s
10  Hunter Abbott Audi 9.157s
11  Mike Bushell Ford 11.771s
12  Colin Turkington Volkswagen 17.558s
13  Martin Depper Honda 21.188s
14  Jeff Smith Honda 21.847s
15  Simon Belcher Toyota 24.415s
16  Jason Plato Volkswagen 30.122s
17  Stewart Lines Toyota 34.892s
18  Derek Palmer Jr Infiniti 38.336s
19  Andrew Jordan MG 1 Lap
20  Kieran Gallagher Toyota 1 Lap
NC Alex Martin Ford  
NC Gordon Shedden Honda  
Ret Aiden Moffat Mercedes  
Ret Warren Scott Volkswagen  
Ret Josh Cook Chevrolet  
Ret Rob Collard BMW  



Be part of Motorsport community

Join the conversation
Previous article Shedden pips Priaulx in Brands Hatch photo finish
Next article Strong start and nearly a win for Rob Austin Racing as new BTCC season starts at Brands Hatch

Top Comments

There are no comments at the moment. Would you like to write one?

Sign up for free

  • Get quick access to your favorite articles

  • Manage alerts on breaking news and favorite drivers

  • Make your voice heard with article commenting.

Motorsport prime

Discover premium content
Subscribe

Edition

USA