Motorsport
Neal helps Honda take top spot

Buy photos » Matt Neal prepares to go racing at Donington on Sunday. Picture by Darren Price.

MATT Neal helped his Honda team move top of the manufacturers’ and teams’ tables in the 2012 Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship with two podium finishes at Donington Park at the weekend.

The Worcestershire driver was superbly supported by team-mate Gordon Shedden who picked up two race victories and a podium in the other on a fine weekend for the NGTC Civic duo.

Neal followed Shedden home in the first two races, helping the Honda Yuasa Racing Team to its first one-two of the season in the second encounter, and believed a podium was possible in the reversed-grid finale before a multi-car incident, triggered by Rob Collard’s BMW, resulted in Neal being spun into the gravel.

“In race three the car was feeling great,” confirmed Neal. “It was just a catalogue of events and I ended up the worst off, but that’s life.

“It was a really positive weekend for the team, three podiums for Gordon and two for me. We’ve overhauled MG in the manufacturers’ and teams’ table.”

Despite the race three disappointment, Neal is only four points away from the championship lead in second place.

“It’s early days, but it’s always nice to have big points in the bag. Every time we got out we understand the NGTC Civic more,” he added.

The third meeting of the BTCC season takes place at Thruxton on April 28/29.

Regional sport »