Reigning champion Matt Neal gave the Team Dynamics Honda Civic an astonishing win on its debut weekend – while a fantastic performance by Mat Jackson earned him a place on the podium.
Fabrizio Giovanardi was the big winner from the reverse grid lottery as his seventh place was transformed into pole position. But he made a poor start and it was Neal who scythed his way between the Vectra and Adam Jones’ Seat to take the lead.
Jackson spent much of the race tucked up behind Darren Turner’s Seat but both moved up a place when Tom Chilton ran wide in the Vectra.
On lap ten the safety car came out after Colin Turkington spun off into the gravel at Clearways. Giovanardi capitalised on the restart to leap ahead of Adam Jones and attack Neal for the lead.
Although Giovanardi was able to nudge Neal into Clearways he never got alongside and eventually dropped back. With two laps remaining Jackson pulled off a remarkable pass around the outside of Turner coming onto the main straight and immediately latched onto the back of Giovanardi.
But there were too few laps remaining and Neal ran out the winner ahead of Giovanardi and Jackson. Turner and Jason Plato were fourth and fifth in their Seats.
