Matt Neal in to winning ways at Goodwood
With less than two weeks until the start of the new season in the Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship, Matt Neal has already picked up his first victory of the year , in the Gerry Marshall Trophy at this weekend's Goodwood Members Meeting.
Neal was driving the 1981 Chevrolet Camaro Z28 in this afternoon's race, which was open to any Group 1 saloon car originally raced between 1970 and 1982.
Afterwards Neal praised the car, but says the victory wasn't plain sailing. "What an animal. It's a dream to drive.
"The clutch was going a bit, so I was struggling on the downshift, and the alternator light came on with four laps to go, so I was switching everything off to get to the end."
Neal's Honda Racing BTCC team mate Gordon Shedden finished in 11th place in a Ford Capri mk3, but there were better results for a pair of Minis, which dominated the BTCC in the late 1970s.
Jason Plato was seventh, while Andrew Jordan challenged for the win, eventually coming home third. "We gave it a good go," said the 2013 BTCC champion, "but [Matt Neal's Camaro] is a giantkiller.
"I really enjoyed racing this weekend. I was amazed that the fans got behind the Mini. It's like a big go kart."
ITV commentator, and 1992 BTCC champion Tim Harvey finished 18th in a Triumph Dolomite similar that the one taken to the title by Andy Rouse in 1975, one place behind Mat Jackson, also in a Dolomite.
Live coverage of the opening round of the 2015 British Touring Car Championship is on itv4 and itv.com across Easter weekend.
Highlights of the Goodwood Members' Meeting are on ITV4 on April 2nd at 9pm.