Battling Neal’s a real diamond

TRIPLE British Touring Cars champion Matt Neal posted another career landmark with victory in the commemorative ‘Diamond Double’ race at Snetterton yesterday.

The one-off 60-mile double points ballast-free race was a special celebration to mark the BTCC’s 60th anniversary.

Pole-sitter Jack Goff made a steady getaway and held off Neal before a brief shower brought the Honda racer onto his tail.

Neal scythed past on lap nine while Tom Ingram locked in behind in his Toyota Avensis.

The trio raced seconds apart for the rest of the race but Neal (right) held on to take a memorable 63rd win of his career.

“I can’t believe it,” he said. “I don’t know where to put this huge trophy, I’ll put it in the workshop with the boys because they earned it as much as me.

“I just seemed to be quick enough at the right points to keep them at bay. It’s magic. A lot is about qualifying but today was really special.”

The opening race was another classic as Goff and reigning champion Ash Sutton crossed the line together, with the former clinching a photo finish by just 0.152s.

But Subaru star Sutton hit back in race two for his third win of the season, narrowly fending off Josh Cook’s Vauxhall.

Ingram now leads the standings with the BTCC returning in a fortnight at Rockingham.

He failed to finish race one but surged from 27th on the grid to claim third in the second race and another third in the ‘Double Diamond’ sees him lead BMW’s Colin Turkington by six points.