TCT: Henry Neal Takes Honours in Dramatic Donington Encounter

Victory for Henry Neal came at the end of the one of the most intense Dunlop Touring Car Trophy race to kick off a Super Sunday of action at Donington Park. With his championship rival Lewis Kent just behind at the flag, it means that just 15 points separate the pair after dropped scores, with one race to go.

Neal had started on pole, but a four way battle throughout saw four drivers in the spotlight, including Kent, Max Hart and the CUPRA Leon TCR of Sam Osbourne. A terrible start for both Henry Neal and Lewis Kent allowed Irish driver Hart into the lead as the cars filed through the first corner.

Hart was unable to sail off into the distance though, as Kent, Neal and Osbourne all hounded the leader. The four would extend the gap over their competition behind as the BTCC-driver set the fastest lap; a 1:10.737.

Hart held on throughout much of the first half, as places swapped aplenty behind. The driver to watch proved to be Sam Osbourne, scything through the order and taking advantage of the title two edging each other almost off the track.

Osbourne eventually fought his way into the lead, crucially ahead of the train as the safety car was called to recover the VW Racing Cup car of Josh Coggan, that had stopped on the inside of Coppice.

Sadly, this fortune would not last as upon the restart a technical problem saw Osbourne pull off on the run down the Craner Curves, the same place he had retired in race one.

This left Neal up front to defend from the charging Kent, who knew a win was vital in order to close the points lead. Despite a late braking attempt into the final chicane, Neal placed his Honda Civic in the middle of the road, hanging on for his second win of the weekend. Kent and Hart would cross the line under a second behind.

Darrelle Wilson was given a second chance to fight for the podium thanks to the safety car, but was unable to affect the final order, crossing the line in fourth, just 0.674 seconds behind Hart. The Vauxhall Astra moves into fourth in the standings as Mark Wakefield completed the finishers.

Osbourne, his PMR teammate William Butler and Jeff Alden made up the retirements.