Matt Neal admitted it was a fantastic feeling to return to the top step of the podium after securing his first HiQ MSA British Touring Car Championship victory in more than twelve months at Rockingham.
The double champion went into his second weekend with the Vauxhall team looking to improve on a somewhat trying first meeting of the year and qualified on the front row of the grid in his Vectra after losing out on pole late on to former team-mate Gordon Shedden.
Race one saw him finish on the podium in third place, also a mistake in race two meant that he was only able to finish outside the points in eleventh place.
However, heavy rain in the third race played to the strengths of the Vectra as Neal made his way through the field and, when a Safety Car period allowed him to close up to the leader
Colin Turkington, he wasted little time in getting ahead into the lead to secure victory.
"Absolutely fantastic," he told
Crash.net afterwards. "We were looking at eleventh on the grid for that final race with plenty of quick cars ahead of us so we knew it was going to be tough. Then when it started to drizzle on the grid I thought it was good, although when it got heavier I was worried again! However, the car was awesome throughout the race. The Safety Car really helped but it was a case of staying out trouble.
"It's a massive boost and it's a great day for the team. I've got good solid points, but I was angry with myself in the second race as I gave away a top ten finish and thought I had thrown it all away for race three as well. I thought I'd see what happened and we ended up with a win."
Neal did add however that he had been a little surprised of how well the Vectra has performed so far this season in damp conditions, with the car having shone at both
Brands Hatch and Rockingham when rain has started falling.
"It's surprising as the team had a real mare of a weekend last year at
Donington but so far in the damp, we have done ok," he said. "You'll have us doing our rain dance at each meeting from now on!"
