8) 2005 – Neal finally becomes champion
Matt Neal is still the most experienced BTCC driver on the current grid, but it took him 15 years to erase the monkey from his back and claim the maiden title that had eluded him in the noughties.
The Halfords Honda racer had revelled in the Dynamics squad’s new Integra Type-R, a stellar first half of the season from Neal marking him out as the man to beat, surviving a rough Silverstone visit to enter the final round with a seemingly comfy advantage over Frenchman Yvan Muller.
Starting sixth and 30 points clear, Neal just had to stay out of trouble, and in race one he avoided it despite being in the middle of a big five-car fight for third place behind team-mate Dan Eaves and Vauxhall’s Gavin Smith, all over the back of his title rival Muller in a close, almost awkward scenario for Neal.
Neal’s then-developing arch enemy Jason Plato soon emerged in the battle, Neal gifting the SEAT Sport UK man a touch extra room at Paddock Hill Bend before going on to finish fourth, despite a late twist when an incident between Gareth Howell and Rob Collard at the same bend created a safety car situation.
While Eaves came home for victory, Muller was gifted second by team-mate Smith who was mugged by Plato and Neal at Druids, the Frenchman still entering race two with hope after finishing second compared to Neal’s fourth.
Eaves obeyed his team script and kept Muller at bay at the start of race two, Neal surviving a tangle with Colin Turkington that left the Honda broadside at Paddock Hill. He recovered past James Kaye quickly to stay as title favourite, before closing on the Vauxhalls of Muller and Smith, Muller having fell behind Plato on lap two.
Neal gambled on a bold move at Druids on Smith which he made stick, before chasing Muller for third. The tension boiled on lap seven when the two touched wheels on the back straight, Neal surviving and coming out of the moment as champion when Muller skittered into the gravel with a puncture two bends later.
Eaves lost out to Plato for the win, but that need not have mattered for Dynamics as Neal and the team could celebrate their first overall BTCC title success.
