BTCC Drivers/

Details/

Nationality: British
Date of Birth: 20 December 1966
Place of Birth: Birmingham, England
Lives: Droitwich Spa, Worcestershire, England
Marital Status: Married, two sons, one daughter
Website: www.mattneal.co.uk

Statistics/

BTCC Debut: Silverstone, 14 July 1991 (BMW M3)
BTCC Races: 435
BTCC Wins: 36
BTCC Podiums: 110
BTCC Poles: 10
BTCC Fastest Laps: 34
BTCC Career Points: 2165

Titles/

2006 Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Drivers' & Independent Drivers' championships
2005 Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Drivers' & Independent Drivers' championships
2000 BTCC Independent Drivers
1999 BTCC Independent Drivers
1995 BTCC Independent Drivers
1993 BTCC Independent Drivers

Career History/

2010
• BTCC in official factory Dynamics-run Honda Civic (under Honda Racing Team banner). 2nd overall having led table for three rounds. Achieved 5 race wins and 13 podiums in total.
2008-09
• BTCC with Vauxhall. 5th overall in '08 and 4th overall in '09 with 1 race win in each season. Led opening four rounds of '09 before some appalling luck. Also contested in '08 Aussie V8 races Philip Island 500km, finishing 15th, and world-famous Bathurst 1000km, which ended in retirement.
2004-07
• BTCC with Dynamics family team, rebranded as Team Halfords. 5th overall in ’04 with 3 race wins in Honda Civic Type R. CHAMPION in ’05 and ’06 with team’s new Honda Integra. 6 race wins in ’05, 8 wins in ’06. Titles brought 5th and 6th Independent Drivers’ crowns. ’05 triumph made him first privateer driver to win outright title since 1991. Finished 4th in ’07 as team switched to newer S2000-spec Honda Civic – with little development, gave car a shock first win in Brands Hatch’s opening round.
2002-03
• BTCC with factory Vauxhall Honda outfits. 3rd overall both seasons, in ’02 with 3 race wins in Vauxhall’s Egg:sport-liveried Astra Coupe, then in ’03 with 5 race wins in Honda’s Civic Type R.
2001
• Opening 2 BTCC races only in factory Peugeot 406 Coupe. Then contested whole FIA European Touring Car series in Dynamics-run Nissan Primera, achieving 1 win in final race for Super Touring category. Limited outings in Aussie V8 Supercars with ‘Big Kev’ Holden team.
1995-2000
• BTCC with Dynamics. Earned the tag ‘People’s Champion’ with numerous giant-killing acts. Took 2nd, 3rd and 4th privateer titles in ’95 (Ford Mondeo), ’99 and 2000 (both Nissan Primera). Famously scooped £250,000 at Donington Park in ’99 for becoming first independent in Super Touring era (’95 onwards) to win a race outright against manufacturer teams. Notably in ’95 also finished 12th out of 55 starters and as top privateer in Dynamics Mondeo in Touring Car World Cup at Paul Ricard, France.
1997-99
• Also contested three Bathurst 1000kms. In ’98, finished a dramatic 2nd in Dynamics Nissan (sharing with Steven Richards) – missing victory by 1.7s after 7 hours, the closest finish in the race’s history.
1991-1994
• BTCC. Debuted in Pyramid team BMW M3 at British F1 Grand Prix. Drove for privately-entered family-run Team Dynamics in M3 in ’92 (Will Hoy’s ’91 title-winner) before crashing heavily and replacing it with newer 318 model. Stuck with car for ’93, winning first Independents’ title. Joined factory Mazda squad for ’94, but injuries in a huge crash at Silverstone ended season early. Recovered in time to contest end-of-season Touring Car World Cup in Mazda 323 at Donington.
1990-91
• British Group N. CHAMPION both seasons: in ‘90 in a class B BMW M3 (Goodliff Racing); in ’91 in a class A Nissan Skyline (Dynamics).
1988-89
• Ford Fiesta XR2i category (Goodliff Racing). 2nd in ’88 winter series; 3rd in full ’89 campaign.
1984-87
• Motocross. Got to AMCA Expert level but “Father guided me into cars after numerous accidents and broken bones on bikes”!