BTCC 2018: Neal wins Diamond Double at Snetterton

Triple British Touring Car champion Matt Neal clinched victory in the special extended Diamond Double race at Snetterton, held to mark the 60th anniversary of the series, in his Honda Civic Type R.

Rising stars Jack Goff and Ashley Sutton also took race wins at the Norfolk track.

Instead of the usual reverse-grid finale, the third race at Snetterton was extended from 12 laps to 20, with double championship points on offer and no success ballast. The race also featured its own separate qualifying session.

Picture special: 60 years of the BTCC

That was good news for Eurotech driver Goff, who went fastest in both qualifying sessions to claim two pole positions in his Civic Type R. He made the first one count, pulling out a big lead in treacherous wet conditions. 

The young guns of the BTCC

Behind Goff, reigning champion Sutton quickly fought his way up the order in his Subaru Levorg, soon moving into second place. He proceeded to close the gap to Goff, and the pair staged an epic battle in the closing laps, with Goff just holding on as they crossed the line nearly side-by-side.

Dan Cammish (Civic Type R) completed the podium ahead of Josh Cook (Vauxhall Astra).

Victory should have meant Goff also starting from pole in race two, but a delay in picking tyres meant he didn’t get to the grid in time and was forced to start from the pit lane. That meant Sutton effectively started from pole, and he made the most of it by taking a big lead. But a late safety car closed the pack up, and in the final laps second-place Cook (Astra) pushed Sutton hard.