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lolOriginally Posted by Duncan
..and that exclusive track side report was brought to you by Spoons, the intrepid Vectra-C.com BTCC reporter.
When you put it like that.... it doesnt sound very informative, does it
I would try harder next time, but he isnt with Vauxhall now... so that was the last chance
You will just have to get the inside track on Matt, then..............
anyone know where or what team Tom is going to? My mrs likes Tom and he is a good driver! I dislike Neale but if hes at VX then nothing I can do really but support him!
But if Tom is at a different team I'll be supporting him to!
DOUBLE BTCC CHAMPION SIGNS FOR VX RACING
Media information: 14 October 2007
Vauxhall can today announce it has signed double Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Champion (BTCC), Matt Neal, to drive for the marque’s works team, VX Racing, in 2008.
Neal, who has yet to sample the Vauxhall Vectra, says he was enticed by the car’s dominant performance in this year’s championship, as it won the manufacturers and drivers titles with Fabrizio Giovanardi taking an unrivalled ten victories.
“I’ve always tried to make the best decision for my career at the time,” said Neal, who has been racing for family-run outfit, Team Halfords since 2004. “The last few years have been fantastic with Halfords. We’ve had two championships but life is about new challenges and goals and I see Vauxhall as something different and the prospects of the Vectra look very good for 2008.”
Neal has been one of Vauxhall’s greatest rivals over the years, bringing the manufacturer’s four-year domination to an end in 2005 by becoming the first none-Vauxhall driver to win the BTCC driver title since 2000.
“We’ve been very impressed by Matt’s approach over the years,” said VX Racing’s Brand Manager Stuart Harris. “He’s been a great ambassador for the sport with his clean, progressive racing, and we’re delighted to add him to the squad.”
Neal is familiar with Vauxhall’s operational staff after driving for the manufacturer’s second team, Egg Sport, in 2002 winning three races and finishing third overall.
“I’ve always admired VX Racing as a good professional team with a friendly atmosphere,” said Neal. “Racing against them, they were annoyingly consistent! When they were running the all-conquering Astras in the early 2000s, it was tough because they would be knocking in the results day-in-and-day-out!”
Neal will partner Giovanardi at VX Racing, after it was recently announced the Italian has signed for his third season with the Vauxhall works team. “I’m going into it wanting to do the best job,” said Neal. “I want to win races and championships but if I can’t do the latter I will do my utmost to aid my team-mate along the way. I’m a team player and always have been.”
Notes to editors:
Since first entering the BTCC in 1989, Vauxhall’s works team has won 18 titles:
- Seven Drivers Championships (2007 Fabrizio Giovanardi, 2004 James Thompson, 2003 Yvan Muller, 2002 James Thompson, 2001 Jason Plato, 1995 John Cleland, 1989 John Cleland)
- Seven Manufacturers Championships (2007, Vauxhall Vectra, 2005 VXR Astra Sport Hatch, 2004 Astra Coupé, 2003 Astra Coupé, 2002 Astra Coupé, 2001 Astra Coupé, 1992 Cavalier GSi)
- Four Team Titles (2004, 2003, 2002, 2001)
It is the most successful manufacturer in the modern era of BTCC, having accumulated 111 race wins.
The only mention of Tom Chilton's 2008 plans I've found so far are on Wikipedia. There's no reference for it though:
"Tom is not expected to stay at VXR in 2008. Instead he will join a new two car BTCC team."
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tom_Chilton
A "new" team sounds interesting though.
..and that exclusive track side report was brought to you by Spoons, the intrepid Vectra-C.com BTCC reporter.
Didn't have any opinion on Neal before the last race, but he acted like a spiteful, pathetic two year old.
He certainly won't be getting my support. I was willing Plato to put him right in the barrier.
I'm with you on that one.
I've got to say that I am getting rather p****d off with all the "Matt Neal" bashing that seems to be going on around the internet some of which (though not on this forum) has got really quite nasty. I too at the time felt that Matt was interfering in a championship battle that he wasn't part of (I said as much to Spoons at Thruxton) and seeing as he's won the last couple of championships after years of VXR domination (especially on a fraction of the budget and frankly in a car that should never have been allowed to compete in the BTCC) found that I was spending too much time "Halford Bashing" and not enough supporting VXR. However there is info around if you only look that seems to suggest Matt wasn't acting as unprofessionally as many are suggesting.
I have it on excellent authority that Matt had no choice but to let Gio through in the last race and also Chilts because of an intermittant mechanical problem with the sequential shift in the Civic that lasted until the red flags came out at the end of the race. When the two VXR's came through, Matt was simply trying to engage a gear and not letting them through as has been suggested in many forums. secondly you have to remember that Matt and Dynamics began together as a family outfit in 1991, and the decision that Matt has had to take to leave and move to VXR has been a very difficult one for him. In the last race he felt obliged to try as hard as he could to get a result for the team that he has driven for for 17 years.
I have been watching the BTCC since 1989 and Matt is in my opinion a driver of great integrity (even though he has knocked seven sorts of **** out of Vauxhall several times over the years!) who is a hard racer who never purposely gives places away under ANY circumstances.
I have supported VX since 89 and sometimes I haven't agreed with choices made by VX/teams etc. I thought 888 were an appalling decision in the first instance although I am really pleased to be proved wrong now. Even at the worst of times I've supported my team regardless of the driver line up and I don't see any reason not to support the appointment of a genuinly fast racer who has tanned the a**e off of VXR twice in the last two years.
apologies guys, certainly no upset intended, but I really have begun to feel very strongly on this one (through no fault of anyone on here) and wanted to put the recrod straight.
Well put M8.
Remember he was "they were" the privateer team to get the £250 K cheque !! he will be good for VX R
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