Matt Neal... How times change!

[99hjhm]

The other evening I was watching the 1998 BTCC reveiw on VHS, back in the day I was a massive Matt Neal fan, an independant running up with the works cars. Sadly Matt was always the one who ended up second best in a battle usally and out of the race.

Sadly these days he can't seem to pull a passing move without dilebrate contact!!! (Not that it's ever his fault)

Are the driving standards far better in BTCC these days meaning Matt Neal needs to use other tactics?

[Stuart Hill]

Not at all. Much as I like matt as a person, met him loads of times, he is IMHO a dirty driver and should have had many more penalties than he has.
"pushing" "rubbing" or even "love-taps" are ILLEGAL!!!!!!
If TOCA can't sort it out, then it will always happen, but maybe TOCA want this contact to please the so-called fans?

[Tim Falce]

Another thread on tenths went O/T with this video It's a world of difference from today's racing with both drivers giving each other room even if it cost's a place. Someone commented that the modern touring car style is to give more spectacle. To me the racers in the video are far more spectacular than someone who uses the car in front to slow himself down or to barge the other guy out of the way.

[Benny1664]

I couldnt agree more, I used to be a big fan but now his driving is as dirty as you can get! Him, Plato and Collard are as bad as they get. Drivers like Onslow Cole, Turkington, Thompson and Shedden are so much fairer and still race hard.

[99hjhm]

Glad it's not just me then.

Maybe it would be different if the team didn't have Honda backing!


Looking back at that video, Steve Soper wasn't the cleanist driver in later BTCC years

[d.rocky]

i feel the same way.
however i was surprised watching the third race at donington. Neal following Jordan into the first corner and suddenly the rear of jordans car stepped out big time allowing Neal to pass.
i thought it was his classic punt to pass move from him but it wasnt! i dont think he shoved anyone off this time..
im sure it wont last though!

[Craner Curves]

He must have used up all his dirty moves in race one at McLeans 2 laps in a row.

[monopoly]

Well, on two separate occasions this year I've joked with Mat Jackson about racing against Neal..

.. basically, give him room, and don't give him the opportunity.

[safc_fan89]

The amount of contact in the BTCC nowadays is a result of it not being penalised over the years. As in any motorsport, contact is to be expected if you have so many relatively even cars which CAN overtake, but so much of the contact in BTCC is clearly deliberate.

Do "fans" really like to see collisions?

[VIVA GT]

Nowadays, compared to the Good Old Days, the cars are so equal on performance that it's difficult to perform a totally clean overtake unless the guy in front makes a mistake.
That's why I think BTCC stands for Bash The Car Clear (and I don't like it!)

[Icebaby]

Neal for me is a high risk driver, he's good but he comes with too much risk to put a championship together due to his tactics on track, had Honda have retained Thompson and not brought in Neal they would now be looking at the drivers championship IMO.

Matt should look back to 98/99 and learn from this as he was a more complete driver then and carried a far higher fan base.

[Spanner monkey]

had Honda have retained Thompson

Look on youtube for Thomo punting plato off at oulton in a super tourer!

[cg7aa]

Originally Posted by Spanner monkey

Look on youtube for Thomo punting plato off at oulton in a super tourer!

I remember that very well. It was appalling!

[Icebaby]

No more appalling as in 97 when Plato smashed into the side of Thommo

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-BtVQ9WLCI8

[trebor901]

Originally Posted by Spanner monkey

Look on youtube for Thomo punting plato off at oulton in a super tourer!

I think that is one of the best things anyone has ever done to Plato, atleast Thompson had the guts to show Plato he would take none of Plato's bs

[Craner Curves]

Yeah let's applaud unnecessary appalling driving standards!

[vkleita]

Hiya.

I mostly just peek and read but this post really did make me think.

As much as I admire Plato for his success over the years and his amusing interview comments I feel that some times I am backing the wrong horse with my comments of "I think he is the best driver"
But why do I always want to see the replay to see if he really did give them a little nudge to get past?

Matt Neal is similar, he interviews well and seems to enjoy his job, but why do I always get the feeling that he thinks he just that little bit better and "If I have my nose in there that its my right of way"

Collard seems to the worst of both worlds, constantly commenting on the amount of contact yet is the first one late braking into a corner to push a car out wide into the corner.

At what point do you say "Hey, he got shoved out the way, that wasnt a clean pass"
To which the answer is usally "But thats what its all about".

Is it? Or over my last 2 years watching this sport did I totally miss something? I'm sure a lot are going to disagree with me and leap to the defence of their hero in the sport.

But why do I feel a little like most people are just waiting for the next big crash?

I know this is a little of a derail but it seemed a good point to bring it up