Chilton makes history as tempers fray

Tom Chilton became the youngest winner in Green Flag British Touring Car history with a victory in race three here yesterday. The 19-year-old took his Honda to victory after a clash between Anthony Reid and Matt Neal gave him a golden opportunity.

Neal and James Thompson were also winners on the day as bodywork flew and tempers frayed. Neal took race one in his privately-run Honda Civic, having got the best of a tense early battle with poleman Jason Plato, in the SEAT, and Thompson, whose Vauxhall team-mate Yvan Muller took second place.

Race two went to Thompson and in the end it was an easy win, though he had had to fight for it early on. Nine laps in, poleman Rob Huff made a mistake, slewed sideways and dropped down to eighth. Muller held on to second place, though Reid in the MG, who was in third spot, did place him under extreme pressure.

Chilton joined the party after an impressively mature run and was ready to grab his chance as Reid and Neal ran off the road together with two laps to go. An angry Reid recovered to finish second, the even angrier Neal, with his car damaged, dropped to eighth and Plato bagged third. "When I saw them tangle up ahead I just kept cool and drove past. Now I've proved I can do it, I'm a winner," said Chilton.