- 4 months ago
see more Racing on :
https://rebrand.ly/SpeedWorld
https://rebrand.ly/SpeedWorld
Category
🥇
SportsTranscript
00:00Welcome back to Snetterton in Norfolk for the final race of this, the penultimate weekend
00:29in the Green Flag British Touring Car Championship. Now earlier on we saw James Thompson and his teammate Luke Hines take top honours in races one and two and as the boys get ready for race three I'll hand you over to your commentators Ben Edwards and Tim Harvey.
00:43Thank you very much Vicky, we're all set then for the third race of the day, still perfect conditions, it's been ideal weather here in East Anglia today and we're now looking forward to the final touring car race.
00:54Luke Hines, winner of race two, will start from pole position for this one but now he carries maximum ballast as a result of that earlier victory.
01:02Anthony Reid alongside him in the MG and with a few problems sorted out that MG could be fast on the second row.
01:09Jason Plato now carries 18 kilos but watch out for him, he's been very quick in both races so far today.
01:15And Ivan Muller who's trying to close down a five point lead in the championship for James Thompson.
01:20On the third row it's Colin Turkington who pushed Buller so hard in race number two but never quite managed to find a way through.
01:27And then it's James Kaye who tangled with Dan Eves earlier in the race but still managed to come through to finish in sixth.
01:33James Thompson starts from row number four and it's Thompson who's got the work to do here.
01:38He's carrying not much ballast at all, pretty much fully light.
01:41He's got Rob Huff alongside him on that fourth row and he's got to try and catch Muller.
01:46Collard and Tom Chilton are back on row number five and Rob Collard as we saw can get some good results.
01:53He was beaten by Huff and Thompson on the last lap of race number two but this time he'll try and stay ahead of Tom Chilton.
01:59So those are the top five rows. Further back down the grid we particularly need to keep an eye on Matt Neill.
02:05Matt Neill starts back on row number nine and no ballast at all on that car.
02:10But he's so far back because he suffered a puncture in race number two and went off as a result and wasn't able to get back to the pits.
02:17So Matt Neill, Tim, could be the one to watch from the back.
02:20He certainly could but he's got an awful lot of work to do.
02:23I think the guys that could be good are certainly Rob Huff because he's got a fairly good starting position.
02:29And his car was very quick in the last race and he's already lost some weight.
02:33So he needs a good first lap but one to keep your eye on for sure.
02:37So Vauxhall have won the first two races of the day. Can they make it three out of three?
02:41Luke Hines is best placed to do that and he now brings the car into position on pole position with Anthony Reid next door.
02:50But watch out for Ivan Muller, the second of the works Vauxhall's on the grid.
02:54He's on the second row nearest us with the red windscreen strip.
02:57And it's great to see those two great rivals, Jason Plato and Ivan Muller, side by side.
03:02They had a good dice in race two and it was relatively clean.
03:05I think Muller might have been making the odd comment afterwards.
03:08But nonetheless, it was all pretty clean between them in that one.
03:11Not too much damage done. But he wasn't very happy, Muller.
03:14You see him just preparing there. He wasn't happy with the setup on the car.
03:17And I know that they've been changing things between race two and race three.
03:20Let's find out if they've made the car a little faster for the final race of the day here at Sneddon.
03:26We're all set to get underway. It's 16 laps once again on the 1.9 mile track.
03:31Away we go and it is a good start from Muller.
03:34Ivan Muller makes a scorching start from the second row.
03:37And it's Muller who gets ahead as they head towards Riches for the first time.
03:41Rob Huff is going with him. Where did Rob Huff come from?
03:45Because that was a very quick start from Rob Huff, I think.
03:49And Muller now trying to defend as they head up towards here.
03:52And Huff's trying to go through on the inside.
03:55I'm not quite sure how he managed that.
03:57But Huff somehow has emerged leading as they head down the Revit straight.
04:02Well, I said look out for Rob Huff. He was on the outside.
04:05Got a brilliant drive. Luke Hines held up the inside of the row by not getting a good start.
04:10And Huff was away like a shock. Brilliant.
04:12So it's Rob Huff that leads. Ivan Muller in second place.
04:15Reid and Thompson.
04:16Thompson trying to get around there at the Esses but couldn't make it.
04:19Hines is now behind Thompson.
04:21Thompson has to go through here trying to make up the ground.
04:24What's going on there? Oh, a wide line there from Anthony Reid.
04:27That might give Thompson the chance to go through.
04:30But it's Rob Huff, the winner from Brandtach, that leads Ivan Sola in second.
04:34Reid under pressure from Thompson.
04:36Will Thompson go for the move into Russell? No, he doesn't.
04:39So there's a gap developing between the top two and the race that's going on for third,
04:43between Reid, Thompson, Hines and Tom Chilton, who also got away well.
04:47Yeah, it'll be interesting to battle this between Muller and Huff.
04:51Muller said in the last race he was paddling with the extra ballast on.
04:54He said he was going to put the sails up and race this time.
04:57Look behind him though, Reid crossing over to the inside to defend from Thompson.
05:01Thompson can see the top two getting away and he wants to get past Reid here as quickly as possible.
05:06Now James is on the inside, he out breaks the MG.
05:10And as long as he doesn't run too wide on the exit here, he's up into third place.
05:15And now heading down the Revit Strait, building up to 140 miles an hour.
05:20You're riding with Tom Chilton, who's in sixth place right behind race two winner Luke Hines.
05:26Towards the S's they come, and look at Hoffman Muller, still very close.
05:30But now Thompson with the task of closing that gap.
05:33Thompson will try very hard to at least keep Muller honest and catch up a little bit.
05:37I think these early laps are decisive when you've got the weight balance coming into play
05:42with the cars at the front starting heavy.
05:44You don't want to be stuck behind them for too long.
05:46So Thompson will be pleased to get past Reedy so quickly.
05:49Yes, and that means he's only one place behind his big championship rival, Ivan Muller.
05:54Further back, you can see Turgenton in the pack, so Stan Eves, Rob Collard.
05:58And Matt Neill has done well because Matt Neill started way down.
06:02He's in 11th place already.
06:04And he's now behind Rob Collard.
06:05And James Thompson found it a tough task to get past Rob Collard in the previous race.
06:09Collard is a very wide driver if he needs to be.
06:12He's got a stock car racing background.
06:14He knows how to keep Hill behind, but Matt Neill looking up the inside.
06:17We'll have to see if he got through.
06:19Well, Collard's out wide.
06:21Hill's shut the door. Look at that. I told you he was aggressive.
06:23But I think Neill's clearly at the inside.
06:25He still needs to get a good exit out onto the long reddit straight.
06:28He looks to have done that without running wide.
06:30So, yes, he's through.
06:32Yeah, that brings him into ninth place.
06:34So, Matt Neill having started way back on the ninth row of the grid,
06:37and eighteenth place, is now up to ninth already.
06:40That's a good effort.
06:41But look at Luke Hines and Tom Chilton racing side by side.
06:43Chilton with a...
06:44Oh, no, they've tangled.
06:45Hines and Chilton tangle as they come into the S's there.
06:49Chilton's on the grass as a result.
06:51And what a disappointment because they were racing hard there for fifth place.
06:55Yeah, they did give each other quite enough room there.
06:57We've seen you can get two cars braking side by side round there.
07:01But it looks like...
07:02Oh, it looks like Chilton just comes in.
07:04He knows that Hines is there, but he could have gone round the outside,
07:08but tried to take the line.
07:10Unfortunately, Luke Hines had his nose just up the inside.
07:14That was the view from onboard Tom Chilton's car as he spun into the stop on the grass there.
07:21Luke Hines still managing to keep going.
07:24But look how Thompson has caught Ivan Muller.
07:27Now we have a race between the two great rivals in the championship.
07:30The two champions of the last two years lights on on James Thompson's car.
07:35Richard Marsh is off again.
07:36Well, nothing untoward there.
07:38Unusual there, I should say.
07:39We've seen that a bit today, I have to say.
07:41Oh, he got a bit tied up, I have to say, behind Farik Harriman.
07:44He was a bit out of luck there because Harriman suddenly slowed in front of him.
07:47Wasn't a lot Richard Marsh could do about it.
07:49But look how close now James Thompson is with the white windscreen strip
07:53right behind his teammate Ivan Muller as we're now riding with Matt Neil.
07:57And he's trying to get past Colin Turkington and he's on the outside here.
08:01Now he has the inside line into the S's.
08:03Oh, this is good racing from Matt Neil.
08:05Hard, aggressive, forceful, but effective racing.
08:09Well, that's how you outbrake somewhere around the outside into the S's.
08:12You give them enough room, you break around the outside
08:14and then dive on the inside into the right-hand section,
08:17which follows immediately after the braking zone.
08:19Good pass by Matt Neil.
08:21The big loser has really been Jason Plato.
08:23He's gone from third all the way down to 11th.
08:26So he got muscle back primarily on that first lap,
08:29but not a good race for him.
08:31The guy's outstanding at the pace, obviously.
08:33Rob Huff, Muller and Thompson looking fantastic.
08:36Yes, Danny's just crossing the line.
08:38But there is Thompson, very fast.
08:40He's got the fastest lap of the race and it's a new lap record.
08:43It's faster than this lap he set earlier on today.
08:46So James Thompson in third place there.
08:48Car number two with a new lap record.
08:50And he's chasing after his big championship rival.
08:54His teammate, Ivan Muller.
08:56It's all come down to this.
08:58We've only got the last event in the championship to go at Donington after this.
09:02And this could be absolutely decisive.
09:04Thompson now looking for the chance to get past Muller.
09:07Huff hasn't managed to get away.
09:09But maybe, just maybe, if Thompson starts attacking Muller, there'll be a chance.
09:13Has Muller got an inside here?
09:15I don't think he's close enough.
09:17No, not quite. It was very close.
09:19But Huff ran a little bit wide.
09:21He's obviously just struggling a little bit.
09:23They have been changing the set-up all weekend.
09:25He had good race pace in the second race.
09:27So I thought he'd had enough to get away.
09:29But maybe his chance will come if Muller is attacked by Thompson.
09:33And Ron Huff enjoying his time in front.
09:35He won last time out of France hatch.
09:37What a result it would be to do it again here at the track nearest to his hometown of Newmarket.
09:42And he'll have a lot of friends here today cheering him on.
09:45But can he stay ahead of the champions for the last two years?
09:49Ivan Muller and James Thompson.
09:51So far so good for him.
09:52Five laps completed out of the 16.
09:54And Ron Huff still in front of Muller.
09:56Thompson's just dropped back a fraction from where he was on the previous lap.
10:00Green is still in fourth place.
10:02We're back on board with Ivan Muller.
10:04And Huff just running over the extra bit of concrete on the exit of Seer.
10:08That doesn't hurt the car too much.
10:10But meanwhile, Matt Neill has now got past Heinz.
10:13And Matt Neill's in the sixth place.
10:15Well, it just shows what fabulous racing you get when you change the weight balance on these cars.
10:19Because they really can't stay at the front with maximum ballast anymore.
10:23And it's just helping the fast cars get through the traffic.
10:27And we see Roscoe take it.
10:29On board, Griswoller again into the right-hander.
10:31The bomb hole dips down, climbs back up very slightly.
10:34You can see that Seat moving around through these fast corners.
10:37Watch the steering wheel.
10:39Rob Huff's having to work quite hard over 100 miles an hour.
10:42And then onto the brakes into Russell, the tightest corner on the circuit
10:45where he hopped the curve just as Rob Huff did there.
10:48He's driving brilliantly.
10:50You wouldn't think that it's his first year in the British Touring Car Championship.
10:54He's driving like a veteran.
10:56And that confidence that a race win gives you is being shown here by Rob Huff.
11:00No question, he's driving like a veteran.
11:02This is a replay of Matt Neal diving up the inside of Rob Hines.
11:06A good late pass.
11:08Neal showed he's very good into that corner and that was a good clean pass.
11:12But of course, Hines with full ballast off winning the race before isn't trying too hard to defend.
11:17But Muller certainly isn't getting a tap for his efforts from team mate Thompson.
11:21Well, Thompson reckoned that he'd had a tap from Muller last time out at France, which he wasn't too pleased about.
11:26Muller had said, well, I had the faster car.
11:28I had to come through and Thompson said, well, if I have a faster car, then I might have to come through like that.
11:33So do not count against the possibility of a little bit of physical contact between these two cars.
11:39If Thompson sees an opportunity, I'm sure he will grab it.
11:43But right behind, look how actually Reid has caught.
11:46Yeah, this is now a train of four cars, not three, as Carl Brees looks to have yet another retirement.
11:51But yeah, train of four cars and this is not what Thompson wanted.
11:55He probably would have been quite happy to sit behind Muller for a few laps and just pace himself and time his manoeuvre.
12:01But now he's got Reid behind him.
12:03He's really got to get on with the hurry up of trying to pass Muller.
12:06Yes. And in the background, you could also see the two Hondas behind of Dan Eves and Matt Neal.
12:11Then Luke Hines is leading a group including Colin Turkington, Rob Collard, Jason Clayton and Stefan Hodgett in the Alfa, who's gone well.
12:18He's in 11th place and the two is one.
12:21A good result to end the weekend that's been rather disappointing with problems in the car.
12:25But up front, this four-way dice, there you are.
12:28Just look at the background, you can see Luke Hines.
12:30And he's now under attack from Colin Turkington.
12:32Turkington's going to try and go around the outside.
12:34Collard on the inside, Clayton on the outside.
12:36This is great racing side by side.
12:39Four or five cars all racing for position.
12:42And now, Plato has to watch out and see what he can do.
12:45We're on board with Stefan Hodgett here, in fact.
12:47Hodgett with this really powerful Alfa Romeo engine.
12:50Hodgett is flying.
12:52He's going to take at least one if not two of these guys as they head down towards the S's.
12:56Has to slot in again.
12:57It's Turkington, Hines, Plato and there is Hodgett.
13:00Well, he had a mega toe down the back straight.
13:03Who's that's gone wide?
13:04That's Plato that's run out wide.
13:06Oh, and now he's got all the marbles and got another slide on.
13:09Well, he was the one that lost out.
13:11But certainly Stefan Hodges, yeah, he has got a mega engine in that car.
13:15Yeah, it's been fast on the speed tracks when he's had a chance to do a few laps.
13:20Race leader is Rob Huff coming up to complete lap number eight.
13:23It's half distance for Rob.
13:25Second place still for Ibarth Muller.
13:27James Thompson in third and Anthony Reid in fourth.
13:30Now, are these Hondas catching?
13:32I think they might be gradually.
13:33Both Danis and Manil going very quickly at the moment.
13:36And then it's Colin Turkington.
13:37Hodgett's now running in a very good eighth place.
13:40I wonder if he can get that Alfa even further up the order.
13:44What a strong end to the season it could be for them.
13:46But Anthony Reid trying to just get on terms with these two voxels ahead of him.
13:51Matt Neil is the fastest man on the track,
13:53has been consistently for the last few laps,
13:55set his fastest lap just on the last one at 1 minute 12.4,
13:59compared to leader Rob Huff's 1 minute 13.
14:02So half a second quicker.
14:04So there is a chance that Matt Neil could get up.
14:06I'm sure his teammate Danis will move out of the way fairly quickly
14:09to let the lighter and faster Matt Neil go through once he catches it.
14:14What an opportunity this is for Rob Huff.
14:16You know, it was a last-gast victory at France Hatch
14:19that earned him his first win in the series.
14:21Fully deserved win as his teammate Jason Plato.
14:24But it's a different story to defend from drivers of the calibre.
14:27Oh, and Plato on the inside there,
14:29and Collard might have taken that place.
14:31It's a different story to defend from the likes of Ivan Muller,
14:34James Thompson and Anthony Reid for lap after lap after lap.
14:38But so far, there's no sign to those little errors
14:41that can creep in when a driver's feeling under pressure.
14:45It's a hot day.
14:46I'm sure the guys want to get a few laps under their belt
14:48and then see how the race pans out
14:50before attacking at the end of the race.
14:52That certainly goes maybe for the instructor board,
14:54but the two Hondas,
14:55the Comptease Racing and Houndless Hondas,
14:57they're chasing after them.
14:58Rob Huff would like nothing better to win this race.
15:01Look at Ivan, how relaxed is that?
15:03Both hands off the wheel, little stretch of the arm.
15:06How relaxed is he feeling?
15:07Well, Rob Huff, he's driving for a job next year.
15:10He doesn't have a contract with Seat.
15:12Seat are keeping champion, former champion Plato,
15:15and the newly crowned Seat Cuspera Cup champion, James Pittsburgh,
15:19they desperately want to run a third car.
15:21They'd be mad to let this man go.
15:23Yeah, he's doing such a superb job at the moment.
15:26And he has moved up to touring cars so effectively.
15:29You're on board with Ivan Buller, running second to Rob Huff.
15:32And again, Huff just managed to hold that advantage.
15:36In fact, extend it very slightly again.
15:39This pops over the kerbs there.
15:40Perfect line through this again.
15:42Chasing them both Dan Eaves and Matt Neal, the two teammates.
15:46And Matt Neal making up for that puncture and damage
15:49that was done in race number two and a non-finish.
15:51Starting at the back of the race in this one,
15:53and moving up to sixth place and still flying, as you say,
15:57still setting the fastest laps of these lead cars
16:01and gradually closing on teammate Dan Eaves.
16:04Further back, still running behind them,
16:06in seventh is Colin Turkington, eighth is Stefan Hodgett,
16:09Luke Hines is ninth, Rob Collard 10th, Plato 11th,
16:12Jason Hughes 12th and Tom Chilton is down in 13th place,
16:16but Matt Neal is chasing his teammate and closing the gap.
16:20Getting the benefit of a little slipstream as well,
16:22off his teammate, that's helping him.
16:24Although running wide at Sear on that last lap
16:26won't help him catch up the gap,
16:29but he's certainly getting a little toe off his teammate
16:31and he'll have good speed down that straight,
16:33particularly if it's into a headwind.
16:35Five points the gap in the championship
16:37between Thompson and Muller when they came into this one.
16:40Thompson with that slight edge.
16:42If they finish as they are now,
16:44then Muller would just claim back two of those five points
16:47and they would go to the final meeting at Donington,
16:50separated by just three points.
16:52It's a remarkable story this season
16:54of how evenly matched both James Thompson and Ivan Muller have been,
16:57and what a fantastic job VX Racing have done
17:00in providing them with reliable, consistent cars
17:03that have enabled them to always score points.
17:06They might not have always been winning races this year,
17:09because Seat, MG and Honda have picked form in 2004,
17:13but Muller and Thompson have been the most consistent.
17:16They're at it again here, and there's still nothing to choose between them
17:19in second and third places.
17:21VX Racing have certainly done a brilliant job with these boxals.
17:25Let's not forget they've been off the winners' rostrum for the last 11 races,
17:30and frankly looked like they'd lost their way a little bit at Croft,
17:34Notchill and Brands.
17:35That's just slightly off the pace with the emerging Seats and MG,
17:38looking to be the dominant car.
17:40But they've bounced back in style just at the critical time,
17:42and they've done it evenly, with both drivers having equal equipment.
17:46Thompson, I think, has found a little edge this weekend in the chassis set-up,
17:50and that could be crucial as we're into the penultimate minting,
17:53but VX Racing an excellent job to put these cars out,
17:56and as you say, reliability has been excellent this year.
18:00Well, let's keep touching women we say that,
18:02because Thompson had an engine let go on the last lap here last year.
18:05Look behind them, though.
18:07Reid has been caught by Dan Eaves and Matt Neill,
18:10so fourth place is very uncertain.
18:13Thompson's still close to Muller, but behind them,
18:15the black car of Anthony Reid,
18:17you can see how close both Dan Eaves and this man,
18:20Matt Neill, are behind him,
18:22and as they come up towards Riches,
18:24and those two start fighting,
18:25this will give Matt Neill a great run through the corner,
18:29and he's going to make it a three-way dice now,
18:31as they head up towards Sear.
18:33Thompson's still chasing Muller for second,
18:35and now it's all about horsepower.
18:37Who gets the best run out of here,
18:38and which of these cars perhaps has a tiny bit more horsepower
18:41than the others?
18:42Well, Matt Neill picked up a puncture in the second race,
18:44that's why he saw it fly up at the end of this race,
18:47and one of the ways he can do that
18:48is to run out that wide over that concrete and all the rubbish,
18:51so he doesn't want to do that.
18:52But there's three possible scenarios here,
18:54either Anthony Reid can keep them behind him,
18:57on the run of the battle there between Thompson and Muller,
18:59Anthony Reid can either keep them behind them,
19:01or Eaves can attack and get through,
19:03or Eaves can attack and let Matt Neill get both of them.
19:07Yeah, it's all going to come down to the last couple of laps.
19:10They'll be coming around to complete their 13th lap this time,
19:13there'll be just three laps remaining.
19:15Rob Huff, from nowhere, on the grid in a way,
19:18not quite from nowhere, but from row number four,
19:21had the most amazing start,
19:23and the doubler corners to emerge in front of Ivan Mullen.
19:27Now, Danny's just moving out,
19:29is he going to allow Matt Neill a bit of a chance here?
19:32Just wondering if he will to come through,
19:35but I think they'll still be going for individual results at this point,
19:38it's not as if Matt can really challenge for the outright championship,
19:41through inches they come.
19:42No, he has moved out of the way, in fact,
19:44he's left Matt Neill through.
19:45Yeah, well, he just dropped off the back of Anthony Reid there on that lap,
19:48and also had a bit of a twitch at the entrance to Rich's,
19:51so I wonder just if there's a start of a problem on Danny's car.
19:55I'm sure he felt that he ought to let Matt go through,
19:58but it just looked like he might have an inkling of a problem.
20:01Rob Huff still in control, though, less than three laps to go.
20:05He's pulled away a bit more as Muller concentrates
20:07on keeping James Thompson behind him,
20:09and Thompson has to try and make this clean
20:12if he's going to go past the Frenchman.
20:14He can't afford not to finish,
20:16and then to allow Muller to finish in second.
20:18That would be a complete disaster,
20:19so both of them know they have to try and finish this race.
20:23It's not worth doing anything too risky.
20:25Meanwhile, behind them still adds new lead.
20:28Now Matt Neill, that little bit closer,
20:30and Danny's just dropping back a fraction.
20:32Matt Neill closing up hugely on the brakes,
20:35as Jason Plato has managed to get past Rob Collard.
20:38These two have been racing hard all race long so far,
20:42and Stefan Hodgett's just ahead of them,
20:44and he's managed to get ahead of Collard.
20:46Yeah, that's been a battle for Plato all the way through this race
20:49after that poor start,
20:50but Matt Neill closed up on the back of Anthony very quickly over one lap,
20:54and, well, we all know Matt, he will have a go.
20:56Whatever the option, he'll have a go at some point,
20:58and really knows that as well,
21:00so he'll have to defend very hard.
21:02Under two laps to go,
21:04Seat could be heading for yet another victory this season.
21:08What a remarkable first season they've had
21:10in the British Touring Car Championship.
21:12Potsall are up on to ten wins now,
21:14still more than anyone else,
21:16but Seat has been picking them off,
21:18and if Rob can hold on, it will be Seat's eighth win of the season.
21:22Well, they're still just fending off James Thompson.
21:25There is Thompson.
21:26He knows how important it is to gain each and every point.
21:30He's got the point for fastest lap bet, remember,
21:33and that could make all the difference at the end of this year,
21:36so a point gained there for Thompson
21:38would mean that Muller will score only one point more than him
21:41by finishing his second position.
21:43And the team would have told him,
21:44is Matt Neill having a go?
21:45He's good on the brakes here.
21:47I think he's done it.
21:48Can he hold it in tight?
21:49Yes, he can, and get a good exit.
21:51Good move by Matt Neill.
21:52That takes some guts to do that coming round
21:54after the 110-mile-an-hour corner quorum,
21:57and his teammate now seems to have been reinvigorated
22:00having seen Matt go past.
22:01He'll try the same maneuver.
22:03Yeah, up to all switches,
22:04but Reid makes sure he has the inside line.
22:07It'll force Dan to go the long way around.
22:09Not going to be easy to do that,
22:11but Reid does look as though he may be struggling a little bit now
22:14as they come round there.
22:16On their final lap, Thompson,
22:18is he going to try anything spectacular on this last lap
22:21to take second place?
22:23Surely neither of them are going to catch
22:25the yellow and silver car ahead.
22:27That is Rob Huff,
22:28and he is going to take his second win in two meetings.
22:32What a remarkable turn of fortune and of skill for Rob Huff,
22:37because he won at Brands and an opportunist piece of overtaking,
22:40but this time he has led it pretty much from the start.
22:43A remarkable getaway off the line,
22:46and ever since then he's been in front,
22:48he's been in control.
22:49Muller's not been able to find a way past him.
22:51Thompson's just been stuck behind Muller,
22:53hasn't been able to get through either,
22:55and it's Rob Huff now who's only got the final corner to go
22:59to take his second win of the season.
23:03Rob Huff from nearby Newmarket comes through to win
23:07the third race of the day at Snetterton.
23:10Beautifully driven.
23:11Second place goes to Ivan Muller.
23:13Third goes to James Thompson,
23:15and fourth is held by Matt Neill ahead of Anthony Reid.
23:20Look at these guys all still fighting.
23:22Turkington, I think, will finish in seventh place.
23:25Hines there is in eighth position,
23:27and then it's going to be Stefan Hodgett,
23:30a very strong ninth place.
23:32Well done to Stefan Hodgett.
23:33That's his best result so far,
23:35and the youngsters are on their way
23:38because Rob Huff has done it.
23:40Stefan Hodgett has had a good result,
23:42and the youngsters this time proving their worth
23:45against the veterans.
23:46A great race by Rob Huff.
23:47Very often when the driver wins their first race,
23:50they snowball and win more with the confidence.
23:53The top three, then Rob Huff, Ivan Muller and James Thompson.
23:56Fantastic drive.
23:59Brilliant stuff from Rob Huff then,
24:01and just making his way down towards the S's,
24:05cheering away from the fans.
24:07We'll be able to hear from the winners from Rob Huff,
24:10Ivan Muller and James Thompson right after the break.
24:14So stay with us, and we'll hear from a very happy Rob Huff.
24:19We'll be able to hear from me.
24:20No!
24:25Sponsored by Green Flag Moking Assistants.
24:28With you all the way.
24:30No!
24:33It's Weight Watchers from Hinds.
24:36It's Weight Watchers from Heinz.
24:43If you're ready to take your career to the next level,
24:45make your first move the Open University.
24:48You don't need any previous qualifications to get started.
24:51We can help you update your work skills
24:53or explore a new career direction.
24:56You can choose from hundreds of affordable courses
24:58and bring your credits with you.
25:00With the help of tutors,
25:01you can study to any level without giving up work.
25:05Over 30,000 businesses already sponsor their staff to study with us.
25:09So call us now for a free prospectus on 0800 722 755.
25:14It could be the best career move you ever make.
25:17That's 0800 722 755.
25:20Or visit us online.
25:21Do it now.
25:22The new Hyundai Tucson.
25:46As strong and robust as every Hyundai.
25:49Worried about viruses?
26:15With Wannadoo, our security packages can offer protection whenever you're online.
26:20Whatever you want to do.
26:22Wannadoo Broadband.
26:24No!
26:31It's Weight Watchers from Heinz.
26:33Before you buy car insurance from just anyone,
26:38just keep asking yourself one question.
26:42Could I get a better deal with the AA?
26:45Because last year the AA could have saved you up to £199 on your car insurance.
26:52Why not see what you could save?
26:54Before you buy car insurance from just anyone,
26:58just ask.
26:59Call 0800 294 7777 or buy online.
27:03Enjoy some truly inspiring music.
27:08Don't miss Tomorrow's Scotsman to claim your free fireworks concert CD.
27:13Seven classics, 30 minutes of rousing music.
27:17It's the best of the spectacular Bank of Scotland fireworks concerts.
27:21And it's free only with Tomorrow's Compact Scotsman.
27:24And it's free only with Tomorrow's Compact Scotsman.
27:54It's Weight Watchers from Heinz.
28:10Sponsored by Green Flag Motoring Assistants.
28:13You come first every time.
28:15So Rob Huff, the winner at Snetterton in an absolutely superbly driven race.
28:29Second place, Ivan Muller.
28:31James Thompson finished in third with Matt Neill forcing his way up from 18th place on the grid to finish in fourth.
28:38One of the drives of the day.
28:40He finished ahead of Anthony Reid, Dan Eves, Colin Turkington, Luke Hines.
28:43Stefan Hodgett's getting his best results so far in the Alfa Romeo.
28:47And Jason Plato, who finished in tenth.
28:49He got held up at the start after making a good getaway.
28:52Had nowhere to go.
28:54And there wasn't much he could do about it.
28:56So, James Thompson finished in third.
28:58Still leads the championship.
28:59And Vicky is with him.
29:00James, you managed to get the lap record.
29:02I would say well done on that one.
29:03But maybe not quite so well done for finishing behind a van.
29:07Yeah.
29:07Oh, you know, disappointed with that.
29:10You know, in terms of the weekend, we've turned a points deficit into a points advantage.
29:13So that's all you can really hope for.
29:15But, yeah, the second race was a bit frustrating.
29:18And the third race, a lot of work to do from seventh.
29:22You know, to get up to third.
29:23You work hard.
29:25Getting past people comes when you work the tyres hard.
29:27But the car wasn't quite as good in the third race.
29:30But at the end of the day, like I say, the main thing, all I'm bothered about is the championship.
29:34You know, winning a race here and there.
29:35The main thing is for me to keep ahead of Ivan.
29:37And that's all I'm really interested in.
29:38Did you not fancy having a pop at him?
29:41Well, I'm saving the one that I owe him after he pushed me off, pushed me wide at Brands.
29:46So I didn't want to read him the score up just yet.
29:49So, yeah, you know, he drove a canny race.
29:52And a couple of times he could have got inside him.
29:54But he probably ended up off the circuit.
29:56And I don't particularly like to do that.
29:59Lovely. Thank you very much, James. Thank you.
30:01Now then, we have second place man, Ivan Muller.
30:05Ivan, that was quite a conservative race.
30:07Yeah, it was important to be on the podium for the last race.
30:11First and second one, I was very, very slow.
30:14I finished fifth and fourth.
30:16I lost the leadership at the championship.
30:19And it was urgent to find a good setup for the car for the third race.
30:23And fortunately, we found it.
30:26Jimmy was a little bit lighter than me.
30:28That's why he was slightly quicker than me.
30:31But I done my best to keep him behind.
30:34It's shameful for the first place.
30:36Because in the first corner, I was leader.
30:39He gave me a push.
30:41I went sideways.
30:42And that changed totally the philosophy of the race.
30:46But I can't be pleased because after the beginning of the weekend and with the weight penalty I had in the car compared to Huff, it's a good weekend.
30:56It's a good race.
30:57Not a good weekend, but a good race.
30:58Did you not have the performance to challenge Huff for a win?
31:03No, again, because I was heavier than him.
31:06And secondly, because their weight is much lighter than us.
31:10And on terms of performance from the beginning of the race, we were very similar.
31:13But with our weight, we stress much more our tyre and our brake than them.
31:19And step by step, he went further.
31:22Lovely.
31:23Thank you very much.
31:24Thank you, Van.
31:25And Mr. Race Winner, Robert Huff.
31:28You're making a bit of a habit of this, aren't you?
31:29Oh, what a weekend.
31:31What two weekends in a row, you know, with Brands Hatcher now coming into my home circuit.
31:35Struggled madly all weekend with the extra weight we've had.
31:37And just the set-up in general.
31:40And then made a bit of a tweak on the last race there.
31:43It was the tiniest little thing.
31:44And just completely transformed the car.
31:46And, yeah, storming.
31:47Got an amazing start.
31:49You did have a good start, didn't you?
31:50Because Luke Hine sort of bogged down a bit, didn't he?
31:52And held his side of the grid up.
31:54Yeah, that's it.
31:54I mean, that's pretty much been the way it's been all day.
31:56Whoever started on the inside has bogged down and boxed everyone in.
31:59And, yeah, just for the third time today, went around the outside of everyone.
32:02And one in three chance, it worked.
32:05Lovely.
32:05Well done, you.
32:06Cheers, Vic.
32:06Back to Ben.
32:08Thank you very much, Vicky.
32:09Well, it's great to see Rob looking so happy once again.
32:11And he has every justification.
32:13But look at the championship leaderboard now.
32:16It's still just four points separating James Thompson and Ivan Muller.
32:19The championship is going to go all the way to the wire.
32:23The last three races at Donington Park in three weeks' time
32:26will decide the outcome of the 2004 championship.
32:29Anthony Reid in third now, just clear of Jason Plato.
32:32But Matt Neill is still right in there, too.
32:35So the battle for third place in this series, Reid, Plato and Neill, they'll all be pushing
32:39very, very hard, I think, to try and take it in those last three races at Donington Park.
32:45And some good moves up there for Rob Huff, too.
32:47Now seventh place in the championship, courtesy of two wins recently.
32:51Let's go back to Vicky, who's with Matt Neill.
32:55Matt, you had rather a terrific race there.
32:58Well, we just so desperately wanted to win it.
33:00We lost one of our engineers this week, a very talented young man at Neil Brown called Nick Lowe's.
33:05And it's Lois.
33:06And we desperately wanted to do it.
33:08All the Hondas wanted to win a race this week for him.
33:10You know, and I'm just really sad that we couldn't do it.
33:13But it wasn't for the one to try.
33:15No, you did exceptionally well.
33:17Particularly at the end there, you had a good tussle with Reedy.
33:19Yeah, my old nemesis.
33:20They were all coming back.
33:22And it was there, there for the taking.
33:23I just wanted another five laps.
33:24Thank you very much.
33:29Thank you very much, Vicky.
33:30Well, Matt certainly had an up and down weekend, but he must be very pleased with that one.
33:35Let's just take another look at the start of that race, which was so crucial, particularly for Rob Huff.
33:41Now, Rob started back on the fourth row of the grid.
33:43Way on the outside.
33:44If you look nearest the camera here, he's going around the outside.
33:47Plato made a good start, but got held up because Luke Hines made such a bad start.
33:51Muller then led as they headed up towards Riches.
33:53But already, Huff was into second place.
33:56He'd got into the apex, had a good run through Riches.
33:59Great momentum here.
34:00And as he emerged, he was actually faster than Muller.
34:03He outbraked Muller.
34:04Very simple piece of outbraking.
34:05And suddenly, Rob Huff had moved into the lead of the race.
34:09Well, I think he might look back on that little bit of video footage.
34:12He'll keep that bit of video footage and play it every now and then when he's feeling a bit down.
34:17That's how you start a race.
34:18And that's how you catch all the top touring car drivers in this country completely unaware.
34:24It's a brilliant performance there from Rob Huff as they make their way over towards the podium.
34:30And, well, you have to say that he's done a fantastic job this year, having moved up as winner of the Seat Cupra Championship, winning the opportunity to become a Seat Works touring car driver.
34:42And he's taken that opportunity with both hands and makes the most of it.
34:48Well, don't forget that in three weeks' time, we're going to be going to Donington Park.
34:54And that's where the championship will all be wrapped up.
34:57Looking forward to that very much.
34:59And it could be very tight all the way, I think, to the end between Ivan Muller and James Thompson.
35:05And we're just going to have to see which of them emerges on top, whether it will be the Frenchman or the Englishman.
35:11And Donington Park will tell us that story.
35:16Well, that's about all we've got time for here at Snetterton.
35:19But join us again in three weeks' time for the championship decider.
35:22It will be coming to you live from Donington Park.
35:25Now, next Sunday, we have got the Italian Grand Prix to look forward to.
35:29And that will be from Monza.
35:30And we have highlights from the Goodwood Revival meeting.
35:36A terrific day of motorsport to look forward to there.
35:39But from everyone here at Snetterton, goodbye.
Be the first to comment