Paul O’Neill into Independents’ lead

A “perfect” race three saw Paul O’Neill take sunshine.co.uk’s first independent win in the BTCC at the weekend. Second place at Rockingham behind Matt Neal gave O’Neill the Indy honours, handing Team sunshine.co.uk with Tech-Speed Motorsport another podium finish, the chance to celebrate their first Independent victory and O’Neill the Independents’ Trophy lead.

Having gambled on dry tyres from tenth on the grid in race one O’Neill finished sixth, before an eighth place finish in race two after contact with Mat Jackson.

The reverse grid draw left O’Neill on the front row for the final race of the day, and while he lost out to Tom Onslow Cole at the start, the 30-year-old was soon back behind Neal in second.

“That was just perfect,” he said. “When we got the reverse grid after the first two races, I knew we had a real chance and I had to drive with my head.

“When I tried to go around the outside of Matt at the start, I could see all the marbles on the circuit and backed out rather than risk ending up in the wall. Then I had a battle with Tom and he is a great driver to race against because you know you can go side-by-side in fifth gear and it will be a clean fight.

“On the oval, he had the pace, but on the infield he was there for the taking and he had no reply when I made my move.”

O’Neill also praised the efforts of his team, with the Rockingham result coming off the back of a difficult week that saw teammate John George’s participation threatened thanks to being stuck in Spain at the time of the Icelandic volcanic eruption, and holiday company sunshine.co.uk suffer a “horrendous week” in the words of Managing Director Chris Brown.

“This is the first time that I almost didn’t come to the races after the week we have had,” commented Brown. “I’m glad I did now! That was another fantastic weekend and Paul’s performance in the third race was outstanding.

“To get a first Independent victory is absolutely mega and we’ve again shown that we can fight right at the front of the field.”

O’Neill agrees, saying, “The result is good but it’s not for me, it’s for the team. People don’t realise how good they are, but to be in a position where I am leading the Independents’ championship against the opposition there is, shows everyone what they can do.”

Tech-Speed boss Marvin Humphries though is hoping to show the touring car world that he and his team can do even better.

“We’ve had another good weekend. We were there or thereabouts throughout and it was unfortunate for Paul that he lost out in the second race. However, we benefited from the reverse grid for race three and he drove well again. He had a good, clean battle with Onslow-Cole and we just have to make one more step now to be on top of the podium.”