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Latest News for Neil Waterworth.

Neil signs with Triple-R for 2008 Spanish campaign.

Neil has signed with leading SEAT race outfit Triple-R as part of a four car assault on two continental championships in 2008. He will again be running a SEAT Leon and will compete in both the Spanish Supercopa and selected rounds of the EuroCup that supports the World Touring Car Championship. The attraction of great weather, packed grids and racing on fantastic circuits made this an opportunity Neil couldn't resist. With the experience gained in the UK championship this year he is looking to be competitive very quickly.

Neil said "I’ve never raced outside the UK before, unless you can class a beach motorcross race on the Isle of Man as overseas, so I’m really looking forward to racing on new tracks. My plan is to contest all the Supercopa series in Spain and pick and choose some of the EuroCup events. I’ll definitely do the EuroCup races at Brands Hatch and at Estoril, because there is a three month break in the Supercopa, and those races fit in nicely."

2007 News Archive

2007 Racing archive for Neil Waterworth and related motorsport news.

Neil is presented with prize money cheque for £10,000.

After a hard season of competition, Neil's excellent racecraft and consistent results netted him fourth place in the championship and with it a prize of £10,000!! The cheque was presented by SEAT UK motorsport manager Scott Dennis at the Thruxton meeting. Neil was well chuffed with the prize and already thinking about what championship he would use it for in 2008, before dad Geoff could claim it back off him.

Close battles all through the Thruxton weekend.
For the final round, the SEAT Leon championship paid it's second visit of 2007 to Britains fastest circuit and once again the action was exciting and the racing close.

Testing and Qualifying.
Neil was in confident mood and on the pace immediately, vying for fastest time throughout all the sessions. As ever, the top runners were seperated by only a few tenths and often a lucky slipstream was the differnce in the positions. Neil qualified well and was looking forward to mixing it up with the other competitors in the Sunday races.

Race 1.
As the lights went out the cars charged forward and Neil was up at the front fighting for a podium spot. The Leons are well suited to this track with good power and aerodynamics, but because they are so evenly matched overtaking is made much more difficult. Even with this fact Neil still picked off a couple of cars ahead of him until the race settled down and the chequered flag fell.

Race 2.
Once again Neil got a good start and was looking forward to moving up the order but his Leon developed severe oversteer which affected the handling in the fast corners. This meant he had to fight hard just to maintain his position. Usuing all his experience and driving like a man possessed he kept with the leading pack right through to the end of the race.

And finally.....
Another couple of fantastic drives ensured that fourth place in the championsip was his and this was a well deserved reward for his mega performances in all 20 rounds.

Hard but fair racing at hectic Knockhill meeting.
This terrific circuit is well worth the long drive north with plenty of elevation and excitement to thrill the drivers and the large crowds.

Testing and Qualifying.
The testing sessions went well with Neil on great form and his race car performing brilliantly. Qualifying was a mixed affair with one session blighted with slower traffic meaning a grid position lower than expected, but Neil made space in session 2 and posted some very quick laps.

Race 1.
Starting a little way back on the grid Neil made up places right from the start on a circuit that is quite difficult to overtake on. After many laps of hard but fair racing he had managed to fight his way through the cars and finish with more valuable championship points.

Race 2.
A good grid slot meant that Neil was up with leaders from the start and he relished the challenge. Once a couple of laps had gone by the pace settled and there was very little opportunity to pass so the positions of the leaders didn't change. Apart from a mid race tussle with Breeze, Neil was in the pack but unable to make headway as everyone's pace was virtually identical.

And finally.....
A solid performance over the whole weekend and great pace meant more points towards the championship.

Two great drives at the Brands Hatch weekend.
The Leon Cupras pay their second visit to Kent and Neil was well up for the races.

Testing and Qualifying.
At such a tight and short circuit the times were always going to be close and this is how it played out with the top ten in each race seperated by less than a second. Neil was in determined mood and was immediately on the pace setting great times to qualify well up the order.

Race 1.
The start at Brands is always tricky being on a hill and then the sprint to the first corner. The field bunched up and Neil got stuck into the five car battle for a podium spot that lasted for the full 23 laps, with Neil just missing out as the chequered flag fell.

Race 2.
The second race of the day was just as intense as the first, though this time the field was spread out more due to some off track excursions. Neil drove an excellent race to stay out of trouble and get the the finish intact scoring even more valuable championship points.

And finally.....
A consistent perfomance and great driving saw Neil consolidate his championship position as the season enters it's last phase with only two meetings left.

Startline shunt ends a promising second race at Snetterton.
Snetterton is fast circuit that tests a drivers nerve with speeds approaching 140 mph on the Revett Straight and the testing Coram curve.

Testing and Qualifying.
Testing went well with Neil in the top four for the session and his Leon running brilliantly. A solid qualifying performance put him in position for strong points finishes and podiums.

Race 1.
A hectic start and some panel bashing saw Neil bundled down a couple of places and out of podium contention. He got the bit between his teeth and made up a place before getting involved in a race long battle with Mussi that went on until the flag fell.

Race 2.
Some problems on the green flag lap for Breeze meant he almost missed the start, and when the lights went out he stalled and Neil was an innocent victim of the 7 car pile up that followed. Some 45 minutes later after the mess was cleared up, the race was restarted but unfortunately Neil's car was too badly damaged to race.

And finally.....
A really disappointing weekend after such a good run of races, but this means Neil will be totally focussed on a large points haul at Brands in three weeks time.

Torrential rain at Donington Park and great drive for a podium finish.
All the drivers look forward to racing at Donington but the torrential rain and flooding added an extra edge to the weekend. At times the pitlane resembled a fast flowing river, but Neil loves racing in the rain and was looking forward to a successful meeting.

Testing and Qualifying.
The track was totally different between Thursday testing and Saturday qualifying so the team were perfecting the set up of the car in each session. Neil encountered traffic on his fast laps and was disappointed with the grid slots after running so high throughout the sessions, though this made him even more determined for the races.

Race 1.
First race of the day and the heavens opened as the cars made their way to the startline. Most made it round the first corner but as the pack streamed into Hollywood all hell broke loose, there were cars everywhere but Neil made it through. Unfortunately the race was stopped while the carnage was cleared up, and the drivers had to sit in the cars until the restart 30 minutes later. Once underway again Neil got down to the task of making his way through the pack and after an awesome scrap he crossed the line in third and bagged another podium.

Race 2.
Heavy rain caused many timetable revisions and this race was also rescheduled but still started in a heavy rainstorm. Visibility and grip were at a premuim with rivers of water flowing across the track, but once again Neil was in his element fighting his way up the order and challenging for third spot. After few near misses he took the sensible option and held fourth position for another excellent points finish.

And finally.....
A great weekend for Neil's championship challenge, but the highlight for many was his fantastic driving in the wet conditions.

Another good weekend at Oulton Park and P4 in championship.
Oulton Park is Neil's home circuit and he was really looking forward to this weekend. The track has a fast flowing layout with plenty of overtaking opportunities that really suit his driving style. Heavy rainfall during most of the sessions made it a bit of a lottery, but this just added to the excitement.

Testing and Qualifying.
Rarely out of the top three Neil used these sessions to dial in the handling of his car so that it would have great pace in the races. Traffic and bad weather ensured that the final positions for the races was down to luck as well as good driving!

Race 1.
An incident packed first lap dropped Neil down a couple of places and when the dust had settled he started to reel in the guys ahead. He ran out of laps to seriously challenge the leaders, but considering the first lap this was a solid result.

Race 2.
Another stellar first lap saw Neil up to 4th and into a race long battle for 3rd place. The 3 cars involved were seperated by less than a second for most of the race and it was the same as they all passed the chequered flag.

And finally.....
The results keep coming and this consistency means that Neil is now in 4th place in the drivers championship with the second half of the season ready to kick off.

Neil gets another podium at Croft meeting.
Croft is a great drivers circuit that combines slower technical corners with flat out sections that favour the braver drivers.

Testing and Qualifying.
Neil was top five during the testing qualifying sessions and the top eight drivers were all within a whisker of each other.

Race 1.
He got a blinding start off the line and was up to 5th by the end of lap one. Unfortunately an over optimistic move by Nixon and resulting collision saw them both in the gravel at Turn 1. Luckily Neil continued and even with a damaged wheel still managed to claw back another place before the end of the race.

Race 2.
With Nixon demoted to the back of the grid Neil would have one thing less to worry about for Race 2. Once again he got a great start and was into third place. Even though there was some hard racing he didn't relinquish the place and earned his 2nd podium of the year. This was popular amongst the crowd and sealed an excellent TCR 1-2-3 result.

And finally.....
A second podium shows that a win cannot be too far away and with the next round at his home circuit he can't help but be confident.

Neil gets first podium of season at Thruxton.
The first visit of 2007 to Britains fastest circuit was full of excitement and high speed action. The new Leon racecar was extremely quick here and would test the nerve of all the drivers.

Testing and Qualifying.
Right from the first session Neil was fired up and on the pace. Neil in his TCR prepared Leon were consistently in the top 5 and running in the top 2 for most of the sessions. Both qualification sessions were extremely close at the top and Neil ended up an excellent 5th and 3rd for the two races.

Race 1.
An excellent start saw Neil move up a place by the second lap and for the next ten laps he battled with the cars fighting for 3rd place. The racing was physical but fair, and he finally come through to 5th spot and really looking forward to the next race.

Race 2.
Round 6 was the last race of the day and the threat of rain was ever present as the cars lined up on the grid. All the cars were quick off the line and Neil was edged out of 3rd by Nixon, but he regained the position on lap 7 and then set after the next car in his sights. He ran out of laps before making up the distance but was ecstatic with 3rd and his first podium of the year.

And finally.....
An excellent weekend that proved once again that Neil has the speed to challenge for wins, and Croft can't come around to soon. Neil's family were both relieved and chuffed to bits as they had a cheeky beer or two in the bar afterward, plus Jake wasn't letting go of his dad's trophy for anything.

Neil shows winning pace at The Rock.
The TOCA package returned to the Rockingham Super Speedway for the first time in years allowing the drivers to sample the high speed banking of Turn 1. Great weather and blistering speeds ensured that the action was hot on track all weekend.

Testing and Qualifying.
Testing went well and Neil's pace meant he was up at the top part of the timesheets. The top 10 were seperated by fractions of a second so everyone knew it was going to be very close in qualifying. Neil had a couple of good sessions qualifying 7th in both and was feeling confident for the races.

Race 1.
As the lights went to green Neil got off the line well and moved up into 6th on the first lap, eventually pushing through into 5th place. A good performance from Neil in what turned out to be a fairly uneventful race.

Race 2.
Another good getaway, unfortunately a little too good as the stewards judged him to have jumped the start before the lights went to green. On TV the commentator quipped that Neil had started before the drivers had got their gloves on!! Once out in front no one was able to catch him, and he extended his lead further until he served the drive through penalty for his eagerness on the startline. Neil exited the pitlane in 9th place and immediately started to hunt down the cars ahead. Some brilliant driving and decisive overtaking saw him fight his way back into 5th place.

And finally.....
The pace Neil showed in race two showed that he can lead the field and it's only a matter of time before this is converted into a win.

2007 Season opener at Brands Hatch.
Neil successfully debuted his 300 bhp Leon racecar at the Brands Hatch BTCC season opener, though the freezing fog, torrential rain and then glorious sunshine kept everyone on their toes throughout the weekend.

Testing and Qualifying.
The practice sessions were delayed because of the fog and then cut short when the heavens opened and the track was full of standing water. Neil was happy with the feel of his new car and put in third fastest time of the day as part of a TCR 1, 2, 3, 4 domination of the testing times!! Qualifying went well with the lap times tumbling every lap in the drying conditions, unfortunately Neil took the chequered flag first and fell from 4th to 11th in one lap!! That's how close the championship is this year. The second session went much better and Neil qualified in 4th spot, which was an excellent drive that set him up for a hectic raceday.

Race 1.
Neil made a great start from the line and was charging up the field when a collision brought out the safety car. His racecar was brilliant and handling really well. After the safety car pulled into the pitlane Neil continued his progress and ended the race in very respectable 7th.

Race 2.
As Neil lined up 4th on the grid he was in confident mood and looking forward to the race in front of the huge crowd. The drivers around Neil were all battling hard and fair, until lap ten when Neil was hit and was knocked from 4th to 7th. A spirited fightback saw him end the race in 5th spot.

And finally.....
Fifth overall in the championship and only 3 points off third spot is a good start to 2007 for Neil. It was definitely mixed weekend but overall the potential is there for podiums and a championship charge.

Neil takes delivery of his 2007 SEAT Leon Cupra.
Neil has now collected his new Leon Cupra from the SEAT Sport UK and can't wait to get on track with it. The 300bhp racecars were delivered in racing red, forming an impressive display when all lined up at SEAT HQ. Between now and the season starting, Neil is planning an extensive testing programme with his team TCR.

Neil commits to race the new SEAT Leon Cupra in 2007.
Neil returns to the Blaupunkt SEAT Cupra Championship for 2007, driving one of the new 300bhp DSG equipped Leon Cupra race cars. Once again he will be run by top motorsport team Total Control Racing (TCR), with main sponsors Swift Electrical Supplies and Sensernet Homes.

In a recent interview Neil said: “I drove the new Leon Cupra at the official test at Rockingham last year and was very impressed with it. The car is really well put together and it looks the business too – it’s a proper racing car. I enjoyed the SEAT Cupra Championship last year and I feel that if you want to do anything in racing, that’s the series you have to be in. I finished on the podium at Silverstone last year and so the plan for 2007 is to build on that. The aim this year is to try and finish in the top four and score as many podium results as I can. I have to say I’m really looking forward to it.”

2006 News Archive

2006 Racing archive for Neil Waterworth and Motorsport news.

Podium finish at Silverstone finale.
Foggy mornings and fluctuating track conditions made for an entertaining season finale at Britains premier motor racing circuit in front of massive crowds.

Testing and Qualifying.
The first practice session saw Neil in the top five for most of it with his car feeling totally dialled in. Practice session two saw his car retire with gearbox problems when running third. After an overnight gearbox change for a new gearbox Neil qualified 5th with absolutely nothing to choose between the top ten runners. The second qualifying session saw him qualify an excellent 3rd for race two which was a brilliant performance.

Race 1.
Close racing action all the way through this race saw Neil's Leon take plenty of punishment from Bevan's car and the damage affected the handling. Even with this he managed to keep the car on the road and finish a respectable sixth, but felt he could've finished much higher if he hadn't been held up early on.

Race 2.
With the benefit of a great grid spot, Neil made an excellent start and raced hard through the first few laps. The top three broke away but Neil ran out of laps before being able to challenge for second place. A great drive earned him 3rd place and his first podium of the year.

And finally.....
Finally Neil got the results he deserved showing he has the pace and speed to be at the top next season. The podium finish was a great way to end the year and will give him extra confidence in 2007.

Solid performance at Brands Hatch.
The changeable weather made for an exciting and unpredictable second visit to Brands Hatch this year for the SEAT Cupra Championship, and Neil was in the thick of the action.

Testing and Qualifying.
As Neil lined up for the first practise the track was still soaked so he was on wet tyres. He was 2nd and 3rd for most of the session and maintained this when a dry line started to appear and he changed to slicks. The times tumbled as the track dried with Neil ending up 4th fastest. The rain was so heavy for practise session 2 that Neil and many of the other drivers didn't go out on track as there was nothing to be gained from doing so.
The weather was much better for the first qualifying session with Neil running 3rd for most of session, though eventually he ended up 7th with hundreds of a second seperating the top drivers. Qualifying for the second race went well netting a 6th place on the grid.

Race 1.
The cars were so evenly matched for the race that most of the overtaking had been done by the end of lap one and positions stayed static for most of the race. Neil was up with the leading group all race and ran out of laps to take another place from Winrow.

Race 2.
After a frantic first lap Neil was in the leading pack for the whole race and was running at the leaders pace throughout. Battling hard for all twenty laps Neil went for a great overtaking move at Graham Hill bend only to select first instead of third gear. This slowed him for the final lap and finished a solid 6th place but was well on the pace.

And finally.....
The speed was there all weekend for Neil to be in the top three, all that's needed for the final round is a little luck and podium is well within in reach.

Rain soaked Knockhill provides exciting racing.
Knockhill is a narrow and undulating circuit, famous for its rollercoaster nature and huge kerbs where the drivers regularly get airborne. These demands on the drivers are often compounded by the changeable weather that is also a feature of the circuit. In addition to this Knockhill has few overtaking opportunities which puts the emphasis on achieving a good qualifying position.

Testing and Qualifying.
This changeable weather made the testing and qualifying sessions a bit of a lottery for all the drivers. Neil showed his ability to adapt to the conditions by consistently lapping in the top five. Only a gearbox issue stopped him from finishing higher in the first qualifying session. Session two saw Neil in 3rd position until the last lap where the drying track favoured the later runners, though his 6th place was still an excellent result.

Race 1.
Heavy rain had stopped just before the race though most drivers still chose to use wet tyres taking no chances on the Knockhill weather. As the lights went out the field charged down to the first corner of the damp but drying track, and Neil got bumped down a couple of places in this first hectic lap. He started to climb his way back up the field until a spin in the treacherous conditions slowed his fightback and had settle for 11th spot.

Race 2.
A dry circuit greeted the drivers for the second race but action was no less frenetic. Neil built on his excellent qualifying position by taking another place on the first lap and pushing for another on lap two. The pace of this leading group enabled them to leave the rest of the cars behind. They were so evenly matched that even with some great racing, the top five didn't change positions for the duration of the race and Neil was pleased with his top 5 finish.

And finally.....
A good weekend overall showing that Neil has the pace to challenge for podiums during the rest of the season.

Snetterton hosts great racing weekend.
The Snetterton circuit in Norfolk played host to the latest rounds of the SEAT Cupra championship. It has plenty of overtaking opportunities plus a long straight where the racers can slipstream their opponents. Changeable weather would play a major part in shaking up the qualifying sessions with the strong winds and rain affecting all the drivers at some point.

Testing and Qualifying.
Neil ran well in the test sessions finishing 3rd in the dry conditions and 4th the wet session. Qualifying also went well with Neil reporting that his racecar felt great and was enabling him to easily tackle the conditions. He was running 3rd until the last lap when a couple of other drivers got good tows on the back straight jumping them up the order. The showery conditions mixed up the times in the second qualifying session, and then the rain came down much harder so all the drivers changed to wets. Neil had been 5th at this point, but after the tyre change with was held up by other cars on a number of his laps which put him in 14th spot. He had one lap left in worsening conditions and set about a banzai effort netting him a great 5th spot on the grid.

Race 1.
The wet race made the start tricky for Neil and the other drivers. Running in sixth Neil got past Breeze on the start/finish straight and managed to get alongside through the first corner, despite a huge sideway moment part-way through the manoeuvre. He was reeling in the leaders when an uncharacteristic lock up saw him end up against the barriers on lap 8 ending his charge.

Race 2.
A dry second race saw Neil initially pushed down to 8th and a spirited drive that netted him a creditable 6th though he knew that this could've been better but for the first lap incident.

And finally.....
Once again the pace of both Neil and his racecar shows he can run at the front of the pack. Only a little luck is needed to convert the good practise and qualifying times into the race result that is long overdue to him.

Donington blighted by SEAT mechanical issues.
Donington is based in the midlands, it's a great circuit that is both fast and long. The weather was scorching again and the on-track action even hotter.

Testing and Qualifying.
TCR had fitted new front uprights sourced from SEAT to Neil's racecar and early on in the sessions it was obvious that these parts were faulty causing excessive play in the steering, that affected the braking ability of his car. The TCR crew did a sterling job as they had to change the upright for every session while SEAT tried to figure out a solution the problem, that was also affecting a couple of other drivers. This was both frustrating and time consuming for the guys, not to mention disconcerting for the drivers. Considering this handicap, Neil's qualifying performances of 5th and 6th were brilliant, setting him up for two good races tomorrow.

Races.
The upright issues appeared to be sorted on race day but with no testing allowed after qualifying this would only be proved in the race. Neil charged round with the leading pack until lap 3 where contact with Breeze effectively ended his race and he had to retire bitterly disappointed. A number of issues meant that he didn't get chance to start race two so it was bad weekend all round on a track where Neil usually does really well.

And finally.....
Every race driver has a weekend they would like to forget and this was definitely the one for Neil.

Croft weekend a hot one all round.
Croft is a great combination of gutsy high speed sections and tricky slow corners that test the cars and drivers to the limit. Neil's great results in winter testing here gave him confidence for the weekend and an expectation of some good results. More record temperatures meant that driver fitness, mechanical issues and tyre preservation would play a huge part in the final outcome.

Testing and Qualifying.
The first test session on Friday morning started with Neil bedding in new discs on his SEAT Cupra and when this was done he set about putting in some fast lap times. In an attempt to save vital fractions of a second he clipped a tyre barrier at the chicane which spun him off the circuit. The damage to the front left corner of the car meant he would have to sit the rest of the session out and end up 9th quickest. The afternoon test session was thwarted from some damage sustained to the front damper earlier in the day so a 13th spot was not representative of Neil's true pace.

Both qualifying sessions were again blighted by issues with Neil's racecar, the first was handling problems related to the suspension and the second was a reduction in engine performance. The TCR engineers worked their way through the car to resolve the problems and ensure things would be sorted for raceday.

Race 1.
This race was comprimised by the start position after qualifying but Neil was upbeat about what he could achieve. Unfortunately a turbo pipe came off early in the race which meant he was down on power by at least 20%. There was nothing to do apart from retire and prepare the car again for race 2.

Race 2.
With all the hassle and disappointment of the weekend behind him, Neil was determined to finish off with a great race. He started well and had made up a number of places with some decisive and brilliant overtaking moves. Then he was judged to have allegedly made a jump start so had to serve a drive through penalty. Undaunted he did this and was soon making his way back through the field. Unfortunately the race was over before he could regain his places but he showed blistering pace in the hot conditions.

And finally.....
This was the weekend when all the bad luck that could happen to a driver did, and unfortunately it was Neil on the receiving end. The last race showed his true pace was up with the front runners and if it wasn't for the drive through penalty a 4th or 5th place finish would've been a certainty. Roll on Donington in 2 weeks time!!

Thruxton drama and excitement.
Thruxton is the fastest circuit in the UK and has great high speed corners that test the bravery of the drivers who race it. This combined with some of the hottest temperatures of the year ensured that we were in for some serious action over the race weekend.

Testing and Qualifying.
In test session 1 Neil was sixth fastest overall after a fraught changing of places, his car was handling really well and he was enjoying himself. The temperatures were in the high 20's for the second session, though times were still slightly quicker than in the morning. Neil ran in 1st place for most of this session, and ended up 5th after the top spot changed in the dying seconds of the session. Only a few tenths seperated the top ten places underlying the extreme competitiveness of this series.

The first qualifying session was held in extremely hot conditions and tyre management was the key to a good grid slot, Neil was 2 tenths off the second place time which placed him 8th for the race. Qualifying for the second race netted Neil a well deserved 4th place on the grid in a closely contested session. Unfortunately he was penalised for speeding in the pitlane along with 7 other drivers, and they were each docked two grid positions.

Race 1.
Great start from Neil as he raced from 8th to 6th by the second lap. He was challenging Blencowe for 5th spot when Carter lunged at and made contact with his car at the entry to the final chicane. The impact caused Neil's car to hit Carter putting him into a spin, both cars then collided again and their races were over. This sparked a number of protests and the unsatisfactory result of a fine and licence endorsement for Neil, with no punishment whatsoever for Carter.

The damage to Neil's car was significant, and the the TCR crew pulled an all-nighter to rebuild it so that it would be ready for Race 2 on Sunday. Many thanks to all the guys but especially to Kev, Tom, Kenny and Lee who all gave up sleep to ensure that four TCR cars were on the grid for Race 2. Sterling effort and much appreciated by everyone, especially Neil and Geoff. Also thanks to the SEAT staff who accomodated the many requests made during the evening, especially the guys from the parts team.

Race 2.
With his car's front end rebuild completed only minutes before the race start Neil had no opportunity to test his Leon. The TCR guys had done an amazing job getting the car out on track and Neil was determined to repay them with a good result. Starting from his amended sixth on the grid he pushed hard from the outset though was unable to make headway as he felt the car was down on power. The fact that his rear bumper had been half knocked off early in the race and was acting like a parachute didn't help either. To cap off a frustrating weekend, Dawson crashed into Neil on the last corner of the race damaging the left side of Neil's car.

And finally.....
With all the drama and aggravation that went on over the weekend you have to wonder is it all worth it. It's motor racing so of course it is, and the next round is at Croft where Neil will be raring to go and ready for a top place result that he so rightly deserves.

Highs and lows of Oulton Park race weekend.
Oulton Park is Neil's home circuit and is a glorious track set in the heart of the Cheshire countryside. It is often called a mini-Nürburgring with it's fast flowing nature and challenging corners. It is a real driver's track and Neil was relishing the opportunity to race his SEAT Cupra R in font of his home crowd on the full Island circuit.

Testing and Qualifying.
Once again Neil went well in the damp test sessions when the track surface was greasy and unpredictable, running in top spot for most of the time and never out of the leading group in this highly competitive field.

The first qualifying session was again held on a wet but drying track, and after some brilliant driving saw Neil qualify on the second row of the grid. The top six qualifiers for race one were separated by just half a second.

Qualifying for the second race was an equally hard fought and close affair, with Neil ending up in sixth and the top eight drivers being split by under a second. The top few places were changing every lap and Neil was on a flying last lap when a lock-up at Lodge scuppered a chance of pole position.

Race 1.
Raceday dawned dry and windy with the threat of rain ever present. Though the weather did nothing to dampen the excitement of the massive crowd as the cars lined up on the race and the lights went out.

Neil got a great start and kept his position into the first few corners challenging TCR teammate Adams for third spot. The pressure was constant and they were separated by fractions of a second until Island bend when Ferrier slammed into the side of Neil's car in a very 'optimistic' move. This put Neil back into seventh where he was involved in a mighty tussle for fifth spot with Winrow and TCR's Fildes for the duration of the race, eventually finishing in a creditable sixth place.

Neil showed that apart from a little bad luck on the first lap, he has pace to be challenging for the lead with the fastest lap of the race that was only one hundredth of a second off the lap record!!

Race 2.
With the encouraging performance in race one and the impressive lap times, Neil was fired up and focussed on getting a good result in the second race of the day, especially as the TCR boys had done a fantasic job of fixing the damage to his racecar in the short time between the races.

As the lights went out the driveshaft on Mussi’s fourth placed car snapped and this set off a series of avoiding manoeuvres and subsequent collisions. As drivers took evasive action on the startline, Neil got squeezed between Breeze and Jackson resulting in some bodywork damage and a destroyed front left tyre. The car was undriveable, so Neil coasted to a halt on the exit of Old Hall corner and got out of the car. To say he was disappointed was the understatement of the year as a top place finish was definitely on the cards.

And finally.....
This was definitely a weekend of 'What could have been', if Neil's car hadn't been hit in both races. Again the damage sustained was quite heavy and will involve the TCR crew sorting this again before the next round at Thruxton. On the positive side Neil has shown he has the pace to run at the front and this combined with the setup skills of TCR, should ensure a highly competitive package for the very fast Thruxton circuit.

2006 SCC Season starts with a bang (or two) at Brands Hatch.
At last the season got underway at the famous Kent circuit after what seemed like an eternity since the test session at Silverstone. Even though the weather was cold and wet, there was a buzz about the paddock as everyone got down to the job in hand. TCR had prepped the Cupra R to their usual excellent standard and had fitted a new gearbox from SEAT for the event. Neil was really fired up and ready to get out on track to put some laps in.

Testing and Qualifying.
Friday's testing went well with Neil setting 2nd and 5th fastest times overall in the two sessions of the day. Session one had started in bright sunlight though there were heavy showers during it which tested the drivers to the limit. The second session was dry though the cool temperatures meant that the rear tyres weren't getting much heat into them making for some exciting moments out on track. The Leon was running well and Neil was confident after seeing the times and analysing the data from both of the sessions.

Saturday qualification saw much the same weather conditions as Friday with the threat of rain ever present. In session one of qualifying all the cars were out early to set a time, this meant that finding clear space on the tight and twisty Brands circuit was going to be tough. This turned out to be an issue for Neil as he was caught up in traffic during his 'flying' laps and managed to qualify 7th out of 19 runners, which is excellent considering it's his first SEAT Cupra race, even though he knew there was a faster lap to be had. The times showed how competitive the series will be, as the top 15 grid positions were separated by less than one second.

In second qualifying he wasn't so lucky as the new gearbox broke on his first full-on qualifying lap and meant that he struggled to get gears when downshifting. Even so he managed a creditable 12th place, though this would put him in the thick of the action at the start of race two. Before that though TCR would have to perform a gearbox swap and send the broken one back to SEAT as it is a sealed item and the team are not allowed to rebuild them.

Race 1.
Sunday morning arrived and the SEAT Cupra Championship was the first race of the day in front of an excited BTCC crowd and the MOTORS TV audience at home. The gearbox had been replaced by the TCR crew with a new one from SEAT, though there was no opportunity to test it prior to going out on track. Neil's 7th place in qualifying put him on the inside of the track which is always a bonus for the first corner at Brands, the infamous Paddock Hill Bend.

When the lights went out Neil made a good start and was pushing to get into the top 5 as he got to Druids hairpin, then he got a helping hand into the bend that spun him around. He recovered well though the Leon had sustained heavy damage on both sides which affected the handling and compromised Neil's progress during the race. His lap times were matching those of the leaders which was impressive considering the damage to the car, but meant that he wasn't able to catch them and had to settle for 10th place. This meant that Neil's race engineer Kev would have plenty of work to do before race two later in the day.

Race 2.
Once again Kev and the TCR boys did a sterling job and Neil's car was ready in plenty of time for race two. Neil started well again and was snapping at the heels of the guys infront of him though with all the racers running at a similar pace the opportunities for overtaking were few and far between. An eleventh place was the reward for his efforts and at least the Leon finished intact.

And finally.....
With the first weekend of the series over Neil was disappointed at the results achieved and the amount of 'full-contact' racing during the weekend, something he hoped he would leave behind when graduating from the Clio Cup. Though to be fair, he has already put this behind him and is looking forward to the next round at Oulton Park!!

Latest sponsor unveiled at Silverstone test.
At the recent Silverstone test, D&B Conservatories became the latest company to add their support to Neil's 2006 race campaign. Their name is located in a prime area on the rear of the car as this is the only view they hope his rivals will see. The test itself was hampered by bad weather, though once again Neil put in a good number of excellent laps and built up much useful running data for the upcoming season. Silverstone was the last test session for Neil prior to the March 17th testing deadline, and now this has been completed he can't wait for the season opener at Brands Hatch on the weekend of April 8th and 9th.

Neil successfully completes testing threesome at Brands, Croft and Knockhill.
Pre-season testing is now well under way and the action has been hectic over the last couple of weeks. Neil has now tested his Leon in a variety of different weather conditions, with numerous tyre and settings configurations. In addition to dialing himself into the characteristics of the Leon and how it behaves on circuit, the in-depth data and driver analysis provided within the TCR team is proving highy beneficial in mastering the racecar. The team is working well together and this is showing in Neil's ever improving lap times and consistency. With only the Silverstone session to go before the March 17th testing deadline, Neil is more than happy with his performance and can't wait for the season to start.

Britcar Clio shakedown test at Oulton Park.
In preparation for the upcoming Britcar event at Silverstone, Neil and Geoff tested their ex-Belgian Clio Cup racecar for the first time since it has undergone winter development work at Automech. The test was frustrating as the circuit was shared with a public trackday and this combined with the cold weather hampered detailed evaluation. In spite of the limited track time, the new induction system developed by Automech in conjuction with K&N was deemed a success, and had the added bonus of sounding fantastic. At the end of the session and even with the comparitively small number of laps run, the Clio's potential was evident.

Successful Cupra test day at Snetterton.
The demanding Snetterton circuit in Norfolk was the setting for Neil's second test outing of 2006. He was kept company on the track by experienced TCR regular Johnny Fildes, plus 4 other SEAT Leons from rival teams. This allowed comparative times to be analysed and further improvements to be achieved throughout the sessions. Bad weather was expected but held off all day to provide near perfect testing conditions. The temperature at the circuit hovered around 8 degrees - almost a heatwave compared to the previous test!! After a full day of driving and data analysis the times set were even more encouraging than at Donington, plus Neil is now much more at home with the car. He can't wait for the next test session!!

First SEAT test session at Donington.
Neil completed his first test session at a cold and windy Donington with new team Total Control Racing (TCR) as part of their pre-season testing programme. He was the sole SEAT on track and this was the first time out for him in his Leon Cupra R which is a bigger car than the Clio he raced last year, plus it runs a standard 'H' pattern gearbox instead of a sequential one. The former XR2 champion and recent Clio Cup frontrunner consistently reduced his lap times each session as he got to grips with the new car. He said "Considering I was running on old tyres and brakes, the lap times are encouraging and even at this early stage show we are there or thereabouts on pace".

Neil and Geoff Waterworth to race selected 2006 Britcar rounds.
Neil and his father Geoff have committed to race a number of rounds of the 2006 Britcar series in their Production S1 class Renault Clio. They are racing at Brands Hatch and Donington, plus may contest other rounds that do not clash with Neil's BTCC and SEAT commitments. Both drivers are looking forward to building on the success of their Britcar outings last year in the Clio and the Dodge Viper. Check the Race Dates page on this site for latest news and additions to the racing programme for this year.

Neil wins race to sign up for the 2006 SEAT Cupra Championship.
At the Autosport International Show, our man is the first to officially sign up to compete in the 2006 Blaupunkt SEAT Cupra Championship. Neil and his father Geoff are the first team to commit to the 2006 championship and Neil is aiming to keep at the front during the 2006 season!!

Neil said: “I’m really looking forward to racing in the SEAT Cupra Championship, because from a sporting point of view it’s a step up from the Clio Cup. The prize money is very attractive too – you get £10,000 for finishing fifth in the SEAT Cupra Championship, which is the same as the top prize for winning the Clio title! I’ll be aiming to finish on the podium as much as possible in 2006 and I think that we have a good chance of scoring some very good results. Rob Huff was the first person to sign for the SEAT Cupra Championship in 2003 and he went on to win the title that and he’s now racing in the World Touring Car Championship, so I hope that’s a good omen.”

Blaupunkt announce title sponsorship for 2006 SEAT Cupra Championship.
Blaupunkt who are the market leader for car radios in Europe, will be the title sponsor of the SEAT Cupra Championship in 2006, thus ensuring that the Blaupunkt SEAT Cupra Championship continues to be a major stepping stone for aspiring young British touring car drivers as it enters its fourth year.

Scott Dennis, SEAT UK National Motorsport Manager, said: “The fact that the SEAT Cupra Championship is entering its fourth year is a clear indication that SEAT UK is dedicated to developing young driving talent. It’s fantastic that a brand such as Blaupunkt has recognised the strength of the Championship and has committed to supporting it in 2006. We are looking forward to working closely together with Blaupunkt to make the SEAT Cupra Championship the best supporting role in the TOCA Tour.”

David Anderson, Blaupunkt UK Divisional Director, said: “Taking the title sponsorship of the SEAT Cupra Championship was a natural step for Blaupunkt as the brand is already a passionate supporter of motorsport in Europe. We are very pleased to partner SEAT and be at the heart of what should prove to be the most exciting motorsport event in the UK for 2006.”

Total Control Racing to run Neil's 2006 SEAT Leon Cupra R.
After numerous options were evaluated, Total Control Racing (TCR) have been chosen to manage and prepare Neil's 250PS turbocharged SEAT Leon Cupra R for the 2006 season. TCR is the highly experienced racing team from Wednesbury in the West Midlands that is run by former Independent British Touring Car champion Lee Brookes. They have much experience of running successful championship winning drivers in previous TOCA championships and are running a number cars this year in addition to Neil's Cupra R.

Unveiling of Cupra in new for 2006 livery.
Neil's 2006 SEAT Leon Cupra R was officially launched during a recent event at the head office of Awesome Ltd, who are one of the team's principal sponsors for 2006. The racecar proved extremely popular with it's striking black and orange livery, and all were looking forward to supporting Neil's progress in the championship.

2006 Sponsors Announced.
Swift Electrical Supplies, SenserNet Homes, Awesome Ltd and Paul Smith Media are announced as sponsors for Neil's 2006 SEAT Leon Cupra R Championship campaign.

Neil wins Ford XR Challenge XR2 Championship.
A consistent and dominant performance in 2001 saw Neil clinch the Ford XR Challenge XR2 Championship in fine style. The number 1 that his Swift Electrical Supplies sponsored car will display in 2002 is a well deserved reward for such an excellent season of racing skill and commitment.

Paul Smith Media