Although he"s in the...

Although he"s in the lead of this year"s British Touring Car series chase, Neal has never won a race at the fastest track on the schedule. He wants to put that right this year, and in the process move his bid for back-to-back championships up a gear.

With speeds topping 145mph, the super-quick blasts around the daunting airfield circuit are a stern test both for the drivers and tyres. Neal said: "I"ve led races at Thruxton on several occasions, but for one reason or another winning has always eluded me.

"I really don"t know why my record is so poor, as I love the place. It"s a proper fast, old-fashioned track which hasn"t been sanitised with silly chicanes spoiling your rhythm."

If Neal is going to break his Thruxton duck on Sunday, he knows that he will have to do it the hard way. With 91 points, the 39-year-old is currently heading the championship, 14 ahead of SEAT driver James Thompson. But that means his Honda Integra Type R will start the weekend carrying the maximum 45kg of success ballast. "It won"t be easy, as the MGs and SEATs are quick, while the Vauxhalls are improving and they are always strong at Thruxton," Neal continued.

"What"s more, I"ve got the extra weight handicap for qualifying and the first race. However, last year my team-mate Dan Eaves won all three races. Our car wasn"t the quickest over a single lap, but it was easier on its tyres over a longer distance compared to our rivals, so we came on strong in the second half of the races. Hopefully that will be the case again this year."

You can find out whether Neal can create history on Sunday by watching ITV1"s live coverage of the dramatic BTCC action from 4pm.