'Perfect start' for Stourbridge's Matt Neal
Stourbridge racer Matt Neal hailed the "perfect start" after leading the British Touring Car Championship.
Neal piloted the Honda Civic Type R to a brace of podium places in the three races on day one at the Brands Hatch Indy circuit to top the standings with 42 points.
Three-time BTCC champion Neal's Halfords Yuasa team-mate Gordon Shedden lies second, four points behind.
Neal said: "It's been a fantastic weekend and a cracking day. What a way to welcome Halfords back to the fold and to repay Yuasa's loyal support.
"I'm over-the-moon – dead chuffed."
Shedden and Neal were second and third behind Tom Ingram's Toyota Avensis in the first race and landed a one-two in the second.
A puncture forced Shedden's retirement from race three, but Neal took the ballast-laden Civic to a valuable fifth spot in a race won by Adam Morgan in a Mercedes.
Morgan is third in the overall standings, a point behind Shedden, and Neal added: "We probably went a bit too safe with the car due to the conditions in race one.
"Race two got a bit sketchy at times. We scored more solid points in race three, and to come away from Brands leading the championship is just the perfect start."
