Oxford racing driver Jason Plato, Matt Neal and James Thompson were the winners of Sunday'sjul 16 three Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship rounds at the Croft circuit in North Yorkshire.

Neal, whose victory came in his 300th BTCC race, extended his championship lead to 39 points over young Northern Irish star Colin Turkington, but the day had ended in some controversy.

Reigning champion Neal lost the third-place result he achieved in race three. The BTCC's Clerk of the Course initially reprimanded Neal for overtaking Plato at the final corner by placing all four wheels off the circuit.

A subsequent appeal by Plato's SEAT team was then upheld by the BTCC Stewards who judged Neal's actions had gained him an unfair advantage.

He was thus demoted a place to fourth while Plato was elevated to third.

That meant Plato, third in the championship, gained five points on Neal in the title race which heads to Donington Park, Leicestershire on July 30.

Plato, now just five points behind Turkington, said: "We need to be gaining more than that on Matt at each circuit if we're to nick the title off him.

"Our car is phenomenal around the corners, but as everyone's seen today as the races wear on and the tyres start to lose their grip it turns into a horsepower game and the Hondas have got us licked down the straights.

"On saying that, I think Donington should suit our car it's got lots of medium to fast turns and that's where we can give the others a proper race.

"There's still a long way to go."

Weston-on-the Green racer Graham Fennymore maintained the overall lead of the Autosport Caterham Superlight Challenge despite failing to win either race at the Snetterton circuit in Norfolk.

Fennymore was beaten into second place by youngster Guy Harrington on Saturday, and slipped to third on Sunday.