A single point lies between Egg Sport driver Matt Neal and Vauxhall Motorsport's James Thompson after rounds nine and ten of the British Touring Car Championship at Ireland's Mondello Park.

York-based Thompson's two second-place podiums would have maintained his championship lead by four points had he not had to drop five due to his being over the engine quota.

Neal, in his Egg Sport Astra Coupe, and Vauxhall Motorsport's Yvan Muller shared the victors' spoils, with the former leap-frogging Thompson in the drivers' table.

Muller's feature race victory, his third win of the season, boosted the Frenchman's points tally to keep his overall third place in the standings.

However, it was a cruel twist of fate that robbed him yet again of a sprint race win and, therefore, of an Irish double.

The Mondello maestro took full advantage of his pole position and dominated the race while the rest of the field battled it out behind him. But, just as victory was in sight, his engine cut on lap nine and he slowed to a halt, giving the race lead to Neal ahead of Thompson.

They made it a Vauxhall one-two with David Leslie third in his Proton.

The extended 30-lap feature race was full of thrilling racing action and Muller was at last able to exact revenge.

For the second race weekend running, last-minute tyre changes on the grid proved crucial and with Muller down in 12th, he took the safe option to change to wets as the rain began to fall.

Thompson on pole initially stuck to slicks but changed his mind after the first warm-up lap and came into the pits for wets, consequently starting the race from the back. It was the right decision, though, with the Yorkshireman steadily climbing his way up through the field.

Muller's Triple Eight pit crew pulled off an incredibly slick change giving the French-man the advantage he had hoped for with Thompson in second by the time pitstops had finished.

Muller headed Thompson home with Neal in third to give the latter the crucial points necessary to overhaul Thompson in the points standings.

Thompson, however, was not downhearted. "Fantastic," he enthused. "I've not won a race but to notch two seconds is a successful weekend.

"There was a bit of indecision about tyres and I didn't want to lose out two race weekends running. Changing to wets was the right thing to do though - when you're on pole you have to take the safe option.

"The guys also did a fantastic job on the pitstops and overall it was great weekend."

- Team B&Q Jet York City Racing lifted the production team cup in the feature race at Mondello Park after Jim Edwards finished second and Peter Cate third in class.

The points haul lifted the team to second in the production class BTCC standings, eight points off the lead with ten more rounds to go. In the sprint race, Edwards had finished fourth, while Cate was forced to retire.

Updated: 12:35 Monday, June 24, 2002