MATT Neal lost the leadership of the Green Flag British Touring Car Championship after a disastrous day at Croft yesterday.

Neal, from Hanbury, near Droitwich, led by one point going into the 11th and 12th rounds of the series at the Yorkshire circuit.

But his Egg Sport Vauxhall Astra slid off the track two laps from the end of the sprint race, and he retired with mechanical failure after 17 of the 25 laps in the feature race, having qualified sixth on the grid for both.

James Thompson regained the lead in the championship with victory in the sprint race, despite an early exit from the feature race.

The 28-year-old Yorkshireman's sprint victory proved enough for him to return to the top of the points table.

None of the three main title contenders managed to finish both events, with Thompson's Vauxhall works team-mate Yvan Muller preceding his feature race success with a retirement.

It means Thompson now has a 17-point advantage in the standings over Neal, with Muller three points further adrift.

Thompson had enjoyed the perfect weekend in front of his home crowd up to the start of the feature race as he claimed pole position for both events yesterday and converted the first of those into a victory.

After leading all the way in the sprint, including when he stayed ahead of Muller following a safety-car period caused by an oil spillage on the track, Thompson benefited from misfortune which struck his colleague.

The local hero was coming under intense pressure when the Frenchman, who has endured his fair share of bad luck this season, sustained a puncture with four laps to go and had to retire.

It left Thompson to cruise home for his fourth success of the year, 5.50seconds clear of Proton's David Leslie who produced another terrific performance to secure his fourth podium finish of the campaign.

"I had to work very hard for that," said Thompson after his 20th career BTCC win.

"Yvan and I did our best to get away early on and we had our own little battle. We pushed as hard as we dared and obliterated the lap record.

"It was a shame Yvan had a puncture because we were having a good dice and he had a comfortable second place. I must say he has had a bad run of luck."

But the tables were turned in the feature race as Muller passed Thompson to move ahead on lap one, and soon the Englishman was slipping back through the field with an engine misfire which proved terminal.

After the mandatory pit-stops Muller found himself in second behind Andy Priaulx, driving with the rear bumper of his Honda hanging off following a collision.

Muller forced his way past the man from Guernsey, and it was plain sailing from then on as he came home with 1.443secs to spare, runner-up Priaulx giving his team their best result of the campaign.

"It's better to go away with one win than nothing," said Muller who, like Thompson, was completing a quartet of triumphs this season.

"Fortunately my luck changed in the second race, but the most important thing is that James and I are still well placed in the championship.

"It was disappointing for James in the feature race and I feel for him because I know what it's like not to finish. We have a lot of respect for each other."