MATT Neal may carry the number zero on his car - but he's out to end the season as number one in Britain's most popular motor racing series.

The 35-year-old finds himself - much to his own surprise - leading the British Touring Car Championship midway through the season.

Neal, from Hanbury, near Droitwich, has won two sprint races so far in his Egg Sport Vauxhall Astra - the first at Brands Hatch at the start of the season and the other at Mondello Park in Ireland three weeks ago.

Consistent finishes elsewhere see him hold a one-point lead over nearest rival James Thompson going into the next two rounds of the series at Croft in Yorkshire on Sunday.

Neal admitted: "It is brilliant - I can't believe it. I didn't know what to expect at the beginning of the year but I will certainly take the position I am in now.

"I ran second in the championship for a while about three years ago but then dropped back. To be top of the pile is great.

"I thought I would be competitive against my team-mate and that the Astra would be the class of the field, but the way it's gone this season, nobody can really run away with it even if people have bad weekends.

"I suppose I have had less bad luck than some of the other guys and that has given me the edge.

"One of my criticisms before has been consistency. I have been concentrating on that this year to try and keep things on the island in a good car, and it is paying off."

Neal, who has scored points in every race this season, says his Mondello Park win broke a psychological barrier as it was the first time he has won more than one race in a season.

"I have had one win a year for the last three years and I was getting a little bit worried that Brands Hatch was going to be my one win this year. To break that habit is quite a relief."

Neal, who progressed to circuit racing from motocross and karting, has spent almost 10 years in the series, most of them as the leading independent runner driving for the privately-funded Team Dynamics, based in Pershore.

He won the Independents Cup four times and also scored two outright race victories, the first independent driver to do so.

His battles against the big-money works teams made him a big favourite among the huge crowds who follow the series all over the country.

Neal joined the works Peugeot team at the start of last season -- only to lose his drive after one race due to sponsorship problems.

He spent the rest of the year racing in Europe and Australia preparing for a return to the BTCC this year with the Egg Sport team.

Neal has noticed several big differences since moving up with the big boys. He said: "In smaller teams everybody has to work their part and some other part as well. Now I only have to worry about driving and nothing else, which makes it a lot easier."

He's also noticed a slight shift in his fan base, saying: "I think the British do like the underdog, and I am not perceived to be the underdog any more - but that's just the British crowd for you.

"Maybe I have lost a bit of support that way, but the crowd do like people who get stuck in and have a go, which I have always done, so hopefully they will keep with me."

He doesn't get all the limelight at Egg Sport, however, with team-mate Paul O'Neill attracting plenty of publicity through being the brother of Spice Girl Mel C.

"Paul does get a fair bit of attention," added Neal, "but he has a fairly level head on his shoulders and he is learning a lot off me and the others."

Neal is not getting carried away by his championship chances, saying: "There are 10 rounds to go at five circuits, and I like three of those circuits - Croft, Brands Hatch and Donington Park - and dislike two - Knockhill and Snetterton.

"Fortunately Brands and Donington are the last two and I really go well there, so I will just have to try and get through Snetterton and Knockhill and see how many points I can pick up.

"James Thompson and Yvan Muller are very close to me but they have had a bit of rough luck this year and anything can change.

"It will go down to the wire, and it is going to come down to who throws the lucky six on the dice. I am a very superstitious person and I believe that what is meant to be will be.

"This was one of my ultimate ambitions ever since I got into motor sport, and to be in with a shout is just fantastic."