Jason Plato and Matt Neal were handed suspended grid penalties after an angry exchange in British Tour Cars qualifying at Rockingham.
Plato, Neal handed suspended penalties after confrontation
Bitter rivals Jason Plato and Matt Neal were handed suspended grid penalties following an angry exchange during Saturday's British Touring Car Championship qualifying session at Rockingham.
The Silverline Chevrolet of Plato claimed pole position for Sunday's opening race, but not before the reigning champion had twice come together with the Honda of Neal.
The incidents sparked a pit-lane confrontation between the pair, who have endured a stormy relationship down the years and make no effort to disguise their enmity.
Their latest bust-up had to be broken up by members of their respective teams.
A statement by BTCC organisers followed. It confirmed that qualifying positions for Sunday remained unaffected by the clash but revealed that the pair had been handed a suspended six-place grid penalty, which will remain hanging over the drivers until the end of the season.
Both men were also fined and had points added to their competition licences.
Fined
"Following on- and off-track incidents during today's qualifying session between Jason Plato and Matt Neal, the championship stewards have fined both drivers £1000 and applied three penalty points to both their competition licences," the statement read.
"The stewards have also requested that the BTCC Administrator imposes a six-place grid penalty (applicable to both drivers), suspended for the balance of the 2011 season."
On the track, Plato set a best time of one minute 23.745 seconds, edging Paul O'Neill's GoMobileUK.com Chevrolet into second.
Plato, avoiding commenting on his clash with Neal, said: "I'm delighted as I really thought the turbocharged cars over a single flying lap would have the edge over us.
"We don't know what the weather will bring tomorrow but I couldn't be starting from a better position to get the job done."
Rob Austin's Audi will line up third, with Neal in fourth and James Nash (888 Racing Vauxhall) in fifth.
The second Honda of Gordon Shedden, who leads team-mate Neal by just one point in the drivers' standings with three rounds remaining, rounded out the top six.
