BTCC results from Oulton Park...

[AUDIDUDI@delphi.com]

NEWS FROM THE AUTO TRADER    
RAC TOURING CAR CHAMPIONSHIP    
Oulton Park 27/5/96  

BMW and Volvo edged out the Audi team at Oulton Park this 
afternoon (Mon) to take victory in rounds nine and 10 of the Auto 
Trader RAC Touring Car Championship. It was the first time this 
season that Audi and championship leader Frank Biela have come 
away from a BTCC meeting without at least one win under their 
belts.

Jo Winkelhock won round nine for BMW after stealing the lead from 
Biela, with Rickard Rydell repeating the trick in his Volvo in round 
10. The day's first race was brought to a premature halt after a violent 
crash involving Rydell's Volvo team-mate Kelvin Burt.

The ninth round saw drama even before the start as Audi mechanics 
struggled to complete the car of number two driver John Bintcliffe 
after it had suffered damage in a warm-up session crash. Then the 
power steering system of James Thompson's Vauxhall failed 
moments before the green lights and the hapless Vectra driver was 
pushed away from his fifth-place grid slot. 

As the Audi of championship leader Biela sped into the lead from 
pole position, a first-corner crash further down the field involving the 
cars of Will Hoy (Renault), Paul Radisich (Ford) and Tim Harvey 
(Peugeot) saw all three sidelined -- none of the drivers was injured. 
The Safety Car was brought into play for a lap while the debris was 
cleared and, at the restart, third-placed Winkelhock leapfrogged 
Bintcliffe to snatch second into Old Hall. 

By the Chicane that same lap the 1993 Champion had closed on 
Biela too, and made a brave manoeuvre to wrest the lead from the 
Audi. Once past the four-wheel-drive car -- now carrying an extra 
30kg weight penalty -- Winkelhock stormed into a handsome lead, 
smashing the circuit lap record twice as he went. 

Biela and Bintcliffe trailed the BMW to collect second and third 
places respectively. The battle for fourth was between Rickard Rydell 
(Volvo), Alain Menu (Renault) and Burt, and culminated in Burt's 
lap 12 100mph collision at Cascades, which brought out the red flags 
to halt the race. The results were declared final after 11 laps. 

Burt was unconscious as marshals cut him free from the wreckage of 
his Volvo, but regained consciousness after 15 minutes. He was 
evacuated to Chester Hospital as a precautionary measure, suffering 
from severe concussion. It's believed he was saved from more serious 
injury in the 7g impact by the Volvo 'survival cell', developed to meet 
strict safety rules imposed by championship organiser TOCA. 

Round 10 saw a repeat performance by Biela as he sped into the lead 
from the pole, pursued by Bintcliffe after an excellent start from 
fourth on the grid, ahead of Winkelhock, Rydell and Menu. An 
ambitious overtaking manoeuvre on Bintcliffe by Winkelhock at the 
chicane on lap one saw the BMW man spin into retirement.

Rydell was the next to challenge Bintcliffe, the Volvo driver 
managing to squeeze past the Audi at Cascades on lap three. Within 
three laps the Swede managed to narrow the gap between himself and 
Biela and, as they approached Lodge Corner, he squeezed past and 
into a lead he was never to lose. Biela held on for second, with 
Bintcliffe third after managing to keep a horde of two-wheel-drive 
rivals behind him all the way to the chequered flag. Menu led the 
train into fourth, ahead of Roberto Ravaglia (BMW), Hoy and David 
Leslie (Honda).

Said Rydell after his victory: 'It was nice to hear from the hospital 
before the race that Kelvin was OK -- it made it easier for me to 
concentrate. I hope Kelvin gets well soon; we need him if we are to 
win this championship.'

Lee Brookes (Toyota) won the Total Cup privateers' battle, avenging 
his defeat in round nine by Richard Kaye. 

After 10 rounds, Biela enjoys a 43-point lead over Rydell in the 
drivers' championship, with Audi 19 points clear of BMW in the 
manufacturers' title race. 

RESULTS     
Auto Trader RAC Touring Car Championship, round 9 
11 laps -- 30.58 miles / 49.17km  
1  Jo Winkelhock (Ger), BMW 320i, 20m 42.90s, 
88.41mph/142.28kmh; 
2  Frank Biela (Ger), Audi A4, +4.95s; 
3  John Bintcliffe (GB), Audi A4, +5.57s; 
4  Rickard Rydell (Swe), Volvo 850, +6.23s; 
5  Alain Menu (Switz), Renault Laguna, +6.75s; 
6  Kelvin Burt (GB), Volvo 850, +7.22s; 
7  Roberto Ravaglia (It), BMW 320i, +7.61s; 
8  David Leslie (GB), Honda Accord, +9.44s; 
9  Richard Kaye (GB), Vauxhall Cavalier, +15.76s; 
10 Steve Robertson (GB), Ford Mondeo, +20.79s. 
Total Cup Privateers: Kaye. 
Fastest lap: Winkelhock, 1m 41.96s, 97.97mph/157.68kmh (record). 
Pole position: Biela, 1m 51.276s, 89.77mph/144.48kmh. 

Round 10 
16 laps -- 44.48 miles / 71.52km  
1  Rydell, 27m 35.69s, 96.53mph/155.36kmh; 
2  Biela, +5.98s; 
3  Bintcliffe, 9.22s; 
4  Menu, +9.37s; 
5  Ravaglia, 9.70s; 
6  Will Hoy (GB), Renault Laguna, +10.13s; 
7  Leslie, +10.43s; 
8  Tim Harvey (GB), Peugeot 406, 11.64s; 
9  John Cleland (GB), Vauxhall Vectra, +12.20s; 
10 Owen McAuley (GB), Nissan Primera, +21.67s. 
Total Cup Privateers: Lee Brookes (GB), Toyota Carina E,  
Fastest lap: Rydell, 1m 42.08s, 97.86mph/157.49kmh. 
Pole position: Biela, 1m 51.163s, 89.86mph/144.62kmh. 

CHAMPIONSHIP POSITIONS     
Drivers: 1 Biela, 122 points; 2 Rydell, 79; 3 Ravaglia, 70; 4 
Bintcliffe, 69; 5 Menu, 63; 6 Winkelhock, 60. 
Manufacturers: 1 Audi, 124; 2 BMW, 105; 3 Volvo, 104; 4 Renault, 
96; 5 Vauxhall, 63; 6 Honda, 53; 7 Peugeot, 34; 8 Ford, 29. 
Total Cup Privateers: 1 Brookes, 115; 2 Richard Kaye, 100. 


-- 
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