NEWS FROM THE AUTO TRADER RAC 
TOURING CAR CHAMPIONSHIP  
Brands Hatch 20/4/96  
 
RENAULT and BMW were to the fore at Brands Hatch this 
afternoon (Saty) in official qualifying for tomorrow's (Sun) rounds 
three and four of the Auto Trader RAC Touring Car Championship. 
Renault pilot Alain Menu posted quickest time of the day -- 45.752s, 
more than a tenth of a second inside the circuit qualifying record -- to 
claim pole position for round three, just ahead of Jo Winkelhock's 
BMW, while Winkelhock was quickest in qualifying for round four.

Official qualifying proved something of a form-book upset, with 
championship leader Frank Biela -- who had been expected to fly at 
the twisty Kent track in his four-wheel-drive Audi A4 -- back in 
fourth and fifth grid slots for tomorrow's twin races. His team-mate, 
newcomer John Bintcliffe, surprised the old hands by posting second-
best time to Winkelhock to claim a front-row grid position for round 
four.

Many drivers complained of too many cars on the circuit for them to 
find an unhindered qualifying lap and several cars brushed, among 
them that of Menu, which was in collision with privateer Ian 
Heward's Vauxhall. The works Ford Mondeos of Paul Radisich and 
Steve Robertson both left the track, in separate incidents, sustaining 
light damage.

Winkelhock's first pole position of the year marks a return to the sort 
of form BMW enjoyed in 1993, when the German won the 
championship title. This new threat from his home country did not, 
however, faze series leader Biela: 'I'm not too disappointed with my 
qualifying performance,' he said. Tomorrow's races will be very tough 
and we are well placed...'
 
Qualifying times: Round 3 
1  Alain Menu (Switz), Renault Laguna, 0m 45.752s, 
94.70mph/152.41kmh; 
2  Jo Winkelhock (Ger), BMW 320i, 45.816s; 
3  Rickard Rydell (Swe), Volvo 850, 45.874s; 
4  Frank Biela (Ger), Audi A4, 45.890s; 
5  Will Hoy (GB), Renault Laguna, 46.047s; 
6  Kelvin Burt (GB), Volvo 850, 46.078s; 
7  John Bintcliffe (GB), Audi A4, 46.099s; 
8  James Thompson (GB), Vauxhall Vectra, 46.298s; 
9  Paul Radisich (NZ), Ford Mondeo, 46.362s; 
10 John Cleland (GB), Vauxhall Vectra, 46.363s. 
 
Qualifying times: Round 4 
1  Winkelhock, 45.983s, 94.22mph; 
2  Bintcliffe, 46.019s; 
3  Hoy, 46.105s; 
4  Menu, 46.112s; 
5  Biela, 46.163s; 
6  Rydell, 46.227s; 
7  Cleland, 46.308s; 
8  Burt, 46.352s; 
9  Roberto Ravaglia (It), BMW 320i, 46.566s; 
10 Radisich, 46.571s. 

-- 
Official BTCC website:
Best in British Motor Sport
http://www.demon.co.uk/racing