NEWS FROM THE AUTO TRADER RAC  
TOURING CAR CHAMPIONSHIP   
Official Testing: Oulton Park, 9/5/96   
 
THE Volvo team and number one driver Rickard Rydell continued 
their superb testing form in today's (Thurs) official preliminaries at 
the Oulton Park circuit in Cheshire. Swede Rydell -- who has beaten 
his rivals at every BTCC test so far this season yet has still to win a 
race -- lapped the Oulton long circuit in 1m 40.340s, more than two-
tenths quicker than the BMW of 1993 champion Jo Winkelhock. 
Rydell's time was a second and a half inside the circuit qualifying 
record.

Rydell's team-mate Kelvin Burt went third quickest to underline the 
Volvo pace, with championship leader Frank Biela's Audi fourth 
fastest. James Thompson outpaced his Vauxhall team-mate, the 
reigning champion John Cleland, to claim fifth spot.

Next race outing for the touring car brigade is at Silverstone on May 
19. 

* The championship technical committee met at Oulton Park for two-
and-a-half hours this afternoon to discuss weight differentials 
between the runaway four-wheel-drive Audi A4s and their two-
wheel-drive and rear-drive BTCC rivals. No decision was reached 
and the committee has been asked to formulate a proposal by 5pm on 
Monday (May 13) to put before Alan Gow, Chief Executive of 
championship organiser TOCA.
 
OFFICIAL TESTING TIMES 
1  Rickard Rydell (Swe), Volvo 850, 1m 40.340s, 99.56mph; 
2  Jo Winkelhock (Ger), BMW 320i, 1m 40.618s; 
3  Kelvin Burt (GB), Volvo 850, 1m 40.809s; 
4  Frank Biela (Ger), Audi A4, 1m 40.910s; 
5  James Thompson (GB), Vauxhall Vectra, 1m 41.285s; 
6  Will Hoy (GB), Renault Laguna, 1m 41.389s; 
7  John Cleland (GB), Vauxhall Vectra, 1m 41.395s; 
8  David Leslie (GB), Honda Accord, 1m 41.499s; 
9  Roberto Ravaglia (It), BMW 320i, 1m 41.541s; 
10  Alain Menu (Switz), Renault Laguna, 1m 41.637s; 
11  Tim Harvey (GB), Peugeot 406, 1m 41.659s; 
12  John Bintcliffe (GB), Audi A4, 1m 41.741s. 
 
-- 
Official BTCC website:
Best in British Motor Sport
http://www.demon.co.uk/racing