NEWS FROM THE AUTO TRADER RAC   
TOURING CAR CHAMPIONSHIP    
Final Official Testing: Oulton Park, 25/5/96    
 
OULTON PARK lap record holder Alain Menu today (Saty) 
underlined his skill and knowledge of the demanding Cheshire circuit 
by topping the timesheets in final official testing for Bank Holiday 
Monday's twin Auto Trader RAC Touring Car Championship races.

The Swiss Renault team leader lapped the track in 1m 41.132s -- 
eight-tenths of a second inside his own qualifying mark, set last year. 
Said Menu: 'I'm confident that I can get a good grid position 
tomorrow [Sun] if it's dry, but if it's wet then we will all be playing 
second fiddle to the Audis.'

Damp weather played into the hands of the Audi team this afternoon, 
when the four-wheel-drive A4s of championship leader Frank Biela 
and his team-mate John Bintcliffe comfortably outpaced the front- 
and rear-wheel-drive opposition, despite the recent imposition on the 
Audis of an extra 30kg in weight penalties. All today's quick times 
were set in the dry morning session.

Second and third quickest overall today were the Volvos of Swede 
Rickard Rydell and Briton Kelvin Burt, with David Leslie fourth for 
Honda ahead of the BMWs of Jo Winkelhock and Roberto Ravaglia.

Tim Harvey set eighth quickest time in his Peugeot before being 
sidelined by an off-track excursion. His car was sufficiently damaged 
for it to require an overnight dash back to the team's Coventry works, 
but Peugeot is hopeful that it will be repaired in time for what will be 
Harvey's 150th BTCC race.

Official qualifying for rounds nine and 10 of the Auto Trader RAC 
Touring Car Championship takes place at Oulton Park tomorrow 
(Sun), with record crowds expected at the track on Monday for the 
twin races.
 
OFFICIAL BTCC TESTING TIMES   
Oulton Park, 25/5/96  
1  Alain Menu (Switz), Renault Laguna, 1m 41.132s; 
2  Rickard Rydell (Swe), Volvo 850, 1:41.766; 
3  Kelvin Burt (GB), Volvo 850, 1:41.824; 
4  David Leslie (GB), Honda Accord, 1:41.920; 
5  Jo Winkelhock (Ger), BMW 320i, 1:41.972; 
6  Robert Ravaglia (It), BMW 320i, 1:42.009; 
7  Frank Biela (Ger), Audi A4, 1:42.283; 
8  Tim Harvey (GB), Peugeot 406, 1:42.416; 
9  Paul Radisich (NZ), Ford Mondeo, 1:42.496; 
10 John Cleland (GB), Vauxhall Vectra, 1:42.593; 
11 James Thompson (GB), Vauxhall Vectra, 1:42.922; 
12 Patrick Watts (GB), Peugeot 406, 1:43.258. 
-- 
Official BTCC website:
Best in British Motor Sport
http://www.demon.co.uk/racing