NEWS FROM THE AUTO TRADER RAC TOURING CAR CHAMPIONSHIP
Donington Park, nr Derby, 25/05/95

Flying Scotsman John Cleland extended his lead in the 1995 Auto Trader
RAC Touring Car Championship with a pair of dominant victories at
Donington Park this afternoon (Sunday).
  The Vauxhall team leader led both 15-lap events from pole position
to chequered flag, and set fastest lap in each into the bargain.
  His Donington double-top extends his lead over Renault's Swiss
driver Alain Menu to 28 points as the championship heads towards its
most important race of the year, the British Grand Prix-supporting
event at Silverstone on July 16.
  Cleland made the first of the day's two races look easy. Starting
from pole position -- his first top qualifying slot for two years --
Cleland beat off a brief first-lap challenge from the Honda Accord of
David Leslie to assume command of the race within seconds of the
start, trailed by his championship rival Rickard Rydell (Volvo).
  Leslie, who had started from an impressive third on the grid in the
new Honda, was beaten back into third place by the end of the opening
lap, then slipped to fifth behind Menu and Paul Radisich (Ford) a lap
later.
  Cleland meanwhile was easing into a lead he never looked in danger
of losing, with Rydell shadowing him all the way to the chequered
flag.
  Menu came under intense pressure in third place in the closing
stages from Cleland's Vauxhall team-mate James Thompson. Thompson had
made a disastrous start from second on the grid, slipping to seventh
on lap one and being forced into a dramatic fight to get back on terms
with the leaders.
  Thompson finished fourth, half a second adrift of Menu and just
ahead of Kiwi Radisich. Julian Bailey was sixth for Toyota, with
Leslie hanging on for seventh in the Honda.
  If anything, Cleland's second win of the day was even more
impressive. By mid-distance he had eased out a three-second lead over
Radisich, who had started from third on the grid, and by the end of
the 15 laps the Scot was six seconds clear of the Kiwi.
  Third -- and taking his third top-three placing of the year -- was
Radisich's young Ford team-mate Kelvin Burt, who kept Menu at bay for
the duration.
  Thompson beat Rydell to fifth place on the last lap, ahead of
Bailey, Will Hoy (whose Renault started 17th) and Leslie.
  There was drama in the Total Cup for privateers, with series leader
Matt Neal crashing out of both races. Nigel Smith took the honours in
the first round, with Richard Kaye -- driving with a broken leg? --
claiming the spoils in the second event.

RESULTS
1995 Auto Trader RAC Touring Car Championship, round 13
Donington Park, nr Derby
15 laps -- 37.50 miles
1 John Cleland (GB), Vauxhall Cavalier, 25m 01.93s, 89.88mph;
2 Rickard Rydell (Swe), Volvo 850, ~2.67s;
3 Alain Menu (Switz), Renault Laguna, ~7.00s;
4 James Thompson (GB), Vauxhall Cavalier, ~7.53s;
5 Paul Radisich (NZ), Ford Mondeo, ~11.94s;
6 Julian Bailey (GB), Toyota Carina, ~12.43s;
7 David Leslie (GB), Honda Accord, ~17.96s;
8 Tim Sugden (GB), Toyota Carina, ~18.58s;
9 Kelvin Burt (GB), Ford Mondeo, ~19.39s;
10 Tim Harvey (GB), Volvo 850, ~22.67s.

Total Cup Privateers: Nigel Smith (GB/Vauxhall Cavalier).
Fastest lap: Cleland, 1m 39.02s, 90.89mph.
Pole position : Cleland, 1m 37.730s, 92.09mph.

Round 14
15 laps -- 37.50 miles
1 Cleland, 25m 05.02s, 89.69mph;
2 Radisich, ~6.01s;
3 Burt, ~7.86s;
4 Menu, ~9.25s;
5 Thompson, ~11.19s;
6 Rydell, ~11.83s;
7 Bailey, ~12.01s;
8 Will Hoy (GB), Renault Laguna, ~16.16s;
9 Leslie, ~18.53s;
10 James Kaye (GB), Honda Accord, ~18.91s.
Total Cup Privateers: Richard Kaye (GB/Ford).
Fastest lap: Cleland, 1m 39.16s, 90.76mph.
Pole position : Cleland, 1m 38.044s, 91.79mph.

Championship positions
Drivers: 1 Cleland, 208 points; 2 Menu, 180; 3 Rydell, 170; 4
Radisich, 122; 5 Thompson, 112; 6 Harvey, 107.
Manufacturers:1 Vauxhall, 244; 2 Volvo, 231; 3 Renault, 212; 4 Ford,
156.
Total Cup Privateers: =1 Richard Kaye & Matt Neal (GB/Ford), 198
points; 3 Smith, 192.

Next round: Silverstone, 16/07/95

-- 
Stephen M Baines

 "[The Autosport sticker] started to peel off in the middle of Eau Rouge
 and it distracted me. In fact it was the first thing to hit the barrier"
    Tiff Needell - Jaguar XJR-15 Challenge - Interview with Autosport

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