Vauxhall's John Cleland improved his overall lead in the Auto Trader
RAC British Touring Car Championship at Brands Hatch this afternoon (
Sun) with a dominant victory in the second of the day's two races.

Having earlier finished third behind Renault's Will Hoy and Volvo's
Rickard Rydell in round 18 of the championship, Cleland left the Kent
circuit with a 40-point advantage over Swede Rydell in the drivers'
championship.

The first of the day's two 30-lap sprints was effectively decided on
the opening lap as 1991 Champion Hoy underlined his improved
qualifying pace to outdrag front-row men Cleland and Rydell on the run
up to the Druids hairpin. It was a masterly manoeuvre from the Renault
driver and he was quick to capitalise on his advantage -- pulling out
a healthy lead that, although reduced to less than half a second by
the time the chequered flag fell, was never seriously challenged.

It was Hoy's first win for the Renault team and his first BTCC race
victory since 1992, when he drove for Toyota.

Rydell was Hoy's closest rival, the Volvo man muscling past Cleland
for second on the opening lap. Cleland had made the better start of
the pair as, once again, Rydell failed to capitalise on the advantage
of pole position.

Once through into second, Rydell was not to be robbed of it by
Cleland, who stuck to the Volvo's bootlid throughout. Hoy's Renault
team-mate Alain Menu was fourth, making up for the disadvantage of a
seventh-slot grid position with a fine start and early fight past
BMW's Johnny Cecotto.

Cecotto underlined BMW's return to form by finishing fifth, well in
touch with the leading quartet.

Visiting South African Touring Car Champion Mike Briggs, deputising
for the injured James Thompson at Vauxhall, was an impressive sixth on
his British racing debut, ahead of Tim Harvey (Volvo) and former Grand
Prix star Derek Warwick (Alfa).

Handling problems cost Kiwi Paul Radisich (Ford) an early sixth place;
he finished 14th at the flag.

Rydell made no mistake second time around, leading away from pole --
his 11th of the season -- to head Cleland and Hoy on the first lap of
round 19. The Swede built up a healthy lead very quickly, but Cleland
soon set about reducing the gap and, by lap 12, was right on the
Volvo's tail, with Hoy in close attendance in third slot.

Entering Clearways for the 15th time, Rydell got out of line, was
nudged from behind by Cleland, and half-spun out of the lead. Cleland
seized the opportunity to head into a lead he was never to lose, with
Hoy following through to assume second place.

Rydell was fortunate to restart in third place, and he finished well
ahead of reigning Champion Gabriele Tarquini, putting in Alfa's most
convincing challenge of the year and taking fourth place.

Briggs fought through to fifth after the demise of the BMWs of Cecotto
and David Brabham and the Ford of Radisich, with Patrick Watts a
strong sixth for Peugeot and Harvey seventh again for Volvo.

Victor in both rounds in the Total Cup for Privateers was Matt Neal (
Ford), whose points lead in the class now looks unassailable.

With a further six rounds to run, Cleland's 40-point advantage over
Rydell is by no means secure, but with Menu failing to score in round
19 due to mechanical problems, he at least has one fewer title rival
to worry about.

RESULTS
1995 Auto Trader RAC British Touring Car Championship, round 18
Brands Hatch, Kent, 13/08/95
30 laps -- 36.00 miles
1 Will Hoy (GB), Renault Laguna, 23m 51.57s, 90.80mph;
2 Rickard Rydell (Swe), Volvo 850 20V, ~0.46s;
3 John Cleland (GB), Vauxhall Cavalier 16V, ~0.70s;
4 Alain Menu (Switz), Renault Laguna, ~1.18s;
5 Johnny Cecotto (Venezuela), BMW 318i, ~1.61s;
6 Mike Briggs (South Africa), Vauxhall Cavalier 16V, ~9.70s;
7 Tim Harvey (GB), Volvo 850 20V, ~13.25s;
8 Derek Warwick (GB), Alfa Romeo 155, ~17.51s;
9 Jul ian Bailey (GB), Toyota Carina E, ~17.71s;
10 James Kaye (GB), Honda Accord, ~20.54s.
Total Cup Privateers: Matt Neal (GB), Ford Mondeo Ghia.
Fastest lap: Rydell, 46.90s, 92.38mph.
Pole position: Rydell, 46.643s, 92.89mph.

Round 19
30 laps -- 36.00 miles
1 Cleland, 23m 46.09s, 91.15mph;
2 Hoy, ~7.84s;
3 Rydell, ~9.63s;
4 Gabriele Tarquini (It), Alfa Romeo 155, ~10.02s;
5 Briggs, ~10.36s;
6 Patrick Watts (GB), Peugeot 405, ~18.96s;
7 Harvey, ~20.64s;
8 Kaye, ~24.63s;
9 Tim Sugden (GB), Toyota Carina E, ~24.89s;
10 David Leslie (GB), Honda Accord, ~31.95s.
Total Cup Privateers: Neal.
Fastest lap: Cleland, 46.82s, 92.54mph.
Pole position: Rydell, 46.646s, 92.89mph.

Championship positions
Drivers: 1 Cleland, 282 points; 2 Rydell, 242; 3 Menu, 214; 4 Harvey,
145; 5 Paul Radisich (NZ/Ford), 128; 6 James Thompson (GB/Vauxhall),
124; 7 Hoy, 111.
Manufacturers: 1 Vauxhall, 322; 2 Volvo, 305; 3 Renault, 296; 4 Ford,
185; 5 Toyota, 130; 6 BMW, 121; 7 Alfa Romeo, 92; 8 Peugeot, 88; 9
Honda, 80.
Total Cup Privateers: 1 Neal, 312.

Next round: Snetterton, 28/08/95
-- 
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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