BTCC: Oulton Park testing

NEWS FROM THE AUTO TRADER RAC TOURING CAR CHAMPIONSHIP Oulton Park, 1/8/96

SWEDE Rickard Rydell this afternoon (Thurs) became the first touring car driver to break the one-minute barrier on the Oulton Park Fosters circuit. In official testing for next weekend's (Aug 11) rounds of the Auto Trader RAC Touring Car Championship he lapped the Cheshire track in 59.735s in his Volvo 850, outpacing his nearest rival -- Vauxhall's James Thompson -- by more than three-tenths of a second.

Rydell's pace underlines his regained form and status as the only man likely to break the Audi stranglehold on the championship as it enters its closing phase. However, title race leader Frank Biela was third quickest at Oulton today.

Tenth fastest was BMW's Dutch driver Peter Kox, who is expected to join team regulars Jo Winkelhock and Roberto Ravaglia in a three- car squad for the rest of the season.

OFFICIAL TESTING TIMES OULTON PARK FOSTERS 1/8/96 1 Rickard Rydell (Swe), Volvo 850, 0m 59.735s; 2 James Thompson (GB), Vauxhall Vectra, 1m 00.048s; 3 Frank Biela (Ger), Audi A4, 1m 00.094s; 4 David Leslie (GB), Honda Accord, 1m 00.111s; 5 Alain Menu (Switz), Renault Laguna, 1m 00.136s; 6 Will Hoy (GB), Renault Laguna, 1m 00.288s; 7 Kelvin Burt (GB), Volvo 850, 1m 00.296s; 8 John Bintcliffe (GB), Audi A4, 1m 00.349s; 9 Jo Winkelhock (Ger), BMW 320i, 1m 00.481s; 10 Peter Kox (Neth), BMW 320i, 1m 00.536s; 11 John Cleland (GB), Vauxhall Vectra, 1m 00.540s; 12 Paul Radisich (NZ), Ford Mondeo, 1m 00.542s.

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