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00:00The RAC British Touring Car Championships and rounds five and six from Thruxton.
00:06The world champion and championship leader Frank Bieler was disqualified from the last race and had 30 points docked from his championship total.
00:14However, since then, he's won his appeal. With the full story, Murray Walker.
00:20It's the British Automobile Racing Club's big day at Thruxton and the conditions simply couldn't be better for the gigantic bank holiday crowd.
00:28It's by far the biggest Thruxton scene and just one of the big attractions is Audi's German superstar Frank Bieler,
00:35who's had good news since the last round of Franz Hatch where he was disqualified for an alleged technical infringement.
00:42He's got his points back on appeal and leads the championship by a commanding 19 points from Renault's Alain Menuh.
00:50With the four-wheel drive Audi back on top, it's going to be a struggle for Menuh and his front-wheel drive Renault Laguna.
00:58Richard Rydell from Sweden in the Swedish Volvo isn't going to find it easy either, despite excellent testing times.
01:09But BMW are back in form after a poor 1995 and Joe Winklehock won a Franz Hatch.
01:17Bieler had hardly got the smile back on his face before he was in real trouble during Saturday qualifying,
01:23when he lost control, shot off the track and mashed the front of his quattro.
01:27So, what happened?
01:28John blow his engine up a lap before and I asked the pits whether there's some oil or red flag or something and they said no, everything is okay.
01:38So, I started my qualifying lap and 500 metres later, I spun.
01:43I was on the oil, crashed into the barrier and that's it, you know.
01:47Just a bit of bad luck, let's say.
01:50And, okay, so for the second race, I'm at the back of the grid and with a ten-second penalty because I didn't do three laps.
01:59But, most important thing is the first race now.
02:03I mean, I can get some points there and in the second I just try my best and see where I can end up.
02:10Audi have done a fantastic job to fix Frank's A4 and he starts from pole position alongside Menuh's Renault.
02:17Ahead of Winklehock's BMW and Bidcliffe's Audi.
02:20Row three, David Leslie's Honda Accord, Roberto Revaldi's BMW.
02:25John Clellon next, Vauxhall Vectra with Wilhoy's Renault.
02:28Then the Volvos, Ricard Rydell and Kelvin Burks.
02:32Row six, Tim Harvey Peugeot, James K Honda.
02:39There they are on the grid.
02:41There's Frank Bieler in pole position and watch that four-wheel drive getaway.
02:46Look at it.
02:47Bieler leads.
02:49Winklehock is passing Menuh, he's done so.
02:54Now down to the Conklet.
02:55Right, left, right.
02:57Campbell, Cobb, Seagrave.
02:59Bieler leads.
03:00Winklehock second.
03:01Menuh is third.
03:02Bidcliffe is in fourth position.
03:05Around the right-hander at Campbell.
03:07And that's Winklehock.
03:08Winklehock spinning out.
03:10Somebody must have hit him.
03:11He's getting away but he's lost a lot of places.
03:15And Bieler is still well up front.
03:17That's David Leslie in the Accord in second position.
03:20Menuh in the yellow Renault behind him.
03:23Then it's the second Audi of Bidcliffe.
03:26And we're in car with four rally seats now, the Ford Mondeo.
03:30But he's lost it.
03:32Spinning, spinning.
03:33Look at the tyre smoke.
03:34Well, I do not know what happened there.
03:38It was at Church, which is one of the fastest parts of the track.
03:42Nearly 140 miles an hour and he's touring in.
03:45Down to the club chicane.
03:46Frank Bieler leads.
03:48David Leslie.
03:50Menuh.
03:51Bidcliffe.
03:52Revalia in the second BMW.
03:56And look back and lights are blazed.
03:58That's Joe Winklehock recovering.
04:01But it looks to me as though he's in some sort of trouble.
04:04We're looking back now.
04:05Rob Gravitt's gone past.
04:06That's Matthew Neill's Ford Mondeo, the privateer.
04:10He's going past.
04:12So Winklehock has indeed got a problem.
04:14He's touring in.
04:15Through the complex again.
04:19Frank Bieler in the Audi A4.
04:21Honda.
04:22Renault.
04:24Alarmenu.
04:25Then the second Audi.
04:28You can get a good look at this trucks and circuit now.
04:31Flat.
04:31Very fast.
04:33Really demanding.
04:37Alarmenu number two in the Renault Laguna.
04:40And now this is a replay.
04:42Joe Winklehock at the start.
04:44He's going round Alar.
04:46Now coming up to the complex.
04:47Swings a bit left here.
04:49Turns right for Campbell.
04:51That's Alarmenu getting closer and closer.
04:53Leslie going through.
04:55Take that, says Menu.
04:56And off goes Winklehock.
05:00Oh.
05:01Gage's first gear.
05:03Clouds of dust back in the race.
05:05And here comes Paul Radisic in the Ford Mondeo.
05:09And this is looking a bit terminal to me.
05:11Some glum faces.
05:18And yeah, Radisic's race is over.
05:20And Leslie locks up.
05:23David Leslie locks up with Alarmenu right behind him at the chicane.
05:26And Bidcliffe is right behind Menu.
05:29Look to the right.
05:30That's John Bidcliffe in the silver Audi.
05:32And look at the front of that car.
05:34He's going straight through.
05:36Bidcliffe goes up into second position.
05:38Colossal traction out of the chicane.
05:40And Revalia is right with Leslie.
05:43So David Leslie in the Honda Accord is coming up through the field.
05:47He turns in and he spins.
05:49Somebody's hit him.
05:50Somebody must have hit Leslie.
05:53Kelvin Byrne was close to him.
05:55Leslie getting back onto the track.
05:57He seems to act like a magnet everywhere he goes.
05:59Into the pit lane.
06:04Joe Wackelhock.
06:05No points for him in this race today.
06:07Those wheel discs are to help with the aerodynamics.
06:11But it doesn't look as though the Audi's leader.
06:13Bidcliffe is staying ahead of Menu.
06:15Second place.
06:16Menu third.
06:17Romagna is in fourth position.
06:19One, two.
06:20There they go.
06:20And now we're with Richard Rydell running down to the chicane.
06:26That's his teammate Kelvin Byrne that he's passing.
06:29He's doing about 150 miles an hour here in the two-litre car.
06:33Down to the chicane.
06:34They go together.
06:35There's no team orders here.
06:37And Rydell goes past Kelvin Byrne up into fifth position.
06:41Down to sixth goes Byrne.
06:43Here is the leader.
06:43Three seconds now ahead of Bidcliffe.
06:46So it's Audi first and second.
06:49Renault third with Menu.
06:50There goes Kelvin Byrne.
06:52Behind him is Tim Harvey.
06:54Behind him is Will Hoy in the Renault.
06:57Into the complex again.
06:59Menu is pushing Bidcliffe for second position.
07:01Harvey is attacking Byrne.
07:03Look at the red Peugeot.
07:05But he's lost the position.
07:06And it looks to me as though Hoy's gone ahead.
07:08Will Hoy has gone ahead of Tim Harvey.
07:10No, he hasn't.
07:11Harvey holds the place.
07:12Number five.
07:13Keeps ahead of Will Hoy.
07:15And there's the Vauxhall going through on the right.
07:17That's John Cleland.
07:18Terrific scrap.
07:19Thompson behind him.
07:21Now up to church.
07:22Riccardo Rydell and the Volvo goes ahead of Roberto Revali as BMW.
07:27And behind the BMW is the other Volvo.
07:30That's Kelvin Byrne.
07:31He's having a go now.
07:32Look at him.
07:32He's on the inside as they go into the right-hander.
07:35That's the right place to be.
07:37Revali.
07:38Revali has to run wide.
07:39And Byrne should get a run down on the BMW as they go down to the chicane.
07:44But now we're with Kay and he's lost it.
07:46James Kay in the Honda Accord.
07:49Patrick Watts goes past as Kay goes ploughing in the field as he tries to rejoin the track.
07:55Well, he was in 11th position.
07:57You can see he's losing place after place, rejoining.
08:01And I wonder if he's damaged the underneath of the Honda.
08:05Up to speed.
08:07Down to the chicane.
08:08Harvey.
08:09Look at Harvey's body flapping.
08:10Behind him.
08:12It's Thompson.
08:13James Thompson in the Vauxhall.
08:14There is Will Hoy number four.
08:16Harvey goes into the pits.
08:18Tim Harvey's race is run.
08:20Obviously, he can't see with that flapping bonnet.
08:22They've got to fix that.
08:23Maybe he'll come out again.
08:25Let's see.
08:27Oh, James Kay.
08:28He has damaged the car.
08:31And that's a retirement.
08:33James Kay stopping.
08:34Complex.
08:35Rydell.
08:36Volvo.
08:36Fourth place.
08:37Behind him, Revali.
08:38And behind him, Byrne.
08:39It's still the Volvo sandwiching the BMW into Seagrave.
08:44Now, Byrne is in an attacking mode.
08:47I can see that.
08:48And he's getting closer.
08:49Definitely.
08:50He's getting closer to the BMW as they come to Seagrave.
08:52And he goes through.
08:53On the inside, Volvo 4, Volvo 5.
08:57Fourth and fifth positions for the two Swedish cars.
09:00Revali drops back.
09:01And Hoy, on the inside, attacks Thompson.
09:04Number seven for seventh place.
09:06Behind them is John Cleland, the British champion of last year in the second Vauxhall Vectra.
09:11And he is flying.
09:13Hoy is going for it.
09:14But look at Cleland.
09:16He's going past both of them on the inside.
09:19Incredible.
09:20Down to the chicane.
09:22Cleland goes up to seventh position.
09:25That is fantastic.
09:27Through the chicane.
09:28Down to 50 miles an hour.
09:30Punch up the power.
09:31And Talon is pulling away from Wilhoy's Renault Laguna.
09:35What a move.
09:41So, up to the complex.
09:43Binkliffe, there he is.
09:44John Binkliffe in the Audi.
09:46Fighting Alan Menuh's Renault for second position.
09:49Terrific drive by John Binkliffe.
09:55Keeping well ahead of Alan Menuh's Renault.
09:58Alan seems to be able to do nothing about it.
10:03And Frank Bieler leading the race lapsed Rob Kravitz.
10:08Forward Mondeo.
10:12Round village.
10:13He's three seconds ahead now.
10:14There is Binkliffe in second position.
10:16Alan Menuh in third place.
10:21So, it's Audi, Audi, Renault.
10:23And Menuh's lost it.
10:25Look at that.
10:27Menuh plunges off a circuit.
10:29Over the grass.
10:30No grip there.
10:31What's happened to him?
10:32It looks to me as though he's dropped into a ditch.
10:35And the marshals are springing into action.
10:37We're inside the car.
10:38And it looks to me as though Alan Menuh is perfectly all right.
10:41He's just taking his gloves off.
10:43So, now the Volvo's a third and fourth.
10:46And there is John Clelland passing Revalia.
10:49Clelland in the Vauxhall Vectra.
10:51Passing the BMW.
10:53Hoy closes up on the white BMW.
10:55And John Clelland falls away from it.
10:58John Clelland really is getting his skate on.
11:01And there's a happy sight.
11:03Alan Menuh out of the car.
11:04Perfectly okay.
11:05Here's a replay.
11:06Now, watch the yellow and blue Renault as it oversteers, turning in for the right-hander at church.
11:12He's doing about 130 miles an hour there, believe it or not.
11:16Onto the grass.
11:18Into the ditch.
11:20And out of the race.
11:24Now, here we are with Menuh.
11:27That's Big Cliff's Audi.
11:28Watch Menuh's hands on the wheel as he tries to correct.
11:31But it's long gone.
11:33Into the undergrowth.
11:35That's it.
11:36End of race.
11:37Back in the race, though.
11:39The two Volvos battling for third.
11:41Now, look for Des Clelland.
11:43And Hoy is going through, passing Revalia up into sixth place.
11:46So, the Renault ahead of the BMW.
11:48Revalia must have a problem.
11:50He's been passed by several people.
11:53Into the right-hander at Seagrave.
11:55And he looks to be going slower.
11:57The Venetian Roberto Revalia.
12:00Ex-world champion of touring cars.
12:03Meantime, Frank Miller's on his country run, admiring the scenery from the inside of the Audi.
12:09There are the two Volvos.
12:11And John Clelland is barely flying.
12:13Number one in the Vauxhall backtrack.
12:15He's closing up.
12:16He's closing up on the Volvos ahead of him.
12:19The first one he's going to have a look at is Kelvin Bird.
12:23So, there is Rydell.
12:25Behind him in the other Volvo is Bird.
12:27Behind him is John Clelland.
12:29They're coming down to the end of the lap to the chicane.
12:32Hank Clelland is going to go.
12:33He can't possibly go around the outside of it.
12:35Even John Clelland couldn't do that.
12:37And he doesn't.
12:39So, Bird stays ahead.
12:41But how much longer can he do so?
12:43John Clelland's got the red nest.
12:46He's really going for it as he comes through to complete the lap.
12:49Into Alain, the right-hander on the way up to the complex.
12:54Turning to the left-hander.
12:55Now, the first part of the complex is Campbell and Clelland is through.
13:03Can he hold his line, though?
13:04Turning into the left.
13:06Oh, he hits.
13:07He hits, Bird.
13:08But carries on.
13:09Both of them carry on.
13:11There's just body contact, and Hoy is closing up on Kelvin Bird now.
13:15On the right, the yellow and blue Renault.
13:19But Kelvin Bird keeps tight into the apex of the left-hander.
13:23Now, tight into the right of the right-hander.
13:25Closes the door on Will Hoy.
13:27Keeps his place.
13:28Will Hoy, number four, in sixth position.
13:32And this is the last lap.
13:33The chicane.
13:34Bieler is finishing his demonstration run.
13:37A rich reward for 48 hours' work by the Audi mechanics to fix the A4.
13:43And are they happy?
13:45Bieler's third win from five races.
13:47Donington, France Hatch, and now Thruxton.
13:50What a stunning recovery for Frank Bieler.
13:53Thruxton was supposed to be the track where the front and rear-wheel drive cars
13:57could beat the superlative Audi, but if anything, it looked even easier for the Quattros
14:02with their first one-two of the series.
14:04But what about John Cleland?
14:06I was faster than Will and James to begin with.
14:09And I think, to be fair to Will, he was getting held up by James.
14:12And once the two of us got past him, like, whoosh, we were going.
14:14James made a mistake, and I tried to get down the inside,
14:17but then, of course, that meant I slowed up, and then he had a run on us.
14:20At the bottom of him, yes.
14:20Like Silverstone last year.
14:21That was brilliant.
14:22The three abreast.
14:23You came past like you were in seventh gear.
14:24I know, but you'd slowed yourself down.
14:25Yeah, I know about it, yeah, but James thought it was going to go off at one point.
14:28Yeah, yeah.
14:29Joy and sadness.
14:31Joy for the top three on the podium, but sadness for the Williams-Renault team
14:35as they recover Alain Menuh's mangled laguna,
14:38which certainly won't be out for race two from the look of it,
14:41but a lucky escape for Alain.
14:44Basically, I just lost it turning into church.
14:47It just broke to Oversea, and I just couldn't catch it.
14:49You know, I was trying hard to overtake Bingcliffe,
14:55and he had just slowed down for those last three, four laps,
14:58and, you know, I think maybe I could have overtaken him,
15:01but the only place I was quicker was in the quick stuff, so...
15:04Now for race two, another 21 laps, but no Alain Menuh,
15:09so two BMWs on the front row of the grid,
15:12and right at the back, with a ten-second penalty in addition,
15:15Frank Biela's Audi.
15:17Winklehock heads the field,
15:18and between his gleaming white BMW and Biela's silver Audi at the rear,
15:22there are 18 cars.
15:25BMW are indeed back.
15:27Row one, Winklehock and Revalia.
15:29Row two, Bert's Volvo, Hoy's Renault.
15:31Rydell's Volvo, fifth on the grid,
15:34Lesley's Honda, sixth.
15:35The Tartan Terror is seventh, John Clelland.
15:38Tim Harvey is eighth,
15:39Bingcliffe ninth,
15:40Watts is tenth.
15:42And now, it's time to go.
15:46Yes!
15:48Now!
15:51Super start by Winklehock,
15:53Revalia slots in behind him,
15:55Bert is third in the Volvo,
15:57Hoy is fourth in the Renault.
15:59Up to the complex, it's BMW,
16:01BMW, Volvo,
16:04Wilhoy is fourth.
16:05Here they come.
16:06There is Joe Winklehock.
16:08There's Revalia.
16:11Rydell,
16:12Hoy.
16:14No, Bert.
16:15He's off.
16:16No wonder.
16:17Bert is off.
16:17There he is in the background.
16:21Kelvin Bert,
16:22out of the race,
16:22right at the beginning.
16:26Stationing,
16:26and there is Frank Bieler
16:28after his ten-second penalty.
16:30Clear track ahead of him,
16:32he'll have to go
16:32like he's never gone before.
16:35And that is Robertson's Ford Mondeo,
16:38stationary by the side of the track.
16:40And it looks to me
16:42as though they're going to have to stop the race.
16:43But into the chicane,
16:45it's Winklehock,
16:46Revalia,
16:47then Hoy,
16:48Rydell,
16:49Cleland.
16:51The rest of them coming through
16:53across the line
16:55to start another lap.
16:56Now, are they...
16:57They're slowing down.
16:59They're slowing down.
17:00And there's the reason.
17:04Robertson's car
17:05still stationary.
17:07And the safety car is out.
17:08That's it with the lights flashing.
17:10And those lights will continue to flash
17:12until it calls him
17:13to restart the race.
17:14Here's a replay at the start.
17:16We're with James Kaye.
17:18There is Robertson
17:19rushing up to the first corner.
17:21And he understeers straight off,
17:23loses the Ford Mondeo,
17:25stops almost on the track.
17:27And Kelvin Bert, meantime,
17:29is rejoining
17:30in his Volvo 850.
17:32Replay with John Cleland
17:34at the beginning.
17:35Two cars ahead is Will Hoy.
17:36Now, watch him.
17:37He hits Bert.
17:40Off goes the Volvo.
17:42And the safety car is coming in.
17:44Winklehock accelerates away
17:46in the lead.
17:47Revalia behind him.
17:49Then it's Hoy.
17:50Behind him is Rydell.
17:52Cleland is in fifth position.
17:53Sixth is Tim Harvey.
17:55And that has effectively
17:57wiped out Beeler's pedal.
17:59There he goes.
18:00He's passed Rabbit and Bert.
18:02Bert passing the Ford Mondeo.
18:05Bert back in the race.
18:06Up at the front.
18:07It's BMW Winklehock,
18:09BMW Revalia,
18:10Renault Hoy.
18:12The rest of them come through.
18:14Then look at Beeler on the outside.
18:16He's up with number 77, Matt Neill.
18:19He's in 14th place.
18:21Beeler is making up places
18:22hand over fist.
18:23Number 11.
18:29And there is David Leslie.
18:31He's chasing Tim Harvey's Peugeot 406.
18:34And off goes someone.
18:36It's Radisic.
18:37It's Radisic.
18:38Paul Radisic in the Ford Mondeo.
18:41So again, both Fords are out.
18:43Robertson's out.
18:45Radisic is out.
18:46He's coming back on the track.
18:47But he's out of the race.
18:48And Rydell is passing Cleland.
18:50Richard Wright.
18:50And Harvey's lost it.
18:52Bidcliffe's lost it.
18:53Beautiful choreography.
18:55Look at that.
18:56Bidcliffe rejoins.
18:58And he comes back onto the track
18:59right in front of his teammates.
19:01Beeler.
19:02So Beeler is 12th.
19:03Bidcliffe is 11th.
19:05They're in front of us.
19:06We're with James Kaye in the Honda.
19:08And that is the Audi in front.
19:10Now look for Beeler.
19:11There is Beeler going ahead of John Bidcliffe
19:14and up into 11th position.
19:15So the two teammates have swapped places
19:18into the complex.
19:20Beeler.
19:22Bidcliffe.
19:23Look at his door.
19:24Smashed in.
19:27And that's on his side of the car.
19:30And meantime, Beeler is absolutely racing away.
19:37Just look at him.
19:39Internoble, the left-hander.
19:41On towards Village.
19:43Here it is.
19:43High.
19:44Rydell.
19:45Cleland behind it.
19:46Number one is John Cleland.
19:48And he's catching Rydell.
19:50Fourth place in the Volvo.
19:52Behind Cleland is Leslie.
19:54We are with John Cleland now.
19:55And that's Richard Rydell in front of us in the Volvo.
19:58We're doing 150 miles an hour.
20:00Around the left-hander of Brooklyn.
20:02Two litres.
20:02300 horsepower.
20:04And look at this.
20:04Cleland on the inside and he's going through.
20:07Rydell trying to stop him, but he's on the outside.
20:09He'll never stop Cleland.
20:11Cleland is through in the Vectra.
20:14And David Leslie is right up behind the Volvo.
20:17Terrific stuff.
20:18But not for Richard Rydell, where we're with him as he watches John Cleland pull away in the Vauxhall Vectra.
20:26There he goes and into the pit lane.
20:28Will Hoy.
20:29Yet more hard luck for poor Will.
20:31He seems to have a jinx on him these days.
20:33Glum faces.
20:36That's Ian Harrison, team manager.
20:38And Radisic is in.
20:39Paul Radisic in the Ford Mondeo after his spin.
20:44And a village.
20:44Vila has caught once.
20:46Simple position.
20:47Vila in the silver Audi.
20:49Once in the red Peugeot 406.
20:51That is it ahead of us.
20:53And the Peugeot is like its Formula One V10 engine.
20:57It's got lots of power.
20:59Staying ahead of the Audi on the run down to the chicane.
21:03Rocking on its suspension.
21:06And on braking.
21:07Vila closes up.
21:09Patrick Watts locks up his right rear.
21:12Right.
21:13Left.
21:14Right.
21:14Through the chicane.
21:15Watts just ahead.
21:16Now watch Vila.
21:18He's got the inside line.
21:19This is where the traction.
21:21Whoa.
21:22Harvey.
21:24Tim Harvey.
21:25They've taken the bumper off the back of the Peugeot.
21:28Oh, and he's lost it.
21:29Oh, he just catches his engine.
21:32Joe Winklehock leads in the BMW.
21:34And then some.
21:35Record lap.
21:36Faster than Vila.
21:38Revali a second.
21:40John Clelland is third.
21:42Leslie is fourth.
21:44Thompson is fifth.
21:45Then it's Rydell and Vila.
21:48And Vila going through on the inside up into sixth position.
21:51Incredible.
21:52Frank Vila in the Audi has moved ahead of Rydell's Volvo.
21:56There's the proof, number 45, Frank Vila.
21:59And now he's chasing James Thompson's Voxel.
22:02That's it.
22:03Ahead of us.
22:04James Thompson.
22:05Young James Thompson from Yorkshire.
22:07Now, watch the Vectra on the run down.
22:10This is 150 miles an hour.
22:12Vila just easing up.
22:14Looking to get past the Voxel on braking for the chicane.
22:17This is it.
22:17Right.
22:19Thompson stays ahead.
22:22Vila behind him.
22:23There's Rydell in the background.
22:25Seventh place behind the Volvo is the red Peugeot of Patrick Watts.
22:29Eighth position.
22:30Thompson desperately trying to stay ahead of Frank Vila.
22:36And this is where the Audi usually scores.
22:39Up to the complex.
22:41Thompson's still ahead.
22:4345, Frank Vila.
22:45With his nose practically touching the rear bumper of the Voxel Vectra.
22:50As it goes left at Cobb.
22:52Right at C-grade.
22:54Now, we're back again with Frank Vila.
22:57There is James Thompson ahead.
23:00Internoble at 120 miles an hour.
23:05He's going to go through on the right.
23:06He just paused for the right and drives through.
23:09No problem.
23:10Fifth place.
23:16So, Frank Vila.
23:17Audi.
23:18He's starting 20th.
23:19He's up to fifth position.
23:21He's got ahead of James Thompson.
23:23And Tim Harvey, the 1992 champion, retires his Peugeot.
23:27It is not his day.
23:30It's not been my day at all, no.
23:33And none of it through my own doing either.
23:36David Leslie straight out the back.
23:38Not in a corner.
23:39Not even trying to pass.
23:41Just straight out the back into the chicane.
23:43And talking of David Leslie, he's Frank Vila's next intended victim into the chicane.
23:50The white Honda Accord.
23:5245.
23:53The Audi Quattro goes to the right.
23:55Vila's going to do it again.
23:58And he does it again.
24:00Fourth position.
24:01He's gained 16 places.
24:04Now, surely it's not possible for Frank Vila to catch Cleland, who's in third position, and
24:13finished on the podium.
24:15But the way he's going, nothing would surprise me.
24:17It is a rock.
24:22Quick as lightning.
24:25Germany leads in Britain.
24:26Winkleholt BMW.
24:28Revalia BMW.
24:30Cleland is third in the Vauxhall.
24:32Vila is fourth in the Audi.
24:34And he's going for that third place.
24:37What a drive.
24:39Round chose.
24:40In car with Vila.
24:42Cleland ahead.
24:43Now, John Cleland is the 1989 champion.
24:46He's the 1995 champion.
24:48And he is no pushover.
24:50The Vectra is going better and better.
24:53Best of all so far at Truttson.
24:56The chicane.
24:57Smokes his right rear tire.
24:59Turns right.
25:00Turns left.
25:01Shuts the door on Frank Vila.
25:03Round of the chicane.
25:05Terrific battle.
25:08Into Alar.
25:10Now up to the complex.
25:12This is where Frank Vila will try to get past John Cleland's Vauxhall Vectra.
25:17And the battle for seventh places now between the Volvo of Richard Rydell and Bidcliffe in
25:23the Audi.
25:23And Bidcliffe is going through just as Vila did.
25:27John Bidcliffe goes up into seventh place past Richard Rydell's Volvo.
25:32And that doesn't hang about.
25:33Here is Bidcliffe.
25:35There is Rydell.
25:36Look at his door again.
25:37And it's on his side of the car, remember, on the steering wheel side.
25:42Nasty bash for him.
25:43Out of village.
25:45John Cleland and Vila still fighting for that third position.
25:48Back again inside the Audi.
25:53Building up to 150 miles an hour.
25:56Out of church.
26:03The Audi looks a bit steadier on its suspension than the Vauxhall ahead.
26:07But they've had a lot more development as a four-wheel drive car.
26:11Coming down to the chicane.
26:12And Bidcliffe is trying, trying, trying.
26:14But again, Cleland has got the right line.
26:19Up on the curb goes the Audi.
26:23Out of the chicane.
26:25Vila pulls right.
26:26He's going to go through.
26:28They think it's all over.
26:30It is now.
26:31It's a one, two, three for the Parmalad.
26:33BMW lead.
26:34BMW second.
26:35And Audi is in third position.
26:38As Frank Vila leads Cleland into the complex.
26:44But John Cleland, the Scotsman from Gala Shields, is a trier.
26:50He won't give up.
26:53He must be feeling very happy with the way the Vectra's going here at Thruxton.
26:59So into Noble.
27:01Vila lapping Rob Gravitz.
27:03Forward Mondeo.
27:04A full lap ahead.
27:08Cleland is pushing.
27:10Cleland is pushing extremely hard indeed.
27:13Coming up to church.
27:17Building speed.
27:18We're with Cleland.
27:21My goodness, I think he's going to try and get past the Audi.
27:24Look at it.
27:25It's getting closer.
27:28And closer.
27:30And closer.
27:31Cleland pulls out to the left.
27:33If he can get ahead by the right-hander, he'll go through.
27:36But he doesn't.
27:36Vila holds the position.
27:41Oh, superb.
27:44Frank Vila holds his third place.
27:46But it's not through lack of trying by John Cleland.
27:49Now, this is into the last lap.
27:54And the flags are waving.
27:56And Winklehock is leading.
27:58First at Franz Hatch.
27:59First at Thruxton.
28:00And there's Revalia.
28:01And look how close Vila and Cleland are to the two BMW leaders.
28:07Out of the complex for the last time.
28:12Cleland is having to drop back a bit now.
28:14Vila making a tremendous last lap effort to close with the BMWs.
28:20But it looks like a well-deserved Knights to Flag win from pole position for Joe Winklehock.
28:26British champion 1993, German champion 1995, Revalia there second.
28:32That is Vila.
28:34He's caught some 18 seconds on the BMWs.
28:40And Lee Brooks leads the privateer's contest as he did in race one.
28:44Toyota Corina.
28:46She came last time.
28:49Winklehock leading.
28:50Revalia second.
28:52Vila third.
28:53Cleland fourth.
28:54That's how close it is as Joe Winklehock runs down to the checkered flag and takes it.
29:01His second win this year.
29:06Victory for Joe Winklehock.
29:08Second for Roberto Revalia.
29:09First and second for BMW.
29:11But in all fairness you have to say a moral victory for the superb Frank Bela and Audi.
29:16He started 10 seconds behind the rest at the back of the grid.
29:20And finished just 2.4 seconds behind Winklehock.
29:24Revalia congratulates Joe.
29:26Have you seen Vila?
29:28He was already behind me.
29:31I was lucky that there was an accident in the first lap.
29:34So the pace that came out and I could close up to the field.
29:38And then it was a hard job but it was nice.
29:41I'm really happy to finish on the podium.
29:43I finished the second race and I won.
29:47Which I didn't expect because in the first race we had really problems with the tyre.
29:50So I'm happy.
29:55When Frank Bela came to Thruxton he led the championship by 19 points.
30:00But now it's up to 35.
30:02Nothing can live with the four-wheel drive Audi.
30:05And there are mutterings that it's already substantial weight penalty should be increased.
30:09Lee Brooks leads the total cup contest by 11 points.
30:13And he's up there on the podium to spray the champagne with the best of them.
30:17Awkward.
30:18Awkward.
30:18Awkward.
30:18Awkward.
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