Aiello snatches second win

protagonists from yesterdays qualifying with less than a bumpers widthseparating the first three cars during the opening laps.

Rickard Rydell (Volvo) made a good start to tentatively hang on to his pole
advantage from the two hard charging Nissans of David Leslie and Laurent
Aiello. Alain Menu (Ford) and Jason Plato (Renault) also started well but a
tangle coming through Church saw them both onto the grass and out of the
race. Independent driver Paula Cook was also an opening lap victim heading
straight off and into the tyre wall at the chicane.

Rydell's lead was by no means secure though as both Leslie and Aiello
increasingly started to apply the pressure, the two Nissan drivers at one
stage in danger of taking each other off in their haste to get past
Rydell's Volvo. With 5 laps gone Leslie made his move at the complex and
slipped up the inside of Rydell, Aiello capitalising on Rydell's
distraction to slip briefly into second.

Less than half a lap later Leslie was suddenly seen spinning across the
track at Church after his traction suddenly let go. This left Aiello a
surprised leader and independent driver Matt Neal an even more surprised
third. For the remaining several laps Rydell tried to fight back and catch
the Nissan, but it wasn't to be as multiple champion Aiello set consistent
fastest laps.

The battle for third was equally as close as Matt Neal (Nissan) had a task
on his hand to hold back the rapid Volvo of Vincent Radermecker, the two
trading paint virtually every lap. For five laps Radermecker tried to get
around the outside of Neal at the chicane, but each lap the Nissan
independent braked desperately late and held the Volvo off.

By the end Aiello held onto a comfortable six second lead to become the
first driver this season to win two races. Reigning champion Rydell secured
a safe second and Matt Neal made it a Nissan 1-3 after successfully
defending Radermeckers charge.

Matt Neal "I saw 8 laps to go and Vincent (Radermecker) was right behind me
. He was that quick I thought there was no way I could hold him back, but I
really wanted that podium place. I'm an all or nothing merchant."

Ps.Ql.No. Driver , Car Laps Notes

-- -- ---- ------------------------------------------------ ----- -------

1 3 23 Laurent Aiello (F) Nissan Primera GT 16

2 1 1 Rickard Rydell (S) Volvo S40 16 +6.19

3 8 77 Matt Neal (GB)* Nissan Primera GT 16 +8.30

4 6 11 Vincent Radermecker (B) Volvo S40 16 +8.68

5 10 3 James Thompson (GB) Honda Accord 16 +15.21

6 17 33 Peter Kox (NL) Honda Accord 16 +15.69

7 12 8 John Cleland (GB) Vauxhall Vectra 16 +26.19

8 7 2 Anthony Reid (GB) Ford Mondeo 16 +26.82

9 9 37 Jean-Christophe BoullionRenault Laguna 16 +27.23

10 13 99 Lee Brookes (GB)* Honda Accord 16 +27.97

11 2 6 David Leslie (GB) Nissan Primera GT 16 +44.03

12 16 15 Mark Blair (GB)* Vauxhall Vectra 16 +51.45

13 15 17 Russell Spence (GB)* Renault Laguna 16 +57.05

14 11 7 Yvan Muller (F) Vauxhall Vectra 11 NR

15 4 5 Jason Plato (GB) Renault Laguna 0 NR

16 5 4 Alain Menu (CH) Ford Mondeo 0 NR

17 14 22 Paula Cook (GB)* Honda Accord LS 0 NR

Weather Conditions: Sunny/Dry

Fastest Lap: Car 23 Laurent Aiello (NIssan) 1:17.044 110.08mph

Track Length: 2.3560 Miles