Aiello unstoppable as he takes second BTCC race win

Not on today's two BTCC performances at Oulton Park, where he won first the Sprint Race earlier this afternoon and later the Feature Race.

The Nissan driver has now stretched his overall lead considerably over the rest of the field, and even his Nissan team-mate David Leslie is having trouble keeping up.

Aiello won from pole position in a drama-filled race, in which Independent driver Matt Neal came home second.

Away from the start of the 40-lap Aiello led Leslie while behind them mayhem broke out as the pack reached the first corner.

Vauxhall's John Cleland, running in third, was shunted into the barrier, while Alain Menu in the Ford Mondeo was hit from behind and also suffered broken steering.

James Thompson also got thumped in the rear, shunting his Honda Accord into the car in front and causing an engine fire.

Inevitably out came the safety car, while the cars were hauled away and the mess from Thompson's engine fire was cleaned up.

On the restart, it was the Nissan pair pulling steadily away from the field, being pursued by the Volvo S40 of reigning champion Rickard Rydell.

But a few laps later Rydell retired in the pits with power steering failure.

That lifted the Ford of Anthony Reid up to third, chased by Jason Plato - but the Renault Laguna driver soon pulled off, the victim of his second engine failure of the day.

By this time there were just nine cars left, with Paula Cook's race lasting just two laps until the Independent Honda Accord driver went off at Lodge.

The compulsory pit-stops provided more excitement. The air jack on Leslie's Nissan failed to work, and the team didn't have another jack available, which cost him a full lap.

Reid was now second, pursued by Neal, but Reid soon slowed to be passed by Neal and then the Vauxhall of Yvan Muller.

Over the last dozen laps, nothing much changed as Aiello continued to lap in splendid isolation, while the few remaining cars trailed some way behind in his wake. A perfect weekend for the Frenchman - two poles, two victories.

In the Independents' Cup, Matt Neal was a fine second in his Nissan Primera - a result that lifts him to second in the overall table.

The only other Independent finisher was Mark Blair, who brought his Vauxhall Vectra in three laps down.

BTCC Feature Race Result from Oulton Park

N.B. The race was scheduled for 40 laps, but 4 laps were spent behind the
safety car.