NEWS RELEASE: 17 APRIL 2006

RUTHERFORD & TAYLOR THE VICTORS AT OULTON

Beetle racer Martin Rutherford, for three seasons a Volkswagen Racing Cup bridesmaid, ended his victory drought at Oulton Park today (Monday) and assumed a slender championship lead over the day's other race victor, Paul Taylor.

Taylor's Golf R32 triumphed in the slippery first race but was no match for Rutherford's Citygate Volkswagen-backed machine in the dry conditions of round two of the Hankook-backed championship.

Round one couldn't have got away to a worse start, with four cars eliminated by a startline shunt. It was triggered when Lloyd Allard's Golf stalled on the front row and, with cars spearing left and right to dodge the stationary TDI, mayhem ensued. 'It was an awful moment,' said Lloyd. 'The car just died on the grid and I had to sit there and brace myself for the impact.'

The crash when it came was bad enough to wipe a rear wheel from Allard's car and damage badly the Golf GTIs of Mike Kurton and Didge Dziurzynski, with the Beetles of Steve Dorrell and Paul Lloyd-Roach escaping with slightly less damage. Only Lloyd-Roach was able to make the restart, after some hasty pit lane repairs.

Clearing up delayed the start by several minutes, long enough for the weather to play right into the hands of Taylor and his four-wheel-drive Golf. With a steady drizzle making the circuit surface increasingly greasy, he found the conditions ideal and rocketed into the lead on the opening lap from his fourth row grid position.

But Rutherford wasn't about to let Taylor have things all his own way, posting fastest lap of the race on the second tour in his pursuit before spinning away his chances next time around. 'It was just too wet for my car's dry weather set-up and I tried to hard to catch him and spun,' said Martin.

Newcomer Tony Gilham was next to hold second position in his Beetle, but a misunderstanding with the Vento VR6 of Martyn Culley brought his race to an end with a holed radiator and saw Culley slip well back.

Craig Inskip then lasted for a lap in second spot, until his Golf whacked a kerb and broke a shock absorber. By the time Alex Dziurzynski inherited second in his Corrado, Taylor was long gone. 'They made it very easy for me,' said Paul. 'They were just falling by the wayside. I was very lucky with the weather; had it stayed dry, I doubt I would have gone away like I did.'

Taylor crossed the line more than six seconds ahead of his closest pursuer, Grant Woodhatch, who had powered his Vento past Dziurzynski for second with two laps to run. 'It's my best-ever Volkswagen Racing Cup finish,' said a delighted Grant, 'and it's very pleasing to finish top two-wheel-drive runner.'

Dziurzynski was no less elated with third and the first podium finish for his hitherto troublesome Corrado. 'Finally the car held together, and I was able to have some good battles,' said Alex.

Joe Fulbrook's Bora survived a brush with another car to claim fourth spot, some four seconds ahead of Steve Wood, driving a borrowed Beetle after his new Golf GTI was unready for the season's start. Culley recovered from his spin to take sixth, and Rutherford from his moment to claim seventh, ahead of Peter Wyhinny's sold eighth in the Caddy TDI.

The Beetle of 17-year-old Darelle Wilson was ninth, his best finish, ahead of Giles Lock's Caddy, Lloyd-Roach, Barrie Culley's Vento - which was limping along with a standard gearbox after qualifying dramas - Keith Wood in the all-new Polo GTI, Michael McInerney's Golf GTI and championship debutant Jamie Turner in his Golf VR6.

Race two was no less exciting but thankfully rather less destructive. Though there was no rain this time around, it didn't stop Taylor's R32 from rocketing into the lead once more on the opening lap, this time from grid row three, with pole man Martyn Culley powerless to halt him. It took the Vento man two laps to regain top spot as Taylor, with a bone dry track to contend with, started to falter. 'It's just not a winning car any more in dry weather,' lamented Paul.

Rutherford soon edged Taylor down to third and set about reeling in Culley, whittling away at the gap with a succession of fastest race laps and then nosing ahead once or twice until finally managing to make the manoeuvre stick on lap eight, when he dived down the inside of Culley through Old Hall. 'I could see him getting closer,' said Martyn, 'and I knew that unless I was very lucky he would get me before the end.'

Rutherford crossed the line to claim his maiden Volkswagen Racing Cup victory some two seconds ahead of Culley. 'I thought they'd never show the chequered flag,' he said. 'This is my ninth season of racing and I have more second place trophies than I know what to do with. I'm delighted to have won at last.' Rutherford now enjoys a 10-point championship lead.

Fulbrook demoted Taylor to fourth on lap five but could make no inroads on the leaders, with Inskip battling through from the back of the grid to fifth to show what could have been but for his first-race problems. Steve Wood was a conservative sixth ahead of the storming Beetle of Lloyd-Roach, Wyhinny, Lock and Woodhatch, who had had to start from pit lane with a misfire. Barrie Culley, Keith Wood, Turner, McInerney and Kurton completed the finishing order.

There was heartbreak for Andrew Smith, another back row starter, who had wound his Golf VR6 up into an excellent seventh until sidelined by a last-lap mechanical problem.

The Volkswagen Racing Cup in association with Hankook enjoys the additional support of Augustus Martin, Castrol, ECM Vehicle Delivery, Europcar, Experian, Milltek Sport, Mondial Assistance, Proximity London, KW Automotive, Superchips, TNT Logistics, Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles and Volkswagen Financial Services UK.

* The Oulton Park races were notable also for the introduction to the championship of slick racing tyres from Hankook. The new tyres found favour with all the competitors, including championship veteran Craig Inskip: 'First impressions are very good,' he said. 'I had had little opportunity to test with them but we've adapted well and the tyres have impressed. I was shocked at how good they were from new and when cold. We've still a lot to learn about setting up the car to get the best from them, but I'm happy.'

Rounds three and four of the 12-round championship take place at Donington Park next month.