ALL roads lead to Oulton Park this weekend for rounds nine and ten of the British Touring Car Championship.

The opening races of the 1999 series have produced some of the closest action seen in the BTCC.

Five different drivers from four manufacturers have already tasted success this season, so picking a winner around Oulton's Fosters layout is a difficult task.

Nissan's Laurent Aiello leads the pack to the North West, thanks to victories in four of the last six races which have catapulted the Frenchman to the top of the leaderboard.

Such has been Aiello's form that at Brands Hatch last time out, the Primera pilot was chasing a £250,000 jackpot for winning four races in a row, but he could only manage third place in round seven.

Aiello, team mate David Leslie and Independent star Matt Neal completed a historic 1-2-3 finish for Nissan in round eight last weekend.

Vauxhall will be looking to repeat their Brands form at Oulton with drivers Yvan Muller and John Cleland.

The Frenchman claimed a maiden BTCC victory with a win in the Sprint race, while the veteran Scotsman set his own record by starting his 200th Touring Car race for Vauxhall. Cleland is one of only two drivers to score points in every race this season and will be looking to maintain that record in Cheshire.

Behind them are a host of potential race winners including James Thompson (Honda), winner of the opening race of 1999, Mondeo men Anthony Reid and Alain Menu, and reigning champion Rickard Rydell, who after a slow start, will be looking to make up lost ground in his Volvo S40.

Around 30,000 spectators are expected at the picturesque Cheshire track this Bank Holiday Monday, and organisers have warned drivers to set off early to beat the expected traffic jams.

The races will be shown on BBC2 Sunday Grandstand, June 6.

TIMETABLE:

Sunday: 12.55-1.25: BTCC qualifying; 3.35-4.20: BTCC One Shot Showdown.

Monday: 9.30-9-45:Warm-up; 10.45-11.45: Pit Lane Walkabout; 12.15: BTCC Sprint race (20 laps); 2.50: Drivers Parade Lap; 3.20: BTCC Feature race (40 laps).

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.