The Volkswagen Racing Cup is shaping up for a two-way duel to the wire between reigning champion Rob Carvell and Philip House after each took a race win this weekend (17/18 July) at Oulton Park in Cheshire.

Bedworth-based Carvell and his Scirocco romped to a two-second victory in Saturday's seventh round of the championship, while House's Beetle RSi claimed the win in today's encounter - a race brought to a bizarre early finish by a crashing helicopter.

The incident occurred on the seventh of the planned 10 laps, when a passing chopper made a heavy emergency landing at the circuit heliport. Fortunately the pilot was uninjured, but race stewards were forced to red flag the race to allow rescue vehicles to gain access to the crash scene.

After eight of the championship's 12 rounds, Carvell's title lead is now 32 points - but North Yorkshire driver House has yet to play his points-doubling Joker card and could quickly close the gap.

Carvell was untouchable on Saturday; he braved the treacherous conditions of the streaming wet qualifying session to post a lap time more than two seconds faster that that of his nearest rival, Northamptonshire's Mike Neuhoff (Corrado VR6). And in the first of the weekend's races Rob did not put a wheel wrong, increasing his lead over Neuhoff on almost every lap to head him over the line by 1.2 seconds.

Neuhoff never faltered in his pursuit, a fact Carvell recognised: "The pace was furious throughout. I managed to open out a bit of a gap but then lost it all again passing back markers, and then I had to make a big effort to make the break again." It was Carvell's third race victory of the season.

Neuhoff, the 2001 champion, was delighted to return to the podium: "The engine had been letting us down prior to this race but hopefully that is now sorted and this will be the first of many good results."

Ken Lark's Corrado VR6 took third ahead of an inspired Craig Inskip, who started from 10th on the grid in his Golf Turbo and who posted fastest lap of the race in his pursuit of fourth place.

Steve Wood looked set to take fifth on his first Golf VR6 outing but instead ended his race in the Lodge Corner gravel trap with four laps remaining so Steve Walker's Golf Turbo inherited the position, the Stockport driver revelling on his home circuit.

House, who had suffered major handling problems in qualifying, took sixth ahead of Mark Smith's Bora, the Golf VR6 of Andrew Smith and the Vento VR6s of son-and-father team Martyn and Barrie Culley. The Beetles of Dave Turner and motor journalist Jason Barlow were 11th and 12th, just ahead of Peter Wyhinny's New Caddy. Mail on Sunday writer Russell Bray piloted the New Golf TDI to 18th spot, two places behind the Polo TDI of Paul Lloyd-Roach, which was making its race debut.

Lloyd Allard was among several drivers to run into trouble. The Gloucestershire driver had qualified third in his Golf TDI but was forced out of the race on the opening lap with turbo problems. An encouraging debut drive from Bentley motorsport director Brian Gush came to a halt with a puncture a lap from home; he had been holding 12th in the Europcar Golf R32.

With Saturday's top six reversed in order for the next day, House started from the pole and immediately built up a handsome advantage over his pursuers, led by Inskip. Alas Craig's race lasted only three laps through a turbo problem, and so Carvell, who had started sixth, fought through to second and began the chase for victory.

But, try as he might, Rob could not dent the Beetle's advantage. By the race's premature end after six laps, House was 6.7 seconds to the good. "I kept plugging away at it but I couldn't close the gap," said Carvell. "Philip drove brilliantly."

"I tried to make a good start and managed to pull away," said House. "After the problems I had in qualifying my aim for race one was sixth, so that I could start the next race from pole. It all worked out brilliantly."

Neuhoff placed third ahead of Walker, who was credited with fourth despite his race ending with his Golf in flames due to a broken exhaust. Lark was fifth from Wood - who had started from the back of the grid - Mark Smith and Andrew Smith. Turner was an impressive ninth ahead of Martyn Culley, Barrie Culley, Claire Tippet's Mk I Golf, Barlow and Gush. Bray placed 20th this time, just ahead of Wyhinny's Caddy, which was suffering turbo pipe problems.

The Volkswagen Racing Cup enjoys the support of Augustus Martin, Castrol, ECM Vehicle Delivery, Europcar, Experian, gedas UK, Inchcape Automotive, ISG Occupancy, K&N Filters, Sabelt, Mondial Assistance, Pirelli, Proximity London, KW Automotive, Sony UK, Superchips, TMD Friction, TNT Logistics and Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles.

The next rounds of the championship will be held at Thruxton, in Hampshire, on 29/30 August.

PROVISIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP PLACINGS
after eight rounds (of 12)

1 Rob Carvell (Coventry / Scirocco), 164 points
2 Philip House (Ripley / Beetle), 132
3 Craig Inskip (Northiam / Golf), 102
4 Ken Lark (Peters Green / Corrado), 100
5 Mark Smith (Hednesford / Bora), 84
6 Ray MacDowall (Carlisle / Beetle), 58
7 Alex Dziurzynski (Exeter / Golf), 54
8 Steve Walker (Stockport / Golf), 52
9 Grant Woodhatch (Brislington / Vento) & Martyn Culley (Basingstoke / Vento), 48

*SpeedArena