Sporting Digest: Motor Racing

STEVE SOPER won the opening round of the British Touring Car Championship at Silverstone yesterday. Soper traded the lead with his BMW team- mate, Joachim Winkelhock, several times during the 25-lap race, finishing 0.24sec ahead.

RAC BRITISH TOURING CAR CHAMPIONSHIP (Silverstone, 25 laps, 41.23 miles) first round: 1 S Soper (GB) BMW 26min 37.10sec (ave speed: 92.92mph); 2 J Winkelhock (Ger) BMW +0.24sec; 3 J Cleland (GB) Vauxhall +5.32; 4 W Hoy (GB) Toyota +15.69; 5 J Allam (GB) Vauxhall +15.82; 6 P Watts (GB) Mazda +20.69; 7 W Percy (GB) Nissan +21.23; 8 M Neal (GB) BMW +25.14; 9 I Flux (GB) Peugeot +30.96; 10 A Menu (Ch) Renault +41.51. Overall standings: 1 Soper 24pts; 2 Winkelhock 18; 3 Cleland 12.