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<body> <Table Width="550" border="0" style="border-collapse: collapse" cellpadding="0"><TR><TD Width="35"><IMG SRC="//www.totalmotorsport.com/images/spacer.gif" WIDTH="35" HEIGHT="1"></td><td> <CENTER><Table border="0" width="100%"> <TR><TD width="100%" align="center"><B><FONT FACE="Tahoma" SIZE="5">BTCC</FONT></B></TD></TR> <TR><TD width="100%" align="left"><B><FONT FACE="Tahoma" SIZE="2">14/08/2001</FONT></B></TD></TR> <TR><TD width="100%" align="center"><B><FONT FACE="Tahoma" SIZE="4">Phil Bennett</FONT></B></TD></TR> <TR><TD width="100%" align="center"><B><FONT FACE="Tahoma" SIZE="3">Two Race Ban</FONT></B></TD></TR> <TR><TD width="100%" align="center"><FONT FACE="Tahoma" SIZE="1">  </FONT></TD></TR> <TR><TD width="100%" align="left"><FONT FACE="Tahoma" SIZE="2">It seems that the 'Oulton Park Sprint Race Ban' handed out to Phil Bennett after Croft has been revised to an 'Oulton Park Ban' after it became apparent that the regulations don't allow for a driver to be banned for one of the two races, only the two races at one meeting.<BR> <BR> The rights and wrongs of this situation could be debated ad infinitum, but with three Vauxhalls and not four, there is an improved chance of the Peugeots getting nearer the podium, for example. Or it could be the same three on the podium who have dominated the steps at the last nine races (with the exception of Muller's retirement at Knockhill's Feature Race). Or you could argue that the regulations have deprived the spectators of a Touring Car, in a year when there is a shortage of Touring Cars. Or will Triple Eight find a replacement?<BR> <BR> Phil Bennett seems to think they will: "I am first and foremost a sportsman and will, of course, comply with this decision. But I am also competitive and will always drive to win. In my defence, I don't think that this ban is an appropriate response to my actions. True, I did seem to be at the heart of some of the collisions that took place yesterday. But that was as much down to sheer bad luck - being in the wrong place at the wrong time - as to any other factors. I don't like to think of somebody else in my car at Oulton Park but will try to keep my mind off of it for the moment."<BR> </FONT></TD></TR> </TABLE><BR> </CENTER> <BR><CENTER><font size="1" color="#808080" face="Tahoma">Copyright ©2000-©2023 TotalMotorSport</font></CENTER> </td> </tr> </table> </body>