AN enthusiastic crowd of 16,250 witnessed York's James Thompson and Frenchman Yvan Muller claim a win apiece for Vauxhall Motorsport in rounds 11 and 12 of the Green Flag MSA British Touring Car Championship at Croft last weekend.

But it was a case of mixed fortunes for the leading Vauxhall duo, with both drivers also retiring while lying second to their team-mate. Despite the dramas, Thompson now leads the championship by 17 points from Egg Sport's Matt Neal and Muller.

Thompson emerged victorious from an incredible Sprint race encounter to claim his fourth win of the season and shatter the lap record by over a second.

His team-mate Muller was running a highly competitive second before a puncture forced his retirement on lap 18.

Scot David Leslie scored Team Petronas Syntium Proton's best result of the season in second, from Ulsterman Colin Turkington, who drove brilliantly to gain Team Atomic Kitten's debut BTCC podium finish and secure overall Independent Cup honours.

In the feature race, Muller overcame a lengthy pit stop and a concerted challenge from Honda Racing's Andy Priaulx to score his fourth win of the season.

Priaulx, from Guernsey, who led for several laps after the pit stops, drove a fantastic race to secure Honda Racing's first podium finish of the year. The resurgent Anthony Reid was third for MG Sport and Racing.

Sunderland's Warren Hughes took his MG to fifth in the Sprint race and 11th in the feature race, while former World Superbike racer Aaron Slight finished seventh and tenth in his Vauxhall.

Provisional championship points for the Touring Class after 12 of 20 rounds (top six only): Thompson 118, Neal 101, Muller 98, Reid 74, Priaulx 66, O'Neill 65.