Round 6 of the 2001 MSA www.theAA.com British Touring Car Championship saw GR Motorsport drivers Gareth Howell 5th on the grid, with Team Mate Mat Jackson 7th.

As a result of the Sprint Race, Drivers Roger Moen and Gavin Pyper were both given 10 second penalties. This was enforced for both contact and missing out the chicane at the bottom of Island. Good news for Gareth Howell who had finished 5th on track, who now moved up into 4th for the Sprint Race.

As the field emerged from Lodge for the rolling start, it was Howell who made the best start. Howell moving from 5th on the grid surged through the field into the tight first corner. Howell, now 3rd with Pyper and Harrison were all side by side down into Cascades. As the leading Production cars came out of Lodge at the end of lap one, Howell had now moved up into 2nd. Both Pyper and Howell passed Harrison and were starting to pull away. Honda Accord driver Cate, simply could not keep up with the fighting trio of Harrison, Howell and Pyper.

By lap 4 Jackson and Kaye {Honda Accord} were both side by side as they crossed the line down into Old Hall. Pypers Alfa Romeo 156 was now flying, and pulling away from Howell who was opening up a gap between himself and Harrison. Lap 5 & 6 were tense, seeing Pyper, Howell, Harrison, Moen, Kaye, Boardman and Jackson all challenging for position made for great racing and was appreciated by the large crowd. Howell maintained position and was now reaping the rewards of some spectacular driving and a strong running GR Motorsport Focus. With pressure fading from Harrison, lap 6 would see the start of yet another great battle, BTC Production at its best, with Jackson and Boardman really battling. Ford Focus versus Peugeot 306. Boardman had a slight edge just leading Jackson almost side by side at the start of lap 7.

By lap 9 Harrison once again started to reel in Howell and closing the gap for 2nd place. The Boardman and Jackson battle now had a new player with Edwards in the Honda Accord. All 3 would fight it out through, Knickerbrook, Druids and Lodge. Boardman could no longer hold off the flying Focus and Jackson passed Boardman, but no way was Boardman going to relent. This on the edge driving continued for a further 4 laps, the crowd were really getting their money's worth.

By lap 12 Moen's race was over, so with only one HTML Peugeot left in the race it was all down to Harrison. Half distance on lap 14 as a result of some minor contact with Boardman which effected Jackson's steering saw Jackson leave the track and bounce across the gravel trap into the tyre wall at Druids. Jackson was obviously dejected but suffered no injuries to himself, with only minor damage to the Focus, resulting in retirement with no points. Following the spectacular battle with Boardman it was a real blow for both Jackson and the team. By now mid field runner Kraemer was getting it all together. Not only was he leading team mate Meins, which was also closely fought with several changes of lead between them, but also catching up the battle of Boardman, Cate and Edwards. Meins reacted to this superbly by closing the gap on Kraemer. Lap 21 both Boardman and Cate were shown the Black and White Flag. With 9 laps to go Kraemer was in striking distance of the battle ahead. On lap 24. Howell was running 2nd Kraemer 5th with Meins 6th. It was all over for Harrison on lap 25, he simply could not catch the flying Focus of Howell for 2nd. However, It was by no means over for Kraemer and Meins. As together they swarmed all over Boardman sandwiching him in the middle down the fast run past the pits into Old Hall. It was such a spectacular move by the two GR Motorsport Focus's that the race commentators, could not let it go. They asked the crowd for an opinion, "If you take the combined ages of Meins and Kramer, that's 90 years, and this against a 17 year old, is that not child abuse" The crowd not only appreciated the humour of the commentators but the very show that Kramer, Boardman and Meins were putting on. Out of the two Focus's Kraemer was the one in with the chance of passing Boardman as Meins got on to the grass and lost traction. What racing!!

The Meins, Kraemer and Boardman battle for 4th place did not let up, and continued all the way to the finish line. Only if Boardman could hold off the Blue and White focus of Kraemer, would he secure 4th position.

As Pyper exited Lodge for the final time he could see the chequered flag to take his first win of 2001. Howell and his GR Motorsport Focus followed, clinching 2nd, his best result to date. Harrison took 3rd, with Boardman only just holding off Kraemer for 4th. Boardman crossed the line in a time of 46:14.0 with Kraemer 46:15.3. An excellent team result for GR Motorsport who are now really challenging Barwell Motorsport, with only 1 point splitting 1st and 2nd in the Team Championship. Gareth Howell and Mat Jackson are now joint 3rd,with Richard Meins 12th and Rick Kraemer 14th.