Revo R32 Makes It 10 Out Of 12.

The Volkswagen Racing Cup season sped to a superb end at Snetterton yesterday (Sunday), with reigning champion Philip House claiming his second title and series newcomer Paul Taylor making a dream debut to win both Norfolk rounds in the REVO Technik/ Big Boys Toys backed R32.

For 24-year-old Beetle RSi driver House, second place in the first of the day's races was sufficient to guarantee the crown with a race in hand, and he gave Taylor - who has bought multiple race-winner Shaun Hollamby's Golf R32 - more than a run for his money.

Hertfordshire-based Taylor's bid for victory in round 11 was straight from the Hollamby racing manual. Paul's Big Boys Toys-prepared R32 stormed to the front within yards of the startline after blasting off from row two and past front-row men House and Dan Thackeray.

House had said before the race that there would be no heroics from him as he endeavoured to secure the championship title, but Philip decided he was not going to let Taylor have things his own way.

House's Beetle shadowed Taylor's Golf for three laps, trying to pressurise his less experienced rival into making an error. Philip was rewarded on lap four when Paul ran wide exiting the Esses. 'I made a mistake and Phil got me,' said Taylor, 'and then it was a case of biding my time and waiting for an opportunity to repass.'

That chance came on lap 10 when House missed a gear as he swept on to the long Revett Straight; Taylor was able to take advantage and streak past to regain the lead. He maintained the advantage over the remaining five laps to claim a dream debut victory, 0.225s ahead of House at the chequered flag.

'We've started as we mean to go on,' said Taylor, who plans a full Volkswagen Racing Cup season in 2006. 'All credit to REVO and Big Boys Toys for the job they've done on the car and in helping me to get the best from it.'

Hollamby, who looked a dead cert' for championship spoils until he was found to be over power at the championship rolling road, despite being passed legal before every round, said, "I am disappointed not to be racing here but as soon as the appeal decision went against us I realised that the best thing to do was concentrate on next year when we will be running Paul in our R32. I would like to thank REVO Technik and uk-mkivs.net for their help this year and congratulate the team on setting a new record of winning 10 out of 12 VW Cup races this year. In fact, we have won all six races since we have been passed within power regs' mid-season."

Third place was disputed by the Bora of Berkshire's Joe Fulbrook and 17-year-old Thackeray's Exeter Diesels Golf TDI - a little too closely fought over as it transpired, for the pair clashed at Coram and again out of Russell on the seventh lap. The resulting damage forced Fulbrook from the race and delayed Hertfordshire driver Thackeray sufficiently to hand third on a plate to the TDI Golf of Cheltenham's Lloyd Allard.

Allard was only just over a second behind House at the line, with Thackeray recovering sufficiently to hang on to fourth, a further eight seconds behind.

Mark Smith's Bora and Martyn Culley's Vento VR6 battled over fifth for the duration, a tussle joined by Alex Dziurzynski's Corrado for several laps until a brush with Smith's car cost Alex a broken driveshaft. Smith won the place ahead of Martyn Culley, with Car magazine editor Jason Barlow enjoying a strong run in the new Golf GTI to make it to seventh after getting the better of Steve Wood's VR6 Golf early on.

Snetterton double winner from 2004 Ken Lark lasted less than half a lap, his Corrado's suspension broken by a swipe from Didge Dziurzynski's Golf. Didge made it only as far as the pits. Peter Wyhinny enjoyed a good outing in the Caddy TDI up until the final lap when a broken engine mount forced him out.

It nearly all went wrong for Paul Taylor at the beginning of race two. With the top six finishers lining up in reverse order on the grid, Paul found himself starting sixth and with an ever-decreasing gap ahead of him as he tried to squeeze his Golf between the cars of Allard and Thackeray. There was contact between Taylor's car and Thackeray's and Dan was forced to the pits to have some panel damage sorted.

With pole-sitter Martyn Culley making a tardy getaway it was Allard who seized the lead, ahead of House, Smith and Taylor, his Golf seemingly none the worse for its brush with Thackeray's machine. Paul disposed of Smith and House to move into second on lap two, and then unseated Allard from top spot down the Revett Straight a lap later.

And that was the closest anyone came to depriving Taylor of his second victory of the day, Paul romping off to a three-second win.

Allard beat off a brief challenge from House when Philip nipped in front entering Russell on lap three. Lloyd repassed him a few hundred yards later up the Senna Straight and went on to take an excellent second, just as he did at Knockhill in May. 'It's a great end to the year,' said Allard, 'and a fantastic achievement for Allard Turner Motor Racing.'

House claimed third and Smith fourth, with Martyn Culley hanging on to fifth for the duration of the race despite major harassment from Rutherford, who was battling to control a Beetle with failed power steering.

Barlow survived a scary 360-degree spin at Coram on the opening lap after contact with Wood's car, Jason bringing the GTI home seventh once more. Lark was an excellent eighth in his hurriedly repaired Corrado, just ahead of Fulbrook, with Barrie Culley 10th, Dorrell 11th and Wood 12th despite his early brush with Barlow and a late-race thump from John Quartermaine's Vento.

Tippet and Stuart Bliss enjoyed a superb battle in their Mk I Golfs, swapping places lap after lap until Stuart's engine gave up the ghost four laps from home. Claire was lucky to make it to the end, her car running dry of fuel as it crossed the line in 16th spot, just ahead of McInerney's Beetle and Wyhinny's Caddy.

More pictures available in our gallery here.