However, as the field streamed out of the corner, other drivers were also in trouble. Out of sight of the cameras, which had been focused on the BMW/Honda collision, Mike Jordan had suffered damage to his Eurotech Honda which was now crabbing back to the pits, while Eoin Murray had a very damaged front on his Quest Racing Alfa Romeo which would also head back to the pits to retire. Team AllAboutProperty.com driver Martyn Bell would also pit with a puncture, although unlike the others, he was able to resume.
As the mess was cleared up, the field circulated behind the Safety Car, with Giovanardi leading from Chilton and
Tom Onslow-Cole, with
Jason Plato fourth and Matt Jackson fifth. When the race got underway, moves were quickly made further down the order, with Jason Hughes losing out to Dave Pinkney and Darren Turner in consecutive laps to drop from seventh place to ninth, before losing out in one foul swoop to John George and Gareth Howell on lap seven to drop out of the top ten.
Back at the front, Jackson was putting pressure on Plato and took fourth place at turn two on lap eight, while further back, Darren Turner was storming through the pack after starting at the back, taking sixth place from Matt Allison on lap ten.
Gareth Howell was the next driver to fall, when he was forced to pull off on lap twelve as an unidentified gas started to fill the car, while Jim Pocklington also dropped out to take the running number of cars down to just twelve 25 having started the first race of the day.
