7) 2000 – Menu the overnight success as Reid misses out
The 2000 finale was one that left even the three drivers in contention confused about who would emerge holding the championship trophy at the end of it, with all of the works Ford Mondeo trio in with a shout.
Qualifying went in favour of 1998 champion Rickard Rydell, while the top two championship contenders – Alain Menu and Anthony Reid – lined up on row two behind Tom Kristensen‘s Honda.
The Dane would be the real star of the weekend however, winning both races in fine style after a wonderfully-performed overtake on Rydell at Brooklands for the race one triumph before dominating under the lights in the finale.
The opening race was a disaster for the title rivals, Menu being collected at Becketts on the first lap by the Vauxhall of Jason Plato which climbed up the side of the Mondeo, Menu retiring on the spot with wounded right-front steering.
Reid meanwhile lost out to another Honda of James Thompson, but the third Accord of Gabriele Tarquini tagged him into a spin at Brooklands where he collected the Italian, Reid only finishing down in seventh but with the title lead in his possession.
Rydell’s championship chances ended on the spot when he could not even start the night race after a mechanical problem, leaving Menu and Reid left to duke it out for the title mantle. Menu squeezed Thompson’s Accord aside at Brooklands to gain the early advantage on that front behind Kristensen, Reid recovering from an unconvincing start to move ahead of Matt Neal and the Vauxhalls after pit stops.
Ultimately the title would be going to way of Reid if it ended as such, but heartbreak would befell the Scot in his defence against the Vauxhall of Vincent Radermecker late in the race. Heading through the kink at Maggots Reid was tapped into a big slide, heading through the gravel where the Mondeo was soon beached and his title dream shattered.
Menu still had to finish to add to his 1997 title, completing the task by crossing the line in third place behind Kristensen and Plato.
