AN late spin cost Worcester driver Tim Matthews a good finish in the opening round of the UK Sports 2000 Championships at Castle Combe in Wiltshire.

Despite a lack of testing all three drivers in the team fared well in qualifying, Carl Tompson in the top half of his class and Tim Perry 10th in class. In the pro series Matthews lined up a respectable fifth.

An oil leak on the line prevented Tompson from starting, and despite considerable efforts from his pit crew he was unable to start the pro race, where he'd been predicted to be a class winner.

Perry started steadily and gradually worked his way through the pack. He was involved in an exciting tussle with Mira Feyerband before finishing eighth in class in only his second ever race.

In the Pro Series race, Matthews elected to start in second gear in his Gunn and too much wheel-spin dropped him to 10th.

He soon worked his way up to sixth before catching Guy Ellis in the new Carbir, but Ellis began weaving over the track to prevent Matthews passing.

As both drivers started the last lap they caught a tailender, and as they went through the 120mph right-hander 'Hammerdown' Matthews went left and Ellis right. But the back-marker elected to go left too, and Matthews was forced onto the grass. He spun several times before lining up with the track again, but the engine had died and he couldn't restart again.

" Ellis definitely needs a lesson in track manners," said Matthews. "You are only supposed to change lines once going into any corner, but he just kept darting from side to side. If he does it again I'm just going to drive straight into him. Maybe if I use him to stop once he might learn a bit of respect."

The next round of the series is at Snetterton next weekend.