Scuderia Vittoria Are Aiming For A Big Presence In The 2012 Clio Cup UK - Photo Credit: Chris Gurton Photography

Scuderia Vittoria have snapped up three Scottish racers for their expanded assault on the 2012 AirAsia Renault Clio Cup UK.

The team, which only formed last year, are looking to run up to six cars in the upcoming campaign and have filled half their seats already thanks to backing from One Call Insurance. Vic Covey Jr, Finlay Crocker and Ronnie Klos have joined the team, all three being graduates from the Scottish Mini Challenge. The trio will enjoy their first test at Brands Hatch next week.
 
Scuderia Vittoria’s co-team principal and former Clio champion Danny Buxton commented: “We’ve just taken delivery of three new cars. They’re being prepared at the moment at our workshop, in the premises of top BTCC team WSR, and we can’t wait to get started.
 
“Coming from Minis, the guys need to get used to slick tyres but even so I think we’re going to surprise a few people. We’ve got a good testing programme lined up and combined with Scuderia Vittoria’s coaching we can hopefully help all three drivers compete at a strong level. That’s definitely been helped by linking up with One Call – it’s fantastic to get backing from a nationwide company.”

Scuderia Vittoria Are Expanding To Run Six Cars, Though Ant Whorton-Eales Has Switched Teams - Photo Credit: Chris Gurton Photography

The 2012 AirAsia Renault Clio Cup is shaping up to be a strong season, with eleven drivers and plans for seventeen cars announced, including a host of new drivers and a new team.

Last year’s Teams Champions Team Pyro are set to run a full six car team, with three of the driver’s already announced as Jack Goff, Josh Files and Simon Belcher. Also set to run a six car operation are Scuderia Vittoria, after the team enjoyed a strong debut season in 2011. Luke Wright is to return to the team and will be joined by three newcomers, former Mini Challenge racer Finlay Crocker, Scottish Mini champion Vic Covery Junior and former Scottish Legends racer Ronnie Clos.

2011 championship contender James Colburn will return with Westbourne Motorsport and will be joined by Ant Whorton-Eales, who made a two weekend foray into the series at the end of the 2011. Joining the Clio grid will be Porsche Carrera Cup GB outfit Juta Racing, who are expanding their Porsche operations to run three Clios. Already confirmed to be running with the team will be Tautvydas Barstys Junior and Ignas Gelzinis.

Laura Tillett Recieving Advice During Her Maiden Clio Test - Photo Credit: Jakob Ebrey Photography

Talented karter Laura Tillett enjoyed an extremely positive test debut for front-running outfit Total Control Racing at Brands Hatch this week.

Tillett was met with tough conditions for her test, but adapted well to persistent rain and a slippery track surface to make strong progress through the day. Tillett is now focused on securing a race deal in the 2012 AirAsia Renault Clio Cup UK.

Kent-based Tillett said: “I really, really enjoyed the test and I felt very confident by the end of the day, even with the weather against me, so it couldn’t have been much better. Having never been in a saloon car before, I didn’t know what to expect but it was fantastic. The team is really lovely, they gave me a lot of help during the day and gave me some great advice.

“The test has definitely swayed me into looking at a future in saloons, I know I’d be comfortable racing in something like Clios. I always thought single-seaters would be the way to go after karting but the Clio is so much fun to drive. Hopefully we’ll be able to arrange another test soon with TCR.”

TCR team principal Lee Brookes said: “Laura adapted to the Clio really well and for her first ever time in one of these cars, we were very encouraged. It’s difficult to come in from karts, put aside some of the things that come naturally there and learn the different things you need to try and get the most from a car like a Clio. The conditions were terrible but she did a great job, we’d love to run Laura this year.”

Laura Tillett Will Test A Clio Cup Car At Brands Hatch This Week - Photo Credit: Chris Walker/www.kartpix.net

Top female karter Laura Tillett is set to get her first taste of saloon cars this week when she tests a Renault Clio Cup car at Brands Hatch with front-running UK outfit Total Control Racing.

20 year old Tillett has decided to call time on her successful karting career and is eyeing a move into car racing in 2012. Highlight’s of her karting career include finishing fifth in the 2008 MSA Kartmasters Grand Prix and a year later becoming the first British female racer to compete in the karting World Championship.

Tillett, who lives close to Brands Hatch in Kent, has previously gained car experience in single seaters, testing both a Formula Ford and Formula BMW, as well as spending a day with the Williams F1 team in their race simulator in late 2011.

Tillett, who will become the first female Clio racer since 2007 if she joins the series, said: “This will be my first ever go in a Clio, so I’m really looking forward to it. I’ve still got a desire to race single-seaters but we need to look at all of the options as it’s all down to sponsors. I’ve been karting for nine years so I can tell you everything about that. Being 20, I’m slightly behind some of the others who have moved up to cars already so this is something I definitely need to do now.” 

TCR team principal Lee Brookes added: “We’re delighted to be able to give Laura her first test in a Clio, she’s proven her talent in karts for a number of years now at the top level so we’ve got no doubts she’ll be able to adapt quickly. We’re really looking forward to working with her.”

Simon Belcher Will Compete In The 2012 Clio Cup - Photo Credit: Jakob Ebrey Photography

Former Legends racer Simon Belcher is preparing for his first full season in the AirAsia Renault Clio Cup after recently signing up with frontrunning outfit Team Pyro for the upcoming campaign.

Belcher, who made two guest appearances in the tin-top series in 2011, will contest all eight rounds in 2012 in his Karcher backed Clio. Belcher’s own team Handy Motorsport will work alongside Pyro, Handy looking after the corporate and promotional work while Pyro runs the car.

Belcher will be mentored by his own driver coach, 2010 Clio Cup Champion Dave Newsham, as well as Pyro’s team driver coach, 2009 Champion Phil Glew.

Belcher, who’s car will be unveiled at the Autosport Show this weekend, said: “It is great to be working with Pyro, these guys have won the championship three out of the last four years and are very professional, it is also great to have a mentor in the form of Dave Newsham who comes from the same racing background as me, I have a lot to learn but I am really looking forward to the challenge”

Clio Cup Racewinner Jack Goff Returns For A Title Challenge in 2012 - Photo Credit: Jakob Ebrey Photography

Team Pyro have confirmed three of its drivers for the 2012 AirAsia Renault Clio Cup UK, with Jack Goff and Josh Files staying with the team for the new season, joined by Simon Belcher.

Goff is looking to mount a title charge this season after a strong 2011 campaign with Pyro, which saw him finish fifth in the championship standings. The 20 year old took three wins during the season, including a sensational double win at Rockingham in September.

Files is also sticking with Pyro for the new season, after a positive debut season in the tin-tops last year. 21 year old Files took two podium finishes at Snetterton and Rockingham on his way to seventh in the championship standings.

Belcher is set to mount his first full season in the Clios in 2012, after making appearances in the series at Silverstone and Brands Hatch last year. The Karcher-backed driver will run with Pyro in partnership with his own Handy Motorsport team, with Pyro operating the car while Handy will cover the corporate and promotional responsibilities.

Paul Rivett Came Out On Top In A Four Way Clio Cup Title Battle - Photo Credit: Jakob Ebrey Photography

This season’s AirAsia Renault Clio Cup UK was one of the best in recent times, with Paul Rivett emerging from a superb four way title battle with Aron Smith, James Colburn and James Dixon to win his third Clio Cup championship.

A quick start to the season for Rivett saw him take the early championship lead, the Lumison BlueSquare Data-backed driver taking a win and a podium apiece at the first two rounds at Brands Hatch and Donington Park. Total Control Racing’s Dixon was in touch early on though, taking the other two wins in the first four races.

Irishman Smith stamped his intent on a title charge next time out at Thruxton, the Team Pyro star taking a double victory to put him in contention. The weekend in Hampshire also showed Colburn’s first signs of a title push, the Westbourne Motorsport driver picking up his first podiums of the year.

Over the next four meetings, Rivett stayed in contention despite not picking up a podium finish in eight races, which allowed the other to close up in the championship battle. A win at Oulton Park meant Dixon managed to tie on points at the top, however Stancombe Vehicle Engineering’s Rivett edged back in front after Croft, the duo then switching the championship lead back and forth during the next meeting at Snetterton.

The whole time, Smith and Colburn continued picking up podiums to remain in the fight, meaning heading into the penultimate meeting at Rockingham, the top four in the championship were split by just seventeen points. With Dixon, Smith and Colburn all picking up podiums and Rivett unable too, the top four closed up even more, with Smith taking the championship lead for the first time all season.

This meant that heading into the final weekend at Brands Hatch, the top four were separated by just four points. The opening race saw Colburn take a long-awaited maiden victory to move into the championship lead, with Rivett taking second ahead of Smith, while a lowly tenth place finish for Dixon ended his title hopes. In the final race, 2002 and 2004 champion Rivett used all his experience to take the race win, his first win in six months, and with it the championship glory, third and fourth place proving not to be enough for Smith and Colburn respectively. 

As well as with title contender Smith, Team Pyro also enjoyed success with three other drivers during the campaign. Top of the list was Jack Goff, who kept himself on the edge of the championship battle throughout the year with three wins, including a sensational double victory at Rockingham. 

Jack Goff Starred At Rockingham, But Was Unable To Mount A Title Challenge - Photo Credit: Jakob Ebrey Photography

Fellow Pyro team-mates Josh Files and Adam Bonham were both competitive through the year, Files taking two podiums, while Bonham just missed out on podium glory with best finishes of fourth.

2011 saw the emergence of a new team in the Clio Cup, Scuderia Vittoria. Set up by three ex-racers, including 2001 series champion Danny Buxton, the team ran Matt Allison and Luke Wright for the majority of the season and enjoyed some success.

Former BTCC racer Allison took a double win at Croft, while Wright enjoyed podium joy at Croft and Snetterton. Allison left the series two meetings early though, with Ant Whorton-Eales taking his seat and proving competitive from the start, regularly running in the top eight with a best finish of fifth.

At the start of the season, Total Control Racing were making the headlines when they announced Nicolas Hamilton would be driving for them. The racing rookie enjoyed a strong maiden season, particularly towards the end of the season when he broke into the top ten for the first time.

The team also ran fellow rookie Tom Grice at the start of the season, the newbie taking one podium at Thruxton before he was forced to pull out after five weekends. Just like team-mate Dixon missed out on the main championship on the final weekend, Mark Proctor also agonisingly missed out on a title, losing the Masters Cup class crown in the last race.

Picking up those honours was Darren Wilson, the 20Ten Racing driver enjoying a strong consistent year, picking up a best result of eighth overall. Clio Cup regular Lee Pattison had a good start to the season, taking a podium on the second weekend at Donington Park, however he was to leave the series after the next weekend. This left his JHR Developments seat open and while it remained empty for most the year, Rob Boston entered in it for the final two meetings and ran comfortably in the top ten. 

20Ten Racing's Darren Wilson Won The Masters Cup Class - Photo Credit: Jakob Ebrey Photography

Final 2011 AirAsia Renault Clio Cup UK Championship Standings:

Aron Smith Won At The Motorsport Ireland Awards - Photo Credit: Jakob Ebrey Photography

Rally driver Craig Breen, Clio Cup front-runner Aron Smith and BBC F1 pundit Eddie Jordan were amongst the winners at the 2011 Dunlop Motorsport Ireland Champions of Irish Motorsport Awards in Dublin.

Breen won the International Driver of the Year Award for his outstanding 2011 campaign, which saw him win the World Rally Championship Academy after a spectacular win at Wales Rally GB. Smith won the Dunlop Sexton Trophy for Young Racing Driver of the Year after his strong season, which saw him finish runner-up in the AirAsia Renault Clio Cup and make his BTCC debut.

Jordan meanwhile was presented with the Motorsport Ireland Hall of Fame Award for everything that he has contributed to motorsport in Ireland and internationally in the past 40 years. Jordan said: “I am absolutely delighted to be here to accept this prestigious honour. I have had a long association with Motorsport Ireland and it is 20 years ago now since the F1 team started and I am proud that we had so many Irish people centrally involved with the team success.”

Other awards winners included Sam Moffett, who won the Billy Coleman Award for the Young Rally Driver of the Year, Tm McNulty and co-driver Paul Kiely, who picked up their awards for winning the Irish National Rally Championship and Irish Tarmac Championship, and Tom Walsh, who won the Ivan Webb Memorial award for Most Outstanding Contribution to Irish Motorsport.

President of Motorsport Ireland Joe Corcoran said; “Today is about celebrating the achievements of our young drivers in a sport that places enormous demands on their ability and determination to success at the highest level.  All the winners today can be very proud of their successes throughout the year and they are an example for all young people in sport.”

Ginetta Racewinner Niall Murray Is Up For The Young Driver Award - Photo Credit: Jakob Ebrey Photography

Motorsport Ireland has announced the finalists for the 2011 Young Racing Driver and Young Rally Driver of the Year Awards, which will be handed out at next month’s Dunlop Champions of Irish Motorsport Awards in Dublin.

The top three finalists for the Dunlop Sexton Trophy for the Young Racing Driver of the Year award are Ginetta Junior race-winner Niall Murray, Renault Clio Cup championship contender Aron Smith and Ginetta Junior Ireland champion Andy O’Brien.

2010 Ginetta Junior Ireland champion Murray, who won the Young Racing Driver of the Month award for June, had a great season in the Ginetta Juniors this year, taking two wins and a total of eight podium finishes on his way to fourth in the championship standings. 22 year old Smith, the monthly award winner in April, took three wins and nine podiums in total on his way to second place in the Clio Cup, also making his BTCC debut during the year. O’Brien, the monthly winner in July, capped off a great start to his career with the Ginetta Junior title in only his second year of racing, having finished runner up in the series in 2010.

The Billy Coleman Young Rally Driver of the Year award will be contested between Daniel McKenna, Sam Moffett and Douglas Stewart. McKenna had a great year in 2011, his best result coming with third overall in the Carlow Stages Rally, also winning the Escort Mark 2 Challenge at the event. Moffett’s season saw him win finish second overall and win the Group N section of the Dunlop National Rally Championship, also finishing third in the Group N section of the Irish Tarmac Championship. Stewart meanwhile competed in gravel throughout the year, the 26 year old’s best result coming at the Moonrake Forestry Rally, where he won his class.

President of Motorsport Ireland Joe Corcoran said: “This year we have seen some great results both nationally and internationally by Irish competitors and our Dunlop Champions of Irish Motorsport Awards will look to honour these performances.  We had 13 excellent contenders for the Billy Coleman and the Dunlop Sexton Awards, who all had great seasons, so congratulations to them all and to the 6 drivers across the two categories who have now been selected as finalists.  It’s safe to say the future of Irish motorsport is extremely bright.”    

Over twenty awards will be handed out at the Dunlop Champions of Irish Motorsport Awards will take place at the Crowne Plaza Hotel in Dublin on the 6^th December.

2011 Renault Clio Cup Winter Series Champion Aaron Williamson - Photo Credit: Jakob Ebrey Photography

Aaron Williamson proved the star of the show in the 2011 Renault Clio Cup Winter Series, the Ginetta Supercup regular winning both the races at Rockingham, his first races in the one-make championship.

Qualifying for the opening race saw Adam Bonham line up on pole, his best time of 1min 42.175s putting him 0.453 seconds clear of closest rival Williamson. Jake Giddings was next up, ahead of Joseph Girling, Ray MacDowell, Andy Jordan and Swedish racer Kim Andersson.

A slow start for Bonham allowed Williamson to dive into the lead, but a good move at Deene saw Bonham regain the place, while slotting into third and fourth were Giddings and Girling. MacDowell, father of BTCC racer Alex, got up to fifth at the start, before dropping back to sixth at Tarzan after a rough move by Jordan. Losing further ground over the next two laps, MacDowell dropped behind Andersson to end up seventh, before fighting back to regain sixth at Tarzan on lap three.

At the front, Williamson closed onto Bonham’s tail and got alongside on the run out of the final turn on lap three, drafting past to take the lead. This allowed Giddings onto their tail and the Ginetta Junior graduate made a late lunge at Deene, passing Bonham but making contact with Williamson, damaging his car and retiring.

The commotion allowed Bonham back into the lead, but Williamson stayed on his tail and got alongside on the run out of the final turn on the next lap. Bonham held onto the place though, however an identical move a lap later saw Williamson finally regain the lead.

The race was then interrupted by a safety car period, to allow the marshalls to retrieve Giddings stricken car. At the end, a good restart for Williamson saw him hold the lead, gradually breaking clear as Bonham struggled to hold second. Girling looked to make a move at the final chicane, but made contact with the rear of Bonham, sliding him round. Bonham remained in second, with Girling dropping behind Jordan and Andersson into fifth.

Ahead, Williamson was driving into the distance and crossed the line to win his maiden Clio Cup race by 10.6s. Bonham continued to hold up those behind, putting Jordan into the clutches of Andersson, who got into third at Gracelands on lap twelve, before passing Bonham on the final lap to take second. Bonham just held off Jordan to complete the podium, with Girling and MacDowell completing the finishers. 

Swedish Racer Kim Andersson (#55) Impressed At Rockingham - Photo Credit: Jakob Ebrey Photography

The drivers second fastest times from qualifying made the grid for race two, with Bonham once again on pole ahead of Williamson. MacDowell lined up third ahead of Stancombe Vehicle Engineering’s Girling. Total Control Racing duo Giddings and Jordan were next up, with Sibsport Performance’s Andersson once again rounding off the grid.

A great start for Girling from fourth saw him draft into the lead round the outside, however Bonham held the inside line at Deene to regain the spot. Girling dropped into third behind Williamson, though he soon lost the spot to MacDowell at Pif Paf, before dropping to fifth behind Andersson on lap two.

As the race developed, Williamson started catching Bonham at the front, while MacDowell began coming under pressure from Andersson, the Swedish racer getting past at the final chicane on lap three, while behind Giddings nipped past Girling for fifth.

At the front, Bonham was coming under immense pressure from Williamson, the latter getting alongside on the run to the final chicane on lap four and finding his way past, with Andersson following through to take second. Bonham’s nightmare was continue on the next lap, a spin on the approach to Gracelands dropping him down the field, the ex-Ginetta Junior racer retiring soon after.

This promoted MacDowell to third, but the veteran racer was closed down by Giddings, the teenager getting by on the run out of the final chicane on lap seven. Behind, Clio returnee Jordan made a good move on lap nine to take fifth from Girdling.

The final few laps saw Andersson right on the tail of Williamson and made a couple of moves for the lead, but was unable to get past, Williamson taking his second win of the weekend to take the Winter Series title. Giddings took third, a positive end to the weekend after his race one retirement, with Girling fourth, Jordan fifth and MacDowell sixth after a late spin.

Neb Bursac During His Clio Debut At Snetterton - Photo Credit: Jakob Ebrey Photography

Serbian racer Neb Bursac is weighing up his options as he plans a return to full time racing in 2012. The Checkered Flag caught up with the former single-seater racer, who made a guest appearance in the AirAsia Renault Clio Cup UK this season, to see what he’s been up to in his time off and find out the latest on his plans for next season.

Bursac made a real impact during his early years of circuit racing, taking six wins on his way to the 2005 Star of Silverstone championship title and impressing in the 2006 Formula Renault Winter Series, but he had to suspend his career prior to the 2007 season when he run out of budget, leaving him to sit frustrated on the sidelines for the past five seasons.

Bursac reflected: “It is very frustrating especially when I know I can be as fast as anyone out there and even faster, only if I had the same opportunity like everyone else to do proper testing and a full season of racing, at least.

“Although I haven’t been actually racing in the past few years due to lack of sponsorship, which is out of my control, I have always given maximum in terms of the things I can control such as my own preparation when it comes to motorsport and racing, either watching and attending races or just training and keeping fit all the time and being ready for any opportunities whether testing or racing related.

“I simply love and breathe racing, and I guess with all my physical and mental preparation all that also allows me to quickly adapt to anything I race and do well even though I am missing on the testing and full season’s racing.”

British fans will have last seen Bursac on track when he made a one-off appearance in the Clio Cup earlier this season at Snetterton. On his debut around the new 300 circuit, Bursac put in an impressive showing and took two solid top ten finishes on his front-wheel drive race debut in the competitive one-make series.

Commenting on the Clio opportunity, Bursac said: “I did an official test day back in May at Snetterton and I showed a lot of potential and speed even though I had never really driven a front wheel drive (race) car before and especially the Clio Cup car.

“Another track day at Silverstone followed, where this time the 2009 Clio Cup Champion, Phil Glew, showed me the way and different techniques of how to drive this car really fast that gave me so much more confidence in the car and also to make the decision to enter this race meeting straight away.

“All this coaching and help from Phil, as well as my speed, helped me open up some more doors among other top teams, and what better place to land a drive than with a team who has won 3 Championships in the past three years, and are currently leading the Championship, Team Pyro.

“The experience was great, and I learnt a lot over the weekend. I did not put any pressure on myself at all regarding the results. However, I still had to be a bit more cautious than some other regular and more experienced drivers in terms of trying out a few different bits and pieces i.e. different lines or set ups, as I couldn’t afford to make a mistake and lose valuable track time which I particularly needed considering my absence from racing and especially a lack of mileage in the car.

“In the end I finished 7^th and 8^th on my debut at the circuit and the car I had never raced before, and I managed to stay calm and consistent all the way through this very competitive race weekend.”

Bursac’s previous racing experience was in single seaters, both in Formula Ford and Formula Renault, meaning the move into Clio’s saw a real change in discipline for the 26 year old. When asked if this signified a chance in career direction for Bursac, he explained: “It is very hard to choose one series or one career direction one really wants to do unless they are very fortunate to have a proper backing and sponsorship to do that. So since this is missing for me at the moment, I am trying out some different categories such as Clios, and to be honest I am really enjoying it and am glad I got this opportunity too. However, I wouldn’t exclude single seater options if they became available in the future.” 

After dipping his toe back into the racing pool, Bursac is now desperate to raise the budget for a full campaign in 2012, with his sights on the Clio Cup. He concluded: “I definitely want to race in 2012 and I hope to find sponsors and develop a long relationship with them which is needed in order to remain in this sport and be at the top. To start off next year with Clio Cup, the car I have already driven and in which I proved once again that even after so many years I can come back and do well, would be perfect.”

Ant Whorton-Eales Has Impressed During His Four Race Spell With Scuderia Vittoria - Photo Credit: Jakob Ebrey Photography

Scuderia Vittoria ended their debut season in the AirAsia Renault Clio Cup UK with a mixed bag of results at Brands Hatch. While newcomer Ant Whorton-Eales once again starred, there was bitter disappointment for Luke Wright.

Dorset-based Wright qualified fourth for race one and produced a strong start in race one, but was elbowed wide at the first corner and taken into the barriers hard, causing extensive damage to his Clio. The damage was enough to rule Wright out of the weekend’s second race, a devastating result for Wright, who was set to start the race from the front row after qualifying second.

With Wright’s races ruined, Scuderia’s hopes were left with teenager Whorton-Eales, making his second appearance in the championship. The rookie didn’t disappoint, racing to a great fifth position in the opening race, setting the fastest lap in the process. He followed this up with seventh place in race two to cap off a strong two-meeting run in the series.

Whorton-Eales said: “I just went in too hot, and after that I had to fight back. But it’s been a good weekend, especially getting fastest lap in the first race – and in only my second race meeting on slick tyres! I need to nail qualifying though – I didn’t really get a lap together on the new tyres.”

The weekend saw the team step up from two cars to four cars for the first time this campaign, with Australian Mazda MX5 champion Ash Miller and Mini Challenge graduate Chris Smith making their Clio Cup debuts. On his front wheel drive debut, Miller did a great job of qualifying twelfth, with Smith two places behind.

The opening race saw the duo both produce strong runs, with Smith taking eleventh and Miller twelfth. In race two, Miller took thirteenth, while Smith exited the race early on due to an error.

Smith commented: “I only drove the car for the first time on Wednesday. I’ve really enjoyed the step up from Minis, and you’ve really got to work on tiny differences in performance and set-up. The team is really professional. I was happy with my first race, but a bit annoyed to make the mistake in the second.”

Miller added: “I’ve had a ball. When I got sideways in the first race during contact it was tough to remember to put the power on, because I’m used to rear-wheel drive! By the end I didn’t want the chequered flag to come out. In the second race I hung onto Nicolas Hamilton. He defended very well, and then by the end of the race there was nothing left in my tyres to keep the others behind me. I finally had a brush with the wall on the last lap that shattered my rear windscreen – but I can’t wait to come back!”

Team director Danny Buxton added: “We’ve expanded to four cars, and it’s a credit to the guys that we have working here that it didn’t feel as though we’d doubled the number of cars we’ve got. The guys we have are fantastic, and it enables me to bring the drivers on and develop them.

“For Luke it was a case of what might have been – he got knocked off and that cost him his front-row position, so that one got away from us. But he’s been the only new boy challenging this year, and he will be the man to beat in 2012. Ant is a star in the making – I am seriously impressed. He just needs to concentrate his efforts in qualifying and then he will be capable of running at the front and winning.

“Chris was thrown in at the deep end, and to be lapping within a second of the leaders on one of the longest circuits we go to does him a lot of credit. He showed some real promise for what will hopefully be more Clio racing next year.Ash had never seen the circuit or, like Chris, driven the car, but he lapped at a good pace and you’ve got to say he did a fantastic job. He’s impressed me and he’s another one we hope to see back in the future.”

Nicolas Hamilton Starred At Brands Hatch For Total Control Racing - Photo Credit: Jakob Ebrey Photography

Total Control Racing’s James Dixon missed out on the 2011 AirAsia Renault Clio Cup UK championship title after a disappointing weekend during the final rounds of the season at Brands Hatch, while team-mate Nicolas Hamilton enjoyed his best meeting of the season to end the season on a high.

Dixon headed into the weekend with one of five drivers in with a chance of taking the title, but his aspirations were severely dented in Saturday’s opening race. The Kent-based racer was tagged on the opening tour, dropping him down the order and although putting in a strong drive, Dixon was only able to take tenth. 

This left Hamilton to finish as TCR’s highest placed driver after a superb race. Starring in qualifying with thirteenth, a sensational opening lap saw Hamilton climb to eighth and although he dropped a place, he still took his best finish of the season.

The team’s final driver Mark Proctor earned another Masters Cup victory after taking a strong fourteenth place, the experienced racer having to defend hard from a couple of rivals to take the class win.  

TCR team principal Lee Brookes said: “Nic’s drive was storming, unbelievable. His result was as good as a win today for us but a win is what we needed with James. We don’t know where the pace went today – James still has a chance at the championship tomorrow, just not a very strong one. Mark defended really well today, he had a good race and that’s what we like to see.”

Heading into the final race, Dixon had a lot to do to take the title and was determined to give it his best shot. He held sixth from the start and got promoted to fifth on lap six. With his title rivals ahead of him though, Dixon needed divine intervention to come into play for him to take the crown, but it wasn’t to come, with Dixon getting pipped to the line and ending up sixth. It’s still been a great season for Dixon though, ending up with more wins than any of his rivals with four.

Hamilton continued his superb weekend with another strong race run. Starting ninth on the grid, he dropped to eleventh on the opening lap but he fought back to tenth and narrowly missed out on matching his seasons best result in the previous race. Proctor meanwhile concluded the season with a frustrating retirement on lap nine, with him challenging for another class victory when he ran into the gravel at Clark Curve.

Brookes added: “We’re obviously really disappointed to miss out on the Clio title again. It all came down to qualifying in the end, we’re baffled where the pace went. It’s a real shame for James as he’s had a great season.

“Nic did another fantastic job, he’s performed unbelievably well this weekend and is showing he can be a regular top 10 front-runner – he’s just getting better and better. It’s a shame Mark’s season ended with a non-finish in the last race but he’s definitely had some good highlights this year.”

Paul Rivett Celebrates His Championship Win - Photo Credit: Jakob Ebrey Photography

Paul Rivett has secured his third AirAsia Renault Clio Cup UK crown with victory in the final round of the 2011 championship at Brands Hatch, the Stancombe Vehicle Engineering driver ending up securing the title by six points.

Stancombe Vehicle Engineering driver Rivett started from pole and a great getaway was vital as he maintained the lead in Paddock Hill for the first time, with Jake Packun taking second ahead of Rivett’s title rivals James Colburn and Aron Smith.

Team Pyro’s Smith quickly got into third though, passing Westbourne Motorsport’s Colburn at Hawthorns. To win the title, Smith knew he would have to pass Rivett at the front, so set about trying to pass Get On Track Development’s Packun in second.

His progress was halted slightly when the safety car appeared for two laps, caused by newcomer Chris Smith going off track on the GP loop. At the restart, Rivett couldn’t quite break away instantly, with Packun putting him under slight pressure. It wasn’t to last though, with Rivett soon building a gap as Packun began defending from a determined Smith.

As Rivett broke clear, Smith’s chances of taking the title faded as Packun held him off. This meant all eyes were on Rivett and with no problems to his car, the Lumison BlueSquare Data backed driver was able to cross the line and become the first driver since the 1970’s to take three Clio Cup titles.

Packun held on to take second, his third podium of the season, while a disappointed Smith had to settle for third. Colburn, who headed into the race leading the championship after taking his maiden series win in the weekend’s earlier race, could only take fourth, with Josh Files and James Dixon completing the top six.

Ant Whorton-Eales continued his impressive start to his Clio career with seventh, ahead of Rob Boston and David Dickenson. Nicolas Hamilton completed his strongest weekend of the season so far with tenth, ahead of Adam Bonham and Andy Gorton. Newcomer Ash Miller took thirteenth, with Masters Cup class front two Darren Wilson and Simon Belcher completed the finishers.  Wilson secured the 2011 Masters Cup title in the process.

Both Scuderia Vittoria’s Luke Wright and Team Pyro’s Jack Goff were unable to start the race, with their cars still damaged after contact in the weekend’s earlier race.

James Colburn Took His Maiden Clio Win At A Sunny Brands - Photo Credit: Jakob Ebrey Photography

James Colburn took his first AirAsia Renault Clio Cup victory in Round Fifteen of the 2011 championship at Brands Hatch, with the Westbourne Motorsport driver also securing the championship lead with just one race remaining.

A great start from second on the grid saw Colburn move alongside polesitter and title rival Paul Rivett, with the 18 year old making a superb move around the outside off Paddock Hill to take the lead.

As Colburn led Rivett into Druids for the first time, behind there was plenty of action. Jack Goff saw his 2011 title hopes ended after contact with Luke Wright, both driver’s ending up in the gravel, allowing Jake Packun and Aron Smith, championship leader heading into the race, up to third and fourth respectively.

After a short safety car period to remove the cars from the gravel trap, Colburn produced a great restart to pull a small gap from Rivett instantly, while behind, a bold move from Smith saw him dive past Packun for third.

After a poor showing in qualifying, the final title contender James Dixon’s day was just getting worse, dropping to eleventh on the opening lap and then struggling to find a way past David Dickenson until lap five.

At the front, the top four were close together, but the positions remained the same till the end. Colburn took the win, with Rivett second. Smith finished in a much needed podium position to stay well in the fight, while Packun took a strong fourth.

Finishing fifth after a superb drive from eleventh on the grid was Scuderia Vittoria’s Ant Whorton-Eales, setting the races fastest lap in the process. Team Pyro’s Josh Files took sixth, ahead of team-mate Adam Bonham and JHR Developments Rob Boston.

Finishing a seasons-best ninth after a great drive through from thirteenth on the grid was Nicolas Hamilton, just ahead of Total Control Racing team-mate Dixon. Their other team-mate Mark Proctor also had cause for joy, taking the Masters Cup honours in fourteenth overall.

Racewinner Colburn said: “That felt mega, finally a first win in the Clio Cup. It’s been a long time coming. We got off the line well against Paul, and when the safety car came out I had to really think about where I could back them up. I managed to pull out a bit, Paul would pull me back, and then I’d get a bit further away from Paul.

“It’s so hard to pull out a quick lap round here in this heat, but we coped better than most and we managed to maintain it. Now we go into tomorrow full of confidence. It’ll be a lot harder as we start from sixth, which isn’t where we want to be, but we’ll see what we can do.”

Provisional Championship Standings with 1 Round To Go:

1. James Colburn – 326 points
2. Aron Smith – 323 points
3. Paul Rivett – 322 points
4. James Dixon – 306 points
5. Jack Goff – 272 points

Paul Rivett Took Top Spot Around The Brands Hatch Grand Prix Circuit - Photo Credit: Jakob Ebrey Photography

Paul Rivett seized the initiative in the 2011 AirAsia Renault Clio Cup UK championship battle by taking a double pole position during qualifying for the final rounds of the season at Brands Hatch.

The final qualifying session of 2011 was by far the most important of the season, with four drivers heading into the weekend split by just four points at the top of the championship standings. As the session drew to a close, Rivett and title rival James Colburn traded provisional pole between them for the opening race, with double champion Rivett coming out on top by 0.160s to take pole.

Championship leader Aron Smith was struggling towards the lower end of the top ten throughout the session, but with a couple of minutes left on the clock, the Team Pyro driver put a couple of quick laps on the board and took third on the grid. Unable to do the same was the final championship contender James Dixon, who ended up a disappointing ninth on his home circuit.

Fourth on the grid for the opener will be Scuderia Vittoria’s Luke Wright, ahead of Jake Packun. Team Pyro trio Jack Goff, Josh Files and Adam Bonham are next up ahead of Dixon, with Rob Boston completing the top ten. Ant Whorton-Eales, who starred last time out at Rockingham, will start eleventh, ahead of Ash Miller, the fastest of the drivers making his debut in the series at Brands.

Enjoying his most competitive performance of the season so far was Nicolas Hamilton in thirteenth, ahead of another debutant, Chris Smith. David Dickenson, Simon Belcher, Andy Gorton, Mark Proctor and Darren Wilson completed the nineteen runners.

The driver’s second best times form the grid for the final race of the season, with Stancombe Vehicle Engineering’s Rivett once again on top. This time Wright joins him on the front row, ending up just 0.046s off pole. Smith will once again line up third, ahead of Packun and Goff, with Westbourne Motorsport’s Colburn dropping to sixth.

Bonham and Dixon will line up on row four, ahead of Files and Whorton-Eales, while Total Control Racing’s Hamilton will line up an even better eleventh. JHR Development’s Boston and Scuderia Vittoria’s Miller are next up, ahead of Dickenson, Chris Smith, Gorton, Belcher, Proctor and Wilson.

The session saw a number of times being deleted due to cars exceeding the track’s limits, with numerous cars affected.

Rivett leads the way at Brands Hatch - Photo Credit: Jakob Ebrey Photography

Fastest Qualifying Times (for Race 1)

Second Fastest Qualifying Times (for Race 2)

Rivett leads the way at Brands Hatch - Photo Credit: Jakob Ebrey Photography

AirAsia Renault Clio Cup Championship contenders Paul Rivett and Aron Smith topped the two Friday practice sessions as the penultimate meeting of the season got underway at Brands Hatch.

Smith clocked a 1:40.639 to top the first session before Rivett lowered the benchmark time to a 1:40.323 later in the day. The two-time champion lies third, four points off the lead, and is excited at the prospects for the weekend ahead.

“I’m very happy to end the second session in P1. This is just what we need when we are fighting for the championship here this weekend; what a great couple of races it is going to be. As we know, testing is never quite a mark of where everybody is going to end up finishing in the races, but it’s definitely a good sign that we are at the front.”

Smith holds a narrow advantage in the standings with two races to come this weekend and is confident of holding onto the lead, believing his race pace will be competitive.

“The first session went very well for us. Unfortunately, we have no new tyres this weekend so to be P1 in the first session is a big achievement, especially as a few of the others were using new tyres. I don’t want to count my chickens before the eggs hatch, but I think that we should be alright this weekend. I’m confident and I have good pace round here, out the back especially, which is really what you need.”

Scuderia Vittoria’s young charger Luke Wright put in a cracking lap in the second session to finish second overall and feels he can make further improvements as the weekend unfolds.

“Testing has been pretty good for us. The session was quite average for us in the morning. However, after making some changes the car was very good to drive in the second session. I think there’s certainly more time to find on track, so hopefully we will be quicker come qualifying.”

Jake Packun ended the day third overall ahead of Smith while James Colburn and James Dixon, the two other title challengers, finished Friday fifth and sixth respectively.

Rivett leads the way - Photo Credit: Jakob Ebrey Photography

Championship Leader Aron Smith and Outside Shot Jack Goff - Photo Credit: Chris Gurton Photography

The final rounds of the AirAsia Renault Clio Cup UK are set to be classics, as five drivers head into the final two races of a scintillating 2011 season with just twenty-six points separating them. Aron Smith, James Dixon, Paul Rivett and James Colburn are separated by just four points at the top, while the in-form Jack Goff sits behind hoping to dramatically snatch the title away from them.

The Brands Hatch Grand Prix circuit is set to play host to the most dramatic of championship finales, with the always exciting and unpredictable Clio’s set to put on a real show for their final two races. Arguably holding a slight advantage heading into the final weekend is Dixon, the Total Control Racing driver having had great success at the circuit in the past, a double win in 2010 and a single victory earlier this season, thanks in part to his job as a race instructor at the Kent-based track.

What Dixon may hold in track knowledge, Rivett holds in sheer experience, the Stancombe Vehicle Engineering driver having been through this situation twice before on his way to the 2002 and 2004 Clio Cup titles. The Lumison BlueSquare Data backed driver will use all that experience and knowledge as he pursues a hat trick of Clio titles, which only Neil McGrath has done before in the late 1970’s. Rivett heads to Brands out of form though, having not finished on the podium since Thruxton in May.

Leading the way at the moment though is Smith, the Irishman picking up three wins so far this campaign. A superb double win at Thruxton put him into contention and the Team Pyro driver has remained consistent ever since, with a podium last time out ensuring he heads to Brands with a three point advantage.

Westbourne Motorsport’s Colburn sits fourth in the championship, but is only four points adrift of Smith. Colburn’s achievement of staying in the championship fight proves remarkable when he has yet to record a Clio Cup win, with superb consistency seeing him take six podiums and finish outside the top six just three times all year. He will be one to watch as he aims to end his win drought and claim a maiden title.

Looking for those ahead to slip up so he can, against all odds, take the title is Goff. The Team Pyro has been on top form in recent rounds, taking a second place at Snetterton before storming to a sensational double win at Rockingham, moving him into the championship battle for Brands.

AirAsia Renault Clio Cup UK Standings (After Round 14 of 16):

1. Aron Smith – 298 points
2. James Dixon – 295 points
3. Paul Rivett – 294 points
4. James Colburn – 294 points
5. Jack Goff – 272 points

Total Control Racing's James Dixon - Photo Credit: Chris Gurton Photography

Total Control Racing remains in contention for winning the 2011 AirAsia Renault Clio Cup UK with James Dixon taking his seventh podium of the season to keep himself within four points of the championship lead, Wednesbury-based TCR hoping to take the title for the first time since 2006.

The weekend’s first race saw Dixon have an uneventful affair, getting dropped to sixth on the opening lap and unable to make progress through the field, the Kent-based racer stayed there till the end for valuable points.

Team-mates Nicolas Hamilton and Mark Proctor both enjoyed strong races, with Hamilton lapping impressively on his way to fourteenth, while Proctor took a dominate Masters Cup win in twelfth. 

TCR Team Principal Lee Brookes said: “James wasn’t as comfortable with the car in the race as in qualifying so we’re looking into the reasons for that and seeing how we can improve things. As we always say, Nic’s coming on all the time and he did another great job today. We’re very pleased with Mark too, his race was a very big improvement on qualifying.”

Sunday’s televised race saw Dixon dive into second on the opening lap and he managed to resist pressure from behind throughout the race to take second for a much needed podium. A great start for Proctor saw him climb into the top twelve and after a race long battle with Masters Cup rival Darren Wilson, he had to settle for second in class and twelfth overall. Hamilton meanwhile took his twelfth points-scoring finish of the season with fourteenth place.

Brooke added: “James did exactly what he needed to by finishing on the podium and the championship there is wide open – we’re more determined than ever to try and win back the Clio title. Mark and Nic raced well again, they both had some good battles which is always great to see.”

James Dixon Remains At The Heart Of The Four-Way Clio Cup Title Fight - Photo Credit: Chris Gurton Photography

AirAsia Renault Clio Cup UK frontrunner James Dixon took his seventh podium of the season during the latest rounds at Rockingham to put the Total Control Racing driver in with a real fighting chance of taking the 2011 championship in a fortnights time.

21 year old Dixon headed into the weekend fifteen points adrift at the top of the standings and needed a strong weekend to close the gap to the top. A competitive qualifying session helped his chances, his two best laps putting him fourth and third on the grid for the two races.

A strong start at the beginning of Round Thirteen put the Stockbury-based driver fourth through Turn One, though he was bundled back to sixth at the Deene Hairpin. Not taking too many risks, the ABP Heating, Weidmuller and The Art of Decorating-supported racer held the place until the end to get some valuable points on the board.

Live on ITV4, Dixon started Round Fourteen well and held third at the start, before grabbing second at Deene on the opening lap. Pulling clear from the chasing pack, Dixon briefly tried to close down the race leader, but settled for the runner up spot and his seventh podium of the season.

Dixon, who now heads to Brands Hatch and the final rounds within four points of the championship lead, commented: “We’re going to Brands in the fight for the championship which has been the plan since the start of the season, we’re there and we’ll give it everything we’ve got. I’m disappointed we couldn’t win this weekend to be honest, I don’t like finishing second, but we’ve done what we needed to do by taking away some good points.

“The biggest thing was to make sure we finished both races strongly and we did that. Everything is unbelievably tight in the championship now, it’s all to play for so I’m really looking forward to going back to Brands Hatch and doing the best we possibly can. I want that title, for me and the team.”

Ant Whorton-Eales Made His Clio Debut At Rockingham - Photo Credit: Chris Gurton Photography

AirAsia Renault Clio Cup UK outfit Scuderia Vittoria enjoyed a positive weekend at Rockingham, with debutant Ant Whorton-Eales starring on his first outing with the team, while regular Luke Wright enjoyed a top four finish.

Midlander Whorton-Eales had never raced on slick tyres before the meeting, but shocked his rivals by qualifying sixth for the opening race, with Wright one place behind him, before the tables were turned for race two, with Wright lining up fifth and Whorton-Eales ninth.

The opening race saw Wright charge through the fourth, however the Dorset racer was to be left disappointed when his steering broke in a collision, ending his race. Whorton-Eales dropped to thirteenth on the opening lap, but a superb recovery saw him battle through to finish eighth, ending up just 0.009s away from the race’s fastest lap on his debut.

A better second race for Wright saw him scythe his way into third on the opening lap and although he dropped a place to fourth, he stayed in the fight for second throughout the race and ended up just 0.070s off the fastest lap. Whorton-Eales once again had a tough opening lap, but fought back to finish seventh, passing double champion Paul Rivett along the way.

Team director Danny Buxton said: “This was a really good weekend for Scuderia Vittoria. According to the clerk of the course, Luke’s incident in race one was a racing incident – he went for the move and was unlucky. So with that in mind we just wanted him to bring the car home in race two. He lost touch with the leading three, but then showed good pace and pulled them back in without taking any risks – and they’re all experienced guys.

“Ant was a revelation. He needs to learn to be a bit more positive on the opening lap, but after that he was a joy to watch. I’m very proud of him – especially as he reminded everyone that you can overtake in Clios! He showed respect to the championship contenders, but at the same time did not give an inch.”

Jack Goff On The Clio Cup Podium After His Rockingham Win - Photo Credit: Jakob Ebrey Photography

Team Pyro’s Jack Goff has kept his faint hopes of taking the 2011 AirAsia Renault Clio UK title alive by capping off a sensational Rockingham meeting with his second win of the weekend in Round Fourteen.

The driver’s second best times from qualifying set the grid for the televised race, putting Goff on pole, with James Colburn alongside him. James Dixon and Josh Files lined up on row two, ahead of Luke Wright and Aron Smith, who headed into the race just two points behind championship leader Paul Rivett, who started seventeenth after problems in qualifying.

An even start saw the front row starters heading around the first turn side by side, though Goff had the advantage of the inside line for Deene hairpin, meaning he held the lead, while Colburn got stuck out wide, allowing Dixon and a quick-starting Wright through. Behind, another fast starter Jake Packun was challenging for a top five spot, though was spun down the field after contact with Smith at Tarzan, while another to lose out on the opening tour was Files, the Pyro driver retiring soon after.

Goff began to break away at the front, with Dixon a comfortable second, while an early change for third saw Colburn slide past Wright at Deene Hairpin on lap three. Making great early progress was Rivett, the Stancombe Vehicle Engineering driver getting up to eighth by the end of the opening lap.

This left him the middle of a great battle for sixth, between David Dickenson, Adam Bonham, Rivett, newcomer Ant Whorton-Eales and returnee Rob Boston. Clio rookie Whorton-Eales was the man on the move, getting past double champion Rivett at Deene on lap nine, before passing Bonham soon after, with Rivett following the Scuderia Vittoria man through.

At the front, there was no such entertainment, with Goff cruising home for his third win of the season. Championship rivals Dixon and Colburn completed the podium, ahead of Wright and Smith. Series returnee Dickenson held on to take a great sixth place ahead of Whorton-Eales, Rivett, Bonham and Boston.

Darren Wilson took the Masters Cup honours in eleventh, ahead of rival Mark Proctor and newcomer Andy Gorton. Nicolas Hamilton completed the finishers after a race long battle with prize winner Mark Gibbons, who enjoyed a strong drive on his guest appearance in the series, however there was to be late disappointment when he hit the wall at the final corner on the final lap, his Stamcombe car coming to rest 100 metres from the finishing line.

Two exciting Clio races at Rockingham has left the championship battle tantalisingly close as the series heads to its final rounds at Brands Hatch GP in two weeks time. Smith holds the championship lead on 298 points, with Dixon on 295 and Colburn and Rivett on 294, just four points separating the top four drivers. Goff sits on 272, and with 64 points to play for, remains in contention.

Jack Goff Leads The Clio Field At Rockingham - Photo Credit: Jakob Ebrey Photography

Jack Goff took a comfortable second win of the season in Round Thirteen of the 2011 AirAsia Renault Clio Cup UK at Rockingham, Goff leading home a one-two-three for Team Pyro.

In qualifying earlier in the day, Goff stormed to pole position ahead of team-mate Josh Files, with championship rivals James Colburn, James Dixon and Aron Smith next up, while series leader Paul Rivett had to settle for sixteenth place after his car lost power early in the session.

A great start for Westbourne Motorsport’s Colburn saw him storm into lead around the opening bend, with Luke Wright and Jake Packun also getting strong starts to get themselves in the mix heading into Deene Hairpin for the first time. With cars heading into the hairpin three-abreast in the pack, it was a miracle when all emerged unsaved, though losing out was Colburn, slipping to third behind Goff and Files.

This left Colburn under pressure from Packun and the Get On Track Developments driver got ahead at Tarzan, but Colburn fought back at the final chicane. Packun was to lose a place a lap later when Wright got by with a similar move at Tarzan, though the Scuderia Vittoria driver ran wide and pulled off at the next bend with broken steering, retiring from the race.

By lap three the front two began to break away, with Colburn leading the championship contenders in a lonely third, with Smith up to fifth ahead of Dixon and Rivett close behind after a charge through to ninth. Smith was soon up to fourth after passing Packun at Tarzan, the Irishman just getting past before the safety car was introduced to retrieve Wright’s stricken car.  

At the restart, Goff got away cleanly to lead from Files, with Smith getting a run on Colburn and sliding past at Deene to take third, with Packun following through at Chapman to drop Colburn into Dixon’s sights in fifth. The duo were soon being closed down by Rivett, who got up to eighth just after the restart before passing Bonham at Tarzan on lap six, with Bonham’s race ending soon after with mechanical problems.

With the front-running cars spread apart, the remainder of the race proved uneventful, though having no complaints at this was Goff, who cruised home for the victory, with Files taking his best result of the season in second. Smith took his seventh podium of the year in third, moving him to within two points of Rivett at the top of the championship standings, with Packun fourth.

Colburn, Dixon and Rivett were next up, ahead of impressive series newcomer Ant Whorton-Eales, series returnee Rob Boston and Craig Currie. Another series returnee David Dickenson was next up, with Mark Proctor taking the Masters Cup honours in twelfth, ahead of Darren Wilson, Nicolas Hamilton, newcomer Andy Gorton and prize winner Mark Gibbons.

Clio Cup Contenders Aron Smith and Paul Rivett - Photo Credit: Jakob Ebrey Photography

The incredible 2011 AirAsia Renault Clio Cup heads to Rockingham in Northamptonshire this weekend for the latest chapter in its mammoth championship battle, which sees the top four drivers separated by just seventeen points with four races remaining.

Double Clio Cup Champion Paul Rivett leads the way for Lumison BlueSquare Data/Stancombe Vehicle Engineering. Despite a quiet weekend last time out at Snetterton, Rivett was still able to extend his championship lead to eight points over Aron Smith, and will be hoping to extend it further at Rockingham as he aims to make it a hat trick of Clio crowns.

Rivett said:  “I always love Rockingham as I do with all of the circuits. The infield section is absolutely brilliant and there is a great combination of corners. We’re going to do our best now to set the pace for the rest of the year and were going to be on that front row and stay out of trouble, I’m very feeling very confident thinking about the title.”

Team Pyro’s Smith and third place contender James Dixon will both be looking to close the gap and add to their three and four race wins in 2011 respectively. Both took wins at Snetterton, but failed to finish the other race respectively, allowing Rivett to break clear.

Smith, who made his BTCC debut at Knockhill two weeks ago, said: “I’m very pleased to be in the title hunt. Heading to Rockingham I would really like to leave the weekend with a few wins under my belt. I have raced there previously in the Winter Series a few years back and got a brace of second place finishes. I think with the track knowledge that I have of the circuit, I am very capable of achieving good things this weekend.”

Dixon, who trails Rivett by fifteen points, commented: “I’m looking forward to going back to Rockingham as we were quick there earlier on in the year. I’m feeling very confident but would really like to take away a good couple of wins from there to boost my hopes of winning the championship at the last round at Brands Hatch.”

Sitting fourth but still in with a great shout of taking the title is James Colburn, the second year Clio Cup driver lying seventeen points adrift. The Westbourne Motorsport driver will be desperate to take victory at Rockingham, as he seeks his maiden Clio Cup victory.

Colburn said: “Rockingham has some good memories for me as I gained my first ever Clio Cup podium there last year. I think that we are going to be very strong there this weekend. It’s going to be quite tight at the sharp end as all of the title contenders have raced here in a Clio Cup car previously.”

Two drivers also heading to Rockingham in good spirits is Nicolas Hamilton, who is hoping for a strong performance at Rockingham, the scene of his first appearance in a Clio Cup car back at the series Media Day, and Mark Gibbons, who won Rockingham’s tenth anniversary competition to put a fan on the grid, with Gibbons beating off nine other finalists to win the prize and join Stancombe Vehicle Engineering for the weekend.

Following a day of intense assessment with The Racing School (TRS) at Rockingham, 38 year old Gibbons was chosen as the winner from ten finalists, who were picked at random from all customers who purchased an advance ticket to Rockingham’s rounds of the Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship, the competition being part of Rockingham’s tenth anniversary celebrations.

The finalists were assessed through a series of challenges, including driving a V8 Touring Car, racing a MINI Cooper S, testing their handling in an Alfa Romeo Giulietta on the Wet Grip facility and racing on Rockingham’s simulators, all under the eye of TRS’ Chief Instructor Chris Hodgetts and a team of assessors including Danny Buxton and Stefan Hodgetts.

Former two-time BTCC winner Hodgetts told the competitors: “One of you will be granted a licence to participate in one of the biggest race series in the UK. You will be watched by thousands of people at the circuit, and by millions of viewers who tune into the live coverage on ITV4. This is a big deal – whoever wins must be capable of holding their own out there, and it is our job to ensure that one of you is up to the challenge.”

Following the one-to-one driving tuition and intense training, Chris and his team shortlisted the three best candidates; Mark, 24-year-old Andrew Mendy from Cambridgeshire, and 39-year-old Roy Beal from Devon. All three were then assessed driving a Renault Sport Clio Cup road car around the International Super Sportscar circuit, before the scores were counted and Mark was announced the winner.

Gibbons commented: “This is absolutely brilliant. Thank you so much to Rockingham and The Racing School for this opportunity. I have been trying for years to get into motor sport – it’s been a dream since I was six years old. I will perform to the best of my ability. This really is the opportunity of a lifetime!”

He is not a complete stranger to being on the race track though and has previously competed in the Clio Cup, back in 1994. He commented: “I’ve been karting since I was 17, and I last raced in the MG Trophy in 2005. However, due to money restraints, I’ve never been able to fully pursue my dream of being a professional racing car driver. These days I’ve just been making-do with practicing on the PlayStation!”

Chief Executive of Rockingham, Charlotte Orton, said: “Congratulations to Mark – he showed he has true potential to further a career in motorsport and we are really excited to watch him show us what he’s capable of at the BTCC next weekend.

“We wanted to celebrate Rockingham’s 10th anniversary in style and by holding this competition we’ve given one of our customers the experience of a lifetime. I wish Mark all the best of luck on the day!”

Mark will receive further track time before the big race weekend, where he will be cheered on by all the other finalists of the DreamDrive competition, who will be enjoying VIP hospitality for the weekend.

CERTINA believe the new deal creates a new, powerful bond between precision, timing and motorsport. The long-term deal will see the brand be the title sponsor of the Formula Renault series until 2013.  CERTINA watches will be awarded to the next three Formula Renault 2.0 UK Champions, as well as the ‘Qualifier of the Year’ from both championships. Also, watches will be awarded to the engineer of the Champion drivers, while every pole position in each Championship will be rewarded with £100.

SRO London and Championship General Manager, Lisa Crampton said: “We see this as the turning point for the Championship where many changes are being put in place to build bigger and stronger futures for our young motorsport talent.

“Both companies share a passion for continual development and innovation through technology and without compromise to achieve outstanding success and results. CERTINA and Renault Sport UK will be a dynamic partnership and we are delighted to be a part of the introduction of the brand into both the UK and junior motorsport.”

Adrian Bosshard, President of CERTINA, added: “For many years Swiss sport watch brand CERTINA has worked very closely with motor sports, especially with its engagement in Formula 1 as Premium Partner of the Sauber F1 Team. It has always been very important for CERTINA to be linked with motor sport categories that do support young talented drivers.

“CERTINA is pleased to contribute, as Timing Partner of the Formula Renault 2.0 UK and for the AirAsia Renault Clio Cup UK, to the talent sponsoring in the United Kingdom and to participate at these dynamic and spectacular Championships.”

Wright’s weekend started well, crushing his opposition in Friday testing to lap 0.648s faster than his closest rival, before going even quicker in qualifying, taking pole position for both races, ending up 0.736s clear of the field, with every flying lap he completed being good enough for pole position.

With the pole position place at Silverstone actually being on the disadvantageous outside line at Silverstone, Wright lost the lead at the start of both races, but fought back well both times to take the wins, by 4.2s on Saturday and 2.2s on Sunday, his first two wins in Clios. The former Formula Renault BARC driver also underlined his pace with fastest lap in both races.

Wright was ecstatic to beat his opposition from the Dutch series, many of whom also race in highly-professional pan-European GT series, commenting: “It’s been absolutely mega. Going into the weekend I didn’t really know what to expect from the Dutch, and I found out quite a few of them had raced here at Silverstone this year already in things like GT4 and Porsche Supercup.

“In the first race the guy who took the lead off the line made some mistakes and I was able to get him into Stowe Corner. In the second I was able to hold on by going flat around the outside of Copse Corner off the start, and then got the inside line into Becketts. Then it was head down, do a few qualifying laps and keep going. The past couple of race weekends before that had gone well so it’s a big boost going into the end of the season.”

Team director Danny Buxton said: “It was a fantastic effort and just shows how much Luke has matured. Luke’s really listening to the advice and coaching he’s been given, and he’s really progressed to the point where he’s driving the car fantastically well at the moment. Although I was really chuffed with his form after qualifying, I’m especially pleased that he showed the mental strength to lead both races from the front and stay calm, given his inexperience. It was a big test for him, but he drove away from them and said he kept a margin in reserve in both races.”

The superb results means Buxton, Wright and the Scuderia Vittoria team head into the final two race weekends of the UK series full of confidence, with Buxton adding: “We’re all really proud of Luke, and I’m proud of the team. Every time we were out on track we were P1, and how mega is that for a team that is brand new this year? That’s four wins we’ve had now – so this season is getting better and better, especially considering we didn’t even exist eight months ago. This is exactly what you want: arrive at the circuit, park up, wash the car, have no incidents and lead throughout. It’s a lot easier when you’re in front!”

Qualifying didn’t go entirely to plan for Dixon, but he still lined up fifth on the grid for the first race. The Total Control Racing driver got away well at the start and managed to thread his way through a multi-car incident at Montreal to move into the lead. Controlling the race from the front, Hames cruised home for victory, moving the 21 year old into the championship lead.

That didn’t last long though, as in Sunday’s race, contact with the rear of Jake Packun’s Clio at the first corner caused Dixon to go off circuit. Despite recovering to the circuit, he had to retire soon after with a broken steering arm, dropping him back down to third in the championship, where he had started at the beginning of the weekend.

The ABP Heating, Weidmuller and The Art of Decorating-backed driver said: “Saturday’s race was a very sweet result as it was so unexpected from where we were on the grid. The points were very good and just what we needed but with no points in the bag from the second race, that’s hurt us quite badly.

“I am disappointed but I know what I’ve got to do over the remaining two events now, we’ve got to qualify on the front row and try and win every race. It’s not going to be easy but I’m going all-out to try and win this championship for me, my sponsors and for TCR.”

There are now four races left in the 2011 season, but next up for James is the ‘Cross Channel Challenge’ event around the Silverstone Grand Prix Circuit, as part of the annual World Series by Renault meeting. James will have the opportunity to compete again the best drivers from across Europe, an opportunity made possible by sponsor Weidmuller.