The Graduates
The Renault UK Clio Cup has always been renowned as a feeder series for the Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship, and alongside champions Newsham and Goff, a number of other drivers have made the graduation into the BTCC after competing in the Clios from 2007 to now.
The highest profile of those would be Andrew Jordan, the recently-crowned 2013 BTCC champion having made his full-time circuit racing debut in the Clio Cup in 2007. The highlight of his single season in the series was a sensational podium finish on the opening weekend in his Eurotech Racing car.
Fellow BTCC race-winners Aron Smith and Sam Tordoff were stars in the Clio Cup in 2011, finishing second and third in the points respectively, while BTCC front-runner turned WTCC star Alex MacDowall made his impact in the Clio’s by finishing runner-up in 2009.
2013 BTCC Jack Sears Trophy victor Lea Wood is another ex-Clio racer, having raced in the one-make series in 2008. He competed against Jeff Smith that year, the BTCC podium-finisher going on to race Clio’s for two more seasons, while they were joined on a one-weekend appearance by Rob Austin.
(Photo Credit: Jakob Ebrey Photography)
