Mark Howard, the 1993 Renault 5 ELF Turbo UK Cup champion, will rekindle his association with Renault competition this season when he competes in the 2014 Renault UK Clio Cup.
The 49 year old will contest his maiden season in the Clio Cup with Daniel Rowbottom’s DRM Motorsport Solutions outfit.
Not long after his Renault 5 title, Howard departed from the racing scene for a number of years before returning to action in the Volkswagen Racing Cup in 2011.
After making a handful of appearances in Radicals and the VW Cup the following year, Howard took a year out last season.
“I’m firmly in the Masters Cup class now and it’s going to be an interesting time seeing if I still have the reactions and speed to match my competitiveness,” said Howard.
“I can’t wait to get out there in the car and I’m looking forward to working with Daniel [Rowbottom] and his team. It’s a big challenge, one I really am relishing, but I’m not taking anything for granted as it’s a very long time since I won in the Renault 5 Turbo UK Cup!”
Rowbottom had initially intended to compete himself in the Clio Cup with a view to moving into the BTCC in 2015, until the loss of a couple of sponsors led to a change of plan for the DRM team principal.
“Unfortunately though a couple of sponsors pulled out of the programme and it’s just been too late to try and save the situation for me to get back out there racing,” he explained.
“We put the car up for sale and Mark [Howard] got in touch, he bought it and now we’re going to run him. We’re looking forward to running Mark this year and if we can have a successful season.”
