Masters Cup class leader Lee Pattison topped the times during official pre-event testing at Oulton Park today ahead of Rounds Seven and Eight of the Renault UK Clio Cup this weekend.
Pattison’s best time of 1m 52.757 seconds for reigning champions Team Pyro came during the second of the day’s two sessions.
That gave him the top spot at the end of the day by just 0.080 seconds from fellow Masters runner Paul Rivett, the triple Clio champion having set his time of 1m 52.837 seconds to top the opening session of the day.
Outright championship leader Josh Cook ended the day third fastest overall, 0.157 seconds off Pattison’s best, with his closest title rival Mike Bushell just 0.005 seconds further back.
Devon Modell and Jordan Stilp impressed to complete the top six, while starring in eighth on the timesheets ahead of his debut weekend in the series was WDE Motorsport’s Charles Ladell.
James Colburn finished the day ninth overall, the Thruxton race-winner having had an off-track excursion under braking at Shell Oils Hairpin in the second session, fortunately emerging with just cosmetic front-end damage to his Clio.
Rob Smith wasn’t so fortunate however, with a huge accident in the second session seeing him roll his Clio at Druids. Smith was taken to hospital after being knocked unconscious in the accident, and with extensive damage to the car, his participation over the weekend is in huge doubt.
Missing from action completely meanwhile was Ash Hand, ignition problems with his SV Racing Clio leaving him sitting on the sidelines all day.
“It hasn’t been too bad at all today,” said Pattison. “I think we could have been quicker, I nearly went off twice on my first lap on new tyres so that made me a bit too cautious on the next couple and so I wasted the best of the tyres.
“Due to the stoppage with James [Colburn] in the second session, there were a load of things I wanted to try but didn’t have time to. Today could all be irrelevant, though, as tomorrow it’s supposed to be tipping it down. Sunday’s forecast is better, should be like today – warm and a bit cloudy – so fingers crossed.”
Renault UK Clio Cup – Oulton Park Official Pre-Event Testing – Combined Classification:
| Position | Driver | Team | Time | Gap |
| 1 | Lee Pattison | Team Pyro | 1:52.757 | |
| 2 | Paul Rivett | WDE Motorsport | 1:52.837 | 0.080 |
| 3 | Josh Cook | SV Racing | 1:52.914 | 0.157 |
| 4 | Mike Bushell | Team Pyro | 1:52.919 | 0.162 |
| 5 | Devon Modell | Westbourne Motorsport | 1:53.101 | 0.344 |
| 6 | Jordan Stilp | 20 Ten Racing | 1:53.444 | 0.687 |
| 7 | Ant Whorton-Eales | SV Racing | 1:53.583 | 0.826 |
| 8 | Charles Ladell | WDE Motorsport | 1:53.595 | 0.838 |
| 9 | James Colburn | Westbourne Motorsport | 1:53.837 | 1.080 |
| 10 | Rob Smith | Team Pyro | 1:53.902 | 1.145 |
| 11 | Alex Morgan | SV Racing | 1:54.200 | 1.443 |
| 12 | Craig Milner | 20Ten Racing | 1:57.038 | 4.281 |
| 13 | Ash Hand | SV Racing | ——– | ——– |
