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Epton To Make Racing Return At Thruxton This Weekend |
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Monday, 30 April 2007 |
David Epton will make his long-overdue racing return at Thruxton this weekend, 5th/6th May, with the Apotex Scorpio Motorsport team as part of the fifth and sixth rounds of the 2007 Formula Renault UK Championship – the event marking the single-seater star’s first race outing for a full six months.
The 25-year-old, originally from nearby Hampshire town Fleet but at present residing and working in Preston as a graduate accountant manager with BAe Systems, has been trying to raise the necessary budget to compete in the fledgling International Formula Master series which has its curtain-raising event on 19th/20th May at Valencia in Spain.
While talks continue apace with key sponsors such as Universal Weather
& Aviation Inc and Imperial Jet in a bid to put together the
required funds for David to make the step-up to European competition,
his outing at Thruxton this weekend will mark a very welcome return to
active competition for the 2005 Formula Palmer Audi Vice-Champion.
“I’m delighted to be back racing and especially with the guys at Apotex
Scorpio”, said David, “We’re still trying hard to graduate from Formula
Renault UK but we always said if there was the opportunity to race at
Thruxton this season we would.”
With Apotex Scorpio Motorsport team-mate Will Bratt having proven the
team’s pace already this season with a podium result at Rockingham
Motor Speedway a little over a week ago, and bearing in mind David just
missed out on a podium finish at Thruxton during the corresponding race
meeting last year, hopes for next weekend are very high.
David did join the team for the official pre-event Thruxton test just
over two weeks ago and quickly underlined his credentials after lapping
competitively inside the top six during the afternoon with a lap time
of 1m 11.064 seconds (119.33mph), the outing providing his maiden
experience of the new-for-2007 aerodynamic upgrade kit.
As his first track action since the 2006 Formula Renault UK season
finale last October, David declared himself happy with his performance
throughout the test and is confident of a successful racing return to
his former home venue.
He added: “The team has had a good start to the year and I’m hopeful
both Will and I will be able to secure strong results in both races. In
the recent test I lapped inside the top six having been out of a car
for six months so I think we stand a good chance of some promising
results. I’m really looking forward to being back out there.”
Qualifying for the fifth round of the Formula Renault UK Championship
will take place at 10.20 on Saturday, 5th May, with round six
qualifying to follow at 14.45. Both races, which will be featured live
on digital satellite and cable subscription channel Setanta Sports 2
are timetabled to take place at 11.35 and 16.05 on Sunday, 6th May.
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