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Lawson Sets The Pace At Croft Test |
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Saturday, 19 May 2007 |
JHR Developments’ Robert Lawson (Richmond) set the fastest time of the day during official ELF Renault Clio Cup testing at Croft on Thursday, 17th May. The 30-year-old in his second season of Clio Cup racing set a time of 1min 32.715s (82.51mph) in the third and final stint. He will be hoping to score his first Clio Cup victory at his home circuit when round four takes place at the North Yorkshire venue on 2nd/3rd June. Momo UK’s Stefan Hodgetts (Redditch) and Total Control Racing’s Ben Winrow (Earls Barton) were quickest in the first and second sessions respectivel
Hodgetts, winner of round two at Rockingham and round three at Thruxton, immediately set the benchmark in session one with a time of 1min 33.424s (81.89mph). Lawson was second ahead of Team Eurotech-John Guest Speedfit’s Andrew Jordan (Sutton Coldfield).
Another local driver, PH Motorsport’s Philip House (Harrogate) was
fourth. Mardi Gras Motorsport’s round one winner Ed Pead (Northampton)
was fifth and Kangaroo International/SMC Renault/JHR Developments’ Jim
Edwards Jnr (Maidenhead) rounded out the top six. Championship leader
Martin Byford (Colchester) of Z Speed Racing was down in 14th with a
time of 1min 34.736s (80.75mph).
In session two, Winrow completed only three laps but the third of those
was in a time of 1min 32.888s (82.36mph). None of the other 31 drivers
could better that in the remaining time, Hodgetts finishing second by a
margin of 0.400s. Pead was third while Byford gave a truer account of
his pace in fourth. Booker Motorsport’s Dean Hobson (Barnsley) was 23rd
quickest before an accident at Sunny In ended his day’s testing.
Although there was a threat of rain, track conditions improved and the
lap times continued to fall. Winrow set a time of 1min 32.880s
(82.37mph) but that was immediately beaten by just 0.165s by Lawson. On
his penultimate lap of the session, Martin Byford took second place
with a gap of just 0.071s to Lawson. Ed Pead, Andrew Jordan and Philip
House completed the top six.
Commenting on his performance, Lawson said: “It was a very good day for
us and I’m very pleased. After being second in the first session we
made a few set-up changes and actually went backwards a little bit. But
then it all came together in the third session and it’s good to be
quickest overall.”
On his chances of his first Clio Cup win at the same circuit in a
fortnight’s time, Lawson added: “It would be nice and hopefully we can
carry this pace forward when we come back here. I was leading at
Thruxton and suffered some damage that put me down on power on the
straights. If I can avoid damage and get away well then we’ll see what
happens.”
Round four of the ELF Renault Clio Cup takes place at Croft on 2nd/3rd June.
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