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Hunter Ends Race Career In Renault Protest |
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Tuesday, 15 August 2006 |
Renault Clio Cup front-runner Steven Hunter ended his racing career at Snetterton on Sunday in a shock championship walk-out, a protest at “laughable” judicial procedures which the Dronfield ace says are commonplace in the series.
A catalogue of flawed decisions throughout the course of the race
weekend, largely centring around the absence of a pair of sponge pads
from his rear bumper, resulted in the JHR Racing Developments team
manager calling time prematurely on what has been a superb career.
The 32-year-old will continue to run the JHR squad, so-named in memory
of his deceased brother Jamie Hunter, but as far as racing is
concerned, round 14 of the Renault Clio Cup season on Sunday marked the
final time Steven will drive competitively.
Having qualified strongly on Saturday, securing fourth and fifth grid
slots for rounds 13 and 14 respectively, Hunter was subsequently
excluded from the session’s results when a scrutineering check revealed
two sponge pads – weighing no more than 14 grams combined – to be
missing from the inside of his rear bumper.
Not only were his times disallowed, Hunter was also slapped with a six
point deduction from his championship total, saw his race licence
heavily endorsed with six points and was also ordered to start both
races with a 10 second delay.
But according to Hunter himself, the Renault organisers knew he didn’t
have the pads in place prior to Snetterton qualifying as he had
attempted to purchase some from the championship’s designated parts
supplier prior to the event.
“I was told the part I wanted wasn’t available and then told I couldn’t
buy the pads separately, I would have to buy an entire new rear
bumper”, explained the three-time, back-to-back, MGF Cup Champion,
“even though the pads have their own part number."
“The series organisers knew I didn’t have the pads ahead of qualifying
as they hadn’t supplied me with any replacements so surely if it was
such a problem I should have been prevented from going out to qualify?”
Hunter continued: “After excluding me from qualifying and then adding
points to my licence and deducting points from my championship total, I
asked whether I would be allowed to race or not and then Renault
magically came up with the pads even though I was told they weren’t
available!
“Renault gave me an impossible task this weekend and I genuinely think
I was a target for them after what I said in the aftermath of the
Donington races where Nick Adcock put me out into the gravel. I think
they were looking to get even one way or another.”
Having threatened to end his career at Donington Park last month after
being crudely eliminated from the second of the weekend’s races by
rival Nick Adcock, Hunter has now felt compelled to make a stand
against what he deems to be an under-current of inconsistencies within
the Clio series.
In light of the actions of the series organisers, Hunter lodged a
protest against another Clio team on Sunday regarding an illegality
which was upheld by the scrutineers and the team in question saw its
drivers excluded from the race results.
Having made his point, Hunter withdrew the protest – having no axe to
grind against the other team - but the organisers then chose to
reinstate the drivers, effectively being seen to allow two illegal cars
to remain in their race positions and earn championship points.
“I’m out there to enjoy my racing but this weekend has been nothing
short of ludicrous”, added Hunter, “I made the protest to make a point,
some of things Renault says are illegal in no way give a performance
advantage.
“There’s a level of common sense needed from those who run the Clio
championship and this weekend that has not been shown at all. Someone
is disqualified for an illegal part after a protest, I withdraw my
protest and then they are reinstated. This proves the Renault judicial
system to be laughable.
“There’s no doubt we were on for a championship top three this season
but the championship manager has ensured that won’t happen now and has
probably also gone a fair way to spoiling a good climax to the title
race. I’m sad to be stopping racing as the season went well early on
but it’s time someone made a stand against the organisation of the
series.”
Born in Sheffield and a property developer by day, Steven's racing
achievments are vast with his finest hour coming in the highly
competitive MGF Cup Championship, winning the title for three
successive seasons, 2001 to 2003.
He also enjoyed considerable success more recently in the Renault Clio
Cup, taking a maiden win in the 2005 winter series before going on to
claim his first victory in the 'full' British Touring Car
Championship-supporting category earlier this year at Thruxton.
Hunter’s retirement from on-track action means there is now a seat
available at the race-winning JHR team. Interested drivers are invited
to contact Steven on 07803 669894.
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Last Updated ( Saturday, 06 January 2007 )
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