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Byford Completes Superb Double At Snetterton |
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Monday, 14 August 2006 |
Z Speed Racing’s Martin Byford (Colchester) wrapped up an incredible weekend at his home circuit with victory in round 14 of the ELF Renault Clio Cup at Snetterton on Sunday, 13th August. Boulevard Team Racing’s Paul Rivett (Banstead, Surrey) finished second to close on Championship leader Tom Onslow-Cole (New Malden, Surrey). JHR Racing Developments’ Michael Doyle (Gartocharn, West Dunbartonshire) scored his second career podium in third place.
Byford started the race from pole position after a tremendous qualifying session saw him dominate the timesheets. However, Total Control Racing’s Onslow-Cole made the better start and passed Byford on the inside of Sear corner. Byford then fought back on the run down the Revett Straight, regaining first place through the second part of the Esses.
Onslow-Cole then lost out to Rivett through Coram Curve and the pair continued to scrap for second place on lap two. Current series leader Onslow-Cole tried to pass on the inside of Sear corner, edging ahead and forcing Rivett wide. As the Boulevard ace attempted to complete the corner and move back onto the circuit, he made contact with Onslow-Cole who spun, dropping to 10th place and promoting Doyle to second.
Just behind, Mardi Gras Motorsport duo Robert Lawson (Richmond, N Yorks) and Stephen Colbert (Northampton) made good progress to fifth and sixth place respectively, while Team Pyro’s Mark Hunt (Broughton Astley, Leics) looked to challenge for the final podium spot. Hunt was on hand to follow Rivett past Doyle as the young Scot ran wide on the exit of Sear corner on lap three. Doyle was gently bumped by Lawson, allowing Colbert through to fifth.
With Byford leading by more than five seconds, his lead was suddenly wiped out by the deployment of the Safety Car after a tyre barrier was dislodged at the chicane. After two laps behind the Safety Car, Hunt struggled as the heat left his tyres and ran wide at Riches, dropping to eighth place. Meanwhile, Colbert passed Doyle for third place following Hunt’s demotion, although Doyle would regain third place for good on lap 10 for his first podium finish since the final round of 2005.
Onslow-Cole was beginning his fight back through the field, passing Drive 4 Life/SVE’s Niki Lanik (Ashurst Wood, W Sussex), TCR team-mate Nick Adcock (Bromyard, Hereford) and Mark Hunt in the space of four laps. PH Motorsport with JHR’s Philip House (Harrogate) was also driving well after a first-lap mistake and made it up to 11th by overtaking Martin Johnson (Alford, Lincs) before a broken driveshaft ended his race.
TCR’s Mark Speller (Hereford) drove a great race from 13th on the grid to the top five by passing Lawson on lap 11 but he finished down in 13th after suffering a mechanical problem on the penultimate lap. This allowed Onslow-Cole into fifth place to limit his points deficit to Rivett to just eight. Mark Hunt confirmed his strong pace by passing Onslow-Cole at Sear corner but a mistake at the Esses relegated him back down to 10th.
At the head of the field, Byford gradually began to ease away from Rivett and re-establish the lead he had built before the Safety Car spell and was four and a half seconds clear going into the final lap of the 1.95-mile circuit. He was then able to ease off on the final tour, crossing the line 4.002s ahead of Rivett. Lawson clung on to sixth place by just 0.170s from Niki Lanik, the Austrian driver improving in every session of the weekend to earn a fine seventh place.
Commenting on his second victory of the weekend, Byford, who only returned to the series at Donington Park in July, said: “I couldn’t believe it when the Safety Car came out but I’d seen the
tyres on the track and knew they would have to do that. The set-up of
my car has been on the button the whole weekend and I don’t think Paul
was ever close enough to have a lunge for the lead and I was able to
ease off over the last four or five laps.”
Rivett, who now trails Onslow-Cole by 61 points, said: “Two second
places from the weekend is good points for the Championship so I am
happy overall. I actually tried to back off slightly from Martin to get
a tow and try for the fastest lap but I backed off too much and
couldn’t close the gap again! Martin was a class above this weekend and
full credit to him for what he achieved.”
Doyle, 19, was delighted with his first podium of the season and had
been closing on Rivett for second place in the closing stages. He
commented: “It was a bit hectic in the first couple of laps and I had a
good battle with Colbert and Lawson. When I managed to get past them I
pulled away a little bit and did my fastest laps in the middle part of
the race. This was a good weekend for me because I got a good few
points, which I really needed for the Championship.”
Rounds 15 and 16 form part of the World Series by Renault meeting at Donington Park Grand Prix circuit on 9th/10th September.
Drivers’ Championship standings after Round 14 - provisional
| Pos. |
Driver |
Nationality |
Team |
Points |
| 1 |
Tom Onslow-Cole |
GBR |
Total Control Racing |
371 |
| 2 |
Paul Rivett |
GBR |
Boulevard Team Racing |
310 |
| 3 |
Stephen Colbert |
GBR |
Mardi Gras Motorsport |
269 |
| 4 |
Nick Adcock |
GBR |
Total Control Racing |
235 |
| 5 |
Steven Hunter |
GBR |
JHR Racing Developments |
213 |
| 6 |
Michael Doyle |
GBR |
JHR Racing Developments |
203 |
| 7 |
Robert Lawson |
GBR |
Mardi Gras Motorsport |
191 |
| 8 |
Mark Speller |
GBR |
Total Control Racing |
188 |
| 9 |
Philip House |
GBR |
PH Motorsport with JHR |
186 |
| 10 |
James Williams |
GBR |
Total Control Racing |
163 |
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Last Updated ( Saturday, 06 January 2007 )
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