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Outstanding young saloon car talent Andrew Herron has been revealed as the
latest driver to join the ranks of the SEAT Cupra Championship, the 19-year-old
ELF Renault Clio Cup race winner confirming his graduation to the series on
Friday, 11th January, at the 2008 Autosport International Show.
Along with 2007 Clio Cup team-mate Robert Lawson, the 19-year-old from
Northern Ireland will continue to race for JHR Developments as the outfit steps
up to the prestigious SEAT series. JHR will also continue to run a multi-car
Clio squad in 2008.
Remaining on the high profile HiQ MSA British Touring Car Championship
package,  Andrew is confident he will be able to hit the ground running when the
season gets underway at Brands Hatch Indy Circuit in Kent on 29th/30th March,
with a long term view of graduating to the European SEAT series in 2009.
The Dromore based teenager stunned the Clio Cup paddock last year by ending
his first ever season in cars ninth overall in the championship. He then went on
to end the four round Winter Series as Vice-Champion and achieved his maiden
race victory at Croft in North Yorkshire with a dominant lights-to-flag
performance.
With just three years of karting experience behind him prior to his saloon
car debut last year, Andrew is quickly becoming regarded as one of the most
exciting tin-top racers to emerge in Britain in recent years and the Brian
Herron Contracts backed star aims to continue his outstanding progress by
establishing himself as a force in the SEAT series.
Speaking on his 2008 deal confirmation at Autosport International, where he
had the opportunity to meet SEAT’s star BTCC drivers Jason Plato and Darren
Turner, Andrew said: “I’m very happy we’re staying with JHR this year for our
step-up to SEAT and I’m confident we’ll be strong and have a good season.
“The whole SEAT operation seems to be very professional and I’m really
looking forward to the year now. I’ve been introduced to all the SEAT Sport UK
guys, including Jason and Darren, and I’m delighted to be part of the
championship.”
He added: “I talked with Martin Byford (2007 ELF Renault Clio Cup Champion
and the first driver to confirm his participation in the 2008 SEAT Cupra
Championship) and he’s adapted to the car quite well, he just said it’s much
faster than the Clio.
“I’ve got a good test programme organised so I’m aiming to start the year
strong and get better as the year goes on. Obviously it’s a new car to me and I
haven’t driven it yet but I don’t see why I shouldn’t be as quick as anybody
else out there.”
The 2008 SEAT Cupra Championship will be contested over 20 rounds at some
of the UK’s most prestigious race venues, including Brands Hatch, Rockingham,
Silverstone, Oulton Park and Donington Park, and will support the BTCC at every
race meeting.
Each SEAT Leon Cupra race car is powered by a turbocharged 2.0-litre engine
capable of producing 300bhp. Along with a total prize fund of £250,000, the
biggest in UK motorsport, the 2008 Champion will receive a fully-funded
race weekend at the wheel of a BTCC SEAT Leon. In addition, the
title victor will win a road-going version of the car worth over
£17,000.
Herron excels in Celebrity Kart Challenge
Along
with his SEAT deal confirmation on Friday at the NEC in Birmingham, Andrew also
took part in the 2008 BP Ultimate Celebrity Kart Challenge where he teamed up
with Andrew Bentley, Michael Doyle and Paul Rivett as the Calamity Clios.
After problems with the team’s kart in qualifying, the squad had to start
from 22nd and last on the grid but Andrew produced an incredible performance
during the opening stint to climb into the top four before changing over to
team-mate Bentley.
Racing against drivers from disciplines including Formula One,
international sportscar racing, the DTM touring car series and A1GP, the Clio
team managed to complete the endurance race in third place and thus won a prize
of £1,000 for chosen charity the British Heart Foundation.
“The kart race was fantastic fun, I really enjoyed my time out there and to
come from the back of the grid to finish on the podium was an amazing
achievement”, said Andrew, “I’m delighted we were able to win £1,000 for the
British Heart Foundation, that’s what the race was all about, and hopefully
we’ve helped to raise awareness of the charity too.”
Driver Profile – Andrew Herron
Nationality: British
Age: 19
Date of Birth: 10th June
1988
Born: Co. Down, Northern Ireland
Lives: Dromore, Co. Down, Northern
Ireland
Marital Status: Single
Occupation: Machine Operative
Sponsors: Brian
Herron Contracts Ltd
Career History:
2007: ELF Renault Clio Cup – 9th
overall in the championship with one podium; ELF Renault Clio Winter Cup
Vice-Champion – one victory and three other podiums from four
races
2006: European & British Championship Rotax Karting; 16th
overall in the prestigious Winter Cup meeting at Garda in
Italy
2005: Irish Senior Rotax Max Karting Championship – 3rd
overall; Athboy Club Karting Champion
2004: Irish Junior Rotax Max
Karting Championship
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