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Barnstaple based ELF Renault Clio Cup racer Jonathan Ridley-Holloway is
looking forward to the start of official pre-season testing just over a month
from now after impressing during two separate outings with the Total Control
Racing team this week.
Running at Oulton Park Island Circuit in Cheshire yesterday (Friday)
following on from an outing at Brands Hatch Indy Circuit in Kent on Wednesday,
the 23-year-old produced excellent speed and consistency during both tests to
give himself a timely confidence boost as winter preparations for the 2008
championship gather pace.
Embarking on his first full season of sprint racing this year in the Clio
Cup, having spent the past three years in the endurance based Britcar and
Production S1 categories, Jonathan is aiming to become a competitive
front-runner as quickly as possible. Based on his lap times from this week’s
tests, the North Devon ace certainly looks on course.
“This week’s tests both went well and I’m feeling more and more confident
every time I’m in the car now”, said Jonathan, “We ran at Snetterton the other
week but had a problem with the rear suspension which was a bit of a nightmare.
The TCR guys got things sorted out though and when we arrived at Brands on
Wednesday everything went well.
“There were some very experienced Clio racers out there and other than
Jonathan Adam (2005 ELF Renault Clio Cup Champion and 2007 SEAT Cupra Champion),
who was there to help the team out and offer some feedback, my times compared
favourably and I’m really pleased about that.
“I got down to some very respectable lap times at Brands and felt
comfortable, with a bit more commitment through Paddock Hill Bend I’m confident
we’ll be in pretty good shape for the first two rounds of the season.”
The picturesque Oulton Park Island Circuit is, of course, a much different
prospect to the Indy Circuit at Brands Hatch but Jonathan, accompanied by his
2008 team-mates Alex MacDowall and Mike Robinson, once again went well and looks
in good shape for the new Clio Cup championship.
“Things are moving in the right direction without any doubt at all and I’m
looking forward more and more to my first full season in Clios”, he added, “We
had Johnny Adam out with us again at Oulton and so that was a huge help. We’re
all working really well together and I’m quite happy with my pace and
progress.”
Jonathan’s next pre-season test outing will come at Rockingham Motor
Speedway in Northamptonshire on Thursday, 21st February.
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