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Onslow-cole Completes Perfect Weekend At Croft |
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Monday, 17 July 2006 |
Tom Onslow-Cole (New Malden, Surrey) won two races in a weekend for the first time this season as he dominated round 10 of the ELF Renault Clio Cup at Croft on Sunday, 16th July. After winning round nine on Saturday, the Total Control Racing man eased past team-mate Nick Adcock (Bromyard, Hereford) in the early stages and was never seriously threatened as he extended his already commanding Championship lead.
Adcock, who struggled while leading due to being the first man to encounter oil on the circuit from the damaged JHR Racing Developments car of Michael Doyle (Gartocharn, West Dunbartonshire), held on to finish second with Mark Speller (Hertford) completing a TCR one, two, three for the second race in succession.
JHR Racing’s Steven Hunter (Coal Aston, Dronfield) made up for his round nine retirement with a fighting fourth place, while Boulevard Team Racing’s Paul Rivett (Banstead, Surrey) held off the challenge of Mardi Gras Motorsport’s Robert Lawson (Richmond, N Yorks) for the full 12 laps to clinch fifth.
With the track already slippery due to the sweltering heat, damage to Doyle’s sump after hitting the kerb hard at the first corner, Clervaux, only served to make driving conditions even more hazardous. Race leader, Nick Adcock, suffered most, with Onslow-Cole able to choose a quicker racing line through the Esses and pass his team-mate at Sunny.
Local racer Alan Taylor (Whitley Bay) made a fantastic start to climb to eighth place from 14th on the grid but lost two places, to another home favourite, Philip House (Harrogate), and TCR’s James Williams (Norwich) after sliding on the treacherous surface.
After an initial early break by the front four drivers, Rivett and Lawson began to close the gap to make it a six-way battle at the head of the field with less than five seconds covering the bunch. Lawson, racing in front of his home fans, made several attempts to pass the two-time former Champion, pulling right alongside at the Hairpin on lap six, but Rivett used his greater experience to hold the 29-year-old, in only his first season of racing, at bay.
Just behind, Rivett’s team-mate Martin Johnson (Alford, Lincs) had his mirrors full of the distinctive yellow and black-liveried Clio of Philip House for the opening half of the race before the PH Motorsport with JHR driver was able to pass for seventh place. Johnson stayed glued to the rear bumper of House for the remainder of the race but was unable to find a way through.
At the head of the field, Onslow-Cole set the fastest lap of the race twice in succession to open a 3.7s lead. Although Adcock briefly reduced the deficit, Onslow-Cole put in a lap of 1min 33.836s (81.60mph) to pull away once again and claim the two bonus points.
Mardi Gras Motorsport’s Stephen Colbert (Northampton), who was second in the drivers’ standings going into round 10, was forced to drive a recovery race after being caught in Doyle’s first lap incident and finished 10th, less than half a second behind Williams.
For Onslow-Cole, it was a 10th podium finish in 10 races to give him a commanding 122-point lead over Adcock, with 32 points available for a win. Onslow-Cole said: “It’s the best meeting yet but it was really tough today with the oil
on the circuit from the chicane right through Sunny. Luckily I was able
to watch Nick and find a faster line. It’s been a fantastic year so far
and the Championship is looking really good if I can keep going.”
Once again Adcock had to settle for second place as his search for a
maiden Clio Cup win continues. He said: “It was my first pole in Clio
Cup racing and I thought I could get my first win with the pace I had.
Once the oil went down I didn’t know how the car would react and I was
a pioneer finding out where it was. Tom got past and immediately opened
a gap and that’s where it stayed throughout.”
Speller was delighted to claim his second podium finish in as many
days, adding: “It’s nice to be up here again and now my job is to try
to catch the two in front of me. It’s a shame it’s taken half a season
to find the pace in the car but hopefully I’ll be able to keep it up.
The team’s got the car working brilliantly and I have to give them
credit for this result.”
Rounds 11 and 12 take place on the Donington Park National circuit on Saturday, 29th July and Sunday 30th July respectively.
Drivers’ Championship standings after round 10 - provisional
| Pos. |
Driver |
Nationality |
Team |
Points |
| 1 |
Tom Onslow-Cole |
GBR |
Total Control Racing |
317 |
| 2 |
Nick Adcock |
GBR |
Total Control Racing |
195 |
| 3 |
Paul Rivett |
GBR |
Boulevard Team Racing |
192 |
| 4 |
Steven Hunter |
GBR |
JHR Racing Developments |
188 |
| 5 |
Stephen Colbert |
GBR |
Mardi Gras Motorsport |
187 |
| 6 |
Mark Speller |
GBR |
Total Control Racing |
153 |
| 7 |
Philip House |
GBR |
PH Motorsport with JHR |
150 |
| 8 |
Robert Lawson |
GBR |
Mardi Gras Motorsport |
148 |
| 9 |
Michael Doyle |
GBR |
JHR Racing Developments |
126 |
| 10 |
James Williams |
GBR |
Total Control Racing |
106 |
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Last Updated ( Saturday, 06 January 2007 )
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