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[Renault Clio Cup UK] Onslow-cole Continues Podium Record At Knockhill |
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Monday, 19 June 2006 |
ONSLOW-COLE CONTINUES PODIUM RECORD AT KNOCKHILL
Tom Onslow-Cole (New Malden, Surrey) maintained his run of finishing on the podium in every race in this season’s ELF Renault Clio Cup with a victory and a second place in rounds seven and eight at Knockhill on Sunday, 18th June. The round seven winner’s 62-point haul from the Renault Race Day increases his lead over round eight winner Paul Rivett (Banstead, Surrey) by 30 points to 81.
Saturday’s qualifying saw the top nine drivers separated by less than one second, but a deterioration in conditions led to two typically incident-packed races. In round seven, JHR Racing Developments’ Steven Hunter (Coal Aston, Dronfield) made the best start from the front row to lead Total Control Racing’s Onslow-Cole into turn one.
A coming together at the first corner saw Robert Lawson (Richmond, N Yours) unluckily forced into retirement while Mark Speller (Hertford) dropped down the order to finish 13th. Mardi Gras Motorsport’s Stephen Colbert (Northampton) took full advantage to seize the lead from seventh on the grid, while Rivett did well to control his car on the grass and recover to pass Nick Adcock (Bromyard, Hereford) at Clark bend, only to spin at Taylor’s Hairpin and fall to 12th place after contact with Adcock, which saw the 41-year-old deducted two Championship points.
With the Safety Car deployed, Rivett moved through the field to regain his place in fourth and although he went on to finish the race, his decision to overtake under Safety Car conditions led to his exclusion from the race classification and the deduction of two Championship points, the Boulevard Team Racing ace later acknowledging a misunderstanding of the relevant regulation.
Colbert made a brilliant restart to lead Onslow-Cole by almost two seconds. Behind them, Hunter, Ray MacDowall (Carlisle) and home favourite Michael Doyle (Gartocharn, West Dunbartonshire) were having a terrific battle with less than one second between the trio, MacDowall winning out to take fifth place on his return to Clio Cup racing.
After 10 of the 15 laps had passed, Onslow-Cole had worn down Colbert’s advantage to just 0.422s having freed himself from the challenge of his TCR team-mate Adcock. However, Colbert’s lead was restored to more than three seconds when Rivett and Onslow-Cole made contact at Taylor’s Hairpin on the following lap.
But in a thrilling finish, Onslow-Cole chased down Colbert once again as the Ulsterman sought his first-ever Clio Cup victory. On the final lap, Colbert, who turned 28 three days before the race meeting, ran wide at the final hairpin allowing Onslow-Cole thorough to claim his fourth win of the season.
In round eight, Rivett was able to pass Onslow-Cole at the first corner as the TCR man looked to protect his overall Championship advantage, settling for second place. Rivett opened a large gap as the round seven Armor All Driver of the Day, PH Motorsport’s Philip House, slotted into third place. Meanwhile, Hunter, Colbert, Speller and Adcock diced for fourth place throughout the race.
The decisive moment in that battle came on lap 13 when Hunter ran wide at Clark bend and was passed by all three of his rivals, while the gap at the front of the race was narrowing to less than one second.
But Rivett was able to judge his run to the line to perfection to keep Onslow-Cole at bay to win by 0.682s. With Phil House comfortably in third place, Speller capitalised on a mistake by Colbert at Taylor’s Hairpin to bag fourth place, his best result of the season to date, to earn the Armor All Driver of the Day award.
Commenting on another successful weekend, Onslow-Cole said: “Once again I’ve extended my Championship lead. The main thing I’ve tried to do is keep the big picture in mind and for me, that means winning the Championship. Paul is having to risk more to get the wins but I’m happy to pick up podiums because that will be enough for me to win the title now.”
Round eight winner Rivett was philosophical about his round seven exclusion, commenting: “I thought I was allowed to re-take my place because I hadn’t fallen to the very back of the field but that’s only on the green flag lap not under the Safety Car, so I can’t argue with the decision. The second race was about as easy as they come and I was just pacing myself home at the end.”
The Championship now takes a three week break before rounds nine and 10 at Croft circuit, North Yorkshire on 15th/16th July.
Drivers’ Championship standings after Round Eight - provisional
| Pos. | Driver | Nat. | Team | Points | | 1 | Tom Onslow-Cole | GBR | Total Control Racing | 249 pts | | 2 | Paul Rivett | GBR | Boulevard Team Racing | 168 pts | | 3 | Steven Hunter | GBR | JHR Racing Developments | 166 pts | | 4 | Stephen Colbert | GBR | Mardi Gras Motorsport | 158 pts | | 5 | Nick Adcock | GBR | Total Control Racing | 139 pts | | 6 | Philip House | GBR | PH Motorsport with JHR | 118 pts | | 7 | Robert Lawson | GBR | Mardi Gras Motorsport | 110 pts | | 8 | Michael Doyle | GBR | JHR Racing Developments | 106 pts | | 9 | Mark Speller | GBR | Total Control Racing | 103 pts | | 10 | James Williams | GBR | Total Control Racing | 82 pts |
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