Byford Quickest In Official Thruxton Testing
Z Speed Racing’s Martin Byford (Colchester) set the fastest time of 1min 24.396s (100.49mph) during official ELF Renault Clio Cup testing at Thruxton on Wednesday, 8th August. JHR Developments’ Robert Lawson (Richmond, N Yorks) was second quickest on combined times after going fastest in session two at the high-speed Hampshire venue with a time of 1min 24.487s (100.38mph).
The test day at the 2.36-mile circuit replaces the usual pre-race test held on the Friday prior to British Touring Car Championship meetings, which the ELF Renault Clio Cup supports. The Thruxton race meeting takes place on 13th/14th October – the final two rounds of the 2007 season.
Byford’s leading time came on his penultimate flying lap of session one to put him 0.240s ahead of championship leader Stefan Hodgetts (Redditch). Team Eurotech-John Guest Speedfit’s Andrew Jordan (Sutton Coldfield) underlined his return to form just a further 0.01s adrift, with Lawson in fourth.
Mardi Gras Motorsport’s Ed Pead (Northampton) was fifth quickest ahead of Youth 4 Human Rights with SVE’s Niki Lanik (Ashurst Wood) and Mardi Gras’ Árón Smith (Rathfarnham). Coastal Racing’s Carl Bradley (Morecambe), JHR Developments’ Andrew Herron (Dromore) and In Tune with Robertshaw Racing’s Michael Doyle (Gartocharn), winner of round seven two weeks ago, completed the top 10.
The session ended early when the red flag was required following a big accident for Amery Motorsport’s Jonathan Shepherd (Sandbach) at the fast Village corner. Shepherd’s car landed on its roof after hitting the tyre wall close to a marshal’s post but both driver and volunteer marshals were unhurt.
The day’s second session saw an interruption just over 10 minutes into the stint when Team Pyro’s Mel Healey (Cheam) suffered a damaged sump at Club chicane and spilled oil on the circuit, causing Herron to slide into the tyre wall with Bradley forced into the barrier taking evasive action as Herron attempted to recover back to the circuit.
By this time, JHR Developments’ Lawson, who clinched his first Clio Cup victory in round eight at Snetterton, was fastest ahead of Mardi Gras Motorsport duo Pead and Smith with Byford and Jordan in fourth and fifth. Stephen Colbert (Northampton) was sixth quickest on his second outing of 2007 with the Full Speed Racing team for which he acts as a driver coach.
Full Speed’s Mark Speller (Hertford) was seventh ahead of Herron, while two-time former ELF Renault Clio Cup champion Paul Rivett (Banstead) was eighth fastest for Entrants’ standings leader JHR Developments in preparation for a return to racing action at Brands Hatch in 10 days’ time. Michael Doyle set the 10th fastest time of the session after work to cover the oil left on the circuit.
Once again the session ended prematurely after a second high-speed accident, this time involving two cars. Mark Speller ran wide coming through Village and as he fought to regain control he was hit by the unsighted Chris Dymond (Akeley) of Robertshaw Racing, near the part of the track that sees cars reach more than 120mph at the speed trap. Thankfully, both drivers escaped unharmed despite both cars suffering damage, with Speller’s the more extensive.
Commenting on the day, fastest overall Martin Byford said: “It’s always good to be quickest on a test day and it’s a boost for when we come here to race. It was a shame we lost track time as there isn’t any other time we can test here but hopefully it won’t count against me when we come to qualify in October.”
Round nine of the ELF Renault Clio Cup takes place at Kent’s Brands Hatch Indy circuit on 18th/19th August.
For all the latest ELF Renault Clio Cup Championship news visit the official Renault Sport UK website www.renaultsport.co.uk
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