ELF Renault Clio Cup racer Andrew Herron secured a hard-fought top 10 finish during the latest round of the 2007 championship at Donington Park Grand Prix Circuit Sunday, 9th September, the teenager enjoyied a solid run with an incredible 80,000 spectators looking on.As part of the huge World Series by Renault race meeting at the Leicestershire venue, which attracted as many as 135,000 race fans over the course of the weekend, the 10th round of the Clio Cup promised to be an exciting affair after two good qualification races on Saturday, Andrew lining up for Sunday’s points-scoring feature event in 10th place.The 19-year-old, from Dromore in Co. Down, was due to start from row six rather than row five but with Andrew Jordan failing to make the grid it meant the Northern Irishman would now have an even greater chance of trying to maintain 10th place overall in the driver’s table.With the packed grid of almost 40 cars ready to entertain the crowds, the start was delayed in bizarre circumstances when the lights on the gantry over the start/finish straight failed to work. After an equally odd second green flag lap, which saw Alex MacDowall spin and then recover to the wrong grid slot, the start was delayed for a second time of asking before the race finally got underway over an amended distance of 10 laps. Andrew made a fair getaway, certainly better than the one he made during Saturday’s qualification race, and after running in eighth place early on, the Northern Ireland ace was passed by Mark Speller.Chasing down Speller and with 2003 ELF Renault Clio Cup Champion Jonathan Fildes in close company behind, Andrew lapped consistently strongly before an off for JHR Developments team-mate Jim Edwards Jnr at McLeans Corner promoted the rookie into eighth position.Forced to defend from the attentions of Fildes first and subsequently Chris Dymond, Andrew still looked assured and after slipping back behind the latter, he soon appeared to gain a second wind as he pressed Dymond almost all the way to the chequered flag.Running in ninth position, Andrew then unfortunately lost out to Michael Doyle on the 10th and final lap but the points for 11th place see the Northern Irishman hold a nine-point advantage over 12th placed Fildes in the championship standings.“We had the pace again this weekend, my lap times were pretty good and we scored points which was the aim”, commented Andrew, “It’s unfortunate for us Phil (House) finished in the top six as we were equal 10th place in the championship when we arrived at Donington but we’ve still got a good chance to end the season in the top 10.“It was good racing with such big crowds, it’s obviously the biggest race meeting I’ve ever competed at, and I’m looking forward to Thruxton now in five weeks to see if we can end our first year in cars on a high.”
The final round of the 2007 ELF Renault Clio Cup sees the championship return to Thruxton in Hampshire for the second time this year, the event scheduled to take place on 13th/14th October with the series returning to its regular slot on the British Touring Car Championship support package.Provisional 2007 ELF Renault Clio Cup Driver Standings (after Rd10)1st Martin Byford, 226pts; 2nd Stefan Hodgetts, 204pts; 11th Andrew Herron, 92pts
