Michelin Clio Cup Road Series Prize Announced For Henry Surtees Challenge

Renault UK and Michelin have teamed-up to support this year’s Henry Surtees Challenge, which will take place at Buckmore Park in Kent on Wednesday, 23rd October, by offering a fully-funded prize race drive in the Michelin Clio Cup Series with Protyre’s upcoming ‘Autumn Cup’ event.

The annual Henry Surtees Challenge, which was first established in 2011 in memory of the late son of 1964 Formula One World Champion and four-time 500cc Motorcycling World Champion John Surtees OBE, has already become firmly established as a key date on the motorsport calendar.

Attracting the very best young kart racers, single-seater drivers and saloon car competitors from across the UK, all racing in identical Club 100 Birel karts, the yearly event – organised by the Henry Surtees Foundation – has two objectives.

One, obviously, to raise funds for the Foundation where last year’s event assisted the Foundation in providing blood transfusion equipment for the Kent Surrey Sussex Air Ambulance. The second is that with the help of various very generous sponsors, the foundation can give a range of unrivalled prizes to help young drivers progress their motorsport careers

Renault UK’s newly confirmed prize package for the 2013 event will include the use of a Road Series Clio Renaultsport, which is currently being built by Monster Sport Europe, for the Autumn Cup races on 16th/17th November at Rockingham in Northamptonshire.

Michelin, the category’s official tyre partner, will supply Pilot Sport 3 tyres for the race weekend and pre-event testing will also be included. There is also scope for the prize to be provisionally extended into 2014 as a full scholarship, when the Michelin Clio Cup Road Series will become a full championship. Additionally, key series partner Safety Devices will supply a free roll cage.

“On behalf of Renault UK and everyone involved with the Michelin Clio Cup Series with Protyre, we are absolutely delighted to be supporting this year’s Henry Surtees Challenge and we’re sure the prize of a funded drive at the Autumn Cup meeting will be hotly contested”, said Renault UK Communications Director Jeremy Townsend.

“The work John [Surtees] and the Henry Surtees Foundation does is incredible and it’s a privilege to be involved in the karting event at Buckmore. Henry was an outstanding young man, a fantastic racing driver and a real credit to the sport as a whole. He is sorely missed by all who knew him but the Henry Surtees Challenge is a truly fitting way to keep his memory alive.”

Any drivers taking part in next month’s charity race who currently compete in karting, and who are 16-years-of-age or older, will be eligible to battle for the Renault UK prize which provides a superb opportunity to gain a foothold in professional saloon car racing.

There is also the opportunity for the winner to secure an assisted drive in the 2014 Michelin Clio Cup Road Series. The prize car will be available to race in the new championship, whilst Michelin will support the entry with free Michelin Pilot Sport 3 tyres at all six race meetings.

“It is a pleasure to again be linked with Renault”, commented John Surtees OBE, “Renault has played such a significant part in motorsport from its start and, certainly through its support of junior motorsport, has helped to create champions.”

The Surtees family’s link with Renault began in 2007 when Henry graduated into the Formula Renault UK Championship for the final two rounds of the season. Surtees Jnr went on to achieve his first podium finish at Silverstone the following year before racing to his maiden victory at Croft during the 2008 Winter Series. Ultimately, he only missed out on the title by a mere three points.

Along with headline sponsors Michelin and Protyre, the Clio Cup Series is additionally supported by Safety Devices, Mark Fish Motorsport, The Lubricant Consultancy and NGK Spark Plugs.

ENDS


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