Rob Smith’s frustrating season in the Renault UK Clio Cup came to an exasperating conclusion at a wet and rainy Brands Hatch Grand Prix Circuit over the weekend, 12th/13th October, when contact in the final two rounds of the campaign spoiled some impressive potential.Although going into qualifying on the back-foot after being forced to miss pre-event testing due to commitments at Loughborough University where he has started a Masters degree in Automotive Systems Engineering, the Telford racer was unhindered by the lack of track time relative to his rivals and secured a seventh row start for round 15 – lapping just a second shy of the top two.Making a good start to Saturday afternoon’s encounter, Rob gained two places on the opening lap to move into 11th place and then climbed into the outright top 10 on the very next tour following an excursion for Lee Pattison.Soon after, the Safety Car was deployed following another incident but when the action resumed on lap five the 21-year-old pressed on and ran within 0.9 seconds of the group ahead. Another Safety Car period then occurred on the eighth tour when Jacques Mizzi ended his race in the gravel.Racing resumed once more on lap 10 with Rob looking very well placed to secure his fifth top 10 of the season but contact from the car of Jordan Stilp, as the duo diced through Dingle Dell and into Sheene Curve, pushed Rob off the circuit with broken steering. He did manage to limp back to the pits but his race, very disappointingly, was run.“I had a good start and we were keeping pace with the pack which was great considering we hadn’t done any testing”, said the Shropshire driver, “I struggled a little bit with a couple of corners on the Grand Prix loop, just through lack of track time, but everywhere else we were on the pace.“It all bunched up after the second Safety Car, we were two wide going through Hawthorns and Westfield and then [Ignas] Gelzinis managed to get a run on me. Unfortunately, [Jordan] Stilp followed him through as though as I wasn’t there and went straight into the front of my car – that was it, bent steering arm again and race over.”Constant rain prior to, and during, round 16 on Sunday resulted in as many as three Safety Car periods and Rob was again the unfortunate victim of contact. Rocketing away from the line in his Goodride Performance Tyres, Grouptyre, BMTR and EG Wholesale car, he sliced his way through into the top 10 by the time the field rounded the second turn where he was pitched into a spin.Recovering in 19th position overall, the Total Control Racing driver did manage to claw his way back into 14th position before the finish but rued what might have been with pace good enough for a top five result. He ends the season 14th in the main championship and 10th in the Graduate Cup class.“I got a really good start, I think I was up into about seventh by the time we got to Druids and then I got turned round”, explained Smith, “Facing completely the wrong way on the exit of Druids, with the whole pack charging towards you, wasn’t enjoyable but I managed to save it somehow.“From that point on I think something was bent or damaged on the back of the car, it’s a real shame as we had good pace in the conditions. The spray was a bit difficult, the standing water was fine though, and I’m just really disappointed as the pace was strong and we were on for a really good finish to the season.”He added: “The first half of the year wasn’t too bad, we had some decent results, but the second half of the year has been nothing but bad luck and being taken out by people. It really has just been one of those years unfortunately.”Provisional 2013 Renault UK Clio Cup Driver Standings:14th Rob Smith, 107ptsProvisional 2013 Renault UK Clio Cup ‘Graduate Cup’ Standings:10th Rob Smith, 170pts
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