Second year Renault UK Clio Cup racer Jordan Stilp has become 20Ten Racing’s third driver signing for the 2014 campaign it is announced today, Monday, 10th March, with the 19-year-old targeting podium results in the first season for the new, turbo-powered Clio Cup race car.
Making a strong impact in the Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship feeder series in 2013, ending the season 13th overall and seventh in the Graduate Cup class in his first year of front-wheel drive racing, the Potterspury-based youngster was nonetheless slightly disappointed with the end result. Ahead of his second season, Stilp is aiming for nothing less than front-running consistency.
“I am really looking forward to the new season”, he commented, “Last year was quite trying for me, I started off at the beginning quite well and adapted quickly to the front-wheel drive. Unfortunately from mid-season on, though, I just seemed to get a lot of problems with the car in general and the championship result wasn’t what I was aiming for.
“For this season I’ve been fortunate to secure backing from Impey UK and Stilp Property Services Ltd again, and talks are still in progress with a few other companies. I have been out testing in the new Clio with 20Ten and I’ve taken to it extremely well, the new car feels better to drive and I felt very confident with its handling – so it didn’t take long to put in some good times.”
Beginning his competitive racing career on two wheels rather than four in the ranks of Motocross, Stilp switched to karting in 2002 and nine years later graduated into car racing in the Ma5da Mk1 Championship. Ending the season third overall with 10 race wins, earning him the ‘Rookie of the Year’ tag, he went on to become Autumn Series Champion with a clean sweep of victories.
In 2012 the Northamptonshire teenager – younger brother of former Renault UK Clio Cup racer Daniel Stilp – progressed into the Ma5da MX5 Championship and, with seven victories and 15 other podiums, he concluded the season as Vice-Champion.
Now joining the already confirmed Josh Cook (Bath) and Craig Milner (Matlock) at 20Ten Racing for his second year of Clio Cup action, Stilp’s arrival at the Little Eaton team further boosts the squad’s position and team principal Simon Hunt is certain the youngster is a potential podium challenger.
“It’s fantastic to have signed Jordan as our third driver”, said Hunt, “We’ve done a couple of tests with him already and he’s been very quick, he was fast at Donington and at Brands last week he was really quick again. I don’t know why but I didn’t expect him to be quite as fast as he was! We’re delighted to have Jordan on board and looking forward to a great season.”
Stilp, Cook and Milner will all convene for the officially timed pre-season Renault UK Clio Cup test and Media Day next Wednesday, 19th March, at Rockingham in Northamptonshire. Little over a week later, the opening two races of the 2014 season will take place at Brands Hatch Indy Circuit in Kent on 29th/30th March.
“Everyone at 20Ten has been very welcoming and I am very happy with the way we all worked together with feedback when testing, this is very important to me and after my first test day out at Donington everything just fell into place”, added Stilp, “Simon [Hunt] is a great bloke and we all get on very well, so I feel very confident in 20Ten we’ll have a great season battling for the podium.”
Renault UK Clio Cup is supported by ELF, Performance Friction, WP Racing and official tyre supplier Dunlop.
Website: www.renaultsport.co.uk/championships/cliocup built by Racecar
