otal Control Racing’s Mike Robinson and George Gamble each produced excellent performances at Donington Park and Silverstone Grand Prix Circuit respectively over the weekend, 31st May/1st June – Robinson increasing his lead in the Michelin Clio Cup Race Series and Protyre Motorsport Ginetta GT5 Challenge pace-setter Gamble extending his run of 2014 podium finishes to nine.Enjoying a sensational start to the weekend, Wednesbury-based TCR locked out the Clio Cup Race Series pole positions at Donington with Robinson and team-mate Andy Jordan claiming one apiece. Down the M1 at Silverstone, meanwhile, Gamble secured pole position for the first two Ginetta encounters with Callum Pointon claiming a brace of top six starts.In round five of the Renault Clio season on Saturday, Robinson made a decent start from pole and fended off a challenge from Brett Smith at Redgate. Leading each of the 12 laps, the TCR man was nonetheless under the microscope throughout with Smith trying everything to force him into a mistake. In the end, Robinson calmly took the win by 0.178 seconds – his third success of 2014.For Jordan, an excellent start wasn’t rewarded when contact halfway down Craner Curves on lap three led to a heavy excursion into the barriers. Starting third, having qualified just 0.078 seconds shy of his team-mate, Jordan made a good launch but was shuffled back to fourth by Jeff Smith.Swarming all over the back of the former British Touring Car Championship racer going into lap three, Jordan got a run on his rival to edge alongside. When Smith’s Clio got slightly out of shape, though, part way down Craners the contact with Jordan was inevitable.Due to start Sunday’s sixth round from pole position, Jordan unfortunately had to miss the race because of the damage to his 2.0-litre Clio so Robinson effectively began the race on the top spot in second place on the grid.Holding the lead into Redgate, the TCR driver was challenged hard by Brett Smith midway around the opening lap and was edged back to second prior to the emergence of the Safety Car. When racing resumed on lap five, Robinson wanted to re-challenge for the lead but had to pay as much attention to keeping championship rival David Dickenson behind.Within 0.6 seconds of the leader on lap 10, the Safety Car was deployed for a second time and the race was re-started over one final racing lap. Maintaining second position, he crossed the line just 0.5 seconds shy of the win and with a best lap only 0.028 seconds away from the quickest of all.“We’ve had a strong weekend at both tracks, it just goes to show how good the lads are and how competitive the team is”, said TCR team principal Lee Brookes, “Mike’s had two very good results again, and he’s improved his championship lead so that’s fantastic. It’s a shame for Andy how race one turned out, he could have had two podiums this weekend as well – the pace was there.”More silverware for Gamble as he boosts Ginetta GT5 Challenge leadGeorge Gamble opened a 36 point advantage in the Protyre Motorsport Ginetta GT5 Challenge at Silverstone Grand Prix Circuit during rounds seven, eight and nine of the season with a hat-trick of podiums, including a third win of 2014, marking another superb outing for the TCR youngster as he maintained his 100 percent podium finishing record.In the first encounter on Saturday, the Nottingham racer slipped to second off the start but was determined to get back into the lead and tried everything possible to unseat Ollie Chadwick. Setting fastest lap pace, the TCR man pressured hard but on the penultimate lap he slipped to fourth before battling back onto the podium on the final tour.Team-mate Pointon ran in sixth position throughout, the Staffordshire youngster making a clean start to maintain his qualifying place and then reeling off a string of consistently strong laps during the 15-minute encounter.In round eight on Sunday morning, Gamble made up for his previous day’s frustration with a superb victory. Making a great start, the pole qualifier opened a lead of 1.5 seconds on the first lap and although Chadwick did reduce the lead to 0.7 seconds after a couple of tours, the TCR driver had everything in control. In the end he pulled away to win by 0.9 seconds.Pointon was bundled back from sixth to 11th position at the beginning, but he mounted a fantastic recovery to close down big gaps and ultimately finish only 0.3 seconds shy of the top eight. Back into the top 10 on lap two, he grabbed ninth on lap three but then had eight seconds to make up to the next car. Reeling in Nick Firth over the final six laps, Pointon yet again confirmed his terrific pace.Gamble started round nine on pole position and although shuffled back to second, he fought back into the lead on lap three. Opening an advantage of 1.6 seconds by the start of lap six, after Dennis Strandberg lost ground following an unsuccessful attempted pass, Gamble came under attack again on the final lap and was edged back to second at Aintree.Pointon, meanwhile, held eighth position early on before climbing into the top six on lap three but on the last lap he was bundled back to 10th position. Even so, the Cheddleton driver ended the event an improved sixth in the championship.“George is really using his head well, he’s taking the big points with podiums in each race and going for the wins where he can”, commented Brookes, “He’s keeping it clean, keeping the championship lead and that’s what we’ve got to do. Callum has been consistent once again, he deserved a bit more luck but he’s climbed the points table too so we’re really pleased about that.”Rounds seven and eight of the Michelin Clio Cup Race Series will take place on 26th/27th July at Brands Hatch Indy Circuit in Kent, while the next three rounds of the Ginetta GT5 Challenge will be contested at Snetterton 300 Circuit in Norfolk on 21st/22nd June. Before then, TCR’s Ginetta Junior Championship team will be in action at Oulton Park next weekend, 7th/8th June.Provisional 2014 Michelin Clio Cup Race Series Driver Standings (after Rd6):1st Mike Robinson, 154pts; 11th Andy Jordan, 65ptsProvisional 2014 Protyre Motorsport Ginetta GT5 Challenge Driver Standings (after Rd9):1st George Gamble, 279pts; 6th Callum Pointon, 120pts