Former BTCC racer Allison takes first car racing victory since 2011 in round sixPrivateer Paul Streather claims second win of 2015 season in round sevenFirst year car racer Tyler Lidsey does double in Road Series with maiden wins
Two highly-charged Michelin Clio Cup Race Series contests at Croft on Sunday, 12th July, delivered classic door handle-to-door handle action and much more besides with Intercity Racing’s Matt Allison (Norwich) and privateer Paul Streather (Hinckley) taking the wins in rounds six and seven.
Marking Allison’s first triumph since 2011, when he last raced a third generation Clio Cup car at Croft in the national Renault UK Clio Cup, the former British Touring Car Championship driver’s victory in race one came thanks to a terrific last lap move on pole qualifier Sam Randon (Ashbourne).
Randon, who starred in qualifying on Saturday, 11th July, to seal the top spot on the grid for both races, finished a close second to Allison in the opener having led all the way until halfway round the final tour. In round seven, the Westbourne Motorsport racer unfortunately missed out again after a late tangle at the complex which gave leader Streather the opportunity to vanish into the distance.
Impressive Race Series rookie James Dorlin (Barnsley) starred at his ‘home’ track in round six with a stunning drive to third place, securing his maiden Clio Cup Series podium in only his third race in the ultra-competitive category for Westbourne.
In the Road Series, meanwhile, Tyler Lidsey (Dartford) secured his maiden victory in race one and then doubled-up in the second outing to head home Nic Harrison (Burton-on-Trent) and Sarah Franklin (Kettering) on each occasion. With a dramatic accident in round six ruling Luke Pinder (Shipley) and Jake Honour (Devizes) out of both races, Harrison now leads the Road class standings.
Ex-touring car ace Allison shades Randon for first Race Series win Pole position starter Randon made a textbook getaway at the beginning of round six and soaked up immense pressure from Allison throughout the 15 lap duration, but the slightest of errors on the final tour at Sunny In – as they approached backmarkers – enabled Allison to sneak through to win.
At the start of the race, Randon led away from Allison and Dorlin, who was up from fourth on the grid, and championship leader Luke Herbert (Chichester) who made a blistering start from sixth to slingshot into fourth on the run to Clervaux – albeit with two wheels on the grass.
Dorlin instantly set about challenging Allison for second and after boldly looking around the outside at Tower, the pair were side-by-side through the daunting Jim Clark Esses and into Barcroft but Allison used his experience to stay ahead, with 16-year-old Dorlin slipping behind Herbert as a result.
No sooner had the Race Series cars threaded their way towards the complex, though, than the Safety Car was deployed following a heavy accident at Sunny involving unbeaten class pace-setter Pinder and Jade Developments team-mate Honour – which ruled both out of the rest of the event.
Racing resumed on lap six and Randon made a good re-start, fending off the chasing pack, and on lap seven Dorlin made his move on Westbourne team-mate Herbert to seize third with a brilliant move at the hairpin.
Herbert next came under threat from Finesse Motorsport’s Andy Jordan (Bridgnorth), who sliced through from the back of the grid after failing to set a time in qualifying due to an accident, and the pair were split by just 0.3 seconds at the finish with Streather rounding out the top six on their tail.
Adam Hatfield (Cranworth) finished in seventh place for Finesse ahead of team-mate Pete Bennett (Norwich) and 20Ten Racing’s Tom Barley (Crayford). Notably, Hatfield also set the fastest lap of the race for the first time, securing two bonus points.
After Pinder and Honour were eliminated from the Road Series proceedings, Harrison took charge at the front in his CGHimports.com Clio and led all the way until Lidsey was able to move past on the last lap. Westbourne’s Sarah Franklin, who was on the receiving end of contact from Jordan’s Race Series Clio in qualifying and therefore didn’t post a lap time, took third place.
Matt Allison – Race Series (after Rd6):“I was never going to back off, second was in the bag and it would have been easy to settle for that but I wanted the win if I could. We set the car up to be fast at the end and it was, it all worked well and in the end the luck swung my way. To have put the team together from scratch in March and to now have our first win on only our second weekend, I’m over the moon.”
Sam Randon – Race Series (after Rd6):“The job was done really, I’d led all the way but just made a mistake at Sunny In and that was it. I’m still happy with P2 though and I must say a massive thank you to Westbourne and all of my sponsors for making it possible.”
James Dorlin – Race Series (after Rd6):“I couldn’t be happier. Coming into this weekend I was really hoping to get on the podium, Croft is my local circuit and I really like it. It was a great race and well done to Sam [Randon] for finishing second too, great result for Westbourne.”
Tyler Lidsey – Road Series (after Rd6):“It was an epic race. Halfway through I decided to focus on my lines instead of on Nic’s car and eventually it came to me on the last lap. It’s definitely a breakthrough and shows I can do it, shows I can run with the Road Series pack at the front.”
Streather elated with second win of season Round seven of the Race Series season wasn’t short on fast-paced action or incident, with pole starter Randon again missing out on his elusive first victory with Streather usurping the Westbourne racer for the lead on lap four at the hairpin.
Randon made his pole position count at the beginning, fending off Streather’s close attention, and the lead pair managed to gap the rest of the field initially following a lurid slide for Dorlin out of Clervaux. Brett Lidsey (Gravesend) shot through into third, ahead of Herbert and Bennett, and that order stayed the same until Streather moved into the lead at the end of the fourth tour.
With the top seven cars all bunching up, any one of the group had a shout at securing a podium finish and the fierce action resulted in one or two casualties. First, Bennett was nudged out of fifth at Barcroft on lap five by Finesse team-mate Jordan and Hatfield and Barley then tangled, while dicing over eighth, at Tower a lap later.
Then, on lap 10, as Brett Lidsey ran close behind Randon into the complex as the leaders all closed-up, contact put the latter wide off circuit and as he tried to rejoin his Clio tangled with team-mate Herbert’s car.
The net result was a clear lead for Streather, second place for Lidsey and third for Allison who worked incredibly hard to carve his way up the order after a lap one delay. Jordan took fourth ahead of the recovering Dorlin with Herbert sixth, Hatfield seventh and Randon eighth ahead of the wounded Bennett and Barley.
Harrison again led the Road Series action for almost the entire duration but a recurrence of a gearbox issue, which initially raised its head in race one, compromised his pace later on and Tyler Lidsey took advantage to grab the lead on lap eight. Third for Sarah Franklin again capped her most successful weekend of the season so far.
Paul Streather – Race Series (after Rd7):“I’m absolutely over the moon with the win. Race one was tough, there was a bit of contact which knocked the steering out and from then on it was an uphill struggle. I was determined to get back up there in race two, I drove 110 percent the whole way through – we’re back where we should be.”
Brett Lidsey – Race Series (after Rd7):“This makes up for the first race where I got a puncture. I got such a good start to this one, one of the best of the year for me. I went round the outside at Turn One and then I was third. I’m really happy with P2, it’s a great result”
Nic Harrison – Road Series (after Rd7):“I had a few problems with the gearbox and clutch, it seemed to be OK for most of the race but then doesn’t want to go into any of the gears when the car gets hot. So, two second places is good – I’m happy enough with that to take some good points.”
There is now just a fortnight to wait until rounds eight and nine of the season at Brands Hatch Indy Circuit in Kent over the weekend 25th/26th July.
Along with headline sponsors Michelin and Protyre, the Clio Cup Series is additionally supported by Ferodo and Safety Devices with further support for the Road Series from Monster Sport Europe.
Provisional 2015 Michelin Clio Cup Race Series Driver Standings (after Rd7): 1st Luke Herbert, 196pts; 2nd Sam Randon, 159pts; 3rd Andy Jordan, 153pts; 4th Paul Streather, 152pts; 5th Brett Lidsey, 150pts; 6th Tom Barley, 105pts
Provisional 2015 Michelin Clio Cup Road Series Driver Standings (after Rd7): 1st Nic Harrison, 178pts; 2nd Luke Pinder, 170pts; 3rd Tyler Lidsey, 165pts; 4th Sarah Franklin, 138pts; 5th Jake Honour, 130pts; 6th Matt Fincham, 105pts
