CONWAY, BARBER & DI RESTA RECEIVE CHAMPIONSHIP TROPHIES AT 2004 CEREMONY
Formula Renault UK Champion Mike Conway (Sevenoaks, Kent), Vice-Champion Westley Barber (Wimbish, Saffron Walden) and third placed finisher Paul Di Resta (Bathgate, West Lothian) each received their 2004 championship trophies on Saturday at the annual TOCA Awards dinner.
Held at the Hilton Hotel in Coventry, the ceremony saw the top names from the British Touring Car Championship and all of the TOCA Tour supporting categories – including Formula Renault UK with Michelin and the ELF Renault Clio Cup – in attendance to share in the crowning of the various 2004 champions.
Conway, who sealed the Formula Renault UK title at Brands Hatch Indy Circuit in August with four rounds of the season still remaining, was delighted to receive his trophy and the 21-year old is now looking forward to 2005 and his graduation to the British Formula 3 Championship where he will remain with Fortec Motorsport.
Vice-Champion Barber enjoyed a good debut season in Formula Renault UK this year and with six wins to his credit he was Conway’s main challenger throughout the season. Di Resta, meanwhile, was a consistent front-runner during the early part of the year before taking four victories in the second half of the season as he pushed Barber hard for the runner-up spot.
Canadian driver Sean McIntosh was also among the award winners, receiving the inaugural ‘Graduate Cup’ trophy having won the Formula Renault class for newcomers to the series. In his first season of racing in the UK, McIntosh was not only the best of the Graduate Cup runners he also achieved an outright race victory at Oulton Park during round seven.
In addition, the Formula Renault UK entrants crown was accepted by Fortec Motorsport’s team boss Richard Dutton. After a truly dominant season, the Daventry-based team ended the 2004 championship almost 200 points clear of its nearest rival.
For all the latest Formula Renault UK Championship with Michelin newsvisit the official Renault Sport UK website www.renaultsport.co.uk built by Racecar
