Renault UK Clio Cup front-runner Paul Streather produced two highly competitive showings at Croft Circuit near Darlington over the weekend, 18th/19th June, with a very healthy haul of championship points maintaining his position in the series top six.
The category race winner, who was determined to bounce back from a troubling virus which derailed his Oulton Park weekend a fortnight ago, sliced through the order in round nine on Saturday from 14th on the grid – a result of being badly baulked in qualifying – to post an excellent top six result. He backed that up with another sixth place in the televised second contest on Sunday.
Qualifying proved frustrating for Streather and the Finesse Motorsport team with the significant impact of traffic. Having both of his quickest laps badly hindered, Streather had to settle for a spot on the seventh row for race one.
Making a good start to the opening contest, the Michael Smith Switchgear and AVW Fabrications-backed racer sensationally scythed his way into ninth position through the first few turns with great awareness.
Continuing to make progress, on lap eight at Clervaux he moved past Senna Proctor into the top eight and Streather then grabbed seventh too. His excellent rise into the top six was complete when Charlie Ladell had an excursion and Streather held position to the chequered flag on lap 12 to cap a very strong performance.
Ahead of round 10 on Sunday afternoon, broadcast live on ITV4, light spots of rain threatened but didn’t turn into anything of any significance. Streather, from ninth on the grid, made a clean start and maintained his place on the opening lap in a long train of Clio Cup cars.
On lap four, race leader Paul Rivett slowed which elevated Streather into eighth place and with nothing to choose between more than half a dozen drivers the pack circulated line astern behind the podium places.
As more rain started to fall opportunities came and Streather, judging the grip levels better than a couple of rivals, moved into seventh on lap nine and then grabbed sixth on the run into Clervaux at the start of lap 10.
Proctor attempted to re-challenge Streather into Tower, edging the Finesse car wide off the circuit, but Streather hit back superbly into the daunting Jim Clark Esses to re-take sixth brilliantly. He then closed to within just 0.5 seconds of the battling Ant Whorton-Eales and Ladell on the drag to the line on the final tour.
“We’ve had two good races this weekend and I’m happy with how everything has gone on the whole, especially after the disaster in qualifying when we were so badly held up", he reflected, "You only get two laps on these Dunlop tyres, and both were ruined by other drivers. I’m pleased with two top sixes in the races though, especially the first from 14th – we’ve taken good points for the championship.”
Finesse Motorsport team principal Neil Giddings added: "Obviously we wanted to be back on the podium this weekend but we’re happy with the pace. Qualifying set the scene for us, the traffic was a problem but Paul overcame that and raced really well.
“To come through from 14th to sixth in the first race was a really strong effort, exactly what we know he can do. We’re all looking forward to the summer break now, but looking forward even more to the next rounds at Snetterton at the end of July.”
Rounds 11 and 12 of the Renault UK Clio Cup will take place at Snetterton 300 Circuit in Norfolk over the weekend 30th/31st July.
