Section: Clio 182 Championship

Brands Hatch (UK), Clio 182 Championship

Clio 182 Championship: Season promises full grids

With the start of the Clio 182 Championship only a few days away, we have a quick round up of some the new entrants and liveries you can look forward to in 2015.

The Clio 182 Series has been given Championship status for 2015 and with 36 drivers currently registered, the first race of the year at Brands Hatch already has a full grid of 32 drivers.

This year promises full grids and lots of close racing.

A familiar name in motorsport, Mark Fish makes his competitive return.

Mark Fish returns to racing in the Clio 182 Championship
Mark Fish returns to racing in the Clio 182 Championship

Mark Fish said “After 3 years of trying to get something together, it looks like I will finally be back out racing.  Very excited at the prospect of racing again, but with some trepidation.  There is a huge amount I need to reacquaint myself with, having only done 4 races since the Clio Cup in 1993 – I am interested to see if I can become competitive again”

New to the championship is Daniel Gibson.  Although not new to racing, Daniel has swapped his Fiesta for a Clio.

Daniel Gibson testing at Brands Hatch (Photo: Joshua Barrett Photography)
Daniel Gibson testing at Brands Hatch (Photo: Joshua Barrett Photography)

Another new face for this this year is James Bark.

James Bark testing at Cadwell
James Bark testing at Cadwell

James will be one to watch, particularly at Cadwell Park.  During testing he beat the Clio 2014 lap record by 0.2 seconds.

Able Heath Motorsport have two cars out this year:

Able Heath Motorsport 2015 line up
Able Heath Motorsport 2015 line up

These cars will be driven by Matt Holtom in his second year and Damien Heath who is new to the championship.

Finally, a few pictures from some returning drivers, but with new liveries for 2015.

Mat Pewsey testing at Brands Hatch (Photo: Renaultsport UK)
Mat Pewsey testing at Brands Hatch (Photo: Renaultsport UK)

 

Martin Bentley testing at Brands Hatch (Photo: Joshua Barrett Photography)
Martin Bentley testing at Brands Hatch (Photo: Joshua Barrett Photography)

 

Read more  at clio182championship.com

Clio 182 Championship, Donington Park (UK)

Clio 182 Series: Donington Race Report

The 750 Motor Club finals weekend took place at Donington Park with a busy 24 race programme which was action-filled.

K-Tec Racing Clio 182 Series: Race 1

Jeff Humphries got off the line quickly in the opening K-Tec Racing Clio 182 Series race but went sideways at Redgate allowing Matt Fincham and Patrick Fletcher through.  On the fourth circuit Fincham was caught out by the slippery track and Fletcher took the lead.  The pair were nose-to-tail in the closing stages with Fincham overhauling the former Stock Hatch champion with 50 metres to go.  Ed Pead, who won 17 times in the Clio Cup, started from the back and clawed him way up into the top five on the final lap.

K-Tec Racing Clio 182 Series: Race 2

Humphries led every lap of the second encounter after seeing off various different challenges.  Pete Morgan battled Humphries at the beginning and end of the race but could never pass him.  Matt Digby was able to overhaul Humphries but as soon as he did, he lost his wheel and his Clio fell onto its side.  Patrick Fletcher joined in the battle for the lead and finished third but only 0.5 seconds off of the victory.

Read more on clio182series.com

Cadwell Park (UK), Clio 182 Championship

Clio 182 Series: Cadwell Race Report

The penultimate meeting of the main season for the 750 Motor Club took place at Cadwell Park.  A packed 25 race programme saw some of the best racing that the tight and twisty circuit will see all season.

K-Tec Racing Clio 182 Series : Race 1

Jeff Humphries returned to winning ways in the first K-Tec Racing Clio 182 Series race which was initially red flagged when Stuart Place went off at Hall Bends.  Matt Digby went off at Charlies andMatt Fincham had a broken throttle linkage.  Therefore, Patrick Fletcher and Mark Hammersley finished on the podium.

K-Tec Racing Clio 182 Series : Race 2

Humphries made a slow start in the second battle which helped Fletcher and Martin Ward to beat him.

Read more on clio182series.com

Clio 182 Championship, Motorsport

Clio 182 Series: Round 4: Anglesey Race Report

21 exhilarating races hit Anglesey as the 750 Motor Club returned to the Welsh circuit.  Superb racing was the order of the weekend.

K-Tec Racing Clio 182 Series : Race 1

Patrick Fletcher and Matt Fincham beat 2014 debutee Trevor Gregory off of the line in the opening K-Tec Racing Clio 182 Series battle.  Fletcher held off attacks from Fincham, Gregory and Mark Hammersley to win in his heavy Clio.  When Fincham missed a gear, it allowed Gregory to take second.  However, he flat-spotted his front left tyre which forced him into retirement.  This left Hammersley to chase Fletcher with Fincham beating Martin Ward to third. Trevor’s Father Bill ran in a strong fifth before car issues gifted the position to Matt Holtom who claimed his best car racing finish.

K-Tec Racing Clio 182 Series : Race 2

Trevor Gregory took a convincing lights-to-flag victory in race two when ABS was refitted to his car. Bill Gregory made a good start and drove magnificently to run in second until the final lap when Hammersley challenged him. Gregory ran out wide which allowed Hammersley, Fincham and Fletcher to squeeze through.

Read More on clio182series.com

Clio 182 Championship, Motorsport

Clio 182 Series: Round 3: Rockingham Race Report

The 750 Motor Club returned to the Rockingham Motor Speedway for what is now becoming an annual visit to the Northamptonshire venue.

Patrick Fletcher earned a double win in the K-Tec Racing Clio 182 Series, despite Matt Fincham taking both fastest laps. Both Fincham and Jeff Humphries shared a second and third place finish. The combat for fourth was more fiercely fought in both encounters.

The first race saw Mathew Pewsley take the position ahead of Martin Bentley with Martin Ward seuring that spot on Sunday with Pewsey, Matt Digby and Bentley in close proximity.

Read More on clio182series.com

Clio 182 Championship, Motorsport

Clio 182 Series: Round 2: Snetterton Race Report

The K-Tec Racing Clio 182 Series once again provided a couple of thrilling races with ex-Stock Hatch racers to the fore.

In the first race Jeff Humphries took a convincing lead from his pole position.  Local man Martin Ward, who had a disastrous weekend at Silverstone, was able to hold off Matt Fincham despite several challenges throughout the course of the race.

Ben Seybold moved ahead of Patrick Fletcher in the opening stages of the race for fourth position and was always in touching distance of the podium positions but was never able to make it into the top three.  Fletcher also fell behind Mark Hammersley on the seventh lap of the race and therefore only managed to finish in sixth position.

Read More on clio182series.com

Clio 182 Championship, Motorsport

Clio 182 Series: Round 1: Silverstone Race Report

The inaugural round of the new for 2014 K-Tec Racing Clio 182 Series provided the two of the best races of the day with ex-Stock Hatch champions Patrick Fletcher and Jeff Humphries fighting hard to take the first victories.

Mark Armstrong, who put his Clio on pole position for both races, was unable to compete in either race due to an engine failure in qualifying which meant that Caterham graduate Dan Livingstone was on a lonely front row.

A storming start from the outside of the second row put 2011 Stock Hatch champion, Patrick Fletcher into the lead at Copse.  He pulled clear of the pack by a full second on the first lap ahead of Mark Hammersley and Livingstone.  However, it was Jeff Humphries who started in sixth that would work his way up into second place by lap three as he prepared to hunt down Fletcher.  Humphries, who won the Stock Hatch title in 2009, whittled down a two second gap to challenge Fletcher but was unable to find a way ahead of him.

Read More on clio182series.com