The 2014 Courier Connections Renault UK Clio Cup was a multi-event, one make motor racing championship held across England and one event in Scotland. The championship featured a mix of professional motor racing teams and privately funded drivers competing in the new Clio Renaultsport 200 Turbo EDC that conformed to the technical regulations for the championship. It formed part of the extensive program of support categories built up around the BTCC centerpiece after signing a three year extension to be on the package until the end of 2016.[1] It was the 19th Renault Clio Cup United Kingdom season, commencing on 30 March at Brands Hatch – on the circuit's Indy configuration – and concluded on 12 October at the same venue, utilising the Grand Prix circuit, after sixteen races held at eight meetings, all in support of the 2014 British Touring Car Championship season.

VitalRacing with Team Pyro driver Mike Bushell claimed the championship title by 43 points ahead of SV Racing with KX's Josh Cook, with Graduate Cup winner Jordan Stilp of 20Ten Racing finishing third, a further 21 points in arrears. With only one win in the first half of the season, Bushell trailed Cook for much of the early season. However, a run of three wins in four races at Knockhill and Rockingham allowed Bushell to achieve an advantage over Cook. Cook won six races to Bushell's four, but three retirements cost Cook as a whole. Stilp recorded three wins during the campaign, including the season's only maximum score with a double win (as well as the bonus points for fastest laps) at Croft. James Colburn and Alex Morgan each took two victories, but both finished behind Ant Whorton-Eales, who achieved six podium finishes without a victory. The only other driver to take a victory was Paul Rivett, who won the final race of the season at Brands Hatch, en route to the Masters Cup title. The entrants' championship was comfortably won by SV Racing with KX, finishing over 200 points clear of the next best entrant.

Championship changes

The championship introduced the brand new Clio Renaultsport 200 Turbo EDC as used in the Renault Clio Eurocup, replacing the older Clio Renaultsport 200.[2] The new car featured a 1.6-litre turbo-powered Renault engine, producing 220 hp, an increase of 15 hp from 2012. The cars also have a sequential six-speed gearbox with paddle-shift gear change.[3][4]

Teams and drivers

All teams and drivers were British-registered.

Team No. Drivers Class Rounds
Team Pyro[5]
VitalRacing with Team Pyro		 1 Mike Bushell All
5 Lee Pattison M 3–8
8 Finlay Crocker M 7
37 Rob Smith[6] G 1–3
SV Racing[5]
SV Racing with KX		 2 Alex Morgan[7] All
4 Ash Hand[7] G All
10 Ant Whorton-Eales[7] G All
14 Simon Horrobin M 8–9
27 Paul Donkin 9
66 Josh Cook G All
79 Jamie Clarke 7
Westbourne Motorsport 3 James Colburn[7] G All
7 Devon Modell 1–8
17 Gary Jenner M 9
JHR[8] 5 Lee Pattison[9] M 1–2
Jam Sport 6 Daniel Holland 8–9
41 Paul Knapp M 6–7, 9
WDE Motorsport 22 Paul Rivett M All
32 Charles Ladell G 4–9
Mark Fish Motorsport[8] 38 Mark Howard[10] M 1–2, 4
20Ten Racing[8] 5–9
65 Craig Milner[11] M 1–2, 4–7
92 Jordan Stilp[12] G All
Icon Class
M Masters Cup
G Graduate Cup

Race calendar and results

The provisional calendar was announced by the championship organisers on 23 September 2013. The championship expanded to nine double header race meetings making an 18 round season, up from 16 in 2012. The series returned to Scotland and the Knockhill Racing Circuit for the first time since 2010. Originally, it was announced that the Silverstone Circuit would return after a one year hiatus, with the series missing the round at Thruxton Circuit.[13] However, organisers released a revised calendar with the Thruxton round reinstated and the Silverstone round dropped, due to a date clash with the 2014 Eurocup Clio.[14] All rounds were held in the United Kingdom.

Round Circuit Date Pole position Fastest lap Winning driver Winning team
1 R1 Brands Hatch
(Indy Circuit, Kent)		 29 March Alex Morgan Paul Rivett Alex Morgan SV Racing
R2 30 March Alex Morgan Mike Bushell Alex Morgan SV Racing
2 R3 Donington Park
(National Circuit, Leicestershire)		 20 April Josh Cook Mike Bushell Josh Cook SV Racing with KX
R4 Jordan Stilp Jordan Stilp Josh Cook SV Racing with KX
3 R5 Thruxton Circuit
(Hampshire)		 4 May Lee Pattison Lee Pattison Mike Bushell Team Pyro
R6 Mike Bushell Mike Bushell James Colburn Westbourne Motorsport
4 R7 Oulton Park
(International Circuit, Cheshire)		 7 June Ant Whorton-Eales Josh Cook Josh Cook SV Racing with KX
R8 8 June Ant Whorton-Eales Mike Bushell James Colburn Westbourne Motorsport
5 R9 Croft Circuit
(North Yorkshire)		 29 June Jordan Stilp Jordan Stilp Jordan Stilp 20Ten Racing
R10 Jordan Stilp Jordan Stilp Jordan Stilp 20Ten Racing
6 R11 Snetterton Motor Racing Circuit
(300 Circuit, Norfolk)		 2 August Mike Bushell Mike Bushell Josh Cook SV Racing with KX
R12 3 August Mike Bushell Mike Bushell Josh Cook SV Racing with KX
7 R13 Knockhill Racing Circuit
(Fife)		 23 August Mike Bushell Ash Hand Mike Bushell VitalRacing with Team Pyro
R14 24 August Mike Bushell Ash Hand Jordan Stilp 20Ten Racing
8 R15 Rockingham Motor Speedway
(International Super Sports Car Circuit, Northamptonshire)		 6 September Mike Bushell Mike Bushell Mike Bushell VitalRacing with Team Pyro
R16 7 September Josh Cook Josh Cook Mike Bushell VitalRacing with Team Pyro
9 R17 Brands Hatch
(Grand Prix Circuit, Kent)		 11 October Ash Hand Ash Hand Josh Cook SV Racing with KX
R18 12 October Josh Cook Mike Bushell Paul Rivett WDE Motorsport

Championship standings

Drivers' championship

A driver's best 16 scores counted towards the championship, with any other points being discarded.

Pos Driver BHI DON THR OUL CRO SNE KNO ROC BHGP Total Drop Pen. Points
1 Mike Bushell 4 3 2 Ret 1 4 4 7 6 11 2 6 1 3 1 1 4 3 425 10 415
2 Josh Cook 3 8 1 1 2 3 1 3 4 Ret 1 1 8 8 9 Ret 1 Ret 375 3 372
3 Jordan Stilp 7 10 5 6 7 6 7 4 1 1 9 7 3 1 2 3 12 5 374 20 3 351
4 Ant Whorton-Eales 10 4 3 4 9 7 10 2 3 5 6 3 2 4 6 4 2 Ret 353 11 342
5 James Colburn 6 6 4 7 5 1 3 1 10 2 3 5 7 7 10 5 8 Ret 344 11 3 330
6 Alex Morgan 1 1 6 3 Ret 5 5 6 5 7 8 Ret 5 10 5 10 3 2 330 330
7 Paul Rivett 11 2 8 5 Ret 2 6 12 12 4 Ret 2 6 11 4 2 6 1 316 2 314
8 Ash Hand 9 11 7 2 4 9 Ret Ret 2 3 Ret 10 4 2 3 9 7 7 289 5 284
9 Lee Pattison 5 9 10 10 3 10 2 5 8 6 7 4 9 5 8 Ret 256 256
10 Devon Modell 8 7 9 8 6 8 9 9 7 Ret 5 9 11 6 12 8 211 211
11 Charles Ladell 8 8 9 8 4 8 10 9 11 6 5 6 179 2 177
12 Mark Howard 12 12 13 12 11 10 11 9 10 11 Ret 16 14 11 Ret Ret 121 3 118
13 Craig Milner 13 13 12 11 12 11 13 10 11 Ret 14 14 97 97
14 Rob Smith 2 5 11 9 8 11 94 94
15 Daniel Holland 7 7 Ret 4 54 54
16 Paul Knapp 12 12 Ret 15 11 8 48 48
17 Simon Horrobin 13 12 9 Ret 29 29
18 Paul Donkin 10 9 23 23
19 Gary Jenner 13 10 19 19
20 Finlay Crocker 12 13 17 17
21 Jamie Clarke 13 12 17 17
Pos Driver BHI DON THR OUL CRO SNE KNO ROC BHGP Total Drop Pen. Points
ColourResult
GoldWinner
SilverSecond place
BronzeThird place
GreenPoints finish
BlueNon-points finish
Non-classified finish (NC)
PurpleRetired (Ret)
RedDid not qualify (DNQ)
Did not pre-qualify (DNPQ)
BlackDisqualified (DSQ)
WhiteDid not start (DNS)
Withdrew (WD)
Race cancelled (C)
Blank Did not practice (DNP)
Did not arrive (DNA)
Excluded (EX)

Bold – Pole
Italics – Fastest Lap

References

  1. ↑ "Renault UK announces new three-year TOCA contract". Renault Sport UK. Renault Sport. 7 June 2013. Retrieved 9 June 2013.
  2. ↑ Woodcock, Josh. "New Renault Clio Cup racer for 2013". Autocar. Haymarket Publications. Archived from the original on 14 November 2012. Retrieved 16 June 2013.
  3. ↑ Dobie, Stephen (26 April 2013). "New Renault Clio Cup racer UK debut". Evo. Dennis Publishing. Retrieved 16 June 2013.
  4. ↑ "Technical Specification". Renault Sport UK. Renault Sport. Retrieved 9 June 2013.
  5. 1 2 "New Clio Cup cars ready for 2014 championship". Renault Sport UK. Renault Sport. 3 January 2014. Retrieved 6 January 2014.
  6. ↑ "Smith Joins Reigning champions team pyro for 2014". Rob Smith Motorsport. 24 January 2014. Archived from the original on 1 February 2014. Retrieved 24 January 2014.
  7. 1 2 3 4 Paice, Simon (13 January 2014). "Colburn Returns For 2014 Clio Title Challenge". The Checkered Flag. Black Eagle Media Network. Retrieved 13 January 2014.
  8. 1 2 3 "First batch of fourth generation racing Clios sold for 2014 season". Renault Sport UK. Renault Sport. 23 August 2013. Retrieved 23 September 2013.
  9. ↑ Paice, Simon (10 March 2014). "Pattison Confirmed at JHR for Clio Title Charge". The Checkered Flag. Black Eagle Media Network. Retrieved 10 March 2014.
  10. ↑ Paice, Simon (13 March 2014). "1993 Renault Champion Howard Enters Clio Cup". The Checkered Flag. Black Eagle Media Network. Retrieved 13 March 2014.
  11. ↑ Paice, Simon (21 January 2014). "Milner Joins Cook At 20Ten Racing". The Checkered Flag. Black Eagle Media Network. Retrieved 21 January 2014.
  12. ↑ Paice, Simon (10 March 2014). "Stlip Joins Forces with 20Ten for Clio Cup Return". The Checkered Flag. Black Eagle Media Network. Retrieved 10 March 2014.
  13. ↑ "Clio Cup to return to Knockhill as part of expanded 2014 calendar". Renault Sport UK. Renault Sport. 23 September 2013. Retrieved 23 September 2013.
  14. ↑ Ashby, Chris (17 November 2013). "Thruxton Replaces Silverstone In Clio Cup". BTCC Crazy. James Mappin. Retrieved 31 December 2013.
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