Second at Snetterton
After a long break the Air Asia Renault Clio Cup returned last weekend at Snetterton.
Friday’s test day was very positive and Jack returned to the pits after both sessions very happy with the pace and handling of the car.
Qualifying
Jack had superb pace during Saturday’s qualifying session and on his first set of tyres was sitting in P2, 0.3 seconds off pole. With 17 minutes of the session remaining, the red flag stopped the session due to oil on the track. As the rest of the cars returned to the track, Jack remained in the pits to watch the lap times and to ensure that the oil on the track was not affecting lap times. When he left the pits on his second set of tyres he had dropped to P5, but not for long. After putting some heat into the tyres, Jack put in some very fast flying laps that catapulted him into pole position where he stayed until the final lap of qualifying when he was pushed down to P3, 0.001 seconds off P2 and only 0.2 off P1.
Jack’s qualifying times had put him in P3 for both races, a pleasing result.
Round 11
As the sun continued to shine at Snetterton the Clio’s lined up for Round 11 of the Air Asia Renault Clio Cup.
A storming start saw Jack pass Aron Smith into the first corner and take James Colburn on the exit of the first corner to take the lead. As the top 4 cars went into the first hairpin there was contact between James Colburn and Matt Allison which caused Colburn to spin and within a split second all of the top 4 runners were off the track. Jack’s car had been t-boned and the car had picked up substantial damage.
After restarting the car and reversing back onto the track Jack was right at the back of the field and some way behind the pack, but he quickly got his head down and driving a very bent car managed to work his way back up to P9.
The damage to the car was major and it was touch and go for a while as to whether he would be able to take part in Round 12, however Team Pyro worked late into the night to make the car point in a straight line and allow Jack to race.
Round 12
With a slightly less battered-looking car, Jack took up his P3 grid position ready for the start of Round 12.
Yet again, a great start saw him pass Matt Allison in the first corner and slot into P2 behind his team mate Aron Smith.
The top 3 split away and Jack closed in on Aron during lap 2 to be on his bumper. At this point he decided to drive a tactical race and sat behind Aron to help them both break away from Matt in P3. This tactic paid off and for the majority of the race Jack and Aron were several seconds ahead of the rest of the pack.
In the last 2 laps Jack put pressure on Aron causing him to defend his position and allow the current P3 driver James Colburn to close in.
Jack continued to push to the very end of the race but was unable to find a way past Aron. He crossed the line in P2, a great result and his 5th podium of the season.
Fantastic racing Jack! Well done!
After a long break the Air Asia Renault Clio Cup returned last weekend at Snetterton.
Friday’s test day was very positive and Jack returned to the pits after both sessions very happy with the pace and handling of the car.
Qualifying
Jack had superb pace during Saturday’s qualifying session and on his first set of tyres was sitting in P2, 0.3 seconds off pole. With 17 minutes of the session remaining, the red flag stopped the session due to oil on the track. As the rest of the cars returned to the track, Jack remained in the pits to watch the lap times and to ensure that the oil on the track was not affecting lap times. When he left the pits on his second set of tyres he had dropped to P5, but not for long. After putting some heat into the tyres, Jack put in some very fast flying laps that catapulted him into pole position where he stayed until the final lap of qualifying when he was pushed down to P3, 0.001 seconds off P2 and only 0.2 off P1.
Jack’s qualifying times had put him in P3 for both races, a pleasing result.
Round 11
As the sun continued to shine at Snetterton the Clio’s lined up for Round 11 of the Air Asia Renault Clio Cup.
A storming start saw Jack pass Aron Smith into the first corner and take James Colburn on the exit of the first corner to take the lead. As the top 4 cars went into the first hairpin there was contact between James Colburn and Matt Allison which caused Colburn to spin and within a split second all of the top 4 runners were off the track. Jack’s car had been t-boned and the car had picked up substantial damage.
After restarting the car and reversing back onto the track Jack was right at the back of the field and some way behind the pack, but he quickly got his head down and driving a very bent car managed to work his way back up to P9.
The damage to the car was major and it was touch and go for a while as to whether he would be able to take part in Round 12, however Team Pyro worked late into the night to make the car point in a straight line and allow Jack to race.
Round 12
With a slightly less battered-looking car, Jack took up his P3 grid position ready for the start of Round 12.
Yet again, a great start saw him pass Matt Allison in the first corner and slot into P2 behind his team mate Aron Smith.
The top 3 split away and Jack closed in on Aron during lap 2 to be on his bumper. At this point he decided to drive a tactical race and sat behind Aron to help them both break away from Matt in P3. This tactic paid off and for the majority of the race Jack and Aron were several seconds ahead of the rest of the pack.
In the last 2 laps Jack put pressure on Aron causing him to defend his position and allow the current P3 driver James Colburn to close in.
Jack continued to push to the very end of the race but was unable to find a way past Aron. He crossed the line in P2, a great result and his 5th podium of the season.
Fantastic racing Jack! Well done!
