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Contents Welcome 5 Born to Race 6 The Show, The Teams & The Drivers 8 Young At Heart 11 A Place On The Grid 11 Technically Advanced 12 Responsible Racing 14 Coming To A Circuit Near You 15 2016 Circuits & Dates 16 A Day At The Races 18 Fully Exposed 20 Crowd Survey 23 Championship Contacts 26 Teams Contacts 26 3
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Welcome Reinvigorated, re-energised, revitalised. The Renault UK Clio Cup is back to its brilliant best for 2016. I am immensely proud of the reputation that surrounds the UK Clio Cup since taking on the role of Championship Manager 12 months ago. In 2015 it has emerged as the stand-out supporting category alongside the Dunlop British Touring Car Championship with the very best action on the track, plus a grid not only strong again in numbers but also rich in professionally-run teams and exciting young driving talent. There is admiration from all quarters. We have without doubt one of the very best organising teams in British motor sport, a technical expertise that makes our rivals green with envy and, of course, all the razzamatazz associated with performing live on ITV4 and in front of huge trackside crowds as part of the BTCC's events. ITV Sport is just one of the key partners that helps make the UK Clio Cup the success it is others include our great technical allies, Dunlop Tyres, PFC Brakes Europe and ELF Lubricants, plus, on the administration side, the highly renowned British Automobile Racing Club. Apart from being terrific to work with, all are racers through and through and highly supportive of our teams and drivers which fits in perfectly with the Renaultsport ethos of why we go motor racing. After all Renault has stood out for more than a century as one of motor sport s greatest pioneers. It also happens to be UK motor sport s most loyal manufacturer with the UK Clio Cup it is now in its fifth decade of running racing championships in the country. Its staying power is immense. So, too, its continued ability to produce the star names for the future. This year, our 2005 and 2006 champions Jonny Adam and Tom Onslow-Cole have been crowned British GT and 24H Series champions respectively. Half the BTCC grid comprises ex-renaultsport racers, the majority of them winning races or fighting for the big places. At the time of writing another driver with Renaultsport/UK on his CV, Lewis Hamilton, was on his way to a third Formula 1 drivers crown. Little wonder that interest in joining the Renault UK Clio Cup from teams and drivers all seeking a more professional level of racing around which to build a viable business model for the future is at its highest for the best part of a decade. As this brochure demonstrates, the Renault UK Clio Cup is absolutely ready to skyrocket in 2016. I hope you can join us in something very special. Will Fewkes UK Motorsport Championship Manager Renaultsport 5
Born To Race Renaultsport s motor racing activity in the UK has a glowing reputation for producing future greats whether it be Formula 1 World Champions Lewis Hamilton, Jenson Button and Kimi Raikkonen or the latest stars in touring car, sportscar and GT competition such as Jason Plato, Andy Priaulx, Andrew Jordan, Colin Turkington, Tom Onslow-Cole and Jonathan Adam Hamilton and Raikkonen lifted Renault UK s Formula Renault 2.0 crown in the early 2000s while just before that Plato and Priaulx won its Spider sportcar title and Button raced for its British Formula 3 squad. Priaulx has gone on to three World Touring Car titles and Plato two British Touring Car crowns with more wins in the championship than any driver in history they started with Renault s own BTCC team in the late Nineties. Adam and Onslow-Cole won the Renault UK Clio Cup in 2005 and 2006 after also starring in the BTCC they have in 2015 been crowned British GT and international 24H Series champions respectively. In fact half the current BTCC grid comprises drivers from Renault UK racing backgrounds: Turkington lifted the BTCC crown in 2009 and 2014, Jordan in 2013, while Mat Jackson, Sam Tordoff, Jack Goff and Dave Newsham (UK Clio Cup champions in 2012 and 2010), Aron Smith and Rob Austin have all become touring car winners. The Clio Cup s top two from 2014, Mike Bushell and Josh Cook, have immediately impressed in their debut BTCC seasons in 2015 with Cook getting on the podium outright en route to the championship s rookie trophy. I have terrifically fond memories of competing in Renault UK s championships and also for their BTCC race team. In many ways they shaped me as a professional racing driver and gave me the skills I needed to succeed in my motor sport career, both on and off the track. It s great to see the UK Clio Cup still going strong, particularly in terms of the excellent driver talent it keeps on producing even if that does make it even harder for someone like me to keep winning in the BTCC! Jason Plato, BTCC Champion 2001 & 2010 6
Undoubtedly winning the Renault UK Clio Cup title added massive credibility to my name and helped me get my big break in British Touring Cars. The Clio Cup certainly taught me the race craft and technical skills that helped me enjoy success in both touring cars and sportscar and GT competition. You never stop learning, of course, but my three years in the Clio Cup were vital to my career. Tom Onslow-Cole, 2015 24H Series Champion Renault is a manufacturer steeped in motor sport history and its racing heritage and successes from Formula 1 to World Rally to creating its first singlemodel racing category (in France for its R8 Gordini in the mid-60s) - has drawn it international acclaim. The Clio Cup also keeps in line with the massively entertaining racing that Renault's single-model racing championships are famed for in the UK these date back to the mid-seventies when the manufacturer first introduced grids of leaning, squealing 5TLs and TSs to British motor sport. In the Eighties along came the 5GT Turbo before the inaugural Clio Cup (based on the 1.8 16v Clio) was launched in 1992 at the time it even attracted celebrities such as pop star Andrew Ridgley of WHAM! fame and comedy actor Rowan Atkinson! In 1995 the 2.0 Clio Williams was used. Two more names from that era, Lee Brookes and John Bintcliffe, also went on to achieve considerable success in the BTCC. There then followed four years of the Spider sportscar, with future touring car megastars Plato and Priaulx emerging as its first and last champions in 1996 and 1999 respectively. All the time, behind the scenes, there has been that Renaultsport magic giving each and every one of its championships a halo effect plus an energy and expertise that rubs off on their drivers, as clearly proven by the list above. The search is now on to find the future stars of the UK Clio Cup and to see who will join Renaultsport s illustrious hall of fame 7
The Show, The Teams & The Drivers Affordable budgets, a product high in quality, supreme technical expertise and pulsating on-track action in front of the biggest crowds and a captive live TV audience are always a recipe for success in motor sport and the Renault UK Clio Cup has got the lot. All 18 of the Clio Cup s races take place at the Dunlop British Touring Car Championship s high-profile events meaning trackside crowds of around 37,000 people each time and live free-to-air coverage in every household across the UK via the ITV4 channel. No other motor sport package in Britain comes even remotely close to achieving such vast levels of exposure so little wonder that the Clio Cup, renowned for producing top future names in the BTCC and GT/sportscar racing, is such a magnet for aspiring young drivers. Indeed its grid in 2015 has attracted drivers from a wide variety of club and junior-level categories all knowing that success in the Clio Cup represents a golden opportunity to stand out in front of huge numbers of public, the media and watching team bosses in the touring car paddock. By being so attractive for drivers along with a new energy that fresh management has brought to the championship in 2015 the Clio Cup also becomes a highly desirable place for teams looking for a professional arena in which to invest and create a successful business model for themselves. In 2015 the Renault UK Clio Cup s grid levels were at their biggest in almost two years as more than 30 drivers representing nine different teams scored points in the championship. Lap records were smashed as the competition intensified as also seen at Brands Hatch, Oulton Park and then Silverstone whose races produced the closest top-three finishes ever seen in the UK Clio Cup. All the while the doorhandle-to-doorhandle racing among the Clio Cup s equally matched cars is carefully monitored through the use of on-board cameras and data technology to ensure the highest standards of driving are maintained. Ultimately 2015 s title race resulted in a dramatic fourway showdown in Brands Hatch s season finale between Ashley Sutton, Ash Hand, Ant Whorton-Eales and Paul Rivett one of the most exciting and intense climaxes in championship history. Overall, ten different drivers representing eight different teams led races or finished on the podium outright during the 2015 season to again prove the UK Clio Cup s levels of competition. Notably Sutton's, Hand's and Whorton-Eales s presence on the grid highlighted the UK Clio Cup s unrivalled association with touring cars. Hand was mentored by three-time World Touring Car Champion Andy Priaulx; Sutton was managed by the BMR Restart BTCC team; Whorton-Eales s Maximum Motorsport squad is run by BTCC racer Stewart Lines. Half the BTCC grid was filled with drivers who had graduated to it straight from the UK Clio Cup 8
Renault UK have been part of the British Touring Car Championship success story ever since we re-modelled the BTCC in the early 90s. While other manufacturers have come and gone, Renault have stood the test of time with great technical expertise and, although rightfully very proud of their history, also a canny ability to keep looking ahead. Their racing championships have produced many outstanding talents including champions and winners in Formula 1, other high-profile international categories and of course the BTCC. 2015 s UK Clio Cup has again attracted some of the very best emerging young talent around and a title contest that has added further drama and excitement for the BTCC audiences to savour. Renault are real racers and an integral part to the success of the BTCC events. We look forward very much to working with them in the future. Alan Gow, BTCC Series Director 9
Neil Giddings, boss of the Finesse Motorsport team which returned to the championship in 2015, explains: The UK Clio Cup has a high profile and drivers who do it tend to be very strong in every championship they go and do just look at how many of them are now winning in the BTCC. Just as in the BTCC, the UK Clio Cup s tyre partner is Dunlop and courtesy of the company the championship s top two finishers in 2015 received hallowed prize tests in a British Touring Car. Furthermore the UK Clio Cup Champion also received a test in Renaultsport s new European-based 550hp R.S 0.1 silhouette sports/gt racer as developed by four-time Formula 1 World Champion Alain Prost. As a driver the cars and the championship teach you so much in terms of set-up and race craft plus you are getting used all the time to performing on the big stage and that really made a big difference for me when I went into the BTCC. I could go into it already knowing how to operate at a certain level. We re very proud to be associated with Renaultsport and the UK Clio Cup we ve absolutely made the right decision as a business and there is no other paddock we d rather be. Another obvious touring car link is Josh Cook who starred in his maiden BTCC season in 2015. Runner-up in 2014 s Clio Cup, he now runs his own squad, Team Cooksport, in the championship as well and says: For drivers, teams and potential sponsors looking to take the next step up from club-level motor sport with plans of later moving on to touring cars or sportscars, the UK Clio Cup really is the only game in town. It s just the most fantastic championship you can see why so many drivers to have come from the UK Clio Cup have gone on to great things and right now I would love to come back and defend my title in 2016 and see if I can improve my results from this season. Ashley Sutton, 2015 Renault UK Clio Cup Champion 10
Young At Heart While the Renault UK Clio Cup is a hotbed of young racing talent, there is room too for a more mature generation of driver thanks to a specially organised Masters Cup division. Those 38 and over at the start of the season qualify and there is every opportunity to compete on level terms at the front of the grid while enjoying their own battle for class honours. Masters honours in 2015 s races were shared among seven drivers before Mark Howard won the trophy as team-mate in the Pyro squad to two of the main title contenders, Ash Hand and Ashley Sutton. Howard says: To see their levels of skill in the car and preparation is massively impressive. I m then privileged enough to share their data which is fascinating and enables me to improve each time I go out on track. The Masters Cup is a fantastic way for those still young at heart and wanting the buzz of being part of a big occasion to go racing. A Place On The Grid Registrations for the 2016 Renault UK Clio Cup are now open and can be arranged via Championship Co-ordinator Pauline Hillon (see contact details on page 26). Registration includes: Nine race events with one 30-minute qualifying session and two rounds (races) at each Official UK Clio Cup test sessions at each event Pre-season UK Clio Cup media day event (Rockingham Weds 23 March 2016) Spare parts truck service on-site provided by R.Sport Renaultsport technical support Renaultsport media service (inc. web, social media, press releases) Open admission to Renault Race Centre (plus 3 catering passes per driver) 12 season VIP passes per driver (6 paddock plus 6 pit lane) 3 season competitor vehicle passes per driver Dunlop tyre-fitting service Control fuel delivery Official timekeeping / results on-line 11
Technically Advanced The modern-day Renault UK Clio Cup represents the most technically-advanced race championship in history for one of the French manufacturer s massproduced models. Every car is identical in performance and based on the Clio Renaultsport 220 Trophy each is built in France using Renaultsport s legendary motor sport know-how and fully developed for racing with a 1.6 turbocharged engine producing 220hp. Technical partners include Sadev and PFC Brakes Europe both names renowned for their engineering excellence. All cars also run on single-specification racing tyres developed by Dunlop (the British Touring Car Championship s tyre supplier). Unique on the car is Sadev s six-speed paddleshift gearbox while an upgraded PFC braking kit will come as standard for 2016. The price of the UK Clio Cup car is 43,200 Euros. These can be ordered via R. Sport (see Contacts on page 26). Furthermore Renaultsport s levels of excellence in developing the UK Clio Cup car means it is arguably the most reliable racing machine of any manufacturer-backed single-model championship the engine is designed to last two seasons of racing without the need for a rebuild and certainly among the safest with latest FIAspecification seats and rollcage. Indeed at Silverstone s 2015 rounds, held in September, WDE Motorsport driver Paul Rivett twice smashed the circuit s UK Clio Cup lap record incredibly using the exact same car-engine combination with which he had started the 2014 season some 18 months earlier. Typically the cost for a team to put together a potential title-winning campaign for a driver ranges between 75,000 and 95,000 per season. This includes championship registration and event entry fees. WDE Team Principal Wayne Eason comments: The beauty of the Clio Cup car is that it provides the teams and drivers with a technical challenge without being overly-complicated the balance is just right and still pushes the teams on the engineering and set-up front. 12
Not only that but these cars simply do not break. The fact that Paul was able to break the Silverstone lap record with the same car and engine he d been using for a year and a half is proof of just how good they are at holding their performance and value. To be clear, the only things in all that time we ve ever changed on his car are a couple of hubs. The engine has never needed to be touched. The reliability of these cars is off the scale." Simon Hunt s 20Ten Racing team has also emerged as a race-winning force in the past two seasons and he explains: The fact that all parts on every car are marked by Renaultsport and can only be purchased through R. Sport to assure full control of eligibility adds to peace of mind for teams. It means we know 100 per cent we are receiving the same treatment and equipment as every other team which removes a lot of the stress and uncertainty that can and does exist in other categories. Team Pyro has won an unrivalled number of UK Clio Cup titles since entering the championship in 2006 and seen many of its drivers go on to touring car stardom. Its Team Principal Mark Hunt comments: We have been involved in other categories but Renaultsport with the UK Clio Cup really stands out you can always put your trust in them, particularly in terms of quality and equality. They also have extremely good processes in place that make sourcing parts fast and easy for teams both at the track and away from events, likewise ordering new cars. They ve got it down to a tee The cars are beautifully engineered and easy to work on in terms of preparation and any repairs. It s obvious they have been designed by a manufacturer with real know-how, which is not necessarily the case in other categories Wayne Eason, Team Principal, WDE Motorsport 13
Responsible Racing Renaultsport is well aware of the need to balance performance and track time for drivers while also helping to keep budgets under control. During the season an official Renault UK Clio Cup test is held at each of the nine high-profile race events. Teams and drivers are permitted to test away from race events, although this is forbidden at venues yet to host their round on the calendar. Tyres are also restricted. Each driver is allocated two new pairs per race event for use on the front of the car with both the championship s technicians and Dunlop monitoring usage and working closely with each team throughout. We continually work very closely with our teams to ensure a level playing field and to prevent the sort of open chequebook racing seen in other championships which can prove highly destructive, explains Renaultsport s UK Motorsport Championship Manager Will Fewkes. At Renaultsport we have a duty to safeguard and reward our teams who have put their faith and investment in the UK Clio Cup as they look to build for the future. Furthermore a number of taster days are held throughout the year to enable prospective drivers to assess the Renault UK Clio Cup race car. And adds Fewkes: These are a very popular way to let potential customers put the race car through its paces in a controlled environment and with some expert tuition. In terms of track time each driver receives the equivalent of a race distance in the car. We held three in 2015 and all were fully booked in no time. 14
Coming To A Circuit Near You As the premier category to be seen in for aspiring touring car and sportscar drivers, the Renault UK Clio Cup stars only at Britain s best circuits with all its races taking place alongside the world-famous Dunlop British Touring Car Championship. On top of live coverage on ITV4 that also means massive trackside crowds close to 40,000 people on average. Each circuit is also in close proximity to a major public highway and surrounded by a densely-populated catchment area, most including major cities. This geographical spread of events therefore means the Clio Cup along with the BTCC is able to reach the maximum number of fans possible. Every circuit also knows the importance of hosting such high-profile events so they work hard to promote their fixtures and to ensure crowds receive a top quality visitor experience. Consider, too, that admission to see the Clio Cup (and the BTCC) is FREE for children at every circuit. Little wonder that race events prove so popular among family audiences as well as fans new and old. The season comprises nine fixtures, each hosting two races to result in an 18-round calendar. Those fixtures take place at the best circuits Britain has to offer some legendary in sporting circles. Furthermore they are located in many different areas of the UK, meaning the spectacle of the Clio Cup also lends itself to the potential for both national and localised marketing campaigns for sponsors whether pre-event or in the build-up to a race weekend. Just like a blockbuster movie at the local cinema, watch out in 2016 for each venue s promotional campaign to swing into action the Renault UK Clio Cup alongside the BTCC is coming to a circuit near you! 15
2016 Circuits & Dates BRANDS HATCH (INDY), KENT The hurly-burly nature of the world-famous venue s shorter Indy lay-out, set in a natural amphitheatre type bowl, often spells drama. There are great views, too. Access via M25 (J4), M20 & M26 (nr Dartford Crossing) Rounds 1 & 2 Date Sat 2/Sun 3 April DONINGTON PARK (NATIONAL), LEICS The fast pre-war Grand Prix circuit, set in pretty rolling parkland, produces some scintillating slipstream battles. Viewing is excellent. Access via M1 (J24), M42 & A50 (nr East Midlands Airport) Rounds 3 & 4 Date Sat 16/Sun 17 April THRUXTON, HAMPSHIRE Britain s fastest race circuit makes for some hair-raising moments, particularly when the drivers try to slipstream and then out-brake one another from high speed. Access via A303 (nr Andover) Rounds 5 & 6 Date Sat 7/Sun 8 May OULTON PARK (ISLAND), CHESHIRE The picturesque famous parkland circuit has fantastic views of the action and is a huge hit with fans who camp over in their thousands and drivers alike. Access via M6, M62, M54 and M56 motorways (nr Chester) Rounds 7 & 8 Date Sat 4/Sun 5 June CROFT, NORTH YORKSHIRE A highly demanding track, Croft brings the Clio Cup (and BTCC) to the North-East of England for one of the region s biggest sporting occasions of the year. Access via A1 (J57) or A66 (nr Darlington) Rounds 9 & 10 Date Sat 18/Sun 19 June SNETTERTON (300), NORFOLK The fast but twisting Snetterton circuit enables fans in the East to enjoy the Clio Cup/BTCC thrills n spills. It's also the longest lap on the calendar. Access via A11 (nr Norwich) Rounds 11 & 12 Date Sat 30/Sun 31 July 16
ROCKINGHAM (ISSC), NORTHANTS Based on a US-style oval with grandstands that overlook the whole lap this is the only anti-clockwise track on the calendar. A twisty infield section adds to the challenge. Access via A14 (nr Corby) Rounds 13 & 14 Date Sat 27/Sun 28 August SILVERSTONE (NATIONAL), NORTHANTS The British F1 GP venue s shorter National circuit is used. Its long wide straights can result in classic slip streaming battles, while the crowds get more laps. Access via M1 (J15a) or M40 (J10) (nr Northampton) Rounds 15 & 16 Date Sat 17/Sun 18 September Croft Oulton Park Donington Park Silverstone Snetterton Rockingham BRANDS HATCH (GRAND PRIX), KENT The legendary venue s full-length GP circuit positivley oozes soul, charisma and history and is the ultimate track on which to hold the title-deciding season finale. Access via M25 (J4), M20 & M26 (nr Dartford Crossing) Rounds 17 & 18 Date Sat 1/Sun 2 October Thruxton Brands Hatch 17
A Day At The Races At every Renault UK Clio Cup fixture is the championship s professionally-run Race Centre and with catering overseen by chefs boasting Formula 1 and Hollywood movie experience there s little wonder it provides a real home from home for teams, drivers and guests alike. Renaultsport s hospitality has long been considered among the finest at any race event and with up to 200 places available the UK Clio Cup s Race Centre is a regular hive of activity for those looking to entertain corporate guests, for invited media to interview the drivers, for networking and B2B introductions or for parties to meet and discuss potentially new driver-team-sponsor combinations. Furthermore the Race Centre s relaxed atmosphere offers an ideal backdrop for sponsors looking to host their own guests perfect for those with bases located close to the eight different circuits the Renault UK Clio Cup visits around the country. There is also the opportunity for VIPs to become part of the Clio Cup s paddock tours enabling guests to rub shoulders with the star drivers in their team s awnings and to keep fully abreast of all the racing action thanks to a live feed of ITV4 s coverage from each event. 18
Appointed to oversee matters is Williams Hospitality whose Managing Director Gareth Williams and his team have, combined, more than 25 years experience of running race centres in Formula 1 and the World Rally Championship and even serving as personal chefs to leading actors on blockbuster movies such as Robin Hood, Mission Impossible and James Bond. Presentation, attention to detail and ensuring we serve both hot and cold dishes that are wholesome, healthy and suit diets of all tastes are major priorities for us, says Williams. We like to think we are one of the best in the business, particularly given the emphasis that Renaultsport has always placed on the importance of making its guests feel welcome and on retaining customer satisfaction. Maximumgroup.net is one of the largest suppliers of business telephone systems in the UK. Its Managing Director Stewart Lines is glowing in his appraisal of the hospitality provided by the championship. The Race Centre is actually where we initially started formulating the idea of our own race team, he comments. The door is always open and in a quieter moment the atmosphere was just right to get the discussion going. Subsequently it has also led to us chatting with sponsors of other teams although they might be rivals on the track there are still clearly opportunities for some very interesting business deals to be done and as a result we have opened up some potentially very exciting leads Our company has worked at motor sport s very highest levels and for some very big names in the movie world, but the Renault UK Clio Cup is always a real favourite of ours because of the very friendly and relaxed ambience surrounding the championship. 19
Fully Exposed Wherever the Renault UK Clio Cup races its cars, drivers, teams and sponsors know every time out they are part of a major sporting spectacle that not only pulls in crowds but which is also being beamed to almost every household in the UK as part of the Dunlop British Touring Car Championship s television broadcast arrangement with ITV by far the biggest and best in British motor sport. ITV Sport is present at every event with an army of technicians and camera operatives who take over each venue to provide up to eight hours live coverage on the main race day (Sunday) on its ITV4 channel. The UK Clio Cup action is very much a part of the mix and on average it receives a 45-minute portion of that live coverage each time. Furthermore the coverage is simulcast on ITV4 HD. Latest figures show that ITV s live coverage of the BTCC s ten events (the UK Clio Cup races at nine of them) on both ITV4 and ITV4 HD totals in excess of 140 hours during the season and that all of its coverage generated close to 21 million viewer hours. In addition to ITV Sport s live coverage the UK Clio Cup also receives highlights after each event on both the ITV1 and ITV4 channels (again simulcast on their HD counterparts) in a specially-arranged show, Motorsport UK. With Steve Rider, one of British TV s best-know sports anchor men, among the hosts and the same production team behind ITV Sport s coverage of the UEFA Champions League and Rugby World Cup, Britain s largest commercial television network assuredly gives each BTCC event top-class treatment. Because of its great racing and entertainment value and of course a very obvious relevance to the BTCC the Renault UK Clio Cup will always be a high-profile part of ITV Sport s coverage Steve Rider, ITV Sport Presenter 140 hours of coverage during the season 20
ITV's BTCC coverage generated close to 21 million viewer hours There is absolutely no other arena in which we would want the Clio Cup to appear in order for us to showcase our brand, technologies and driver talent and to entertain guests. Each event has the crowds, the live ITV exposure, the profile, the hype, fantastic credibility and a real sense of a major sporting occasion Jeremy Townsend, Communications Director, Renault UK It is estimated as well that in 2015 more than 380,000 people attended the BTCC s ten race events, further enabling the UK Clio Cup s stakeholders the teams, drivers and sponsors to engage with huge numbers of public who flock to the nationwide tour of events. Often it can be a dynamic colour scheme on a car that can capture the crowd s imagination. Similarly a proactive marketing campaign built around a brand or by working with the championship to establish a profile among media and commentators. The consequence of this is a lasting effect on race day guests who, because of the structure of race events, are also able to feel part of the action in a way that perhaps no other sport can deliver. JamSport Racing is one of the newer teams on the UK Clio Cup grid and one of the more colourful with its cars running in striking day-glo green and pink liveries. Team Principal Jamie Going enthuses: Those colour schemes are deliberate we absolutely want our cars and team to stand out for the crowds and ITV audiences and, of course, our race day guests. Putting on a show particularly at events with such wow factor is important in order for any team or driver to build and maintain sponsor interest. That extends to the access that teams can give their guests with tours of the grid in front of the ITV cameras and exclusive time with the drivers. Feedback often includes the words I ve never been so close and that can mean so much when it is at events with such a high-profile as these. 21
As well the UK Clio Cup has its own dedicated PR service managed by Carl McKellar who brings with him some 20 years experience of working in the media this includes having been the British Touring Car Championship s Media Officer for ten years and as a journalist covering Formula 1 for national newspapers plus the FIA World Rally and World Rallycross championships for Red Bull. The UK Clio Cup works closely with teams and drivers to keep the wider world fully up to speed with all the latest news and gossip via ITV s and the circuits commentators, social media (Twitter, Facebook and Instagram), press releases to specialist, local, national, consumer and lifestyle titles and through the allencompassing www.renaultsport.co.uk website. In particular there has been a rapid rise in organic social media figures for the UK Clio Cup in 2015 with its @UKClioCup Facebook and Twitter accounts both growing by close to 50 per cent to over 7500 and 5000 respectively. Its Facebook page now enjoys a weekly reach of over 125,000 people. More than 380,000 people at race events Facebook and Twitter accounts both growing by close to 50% 7500 + 5000 + Followers Followers 22
Crowd Survey Male Female Under 35 35 & over Social Class AB 40% 25% 24% 55% C1 50% 60% 55% 44% C1 7% 5% 15% 3% DR 3% 10% 6% 3% Personal Income Under 15,000 1% 0% 1% 0% 15,000-19,999 3% 1% 1% 1% 20,000-24,999 3% 3% 8% 3% 25,000-29,999 8% 12% 13% 9% 30,000-34,999 14% 16% 17% 17% 35,000-44,999 22% 27% 25% 24% 45,000-54,999 21% 18% 12% 20% 55,000-64,999 12% 11% 11% 10% 65,000 or over 16% 12% 12% 16% Average number of events attended Percentage to buy merchandise 1.86 1.41 1.63 1.85 44% 33% 42% 41% Top 5 aspects enjoyed most during the day Racing 41% 32% 43% 35% Atmosphere 24% 17% 20% 20% Good day out 17% 9% 13% 11% Food & Drink 9% 7% 5% 8% Weather 8% 15% 9% 14% Top 3 other sports watched on TV Formula 1 75% 52% 69% 76% Football 21% 45% 67% 68% Rugby 29% Tennis 46% Athletics 23% Cricket 51% Top 3 national newspapers read Daily Mail 21% 26% 14% 28% Telegraph 9% 20% The Sun 26% 31% 7% The Times 13% Express 12% 9% Research carried out by Sports Marketing Surveys 23
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Championship Contacts UK Motorsport Championship Manager Will Fewkes BARC, Thruxton, Nr Andover, Hants SP11 8PN Tel: 01264 882208 E-mail: wfewkes@barc.net Championship Co-ordinator Pauline Hillon The Forge, 100 Bondgate, Castle Donington, Derbys DE74 2NR Tel: 01332 391081 / 07968 393184 E-mail: phillon@barc.net New Cars, Parts & Technical Support John Millett and Denise Trigg R Sport Ltd Tel: 07990 520010 Email: r_sport_uk@hotmail.com Website: www.rsportonline.co.uk Media Officer Carl McKellar Tel: 07786 138905 E-mail: cmckellar@barc.net Hospitality Co-ordinator Adrienne Watson Tel: 01295 760742 E-mail: awatson.barc@gmail.com Teams Contacts 20Ten Racing / Team Principal: Simon Hunt Unit 7 Duffield Road Industrial Estate, Little Eaton, Derby DE21 5EG Tel: 01333 833878 / Simon Hunt: 07919 075248 Email: simon@20tenracing.co.uk Website: www.20tenracing.co.uk Finesse Motorsport / Team Principal: Neil Giddings Oak Lodge, Cuddle Dyke Bank, Upwell, Wisbech, Cambs PE14 9BS Tel: 01945 772132 / Neil Giddings: 07947 350640 Email: info@finesseltd.co.uk Website: www.finessemotorsportltd.co.uk JamSport Racing / Team Principal: Jamie Going & Team Manager Sam Cotton 2 Lower Farm Road, Moulton Park Industrial Estate, Northampton NN3 6XF Tel: 01604 755529 / Sam Cotton: 07957 667467 Email: racing@jam-sport.co.uk Website: www.jam-sport-racing.co.uk Team Cooksport / Team Principal: Josh Cook & Team Manager: Chris Cook Unit 4 Unicorn Business Park, Whitby Road, Bristol BS4 4EX Tel: 0843 218 2436 Email: info@cooksport.co.uk Website: www.cooksport.co.uk Team Ecomotive with DRM / Team Principal: Kevin Rowbottom Unit 6 Lupin Works, Worcester Road, Kidderminster, Worcs DY10 1JR Tel: 07545 522567 Email: sales@eco-motive.com Website: www.eco-motive.com Team Pyro / Team Principal: Mark Hunt Unit B2, The Rise, Moat Way Industrial Estate, Barwell, Leics LE9 8EY Tel: 01455 847774 Email: info@pyromotorsport.co.uk Website: www.pyromotorsport.co.uk WDE Motorsport / Team Principal: Wayne Eason & Team Manager: Paul Rivett Unit 7 Murston Business Centre, Norman Road, Ashford, Kent TN23 7AD Tel: 01233 647401 / Wayne Eason: 07917 646416 Paul Rivett: 07412 665385 Email: info@wdemotorsport.com Website: www.wdemotorsport.com Westbourne Motorsport / Team Principal: Richard Colburn Bishopstone Lane, Hickstead, West Sussex BN6 9HG Tel: 01444 480170 Email: richard@westbournemotors.co.uk Website: www.westbournemotorsport.co.uk 26
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Continue the Clio Cup experience at www.renaultsport.co.uk Calendar: 2016 Renault UK Clio Cup Rounds Date Circuit 1 & 2 Sat 2/Sun 3 April Brands Hatch (Indy), Kent 3 & 4 Sat 16/Sun 17 April Donington Park (National), Leics 5 & 6 Sat 7/Sun 8 May Thruxton, Hants 7 & 8 Sat 4/Sun 5 June Oulton Park (Island), Cheshire 9 & 10 Sat 18/Sun 19 June Croft, North Yorkshire 11 & 12 Sat 30/Sun 31 July Snetterton (300), Norfolk 13 & 14 Sat 27/Sun 28 August Rockingham (ISSC), Northants 15 & 16 Sat 17/Sun 18 September Silverstone (National), Northants 17 & 18 Sat 1/Sun 2 October Brands Hatch (Grand Prix), Kent Photo credits: Jakob Ebrey Printed in EC November 2015. @UKClioCup facebook.com/ukcliocup @ClioCupUK