UK RENAULT CLIO CUP // SEASON OPENER AT BRANDS HATCH

Take a small front wheel drive runabout, give it a 16V 2.0-litre power plant coupled to a six speed sequential gearbox, add in 24 other identical cars and you have the UK Renault Clio Cup.
 
The Brands Hatch BTCC meeting saw the first two rounds of 2009, for a series that dates back to 1991 and has provided countless hours of action packed racing and plentiful grids. This year includes drivers in their second year in the series, and it was one of these, Phill Glew, who opened his 2009 account with a comprehensive double race win at Brands... [read more]

Glew, the son of Graeme who was himself a Formula Ford driver before going on to running his own race team, scored maximum points taking wins in both races and now heads to Thruxton as the man to beat. The ex formula BMW driver resisted race long pressure from pole sitter, Alex MacDowall, throughout Saturdays opener and followed up his maiden success in Sunday's race with help from his teammate, Aron Smith, who followed him to the flag.
 
Cumbrian MacDowell, who raced in the series last year, put his Clio on pole for both races which in itself was a very creditable performance. But there was no way past Glew in race one, although Alex did have a couple of lunges at the lead which both times ended with harmless kisses to the back of Glew's car.
 
Come Sunday, MacDowall again lost out to Glew off the line, but this time his poor start allowed Smith through into second which he was never to relinquish despite the intervention of two safety car periods.
 
A great performance in both races went to ex Saxmax champion James Colburn who put in two very tidy drives to earn 6th and 4th place championship points.
 
So with the first two rounds completed it is Glew who has the upper hand, but hey, this is the Clio Cup, and anything can happen!
 
Stay Tuned for more from the series as CTD's Neil Tozer reports from Thruxton.

Photo/Editorial: Neil Tozer