9/29/2007

Lloyd Clinches Title In Nail-Biting Climax

Hywel Lloyd (Corwen) is the 2007 Formula Renault BARC Champion, beating Dean Stoneman (Southampton) by just one point after 12 thrilling races. The Welshman’s victory from pole position in round 12 at Oulton Park Island circuit on Saturday, 29^th September was his sixth of the season and third in succession to complete a stirring revival to end the season.

 

Stoneman finished third in the race to leave the pair tied on 132 points after 12 rounds, but with each driver counting their 11 best scores in their final championship tally, Stoneman’s single dropped point from round two at Croft proved the difference. However, had the scores been level, Lloyd would have won on countback with six wins to Stoneman’s three.

 

With a tense 15 laps in prospect at the 2.23-mile Cheshire circuit, the drama was almost immediately interrupted by a red flag after Russell Racing’s Bahrani driver Menasheh Idafar (London) rolled his car on the first lap, fortunately escaping uninjured. A first corner incident also saw Lee Dwyer retire along with Eurotek Motorsport’s David McDonald (Ewell), whose broken steering saw him collide with 2007 Club Class champion Ian Pearson (Didcot).

 

At the restart, 3K’s Racing’s Kieren Clark (Tadlow) capitalised on his best qualifying performance of the season by passing Lloyd into Old Hall corner. Worswick Engineering’s Rossi (Blackburn) got a great start from the third row to move past Stoneman into third ahead of Mark Burdett Motorsport’s Ollie Hancock (Hook).

 

Knowing he needed a victory to maximise his title chances, Lloyd was eager to get past Clark and the pair ran together through Island Hairpin before the CF Racing ace made his move up the inside at Knickerbrook chicane. Clark, in his debut single-seater season, drove a fine race to keep within touching distance as the top two pulled away from the chasing pack.

 

Following the retirement of nine-time race-winner Ian Pearson, Club Class honours were up for grabs and xado.co.uk & JH Motorsport’s James Heffernan (Tower Hamlets) seized the initiative on lap four by passing Reon Motorsport’s Roberto Tirone (Amberley). Bob Pearson (Didcot) was third, narrowly ahead of Fraser Smart (Kilsyth) and Muzz Race’s Matthew Clark (Norwich).