The teams and drivers returned from their summer break last weekend for the Clio Cup Snetterton Rounds 2018 as part of the support package for the British Touring Car Championship, and some of them must have felt that it was the end of the summer, not just the summer break. Just as the country was getting used to constant blue skies and warm sunshine, Friday saw first clouds appear and then in the evening the weather provided some natural pyrotechnics as lightning illuminated the area. Saturday saw the rain clear in the morning, leaving sunny skies, but windy conditions.
James Dorlin set the pace in qualifying, taking pole from Bradley Burns and Paul Rivett. Series newcomers Jack Young and Nick Reeve did well to qualifying seventh and eighth among the twenty three car grid.
In the second fastest times, Max Coates topped the times from Dorlin and Burns.
The first race saw Daniel Rowbottom take his first win of the year from Burns, with Mike Epps in third place.
Sunday morning was much wetter than Saturday, and with the next Clio race early on the bill, the assembly area saw the cars moving from slicks to rain tyres.
Quick change from slicks to rain tyres @MsportExtra pic.twitter.com/1r6mCxGG4w
— Mark Haggan (@markhaggan) July 29, 2018
Soon, though, the cars headed out on to the track and the next race started.
And the @UKClioCup head out on to the track @MsportExtra pic.twitter.com/glWvXminFQ
— Mark Haggan (@markhaggan) July 29, 2018
This time, it was Coates who took the win from Dorlin, with Lee Pattison after a 0.2 second penalty was applied to Zak Fulk.
The weekend leaves Coates leading the championship, with Riett and Dorlin in second and third. The next round for the drivers in Rockingham, before a break whilst the BTCC teams head to Knockill, and then the last two weekends of the season are at Silverstone and Brands Hatch. Meanwhile, here are some photos from the Clio Cup Snetterton Rounds 2018.
