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Thruxton to replace Silverstone on 2014 Renault UK Clio Cup calendar

Hampshire's legendary Thruxton Circuit, the fastest track on the Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship's TOCA Tour, will form part of the Renault UK Clio Cup calendar in 2014 following a minor amendment to next year's confirmed schedule.

In order to allow Renault UK Clio Cup teams and drivers to dovetail their respective campaigns with involvement in next year's Eurocup Clio series, potentially mirroring the double championship winning exploits of Team Pyro and Josh Files (Norwich) this season, the national category will now race at Thruxton on 3rd/4th May instead of visiting Silverstone in late September.

The remainder of the calendar is unaffected, meaning the 2014 Renault UK Clio Cup will begin on 29th/30th March at Brands Hatch Indy Circuit before travelling to Donington Park National Circuit on Easter weekend, 19th/20th April. Rounds five and six will now take place at Thruxton at the beginning of May, followed by a trip to Oulton Park on 7th/8th June.

Croft will host rounds nine and 10 on 28th/29th June and there will then be a five week summer break before the visit to Snetterton on 2nd/3rd August. Clio Cup travels north of the border to Knockhill in Scotland for the first time since 2010 on 23rd/24th August and then heads to Rockingham on 6th/7th September before the season finale at Brands Hatch Grand Prix Circuit on 11th/12th October.

"We're very grateful to Alan Gow [BTCC Series Director] and to the BARC [British Automobile Racing Club] for enabling this amendment to next year's Renault UK Clio Cup calendar to be implemented", said championship manager Simon North, "Opening the way for our teams and drivers to have the option of racing in Europe as well as the UK is an important and, we're sure, popular step.

"Following the remarkable year enjoyed by Josh [Files] and Team Pyro, making history by winning the Renault UK Clio Cup title and the Eurocup Clio crown in the same season, we wanted to be able to offer that possibility to our 2014 competitors too. We will miss returning to Silverstone with the Clios next year, but Thruxton is always incredibly popular and we're delighted to be racing there."

The revised Renault UK Clio Cup schedule now means competitors can contest the full 2014 Eurocup Clio series which begins on 26th/27th April at Motorland Aragon in Spain. Germany's Nurburgring will host the second event of the campaign on 12th/13th July, a visit to Paul Ricard in France will follow on 27th/28th September and the season finale will take place on 18th/19th October at Jerez in Spain.

Renault UK Clio Cup is sponsored by www.buyoils.co.uk with support from ELF, WP Racing and official tyre supplier Dunlop.

Revised 2014 Renault UK Clio Cup Calendar:
Rds1&2 Brands Hatch Indy Circuit, Kent - 29th/30th March
Rds3&4 Donington Park National Circuit, Leicestershire - 19th/20th April
Rds5&6 Thruxton, Hampshire - 3rd/4th May
Rds7&8 Oulton Park Island Circuit, Cheshire - 7th/8th June
Rds9&10 Croft Circuit, North Yorkshire - 28th/29th June
Rds11&12 Snetterton Circuit, Norfolk - 2nd/3rd August
Rds13&14 Knockhill Circuit, Fife - 23rd/24th August
Rds15&16 Rockingham ISSC, Northamptonshire - 6th/7th September
Rds17&18 Brands Hatch Grand Prix Circuit, Kent - 11th/12th October