Current Mini Miglia Championship leader Shayne Deegan (Cambridge) will make his debut in the Renault UK Clio Cup at his home circuit of Snetterton later this month (30-31 July) with the Team Cooksport squad – run by Dunlop British Touring Car Championship star Josh Cook.
Deegan has won seven out of eight races to date in 2016 to lead the Miglia standings. He is also twice a winner of the 750 Motor Club’s Stock Hatch category – at the wheel of Cook’s old Citroen Saxo – as well as a national and British title-winner in auto grassing.
Now, though, comes the challenge of the UK Clio Cup – Britain’s premier single-make saloon car category which has a reputation for producing so many star names in the BTCC as well as sportscar and GT competition.
“Racing in front of my home crowd alongside the BTCC and live on ITV4 – I’ve not raced in anything on this scale before but there’s everything to look forward to,” enthused 21-year-old Deegan.
“I’ve watched the UK Clio Cup for some years and love it – the cars are the business and Renault Sport makes sure they are all very even so it comes down to driver skill.
“On saying that I won’t drive the Cooksport UK Clio Cup car for the first time until the official Friday test at the event – the biggest thing to get used to will probably be the steering wheel-mounted six-speed paddle gearshift system.
“I’ve got a great sponsor in Regency Autos who are helping me to race at Snetterton, I’m really keen to be on the UK Clio Cup grid and Cooksport seem to like me so hopefully we can put in some strong results first time out together.”
Bristolian Cook commented: “We’ve kept a close eye on Shayne since he purchased my old Citroen and went and won two titles in it. After I saw him qualify on pole position by three and a half seconds in the wet at Snetterton last year I’ve kept on pestering him about making the move.
“Like our two other UK Clio Cup youngsters Rory Collingbourne and George Jackson he’s a very exciting prospect. And with our highest-placed driver Lee Pattison passing on all his experience at Snetterton I am sure Shayne will do a fine job on his debut.”
Renault Sport’s UK Motorsport Championship Manager Will Fewkes added: “We very much welcome Shayne to the UK Clio Cup grid – the obvious speed and ability he has displayed in front in front-wheel-drive machinery at club level should stand him in very good stead when it comes to adapting to the UK Clio Cup race car. It’s also great to see Cooksport adding a fourth car on the grid which is proving to be the most competitive seen in recent UK Clio Cup history.”
