TOM OATLEY JOINS ROAD SERIES ENTRANTS FROM ROCKINGHAM
Posted on: 19/06/2017Tom Oatley (Trowbridge) will join the Michelin Clio Cup Series from Rockingham [1st-2nd July] as part of the highly-competitive, cost-effective Road Series.
The 41-year old, who was unable to compete in the opening two events of the season at Silverstone and Croft due to business commitments, is set to tackle his first full race weekend around the 1.9 mile Rockingham Motor Speedway.
He will drive the Clio 197 piloted to a brace of class podium finishes at last year's season finale around Silverstone's International circuit by Nick White, who lives in nearby Melksham.
Oatley's previous experience stems largely from trackdays, having spent the past five years competing in a Nissan Skyline.
He will join several others in competing for the Road Series prize, which this season is a fully-funded test day in the third-generation, 2.0 litre Race Series car, supplied courtesy of Westbourne Motorsport.
Oatley hopes to pursue motorsport further in the near future, with his addition cementing the championship's reputation as a cost-effective but highly-valuable route into the sport. Current Race Series champion James Dorlin is already a race-winner in the Renault UK Clio Cup, which runs alongside the British Touring Car Championship, despite being in his rookie campaign.
Tom Oatley said, “I've wanted to race competitively my entire life, and when I heard Nick White was looking to sell his Michelin Clio Cup Series Road car, a ten-minute conversation was all I needed before making a commitment!
“I've always admired the pace of the Renault Clio throughout my time competing at trackdays, and the car provides me with a cost-effective route into motorsport.
“It was a strange feeling, filling in the application forms to race, and with Rockingham being a brand-new circuit to me it's important that I keep my expectations realistic.
“If I can get through my first weekend without any incidents and come away from the circuit feeling like I've learnt something from the experience and made some new friends in the paddock, that'll be reward enough.
“It was definitely a shame to miss out on the first two events, but hopefully now we can push forward and have a strong season from hereon in.”
