This season North Yorkshire’s Max Coates has been making his debut in the Renault UK Clio Cup and was supported by eleven businesses who ‘sponsored a tyre’ for his local round of the championship at Croft Circuit.
The businesses were a mixture of local companies as well as suppliers to one of Max’s main sponsors, Primex Plastics Ltd who are based on Aycliffe Business Park. As well as having their logo on the racing car the firms received weekend passes to support Max at Croft.
The sponsors, Hydraulic and Offshore Supplies, Colourpol Ltd, Darlington Motorfactors, DMC Electrical Services, Workshop Supplies, Durham Lifting, Sterling Safety, Aycliffe Engineering, City Electrical Factors Darlington, Northern Materials Handling Ltd / Cesab forklifts and Harron Homes, also recieved supporters T-shirts and a garage tour.
Various guests came along to support Max over the weekend and in doing so strengthened relationships with Primex Plastics and each other.
Max, also sponsored by PLASgran Recycling, was on form after taking his first podium finish in the championship at the previous round at Oulton Park. He qualified 7th and 5th for the weekend’s two races and began making a charge through the field in the first race. 3rd at the end of the first lap he put pressure on Mike Bushell, a previous UK Clio Cup Champion, eventually taking the second spot on the podium.
The second race of the weekend was screened live on ITV4 and in front of over 30,000+ race day fans, Max didn’t disappoint. Straight into fourth at turn one he once again applied pressure to Bushell to gain 3rd. By lap five Coates was on the back of the leader and passed at the final corner to take the lead before holding it to the flag for an emotional and popular victory.
A jubilant Max said “What a weekend, I’ve enjoyed having the support of local businesses that have sponsored a tyre and made it along to watch. It’s a dream come true to win at Croft, this is a day that I will remember for a very long time.”
The double podium and maiden win moves Max to 4th in the championship and just one point away from 3rd. The series now takes a break before the next round at Snetterton, Norfolk, on the 30th and 31st July. Max is opening up his £350 sponsor a tyre scheme to the remaining rounds this season.
Photo: Paul James Kelly
Photo: Neil Sturgeon
