After a strong drive at Silverstone, Beckenham’s Ed Pead arrived at Oulton Park with only one aim in mind, two more wins and increase the championship lead in the2004 ELF/BTE Lawline Renault Clio Cup.

Pead headed the table in the second practice session on Friday and was confident of a front row position. Three laps in and Pead was at the top of the times, dropping to third as he came in for new tyres. Ed left it to the very last lap to put in his best time of the session, this would have seen him third as he was the first to take the chequered flag, but in turn this left him no time to respond to three more drivers putting in their fastest laps and bumping Ed down to sixth. Pead commented “I was expecting a front row position, I’m a little disappointed but I’ve won from sixth before so I’m looking forward to the race.” With his top rivals on the front two rows it was going to be a hard race round the Cheshire circuit of Oulton Park which is notorious for hard overtaking.

Saturday’s race was the hottest of the season so far and at the start of round seven, Ed slotted into fifth place just infront of Paul Rivett. On the exit of Cascades Rivett slipstreamed Pead and went for the outside into the hairpin, at the same time Ed dived up the inside of Neil Waterworth who seemed to brake early and it was three a breast into the Island hairpin. Waterworth clipped Pead and then clipped Rivett pushing all three cars wide. Ed managed to re-join in sixth with the others further down. On the second lap Ed had caught and passed the Will Hoy Hard Charger, Daryl McDonald at Lodge and set about chasing the pack ahead. Pead caught the pack but his car started to understeer and all he could do was follow the pack and bring it home in fifth. Meanwhile Rivett had driven well to finish sixth and with the fastest lap of the race this meant that the difference in the championship stayed at 40 points. Pead said “After the first lap incident all I could do was play catch up and make sure of a finish.”

Round eight proved to be the toughest race of the season for Pead. Starting on grid four he tucked in behind Steve Hunter who began to defend from the off. Pead made numerous attempts to pass Hunter but he made sure his car was very wide and impossible to get round. On lap four Pead made a brave move into the first corner Old Hall, such was his speed in he took to the grass on the exit and shaved the barrier before joining back in sixth. It was Nick Adcock who was now pressuring Hunter. Whilst Hunter was defending it slowed Adcock at the chicane and Ed managed to get passed on the exit of Knickerbrook. The next lap Vince Martin blew up and left a trail of oil into the last corner. Hunter slide wide and Ed slotted through to take third. Unfortunately for Hunter his race ended with contact with Matt Allison causing a red flag. Pead said “Steve was well within his rights to block but it’s a shame, I couldn’t get past him in the first few laps as I would have made it a three way fight for the lead.” Jonathon Adam took the win and fastest lap with Rivett only four tenths behind. Pead’s lead in the championship is still a healthy 37 points.

The series returns to Thruxton on May 30th.

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