Renault Aftersales Racing drivers Ed Pead left the fourth round of the ELF Renault Clio Cup in philosophical mood yesterday after failing to finish the championship race at Croft Circuit in North Yorkshire.

Pead started the 12-lap race from third on the grid, he got a strong start in his Ixell, Ixtar, Rapide Bodycare, Renaultp@rts, Motrio and Renault Trade Partner programme-branded Clio and was comfortably holding on to fourth place in the early stages of the race.

However, he failed to progress any further up the leader board. His race came to an abrupt end when he tried to brake for Tower Bend on the eighth lap.

"I had to go down the inside of the guy ahead of me when my all four wheels locked up.  We both touched and then I ended up going off the track," Pead said. "It was a strange way for me to exit the race because I was surprised of the lock up."

With that in mind, Pead and his engineers inspected his car after the race and discovered that all was not well with the suspension and track rod arm before Pead retired from the race.

"I touched wheels with another driver earlier in the race and we think this weakened the lower support bracket and bent the track rod arm," Pead explained. "We think the brakes locked up because the support bracket broke and the wheel tucked itself up inside the wheel arch."

The fifth round of the ELF Renault Clio Cup takes place at Oulton Park Circuit in Cheshire on June 23/24 and will once again be part of the support package for the next round of the Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship.

Be sure to check out the other photos from this years' meetings in the Photo Gallery.