News Update

News Update

Silverstone Presentation

The team were invited to the BTCC weekend Silverstone where John was presented with his Road Sport Champion trophy.

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After such a hectic year it seemed odd to be at a circuit on race weekend with no car to prepare especially as we had worked with or raced against someone in nearly every race! 

International Race

We can now confirm that the team has been offered a last minute slot at this weekend's Racing Festival held at the legendary Spa Francorchamps circuit. The weekend will feature a mix of sports, touring cars & single seaters. Although the team had not planned to run the Clio again this year (apart from Total Kit Car Live in November) and to start work on it for next season the opportunity to drive on arguably one of the best circuits in the world could not be ignored.

​John, along with Mark from MWT Automotive, plan to make the 9 hour trip to Belgium on Thursday night arriving in time for Friday practise. The team now have just four days to prepare the car that is still battle scarred from it's last Clio Cup Series outing at Croft.  

Rounds 11 & 12 Croft 20/09/14 - Race Report

Rounds 11 & 12 - Croft 20/09/14 - Race Report

An odd weekend of highs and lows to round off a roller coaster of a first season in Michelin Clio Cup Series. 

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Not only was this the team's first visit to Croft Circuit, Saturday also gave us the first wet qualifying session of the year. The only other time the Clio has been driven in the rain was the media launch day back in April! The changeable conditions saw John qualify forth at the back of a depleted road series grid.

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​Conditions on Sunday were overcast but, crucially, dry. Race one was, as John described it, "nothing short of total carnage for all involved." With the start format the same as Snetterton the race class launched on the lights and the road class starting on the flag drop after a delay.   John's starts have been improving all year and this launch was no exception, quickly turning a forth place start to second position. Pole sitter Luke Pinder had started to open a gap and managed to negotiate around a damaged race class back marker. Just as John was looking to gain some distance from Jake Honour and Nic Harrison, running 3rd and 4th respectively, the smoking race car decided to pull back onto the circuit. Backing off the throttle into Sunny corner to avoid collision was the only option and allowed the chasing cars to close gap.

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 After two more laps defending heavily Honour made his move up the inside, half way through Sunny corner. Harrison looked to follow Honour through the rapidly disappearing gap as John closed the door. Contact was the result and Harrison limped to the pits with his nearside front wheel at a 45 degree angle. John's Clio has sustained damage to the driver's door, sill, wing and most importantly the steering. With a bent track rod end the Clio's pace was severely affected but still running in third place with over half race distance left to complete. In the closing stages of the race Jake Honour, running second in the road class, was caught in the middle of a three way battle in the race class which resulted in contact. His car was hit from the rear, put onto the grass, spun and then collected by another race class car causing extensive damage to the front end. John continued to nurse the car home to claim second place. 

This weekend was unusual as both races took place on Sunday so it was a race against time to get the car out of parc ferme and back to garage! Mark from MWT Automotive set about replacing the damaged steering rack end and resetting the tracking whilst the Paint Perfect team secured the damaged bodywork and manipulated the badly deformed driver's door so it would close securely for race two. 

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Amazingly all three road series cars damaged in the first race made it out onto the grid for race two. Nic Harrison got the best start with John and Jake Honour having a door to door drag race into the first corner. Jake's starting grid position gave him the inside line and as a result he took second place. This was the running order until the closing laps of the race when Honour retired his car with a reported loss of power promoting John from 3rd to 2nd. It also was a class win for John in the Road Sport (Novice) category. This late season points haul promoted John to 4th in the Road Series points table and crowned champion in the Sport class.

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Off Season

As the team heads into the off season work will continue on the car to prepare it for next year. It will be next out on track along with it's Peugeot 106 GTi sister car at Total Kit Car Live held at Brands Hatch on Saturday 15th November. The two cars will be giving demonstration laps and passenger rides. We would love to see everyone who has supported us this year so we can give them an insight into what the car is like out on track! 

2015 Season

We are looking ahead to the 2015 Season and already a number of our sponsors have confirmed their support for next year. We are looking to secure all sponsorship places as soon as possible and will be sending out a sponsorship pack to companies in the coming months. 

The Michelin Clio Cup Series visits a number of the top racing circuits in the country including legendary places like Donnington, Snetterton & Brands Hatch. In 2014 the series also had a race televised live on Motors TV and highlights from selected races are posted on the official Renault Sport YouTube channel. https://www.youtube.com/user/FormulaRenaultBARC/videos 

Sponsors are invited to bring clients, friends and family to the race meetings where our team will provide tickets and access to the Michelin hospitality tent where lunch is provided. They are also invited in to see the garage and pit lane to really get a feel for what the team does on a race weekend. 

Rounds 9 & 10 Snetterton 30/08/14 - Race Report

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The team travelled down to Norfolk last Thursday for the penultimate weekend of Michelin Clio Cup Series action. On Thursday evening John was out on track receiving tuition from Josh Files the 2013 Clio Cup UK & Eurocup Clio Championship Winner. Josh took the wheel for the sighting laps behind the pace car at the start of the evening to demonstrate the lines around the circuit. Amusingly whilst showing how close to get to the plastic markers on the apex of the corners the double reigning champion managed to clip one and removed the glass from one of the wing mirrors. Friday practise was completed with a mirror missing whilst a replacement glass was ordered and delivered to the circuit on Saturday morning by one of the team. 

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The tuition proved valuable and on Saturday morning John qualified 3rd in class ahead of the televised race. The team worked hard over the weekend and ran a competition to win a set of Alloygators as well as handing out sweets and toys with the help of the Alloygator mascot who proved popular all weekend!

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The series decided to do a staggered start and Motors TV showed the Race class leaving on the lights, with the Road class started with a flag after a small delay. The cameras picked up John still holding third place just in time to show Nic Harrison making a very late dive up the inside on the second lap, spinning John's car and leaving him dead last and seven seconds adrift of the pair battling for 3rd and 4th. On initial inspection we think this impact has bent the rear axle. Then was the start of an impressive recovery drive closing the gap by lap three. With Harrison & Franklin battling for third John followed close behind and waited for a mistake on which to capitalise. On lap four the pair ran slightly wide and John made the most of the gap to retake third place. 

​Certainly an impressive way to claim a first road series podium, a class win and to do it on live television! 

Unfortunately race two on Sunday was no fairytale. A gamble with a set up change didn't pay off and the Clio was very unstable in the corners. As the car lost grip and got loose in the third corner it was collected by Jake Honour before John had time to recover. Ironically it was a spinning Jake that John collected at Donington and the Paint Perfect team then painted his new shell. Honour immediately retired with a puncture and on reflection admitted he should have carried on to the pits. John remembering his experience from Donington carried on and tried to get back to the pits. On the next corner the car refused to turn due to a broken steering knuckle and was retired. John remains upbeat about the incident posting the following on social media after the race "As they say that's racing and its all part and parcel of the roller coaster ride which is motorsport !!! So onwards and upwards!! A massive thank you as always to my sponsors Alloygator ,World on a tripod, FisherMotorFactors , Allwoods, Living Woods Lincoln, as well my family and friends who constantly support me and the team .

Also a big thanks to Mark Waby of MWT Automotive Services LTD for giving me such a great car and Paul Streather-Motorsport for all your support."

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The last two rounds take place on the 20th & 21st of September at Croft Circuit. If you would like to attend please contact the office on 01522 568 247 so we can arrange hospitality tickets. 

We will also be attending Total Kit Car Live at Brands Hatch, so if you would like to experience a passenger ride in the car make a note in your diary for November 15th

Rounds 7 & 8 Brands Hatch 26/07/14 - Race Report

With the rebuilt car running well and a successful test at Brands Hatch completed confidence was high going into the event. A very strong performance in qualifying resulted in John putting the Clio P4 on the grid for the start of both races. 

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After a superb launch off the line put John in third place going into the first corner but being run wide opened a gap to allow and other cars through and he dropped into 6th behind Sarah Franklin during the run up the hill into turn two. Although the team's race pace had been better than the #42 car all weekend Sarah's experience and outstanding race craft made it impossible to find a way past. A mechanical problem for Nic Harrison promoted John to finish 5th. 

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The start of Race two saw John going wheel to wheel with former kart champion Jess Hawkins into the first corner. For the rest of the race there was little more than 6 foot between the pair at any given time and there was a side by side dash to the chequered flag with Hawkins taking 4th by less than two tenths of a second. 

A positive weekend in all, good reliability from the rebuilt car, good pace throughout the weekend and some good experience gained.

The teams head to Snetterton at the end of August (29th - 31st) where few of the drivers have experience of the circuits "300" configuration. The 300 circuit was a major upgrade for the venue in which an infield section was built to make the circuit the second longest in the country and bring it up to FIA Grade 2 specification which entitles it to host international competitions. 

To keep up to date with the team and to see photos, race footage and updates click the links:

www.facebook.com/paintperfectmotorsport

www.twitter.com/PaintPerfectMS

Rounds 7 & 8 Brands Hatch 26/07/14 - Team News & Event Preview

After an 8 week break we are preparing for rounds 7 & 8 of Michelin Clio Cup Series this weekend at Brands Hatch on the Indy circuit.

Looking to avoid the carnage of the second race at Donington where a number of road class cars including ours were extensively damaged as a result of being involved in a race class pile up, the road class has been granted two stand alone races. One of the road class cars involved belonging to Jake Honour Racing & operated by Jade Developments was left with the shell damaged beyond repair. Paint Perfect have just completed the respray on his new shell as we wish him and the team all the best for the rebuild and we hope to see him back on the grid as soon as possible.

Taking avoiding action across the grass at the start of race one at Donington.

Race Preview:

After a turbulent weekend at Donington (A high speed off at Starkey's Bridge in practise, a class win in race one & huge race ending pile up in the first corner of race two) the car was left in need of repairs.

Engine re-installed by MWT Automotive after the damaged chassis legs had been repaired

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 Luckily this gap in the season has allowed us to rebuild the car, add some recently series approved upgrades and have some tuition with a current BTCC driver Jack Goff.

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 Changes continue to be made to the car's set up and it feels like gains are being made all the time however motorsport is always full of surprises and a poor quality reproduction electrical component in the wiring for the cooling fan failed whilst loading the car onto the trailer ahead of a test session and caused a fire in the engine bay. Luckily this was extinguished before it caused too much damage. Who knows what surprises are in store for us this weekend!

Rounds 5 & 6 Donington Park 31/05/14 - Race Report

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Overall an action packed weekend with plenty of highs, lows and drama for the team. 

On Friday John was in the hot seat perfecting the seat up and receiving tuition from ex-BTCC driver and 2009 Clio Cup UK Champion Phil Glew. Although the track was dry there was a lot of mud and debris on the surface from the previous days test session in the rain. John was pushing hard and bringing the lap times down until a wheel strayed onto the wet grass and sent the car into the armco at Starkey's Bridge.   

​Damage was to the front end and passenger side. Luckily the radiator remained intact but the N/S wing mirror folded round and shattered the passenger window. Mark from MWT Automotive & John worked to get the car back in one piece and back out for the afternoon session. 

Come Saturday the decision was made to run both the road and race classes at the same time. John qualified P19 for Race 1 and P18 for Race 2. 

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Starting from the back of the grid in race 1 John managed to get the better of Nic Harrison to finish P16 overall and P4 in the Road Class. The road class is split into two categories Expert ,for drivers with previous circuit racing experience, and sport for newcomers. A last lap mechanical problem for sport class rival and former championship winning rally driver Luke Pinder gave John the sport class victory.

 

​On Sunday the team felt confident going into the second race and a podium finish was looking likely. As the lights went out John had what he described as his best start so far however this unfortunately put him right into the middle of an unfolding drama. 

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Contact between cars running at the back of the race class caused a spinning race car to hit road class front runner Jake Honour. The impact pushed his car directly in front of John who with nowhere to go collected him with such force it lifted both vehicles off the ground and pushed the 27 car into the gravel. As the race car continued to spin it was then collected by Sarah Franklin who has posted up this footage of the incident:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i75-3CRsRck

With smoke billowing out from the front end John retired the car on the Craner Curves. Post race inspection showed the washer bottle and bumper was rubbing on the tyre, whether the tyre would have lasted the rest of the lap to make it to the pits and whether we would have been allowed to continue is unknown but unlikely. There was more contact in the race class later on and the majority of the race was completed behind the safety car which pulled in for a one lap shootout at the end. 

​A disappointing end to the weekend but there were some positives to take away. Luckily we have a good gap before the next race at Brand Hatch. 

To keep up to date with the team and to see photos, race footage and updates click the links:

www.facebook.com/paintperfectmotorsport

www.twitter.com/PaintPerfectMS

Rounds 3 & 4 Oulton Park 17/05/14 - Race Report

​The team headed to Oulton Park last Friday for the official test day ahead of the race. The test sessions went well in general, although we did have an over heating issue which was caused by some mesh fitted to protect the radiator. Time was spent getting the set up correct, calculating fuel consumption and getting the vehicle weight to the specified series minimum.

On Saturday morning the team was told by the organizers the ECU needed to be re-mapped prior to qualifying. This meant one hour before the car was due on track the car was missing its ECU, battery & air box. With minutes to spare and the team working at record pace the car was put back together. The early laps were a few seconds off the pace and John pulled back into the pits towards the end of the session. After quickly adjusting the tyre pressures there was just enough time for one flying lap before the end of the session which turned out to be his quickest, 1.49.6, only 2 tenths of a second behind the car in front.

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A cautious approach to the first race resulted in a last place finish but also highlighted some set up issues and gave us some valuable information. The lunch break was spent perfecting the set up and reviewing the in car camera with guidance from Kev Wendt (Down To Earth Motorsport) His experience and knowledge was a massive help and we would like to extend our thanks for his help over the weekend. 

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Feeling more confident with the car made for a more committed approach in race two. John started out by setting a weekend personal best lap time on the third lap (1.49.3) and continued to improve. His set his fastest lap at mid distance with a 1.48.3. He had a front row seat to watch Hemming and Franklin battling in 5^th and 6^th place and capitalised on mistakes by both drivers to take 5^th. Hemming managed to reclaim the place but John kept P5 after a car running in third was given a stop-go penalty for jumping the start.

The result at the end of the day has boosted the confidence of the team as they are getting to grips with the Clio and head to Donington Park, a circuit they are familiar with, at the end of the month.  

To keep up to date with the team and to see photos, race footage and updates click the links:

www.facebook.com/paintperfectmotorsport

www.twitter.com/PaintPerfectMS

Rounds 1 & 2 Rockingham 05/04/14

The donor car had not long arrived at Paint Perfect HQ before the first two rounds of the Michelin Clio Cup Series season at Rockingham. The team travelled down to watch the race and to learn what to expect on a race weekend. 

The first thing that impressed us what the overall professionalism of the series from the quality of the cars to the support and hospitality.

Once we had seen how evenly matched the cars were and how close the racing was the team came away from the event highly motivated to finish the car in time for the next two rounds at Oulton Park. John was now determined to pass his ARDS test and gain his National B Licence on the first attempt in order to make race day. This was the start of long hours and late nights to prepare the car for testing, media launch day and the it's first race.

Write Off To Racer In Seven Weeks

Originally posted 13th May 2014

John Creasey, a local business owner, is a set to make his racing debut this Saturday at Oulton Park in the Michelin Clio Cup Series. The series travels to a number of major circuits around the country including Donington, Brands Hatch, Rockingham and Snetterton. John and the Paint Perfect Motorsport team will be flying the flag for Lincolnshire.

John's team at Paint Perfect worked late into the evenings and weekends to transform a Renault Clio 197 bought as a category D write off from a salvage auction into a circuit racer in under seven weeks along with the help of other local businesses. The engine, suspension and brakes were rebuilt by MWT Automotive and other companies based on the Newark Road Industrial Estate that helped with the project include Lincolnshire Radiators, Welton Motor Engineers and Allwoods Automotive. The automotive body repair students at Lincoln College, where all Paint Perfect's apprentices are trained, straightened and checked the Clio's chassis and bodyshell for alignment. Fisher Motor Factors & Lechler Coatings supplied the paint used by John and the Paint Perfect team for the custom colour scheme to make the car stand out from the rest of the pack.

To represent and honour Lincoln's impressive engineering heritage the car will carry the emblem for the Lincoln Tank Memorial and the team will be fund raising at each race meeting to help them reach their £60,000 target to erect a memorial on Tritton Road roundabout.

The Clio was unveiled at Blyton Park Driving Centre, just outside Gainsborough, in front of sponsors, family and friends. John praised the Paint Perfect Motorsport team and MWT Automotive saying “during testing the car has performed faultlessly so far” and he “looks forward to lining up on the grid at Oulton”

Paint Perfect Motorsport

Here we will create an archive of our race reports starting from our entry in Michelin Clio Cup in Spring 2014

You can find us on:

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https://twitter.com/PaintPerfectMS