NickReilly063
ClioTrophy Moderator
loving the write ups Ed - they makes you feel like you’re actually there in the moment too.
Wheels look awesome
Wheels look awesome
Lightness Revisited - A 172 Cup Adventure.
- Thread starter photo_ed
- Start date
photo_ed
ClioTrophy Moderator
- Joined
- Jul 22, 2018
- Messages
- 2,304
- Reaction score
- 4,482
- Location
- Yorkshire/Lancashire
- Trophy No.
- 407
- Thread starter
- #82
Thanks Nick. Very kind of you to say.loving the write ups Ed - they makes you feel like you’re actually there in the moment too.
Wheels look awesome
I’m pleased with how the wheels turned out. They’re quite similar to a Turini in style so shouldn’t look too out of place on the car. I’ll only be using them on the track for dry runs in any case. With the price the tyres are, I’m not wearing them out on the road!
photo_ed
ClioTrophy Moderator
- Joined
- Jul 22, 2018
- Messages
- 2,304
- Reaction score
- 4,482
- Location
- Yorkshire/Lancashire
- Trophy No.
- 407
- Thread starter
- #83
Thanks for sharing that Francis. It looks like that car has either an old Ktec (when they were decent) or Pure Motorsport ‘stealth’ exhaust. They do sound good. Jill has a vid of me barreling through the farm buildings on the hill and the car sounds really great ‘on song’!
photo_ed
ClioTrophy Moderator
- Joined
- Jul 22, 2018
- Messages
- 2,304
- Reaction score
- 4,482
- Location
- Yorkshire/Lancashire
- Trophy No.
- 407
- Thread starter
- #84
More Mid-Season Malarky.
July 2026.
The sticky tyres arrived about a fortnight ago, yet due to work commitments and life in general getting in the way, they snoozed at the unit in a little stack until finally, this Friday, an opportunity for an early finish found me on the phone to my tyre fitting friend.
A wipe over with a cloth for the new rubber..
Mark in our local town, used to fit tyres for my Mini's 30 odd years ago, so we have a great rapport. He's doing a lot of stuff for Caterhams lately, so he knows his onions and is a master of his craft. I turned up mid afternoon and spent a pleasant 40 minutes chatting whilst he slipped the Yoko's onto the fancy Spanish wheels. This wheel and tyre combo is looking great now to my eyes and think it will suit the Cup in it's competition guise, just the right amount of aesthetic purposefulness without looking overly aggressive. Mark even fitted some little stubby motorcycle valves.... to save the odd gram and look a bit trick. A thoughtful touch.
My.... what a dinky valve!
The wheels are now clogging up the dining room at home and really I'm itching to test fit them on the Cup. Tomorrow looks wet, so I've half a plan forming to pop to the unit and have a play, I need to check how the offset is looking, I'm crossing fingers my 14mm of increased track isn't going to foul any arches!
July 2026.
The sticky tyres arrived about a fortnight ago, yet due to work commitments and life in general getting in the way, they snoozed at the unit in a little stack until finally, this Friday, an opportunity for an early finish found me on the phone to my tyre fitting friend.
A wipe over with a cloth for the new rubber..
Mark in our local town, used to fit tyres for my Mini's 30 odd years ago, so we have a great rapport. He's doing a lot of stuff for Caterhams lately, so he knows his onions and is a master of his craft. I turned up mid afternoon and spent a pleasant 40 minutes chatting whilst he slipped the Yoko's onto the fancy Spanish wheels. This wheel and tyre combo is looking great now to my eyes and think it will suit the Cup in it's competition guise, just the right amount of aesthetic purposefulness without looking overly aggressive. Mark even fitted some little stubby motorcycle valves.... to save the odd gram and look a bit trick. A thoughtful touch.
My.... what a dinky valve!
The wheels are now clogging up the dining room at home and really I'm itching to test fit them on the Cup. Tomorrow looks wet, so I've half a plan forming to pop to the unit and have a play, I need to check how the offset is looking, I'm crossing fingers my 14mm of increased track isn't going to foul any arches!
NickReilly063
ClioTrophy Moderator
Very cool Ed - I looked at yesterday’s Harewood driver lineup to see if you had entered.
photo_ed
ClioTrophy Moderator
- Joined
- Jul 22, 2018
- Messages
- 2,304
- Reaction score
- 4,482
- Location
- Yorkshire/Lancashire
- Trophy No.
- 407
- Thread starter
- #86
Cheers Nick.Very cool Ed - I looked at yesterday’s Harewood driver lineup to see if you had entered.
We're not running this weekend. The BHC events don't include rounds for the Harewood Championship so the usual class structure isn't in place. A few of our gang are there, but the majority are saving the cars for 'our' rounds.
Back to it in August with my raft of minor tweaks...
photo_ed
ClioTrophy Moderator
- Joined
- Jul 22, 2018
- Messages
- 2,304
- Reaction score
- 4,482
- Location
- Yorkshire/Lancashire
- Trophy No.
- 407
- Thread starter
- #87
The Cup goes to Cadwell.
Part 1.
CSF, Cadwell Park, Lincolnshire, July 2026.
3 Wheelin' (photo credit: Paul Hart @ Motion Ratio Media)
My internal alarm clock pings me awake at 4:20am, I’ve not had a great deal of sleep, up late tinkering around with the car. By 5am we’re on the road pointing the car Eastwards on the M62, it’s an utterly glorious early morning, continuing the good weather of late and the early start pretty consistent with a normal work day currently. I just wish things hadn’t been such a rush towards this point.
I’ve been considering a trip to Cliosport Festival for a few years now, but in previous years the drive to and from Anglesey would have been too much in the day which would have necessitated the extra expense of accommodation, which seemed a little extravagant for a trackday. When it was announced that it was moving to Cadwell, my interest was piqued, spurred on by a chat with Nick Reilly who convinced me it was do-able there and back in the day I duly booked tickets for the Saturday, the track time and a passenger pass for Jill.
I’d mulled over the options with the cars and settled on the 172 Cup, but in the few days running up to the event start started to question things; should I be ‘saving’ the 172 for the Hillclimb action really and it’s only on road pads, we’ve had the 200 Cup on track before and know how well suited it is and it has trackday pads fitted, wouldn’t it be fun to go round in the Trophy - similarly sporting the appropriate pads for trackday stuff. The pros and cons were all spiralling in my brain. I did a poll on our little WhatsApp group, the Trophy coming out on top by a mile with precisely zero votes for the 172. So, that decided it, the Trophy it was, I popped the car on charge all day Thursday to avoid any unwanted issues, only to find that when putting it to bed the bonnet wouldn’t close, the latch on the slam panel having seized in the open position, oh for God’s Sake! I was back to the drawing board, I stood in the unit and looked from the 200 to the 172, it would have to be the blue car really and risk it with the standard pads. I bought the 172 to do exactly this sort of thing in after all and it would be a good shake down for the new geo settings.
The traffic is light on the M62 and we make good time, turning right onto the M18 then left onto the M180, it’s been a beautiful sunny morning but as we delve further Southeast a light morning mist turns into a denser sort of sea-fret. Jill is in charge of navigation and finds us some delightful lanes through the murky Lincolnshire Wolds, getting us to the Circuit for bang on 7:30. It seems deserted, we’d expected to see some other Clio’s on the way by now, but nothing, we wonder whether we’ve arrived on the right day as we roll in. All I can see are folk fiddling about with motorbikes. We trundle down to the Paddock past some Radicals and ‘Caterfield’ type things, then spot a couple of Clio’s and pull up next to another very tidy looking 172 Cup. We are on the right day after-all.
Flying Frenchies... (photo credit: Paul Hart @ Motion Ratio Media)
We duly get noise tested, signed on, grab a bacon sandwich and dense black coffee, then go in search of a helmet for Jill to hire, dashing back to the Clubhouse in time for the Drivers briefing. A couple of familiar faces have appeared by now and it’s great to have a good old catch up with Nick Reilly and Andy Eder. The Drivers briefing over (a longer affair than the usual one at Harewood), it’s back to the car to don our helmets and hop in for our first session. It looks like there’s around 75 or so cars on track today and we’ve been split into 3 groups of 20 mins within the hour. I’ve never been to Cadwell before and only watched one video on you-tube of someone going round in a Ferrari 458 Speciale, so it’s all a bit new! We trundle down to the assembly area, the form being a couple of sedate sighting laps behind the pace car then we’re off. I’m not sure if I’m caught napping out of the blocks, but the ‘sighting laps’ are anything but… Hall bends are tricky and as I try and play immediate catch-up I have no idea where the road is going on the approach to the Hairpin and get it all wrong, Dear Lord! The rest of the out lap is lost in a blur, but by the second time around I’m beginning to dial in. I gradually build some heat into the car and confidence throughout the session, working up to what feels like a decent pace.
We roll back into the paddock and debrief. Debrief quickly turns to mild panic as when checking tyre pressures I find the offside front rocking 40psi with air escaping rapidly from the valve! In a bizarre turn of events the valve centre has undone itself! It’s something I’ve never experienced before and quickly replace the valve cap, thinking the worst that the day is over before it’s properly got going. Nick Reilly comes to the rescue, searching out a valve tool from some kind soul on the other side of the paddock, what an absolute star! I tighten it up and re-set it to the correct pressure. I still have no explanation as how it happened other than perhaps being heat related. A very close eye is kept on pressures for the rest of the day.
Out of the Hairpin (photo credit: Andy Eder @SharkyUK )
We head out for session two, it’s another cracker, I’m getting the hang of Cadwell a bit more now. Jill is finding the elevation and direction changes through the ‘Mountain’ and Hall Bends sections a bit challenging as a passenger though, so I head out solo for a few sessions. It’s inevitable that one pushes a bit harder without a passenger alongside and I ramp up the pace. The Cup is going really well, we’re knocking on the door of 100+ on the start-finish straight and I get pulled along up to around 110 on the back straight by tucking in closely behind the Radical as it comes past. I’m having an absolute ball, the Circuit is really suited to the Clio, and with such variety is a joy to learn. I’m in my element into the Mountain, getting confident enough to slide the Cup (on three wheels according to the photos I see later!) through the initial left before the sharp right up the rise. Absolutely relishing how the track closes in through Hall and narrows down to the hairpin, this is oddly where I’m most comfortable, taking good liberties with curbs. The other side of the circuit with the long fast sweepers foxes me for the majority of the day, it’s just not what I’m used to and the Cup feels a bit too up on it’s tip-toes through these sections on the PS3’s - on a knife edge of adhesion. On a more track orientated tyre, I’d have more confidence to carry the speed that it’s clearly capable of but I’m struggling with the commitment needed on this more open stuff, I blame it on being used to the tight confines of the Hillclimb or indeed a Northern B-road.
Trying to fly off the Mountain! (photo credit: Paul Hart @ Motion Ratio Media).
Part 2 below...
Part 1.
CSF, Cadwell Park, Lincolnshire, July 2026.
3 Wheelin' (photo credit: Paul Hart @ Motion Ratio Media)
My internal alarm clock pings me awake at 4:20am, I’ve not had a great deal of sleep, up late tinkering around with the car. By 5am we’re on the road pointing the car Eastwards on the M62, it’s an utterly glorious early morning, continuing the good weather of late and the early start pretty consistent with a normal work day currently. I just wish things hadn’t been such a rush towards this point.
I’ve been considering a trip to Cliosport Festival for a few years now, but in previous years the drive to and from Anglesey would have been too much in the day which would have necessitated the extra expense of accommodation, which seemed a little extravagant for a trackday. When it was announced that it was moving to Cadwell, my interest was piqued, spurred on by a chat with Nick Reilly who convinced me it was do-able there and back in the day I duly booked tickets for the Saturday, the track time and a passenger pass for Jill.
I’d mulled over the options with the cars and settled on the 172 Cup, but in the few days running up to the event start started to question things; should I be ‘saving’ the 172 for the Hillclimb action really and it’s only on road pads, we’ve had the 200 Cup on track before and know how well suited it is and it has trackday pads fitted, wouldn’t it be fun to go round in the Trophy - similarly sporting the appropriate pads for trackday stuff. The pros and cons were all spiralling in my brain. I did a poll on our little WhatsApp group, the Trophy coming out on top by a mile with precisely zero votes for the 172. So, that decided it, the Trophy it was, I popped the car on charge all day Thursday to avoid any unwanted issues, only to find that when putting it to bed the bonnet wouldn’t close, the latch on the slam panel having seized in the open position, oh for God’s Sake! I was back to the drawing board, I stood in the unit and looked from the 200 to the 172, it would have to be the blue car really and risk it with the standard pads. I bought the 172 to do exactly this sort of thing in after all and it would be a good shake down for the new geo settings.
The traffic is light on the M62 and we make good time, turning right onto the M18 then left onto the M180, it’s been a beautiful sunny morning but as we delve further Southeast a light morning mist turns into a denser sort of sea-fret. Jill is in charge of navigation and finds us some delightful lanes through the murky Lincolnshire Wolds, getting us to the Circuit for bang on 7:30. It seems deserted, we’d expected to see some other Clio’s on the way by now, but nothing, we wonder whether we’ve arrived on the right day as we roll in. All I can see are folk fiddling about with motorbikes. We trundle down to the Paddock past some Radicals and ‘Caterfield’ type things, then spot a couple of Clio’s and pull up next to another very tidy looking 172 Cup. We are on the right day after-all.
Flying Frenchies... (photo credit: Paul Hart @ Motion Ratio Media)
We duly get noise tested, signed on, grab a bacon sandwich and dense black coffee, then go in search of a helmet for Jill to hire, dashing back to the Clubhouse in time for the Drivers briefing. A couple of familiar faces have appeared by now and it’s great to have a good old catch up with Nick Reilly and Andy Eder. The Drivers briefing over (a longer affair than the usual one at Harewood), it’s back to the car to don our helmets and hop in for our first session. It looks like there’s around 75 or so cars on track today and we’ve been split into 3 groups of 20 mins within the hour. I’ve never been to Cadwell before and only watched one video on you-tube of someone going round in a Ferrari 458 Speciale, so it’s all a bit new! We trundle down to the assembly area, the form being a couple of sedate sighting laps behind the pace car then we’re off. I’m not sure if I’m caught napping out of the blocks, but the ‘sighting laps’ are anything but… Hall bends are tricky and as I try and play immediate catch-up I have no idea where the road is going on the approach to the Hairpin and get it all wrong, Dear Lord! The rest of the out lap is lost in a blur, but by the second time around I’m beginning to dial in. I gradually build some heat into the car and confidence throughout the session, working up to what feels like a decent pace.
We roll back into the paddock and debrief. Debrief quickly turns to mild panic as when checking tyre pressures I find the offside front rocking 40psi with air escaping rapidly from the valve! In a bizarre turn of events the valve centre has undone itself! It’s something I’ve never experienced before and quickly replace the valve cap, thinking the worst that the day is over before it’s properly got going. Nick Reilly comes to the rescue, searching out a valve tool from some kind soul on the other side of the paddock, what an absolute star! I tighten it up and re-set it to the correct pressure. I still have no explanation as how it happened other than perhaps being heat related. A very close eye is kept on pressures for the rest of the day.
Out of the Hairpin (photo credit: Andy Eder @SharkyUK )
We head out for session two, it’s another cracker, I’m getting the hang of Cadwell a bit more now. Jill is finding the elevation and direction changes through the ‘Mountain’ and Hall Bends sections a bit challenging as a passenger though, so I head out solo for a few sessions. It’s inevitable that one pushes a bit harder without a passenger alongside and I ramp up the pace. The Cup is going really well, we’re knocking on the door of 100+ on the start-finish straight and I get pulled along up to around 110 on the back straight by tucking in closely behind the Radical as it comes past. I’m having an absolute ball, the Circuit is really suited to the Clio, and with such variety is a joy to learn. I’m in my element into the Mountain, getting confident enough to slide the Cup (on three wheels according to the photos I see later!) through the initial left before the sharp right up the rise. Absolutely relishing how the track closes in through Hall and narrows down to the hairpin, this is oddly where I’m most comfortable, taking good liberties with curbs. The other side of the circuit with the long fast sweepers foxes me for the majority of the day, it’s just not what I’m used to and the Cup feels a bit too up on it’s tip-toes through these sections on the PS3’s - on a knife edge of adhesion. On a more track orientated tyre, I’d have more confidence to carry the speed that it’s clearly capable of but I’m struggling with the commitment needed on this more open stuff, I blame it on being used to the tight confines of the Hillclimb or indeed a Northern B-road.
Trying to fly off the Mountain! (photo credit: Paul Hart @ Motion Ratio Media).
Part 2 below...
photo_ed
ClioTrophy Moderator
- Joined
- Jul 22, 2018
- Messages
- 2,304
- Reaction score
- 4,482
- Location
- Yorkshire/Lancashire
- Trophy No.
- 407
- Thread starter
- #88
The Cup goes to Cadwell.
Part 2.
CSF, Cadwell Park, Lincolnshire, July 2026.
Paddock time.
Lunch arrives just at the right time as the fuel gauge is dropping alarmingly towards empty, we toddle off to Horncastle in search of V-Power, Jill observes it feels really weird going at normal road speeds after hammering at full tilt round a race track. We have a good chuckle as we bowl along through the pretty Lincolnshire countryside. Tank brimmed we head back to grab a bite to eat before heading back out on track. The cool morning has given way to a sunnier afternoon and the temps are climbing, Jill hops in for another roller-coaster experience, but what with the lunch and the increased heat and pace, goes a bit quiet. When the car unexpectedly snaps completely sideways on the exit of Barn about 8 laps in I elect to call the session early. Worried by the sudden break away from the Cup being another tyre issue, we trundle in and I give everything a good looking over but thankfully find no issues whatsoever. It’s a good opportunity to catch up with pals and let the car have a rest, Will has relocated his Trophy to the show and shine and is now pedalling his lovely Alpine at a searing pace round the track.
It is the Trophy forum after all... @Will_Beddoe gives @NickReilly063 a Trophy demonstration (photo credit: Paul Hart @ Motion's Ratio Media).
I’m running solo again for the rest of the day and it’s a lot of fun, the Cup is standing up excellently. I’m astounded that the standard brakes and road tyres are doing so well. It’s the tyres that start to go first, they do about 4 hot laps before they start to go all squirmy, I find that half pedalling for a couple of laps brings them back to an acceptable state. The brakes I don’t have a peep out of all day, they perform perfectly, no long pedal, no sponginess, I’m really surprised. When I’ve done Oulton in the 200 Cup running the Brembo’s with standard pads they’ve been only good for two hot laps before deteriorating. I can only put it down to the Cup being so light and having the ability to carry momentum through the tight twisty bits without too much intervention from the brake pedal.
Mini Nurburgring? Bloody Brilliant! (photo credit: Paul Hart @ Motion Ratio Media).
By the penultimate session I can feel myself starting to tire, I get a bit of weird object fixation on a bollard going through the Gooseneck, then a lap or two later end up out on the grass at Chris Curve as I get excited watching Will coming up behind in the Alpine with Andy riding shotgun.. I look at the mirror precisely long enough to put the two nearside wheels on the grass and that’s it, I'm off doing a bit of mowing with a Clio Cup, we’re all laughing as I bounce along the grass for a bit as they pass by on the black stuff! It’s time for me to rein it in.
Final fling! Last session of the day. (photo credit: Jill with her iPhone).
The last session of the day is lovely, myself and a couple of others are going round at a slightly more tempered pace in the delightful late afternoon sun, a fitting way to finish off a great day. Saying our various goodbyes, we point the Cup back Northwards, tired but happy.
I’d been a little apprehensive about attending ClioFest, and the track time, but it was nothing short of brilliant. The Track, the socialising, the standard of driving and track etiquette were all superb. The whole day was a real credit to the organisers, so hats off for serving up such a great experience. I’ve definitely got the taste for it, and also the taste for Cadwell…
What a track! I’ll be back!
Cup mileage now: somewhere North of 108,000 !
Part 2.
CSF, Cadwell Park, Lincolnshire, July 2026.
Paddock time.
Lunch arrives just at the right time as the fuel gauge is dropping alarmingly towards empty, we toddle off to Horncastle in search of V-Power, Jill observes it feels really weird going at normal road speeds after hammering at full tilt round a race track. We have a good chuckle as we bowl along through the pretty Lincolnshire countryside. Tank brimmed we head back to grab a bite to eat before heading back out on track. The cool morning has given way to a sunnier afternoon and the temps are climbing, Jill hops in for another roller-coaster experience, but what with the lunch and the increased heat and pace, goes a bit quiet. When the car unexpectedly snaps completely sideways on the exit of Barn about 8 laps in I elect to call the session early. Worried by the sudden break away from the Cup being another tyre issue, we trundle in and I give everything a good looking over but thankfully find no issues whatsoever. It’s a good opportunity to catch up with pals and let the car have a rest, Will has relocated his Trophy to the show and shine and is now pedalling his lovely Alpine at a searing pace round the track.
It is the Trophy forum after all... @Will_Beddoe gives @NickReilly063 a Trophy demonstration (photo credit: Paul Hart @ Motion's Ratio Media).
I’m running solo again for the rest of the day and it’s a lot of fun, the Cup is standing up excellently. I’m astounded that the standard brakes and road tyres are doing so well. It’s the tyres that start to go first, they do about 4 hot laps before they start to go all squirmy, I find that half pedalling for a couple of laps brings them back to an acceptable state. The brakes I don’t have a peep out of all day, they perform perfectly, no long pedal, no sponginess, I’m really surprised. When I’ve done Oulton in the 200 Cup running the Brembo’s with standard pads they’ve been only good for two hot laps before deteriorating. I can only put it down to the Cup being so light and having the ability to carry momentum through the tight twisty bits without too much intervention from the brake pedal.
Mini Nurburgring? Bloody Brilliant! (photo credit: Paul Hart @ Motion Ratio Media).
By the penultimate session I can feel myself starting to tire, I get a bit of weird object fixation on a bollard going through the Gooseneck, then a lap or two later end up out on the grass at Chris Curve as I get excited watching Will coming up behind in the Alpine with Andy riding shotgun.. I look at the mirror precisely long enough to put the two nearside wheels on the grass and that’s it, I'm off doing a bit of mowing with a Clio Cup, we’re all laughing as I bounce along the grass for a bit as they pass by on the black stuff! It’s time for me to rein it in.
Final fling! Last session of the day. (photo credit: Jill with her iPhone).
The last session of the day is lovely, myself and a couple of others are going round at a slightly more tempered pace in the delightful late afternoon sun, a fitting way to finish off a great day. Saying our various goodbyes, we point the Cup back Northwards, tired but happy.
I’d been a little apprehensive about attending ClioFest, and the track time, but it was nothing short of brilliant. The Track, the socialising, the standard of driving and track etiquette were all superb. The whole day was a real credit to the organisers, so hats off for serving up such a great experience. I’ve definitely got the taste for it, and also the taste for Cadwell…
What a track! I’ll be back!
Cup mileage now: somewhere North of 108,000 !
NickReilly063
ClioTrophy Moderator
What an amazing day we all had Ed, never been to Cadwell before but what an incredible circuit, weather was perfect too as it was loads cooler due to the coastline not far away, and also a lovely treat after the scorching heatwave of the previous week 
Cup looked stunning and definitely got my approval
with it’s shiny blue paintwork.
Great to catch up with some other T members which really made my day too.
Cup looked stunning and definitely got my approval
with it’s shiny blue paintwork.Great to catch up with some other T members which really made my day too.
photo_ed
ClioTrophy Moderator
- Joined
- Jul 22, 2018
- Messages
- 2,304
- Reaction score
- 4,482
- Location
- Yorkshire/Lancashire
- Trophy No.
- 407
- Thread starter
- #91
photo_ed
ClioTrophy Moderator
- Joined
- Jul 22, 2018
- Messages
- 2,304
- Reaction score
- 4,482
- Location
- Yorkshire/Lancashire
- Trophy No.
- 407
- Thread starter
- #92
Heat Cycling.
July 2026.
Racing Boots fitted...
The penultimate meeting of the season is nearly upon us, and as ever, the week running up to it is becoming ever more focussed as I try and get myself, the car and all the clobber needed for a whole weekend on the hill together.
Not that I'm becoming obsessed, but I have found myself deep in research about all sorts of elements of the car and set-up, I'm trying to optimise every element. Just recently I've been fretting about the tyres and how best to scrub them in ready for competitive runs. So far, I've only done one test fitting of the new wheel & tyre combo, a short trundle up and down the road to check clearances etc before they came off and the Turini's went back on for the Cadwell trip. I've been trying to avoid too much road use with the new set-up, however, was becoming ever more conscious that really I need a few more miles on them, to remove the release coating which all new tyres come with and just get a bit of a feel for the tweaked rim size and offset. I'd also read all sorts of recommendations about heat-cycling too and the optimum timescales for this, did I say I wasn't becoming obsessed??
It's pretty quiet round our way of an evening on the roads, so decided to set aside some time to take the Cup out onto some suitable tarmac, there's a bypass section near us which has some fluctuating speed limits, some long sweeping curves then some tight roundabouts. Not my usual fun driving habitat, but to bring some heat gradually into the race rubber, I reckoned on a whizz up and down that would be the best I could do.
As the sun starts to dip down in the sky, I bimble to the unit in the little red workhorse, and poke the Cup awake from his slumber. As these cars are when they're cold, everything's a bit stiff and slightly grumpy for the first few miles towards the bypass, but by the time we're there everything's working in harmony. It's a nice Summers eve and it feels lovely just to be out driving for the sake of it. The Cup is feeling mighty, and I start to see why all the race and trackday lads stick 15's on them. It just shortens the gearing by enough of a fraction to make 3rd gear pulls in this particular car feel very nice indeed. I've said it before but in terms of outright pace and grunt, this little Cup seriously outguns both the Trophy and the 200 Cup, it's quite startling!
We whizz up and down the bypass a few times, throwing in a few laps of a roundabout for good measure, before pointing the eager blue snout back in the direction of the unit. Looking over the tyres back at the unit, I can see it's been a worthwhile exercise. We're all set, with the car feeling very fit for the weekend now, hopefully I can do it justice (and find time to design and build my tyre rack for the van)...
July 2026.
Racing Boots fitted...
The penultimate meeting of the season is nearly upon us, and as ever, the week running up to it is becoming ever more focussed as I try and get myself, the car and all the clobber needed for a whole weekend on the hill together.
Not that I'm becoming obsessed, but I have found myself deep in research about all sorts of elements of the car and set-up, I'm trying to optimise every element. Just recently I've been fretting about the tyres and how best to scrub them in ready for competitive runs. So far, I've only done one test fitting of the new wheel & tyre combo, a short trundle up and down the road to check clearances etc before they came off and the Turini's went back on for the Cadwell trip. I've been trying to avoid too much road use with the new set-up, however, was becoming ever more conscious that really I need a few more miles on them, to remove the release coating which all new tyres come with and just get a bit of a feel for the tweaked rim size and offset. I'd also read all sorts of recommendations about heat-cycling too and the optimum timescales for this, did I say I wasn't becoming obsessed??
It's pretty quiet round our way of an evening on the roads, so decided to set aside some time to take the Cup out onto some suitable tarmac, there's a bypass section near us which has some fluctuating speed limits, some long sweeping curves then some tight roundabouts. Not my usual fun driving habitat, but to bring some heat gradually into the race rubber, I reckoned on a whizz up and down that would be the best I could do.
As the sun starts to dip down in the sky, I bimble to the unit in the little red workhorse, and poke the Cup awake from his slumber. As these cars are when they're cold, everything's a bit stiff and slightly grumpy for the first few miles towards the bypass, but by the time we're there everything's working in harmony. It's a nice Summers eve and it feels lovely just to be out driving for the sake of it. The Cup is feeling mighty, and I start to see why all the race and trackday lads stick 15's on them. It just shortens the gearing by enough of a fraction to make 3rd gear pulls in this particular car feel very nice indeed. I've said it before but in terms of outright pace and grunt, this little Cup seriously outguns both the Trophy and the 200 Cup, it's quite startling!
We whizz up and down the bypass a few times, throwing in a few laps of a roundabout for good measure, before pointing the eager blue snout back in the direction of the unit. Looking over the tyres back at the unit, I can see it's been a worthwhile exercise. We're all set, with the car feeling very fit for the weekend now, hopefully I can do it justice (and find time to design and build my tyre rack for the van)...
photo_ed
ClioTrophy Moderator
- Joined
- Jul 22, 2018
- Messages
- 2,304
- Reaction score
- 4,482
- Location
- Yorkshire/Lancashire
- Trophy No.
- 407
- Thread starter
- #93
The Season Hots Up.
Yorkshire Speed Hillclimb, Harewood, August 2026.
Reminding myself what to do... it's been a while.
As always, despite an early Friday finish to get the car sorted at the unit, things feel slightly stressful as the weekend ‘double-header’ approaches apace. Not helped by the car still sitting on the 15’s and sticky tyres after the heat cycling. The tyres are such that there’s no way I’m driving them on the road to the event, so it means yet another wheel swap before a nice run over with the jet wash and a few of the usual products to get the car looking it’s best. I even pop on a couple of stickers to save paddock time on Saturday morning.
The early Saturday start from home arrives soon enough, and for once it stays dry on the journey, it’s a glorious dawn as our little convoy makes it’s way over the hill into Yorkshire, setting the tone for the days ahead. We’re early enough to the paddock to attend to the various bits and bobs. Scrutineering, sign-on and Drivers Briefing done, there’s a bit of a wait as our class is once again running mid-field, as there’s a whole cacophony of visiting Caterhams up first.
The new wheels and tyres lurk slightly secretively in the van, I’ve made the decision to pop them on at lunch, when I’ve more time, meaning I can get the feel for the new geo settings I’ve dialled in, on rubber I’m used to. It will also give a back to back comparison of how the change in rubber affects the time up the hill. The geometry felt pretty good on the Cup’s outing at Cadwell, so I’m not expecting any surprises particularly, but you have to brake so hard for the ‘Esses’ at Harewood, I just want to make sure the car’s not going to go too light at the rear.
New wheels on...But, have I shut the bonnet this time??
Over the last few visits I’m finding that the 1st practice run of the day is a bit nerve-wracking, and today is no exception. I’m not usually one to feel nervous, but the apprehension to get it out of the way does seem be ramped up. I try and keep myself calm down the chute to the start by watching the other competitors coming up the hill. By the time we’re off I’m settled enough and the car is feeling great. My driving’s really rather rusty though after the hiatus and the whole run is just a reaction to what’s coming at me rather than the carefully considered approach that I’m ever striving for. I’ve come up the hill in a 73.05 though, which is close enough to my PB to be more than happy, it’s a good start to the day and the weekend. The next practice follows suit as I press a little harder and dip int the 72’s, I feel as equally out of sorts with my performance though as the 1st, nothing is flowing as such yet.
What is flowing along rather well is the meeting itself, the paddock Marshals at Harewood are running a drum-tight operation today and the warmer sunnier conditions equates to more folk keeping their cars on the tarmac rather than mowing the grass. The slick and swift operation means we’re getting the 1st competitive run in before lunch, I wonder if this is going to scupper my sticky rubber plans, but in effect it works out quite well in a way... Off I go on my old Michelins, the run is going well until I decide to try and carry more speed through the ‘kink’ into the 90+ right Orchard bend… I arriving in the braking zone carrying about 10mph more than is sensible to make the turn, lock up the wheels and very nearly end up in the gravel! It’s a defining moment! I’m laughing all the way up the hill, having flirted with disaster quite enough with the road tyres. It’s not a complete disaster, only dropping a couple of seconds with my faux-pas but it’s definitely time for sticky rubber.
Yes.... But I forget to wind the windows up! (Photo Credit: Chris Bannister @ JCB Photography).
I note some eyes turned our way as I arrive back in the Paddock and start jacking the car up, Jill mucks in, bringing out the new wheels from the van. In a few minutes, the Cup looks transformed, from the almost prim standard Turini’s to a visually more purposeful set-up. This will be interesting. We tuck into our cheeseburgers and have the usual fun with our paddock neighbours - the Cossin’s in their rapid red 197.
The afternoon is again running like absolute clockwork, the team at Harewood running a very tight ship indeed. Soon enough, our class is being waved away down the chute, this is it, time to see what the Yokohama’s are like. My nerves have returned though, and I’m not feeling altogether settled. As soon as I launch the car off the line the transformation is tangible, it just grips and goes, then I get to the corners…. The car is handling beautifully with very strong turn-in grip, the rear initially slightly loose due to the newness of the tyres, experimental pressures and lack of heat, it’s nothing I can’t manage and gather up though and I arrive at the top of the hill slightly shaking with adrenaline. We’ve gone 71.56 - nearly a whole second lopped of the PB on the 1st, slightly tentative run with the A-052’s.
En-Route to clipping the mirror? (Photo Credit: Chris Bannister @ JCB Photography).
I’m right in the mix now with the other Clio’s in the class, yet I still feel I’m not quite reading the course right. We get a 3rd competitive run in late afternoon and confident that I can experiment further with the grip level, tweak the tyre pressures and convince myself to press a little harder. I end the day on a 71.21. It’s good enough for me, felling pretty elated with the progress, after just 2 runs on the tyres I can see there’s yet more room for improvement. A glass of wine with Chilli cooked by the father in law is very much enjoyed before early to bed, excited at the prospect of doing it all again tomorrow…
Part 2 below...
Yorkshire Speed Hillclimb, Harewood, August 2026.
Reminding myself what to do... it's been a while.
As always, despite an early Friday finish to get the car sorted at the unit, things feel slightly stressful as the weekend ‘double-header’ approaches apace. Not helped by the car still sitting on the 15’s and sticky tyres after the heat cycling. The tyres are such that there’s no way I’m driving them on the road to the event, so it means yet another wheel swap before a nice run over with the jet wash and a few of the usual products to get the car looking it’s best. I even pop on a couple of stickers to save paddock time on Saturday morning.
The early Saturday start from home arrives soon enough, and for once it stays dry on the journey, it’s a glorious dawn as our little convoy makes it’s way over the hill into Yorkshire, setting the tone for the days ahead. We’re early enough to the paddock to attend to the various bits and bobs. Scrutineering, sign-on and Drivers Briefing done, there’s a bit of a wait as our class is once again running mid-field, as there’s a whole cacophony of visiting Caterhams up first.
The new wheels and tyres lurk slightly secretively in the van, I’ve made the decision to pop them on at lunch, when I’ve more time, meaning I can get the feel for the new geo settings I’ve dialled in, on rubber I’m used to. It will also give a back to back comparison of how the change in rubber affects the time up the hill. The geometry felt pretty good on the Cup’s outing at Cadwell, so I’m not expecting any surprises particularly, but you have to brake so hard for the ‘Esses’ at Harewood, I just want to make sure the car’s not going to go too light at the rear.
New wheels on...But, have I shut the bonnet this time??
Over the last few visits I’m finding that the 1st practice run of the day is a bit nerve-wracking, and today is no exception. I’m not usually one to feel nervous, but the apprehension to get it out of the way does seem be ramped up. I try and keep myself calm down the chute to the start by watching the other competitors coming up the hill. By the time we’re off I’m settled enough and the car is feeling great. My driving’s really rather rusty though after the hiatus and the whole run is just a reaction to what’s coming at me rather than the carefully considered approach that I’m ever striving for. I’ve come up the hill in a 73.05 though, which is close enough to my PB to be more than happy, it’s a good start to the day and the weekend. The next practice follows suit as I press a little harder and dip int the 72’s, I feel as equally out of sorts with my performance though as the 1st, nothing is flowing as such yet.
What is flowing along rather well is the meeting itself, the paddock Marshals at Harewood are running a drum-tight operation today and the warmer sunnier conditions equates to more folk keeping their cars on the tarmac rather than mowing the grass. The slick and swift operation means we’re getting the 1st competitive run in before lunch, I wonder if this is going to scupper my sticky rubber plans, but in effect it works out quite well in a way... Off I go on my old Michelins, the run is going well until I decide to try and carry more speed through the ‘kink’ into the 90+ right Orchard bend… I arriving in the braking zone carrying about 10mph more than is sensible to make the turn, lock up the wheels and very nearly end up in the gravel! It’s a defining moment! I’m laughing all the way up the hill, having flirted with disaster quite enough with the road tyres. It’s not a complete disaster, only dropping a couple of seconds with my faux-pas but it’s definitely time for sticky rubber.
Yes.... But I forget to wind the windows up! (Photo Credit: Chris Bannister @ JCB Photography).
I note some eyes turned our way as I arrive back in the Paddock and start jacking the car up, Jill mucks in, bringing out the new wheels from the van. In a few minutes, the Cup looks transformed, from the almost prim standard Turini’s to a visually more purposeful set-up. This will be interesting. We tuck into our cheeseburgers and have the usual fun with our paddock neighbours - the Cossin’s in their rapid red 197.
The afternoon is again running like absolute clockwork, the team at Harewood running a very tight ship indeed. Soon enough, our class is being waved away down the chute, this is it, time to see what the Yokohama’s are like. My nerves have returned though, and I’m not feeling altogether settled. As soon as I launch the car off the line the transformation is tangible, it just grips and goes, then I get to the corners…. The car is handling beautifully with very strong turn-in grip, the rear initially slightly loose due to the newness of the tyres, experimental pressures and lack of heat, it’s nothing I can’t manage and gather up though and I arrive at the top of the hill slightly shaking with adrenaline. We’ve gone 71.56 - nearly a whole second lopped of the PB on the 1st, slightly tentative run with the A-052’s.
En-Route to clipping the mirror? (Photo Credit: Chris Bannister @ JCB Photography).
I’m right in the mix now with the other Clio’s in the class, yet I still feel I’m not quite reading the course right. We get a 3rd competitive run in late afternoon and confident that I can experiment further with the grip level, tweak the tyre pressures and convince myself to press a little harder. I end the day on a 71.21. It’s good enough for me, felling pretty elated with the progress, after just 2 runs on the tyres I can see there’s yet more room for improvement. A glass of wine with Chilli cooked by the father in law is very much enjoyed before early to bed, excited at the prospect of doing it all again tomorrow…
Part 2 below...
photo_ed
ClioTrophy Moderator
- Joined
- Jul 22, 2018
- Messages
- 2,304
- Reaction score
- 4,482
- Location
- Yorkshire/Lancashire
- Trophy No.
- 407
- Thread starter
- #94
The Season Hots Up Some More…
Montague Burton Hillclimb, Harewood, Aug 2026.
The Sunday Class line up ..(well, some of us!).
The favourable conditions of Saturday saw times tumbling, with personal bests recorded throughout the whole field, not just in our closely stacked Clio contingent. With Sunday promised even warmer, maybe more of the same could be expected today. Anticipation and the slightly heavy weight of expectation are weighing upon me again a little as the day kicks off.
The sense of community and camaraderie in the paddock and particularly within our little group are riding as high as ever though, and it strikes me again what a great activity this is. The mood is optimistic for another good day on the hill. I’m yet to find my flow though, I’m held on the start line on the 1st practice run by a red flag, this scenario always plays havoc with any sort of concentration and commitment you’ve built up on the wait in the chute. Sure enough I almost tour up on the new tyres, but as always it’s a good learning curve. Second practice I try and carry a bit more speed, but still know I’m braking way too early, it’s all going OK and feel I’m starting to get the measure of the tyres.
Slow? Moi?? (Photo Credit: Chris Bannister @ JCB Photography).
Jill’s Dad is in attendance today as a bit of moral support and busy with his camera, with another family friend in tow. Said friend is new to motorsport and Harewood, he’s blown away…. “It’s amazing! The atmosphere, it’s like being on a French campsite” is his observation which tickles me all day. I know what he means, today his sentiment is helped vastly by the exceptional weather, but he’s right, it’s quite special. As we roll down for our 1st competitive run I note 27 degrees on the outside temp gauge on the dash of the Cup. It doesn’t really like the heat this car, but is so far coping admirably. I give myself a talking to on the line and off we go…
Tightening the Line through Farmhouse, (Photo Credit: Chris Bannister @ JCB Photography).
There it is! That ‘flow’ that’s been eluding me all weekend, the run’s a cracker! There’s a few places I know I can improve, but the whole run has hung together really nicely, Orchard bend is usually one of my favourite parts of the course but my line through here has been passable at best over the last couple of days. This time, I may well have clattered a marker post on my way through - leaving a little tell-tale smudge on the rear 3 quarter panel, but by crikey it felt good! We’re into the 70 second bracket too, so declare to Jill, ‘right, we can go home now!’, as we settle down to another healthy lunch from the grill truck…
Braving it into Quarry.
As the afternoon progresses, the heat soars, I see 31 degrees waiting for the 2nd run, where I tumble another few tenths off my previous best. It’s going well, feeling more relaxed now than I have all weekend, I decide to keep an open mind for the last run of the day. I’m in a place where I’m really happy with progress, the Cup feeling really well on the tweaked geo and new wheels. But with all these things, the more experience the better and by the time I’m hurling the Cup into the first corner of the final run I can tell I’m carrying a bit more confidence and commitment. I’m braking later, carrying more speed through the longer corners, I make a slight mistake coming out of the Esses but keep my foot in it, the final corner gets slightly exciting as I’m still trailing the brake slightly which makes the car a bit nervous, but as I cross the line and look at the timing screen I can’t believe it! We’ve gone sub-70 seconds, only just with a 69.99, but psychologically it’s a major milestone and a great time for the Cup still in such standard form. Rolling through the paddock, I’m euphoric, folk coming over to say well done, it’s all a bit emotional! I can barely believe it.
As the meeting winds down, we pack up, pop the Cup back onto the Turini’s and tootle home the ‘pretty way’ up through Wharfedale and over the Pennines. I tuck the Cup up for the night and pat his bonnet and glass of white wine in hand may well have uttered a ‘Well done Lad”….
What a weekend!
Montague Burton Hillclimb, Harewood, Aug 2026.
The Sunday Class line up ..(well, some of us!).
The favourable conditions of Saturday saw times tumbling, with personal bests recorded throughout the whole field, not just in our closely stacked Clio contingent. With Sunday promised even warmer, maybe more of the same could be expected today. Anticipation and the slightly heavy weight of expectation are weighing upon me again a little as the day kicks off.
The sense of community and camaraderie in the paddock and particularly within our little group are riding as high as ever though, and it strikes me again what a great activity this is. The mood is optimistic for another good day on the hill. I’m yet to find my flow though, I’m held on the start line on the 1st practice run by a red flag, this scenario always plays havoc with any sort of concentration and commitment you’ve built up on the wait in the chute. Sure enough I almost tour up on the new tyres, but as always it’s a good learning curve. Second practice I try and carry a bit more speed, but still know I’m braking way too early, it’s all going OK and feel I’m starting to get the measure of the tyres.
Slow? Moi?? (Photo Credit: Chris Bannister @ JCB Photography).
Jill’s Dad is in attendance today as a bit of moral support and busy with his camera, with another family friend in tow. Said friend is new to motorsport and Harewood, he’s blown away…. “It’s amazing! The atmosphere, it’s like being on a French campsite” is his observation which tickles me all day. I know what he means, today his sentiment is helped vastly by the exceptional weather, but he’s right, it’s quite special. As we roll down for our 1st competitive run I note 27 degrees on the outside temp gauge on the dash of the Cup. It doesn’t really like the heat this car, but is so far coping admirably. I give myself a talking to on the line and off we go…
Tightening the Line through Farmhouse, (Photo Credit: Chris Bannister @ JCB Photography).
There it is! That ‘flow’ that’s been eluding me all weekend, the run’s a cracker! There’s a few places I know I can improve, but the whole run has hung together really nicely, Orchard bend is usually one of my favourite parts of the course but my line through here has been passable at best over the last couple of days. This time, I may well have clattered a marker post on my way through - leaving a little tell-tale smudge on the rear 3 quarter panel, but by crikey it felt good! We’re into the 70 second bracket too, so declare to Jill, ‘right, we can go home now!’, as we settle down to another healthy lunch from the grill truck…
Braving it into Quarry.
As the afternoon progresses, the heat soars, I see 31 degrees waiting for the 2nd run, where I tumble another few tenths off my previous best. It’s going well, feeling more relaxed now than I have all weekend, I decide to keep an open mind for the last run of the day. I’m in a place where I’m really happy with progress, the Cup feeling really well on the tweaked geo and new wheels. But with all these things, the more experience the better and by the time I’m hurling the Cup into the first corner of the final run I can tell I’m carrying a bit more confidence and commitment. I’m braking later, carrying more speed through the longer corners, I make a slight mistake coming out of the Esses but keep my foot in it, the final corner gets slightly exciting as I’m still trailing the brake slightly which makes the car a bit nervous, but as I cross the line and look at the timing screen I can’t believe it! We’ve gone sub-70 seconds, only just with a 69.99, but psychologically it’s a major milestone and a great time for the Cup still in such standard form. Rolling through the paddock, I’m euphoric, folk coming over to say well done, it’s all a bit emotional! I can barely believe it.
As the meeting winds down, we pack up, pop the Cup back onto the Turini’s and tootle home the ‘pretty way’ up through Wharfedale and over the Pennines. I tuck the Cup up for the night and pat his bonnet and glass of white wine in hand may well have uttered a ‘Well done Lad”….
What a weekend!
NickReilly063
ClioTrophy Moderator
I didn’t want to ruin your awesome write up Ed, however I was very pleased on Sunday to see you go under the 70 - also one of the best times of all the Clio’s bar your friends highly tuned one.
Those UP Gti’s put in some very impressive times don’t they - are they heavily tuned ???
Those UP Gti’s put in some very impressive times don’t they - are they heavily tuned ???
photo_ed
ClioTrophy Moderator
- Joined
- Jul 22, 2018
- Messages
- 2,304
- Reaction score
- 4,482
- Location
- Yorkshire/Lancashire
- Trophy No.
- 407
- Thread starter
- #96
Thanks Nick, the Cup is doing very well, especially considering it hasn’t arrived on a trailer and still has carpets and no carbon fibre panels…
Those Up’s are quick, seriously tuneable with the turbo. The ex-Adam Riley car must be easy running 200bhp plus. Quite the little machines in the 1A class!