Leading national motor racing squad Total Control Racing sealed its second championship victory in as many weekends on Sunday, 21st September, after driver Mike Robinson wrapped-up the 2014 Michelin Clio Cup Race Series title during the final event of the season at Croft in North Yorkshire.

Just a week removed from George Gamble’s memorable championship triumph at Donington Park in the Protyre Motorsport Ginetta GT5 Challenge, the Wednesbury team added yet another crown to its collection as the inaugural winners of the newly established Renault Clio category.

“We’re absolutely over the moon, this is a fantastic result and Mike really does deserve it – he’s had a fantastic season”, said TCR team principal Lee Brookes, “After winning the Ginettas last weekend, we hoped to get the job done this weekend in the Clios but you never know what can happen.

“Mike has been the class of the field all season, he’s won eight races and had 10 podiums from the 12 races so it’s been an amazing year for him. Everyone at the team has worked really hard for this, so we’re all really delighted.”

Robinson began the weekend perfectly with pole position for both races, taking his tally for the year to nine, and in the ultimately decisive opening encounter – round 11 – he held the lead into the first corner but was shuffled back to third on the exit.

Running tight in the wheeltracks of chief rival David Dickenson, the order remained unchanged until the end of lap nine when a tangle at the hairpin for Dickenson, race leader Luke Herbert and Road Series class runner Jake Honour opened the door for Robinson to attack. Moving into second behind Dickenson, he then managed to grab the lead on the penultimate lap to clinch the title in style.

“I’m really pleased to win the championship”, said Robinson, “The car has just been getting better and better all year, about halfway through the season we made a small change and since then it’s just been invincible to be honest – big thanks to the TCR guys, I’m over the moon.”

In round 12, Robinson was utterly dominant from pole position and built a lead of over seven seconds but after being hit with a couple of time penalties after being adjudged to have exceeded track limits, the Surbiton racer was eventually classified in seventh place – despite crossing the line in first position.

Andy Jordan, meanwhile, had yet another fruitless weekend with his season-long run of misfortune continuing. Battling in the lead group of six cars up to Tower Bend on lap one, the Bridgnorth driver was tagged on the exit and the resulting damage led to an enforced retirement.

In race two, Jordan made an excellent start from sixth and rocketed through the upper order into third place by the time the cars reached the right-hander at Tower. Holding third position well and on course to end the season with some long overdue and richly deserved silverware, on lap four it all went awry with a major excursion at the exit of the chicane which forced another non-finish.

“It’s been so frustrating this year for Andy, he’s got the pace to be in the front group and finishing on the podium but every weekend something out of his control happens that ruins it all”, added TCR’s Brookes, “He deserved a good finish to the season after such a rough year and we’re just gutted for him it didn’t work out that way. We know he’s got the pace and the ability.”

Total Control Racing’s extremely busy month continues next weekend, 27th/28th September, when the team visits Silverstone National Circuit in Northamptonshire for the penultimate two rounds of the Ginetta Junior Championship season.

Final 2014 Michelin Clio Cup Race Series Driver Standings:

CHAMPION: Mike Robinson, 330pts; 10th Andy Jordan, 105pts