Renault To Supply Course Car For Dial Before You Dig Australian 6 Hour

VICTORIA, AUSTRALIA – July 16, 2010: Renault Australia, in conjunction with brand-new Production Car team R-Sport, will provide the official course car vehicles to the Dial before You Dig Australian 6 Hour at Eastern Creek this weekend.

Renault will provide a stunning Renault Clio Sport 200 as the official course car to tail the field on the formation lap for the inaugural 6-hour production car event, a round of the Australian Manufacturers Championship.

Renault’s support of the event is the first step in a longer-term aim to see the brand becoming more represented in Australian Motorsport, beginning at this weekend’s six hour via the support of two Clio entries in Class D.

The two Renault Clio 197 entries will be driven by Ian Thorp, Aaron Thorp and Ray Curry (R-Sport / Renault) and Richard Gartner, Francois Jouy and Carl Schembri (Safe-T-Stop).

Renault’s return to Australian Motorsport in an official capacity comes 40 years after Bob Watson won the 1970 Australian Rally Championship driving a Renault R8 Gordini.

A full launch of R-Sport’s plans for their Australian Manufacturers Championship involvement will be conducted at Eastern Creek at 1PM this Friday, July 16th.

“Despite being a smaller brand in Australia, Renault has a great tradition in Motorsport stretching back for many years,” R-Sport’s Ian Thorp said.

“We are proud to be working with Renault’s Australian office and the head office in France to get this program up and running to ensure the Renault brand is reintroduced to Australian Motorsport in the best possible way.

“Renault Australia is only too happy to provide a car for the event to use as a course vehicle for this weekend’s race. It will be great exposure for them, and great for the event to have a link with a major manufacturer.

“This is the first step in many R-Sport, supported by Renault, is set to take over the next six months and we’re sure it’s going to be an exciting ride.”