LANIK GOES INTO CLIOS
YOUNG Niki Lanik, 19, just signed up with Stancombe Vehicle Engineering to race in the ELF Renault Clio Cup. This junior touring car championship runs on the same day as the BTCC (British Touring Car Championship). www.cliocup.co.uk
Last Thursday and Friday at Snetterton racing circuit Niki Lanik intensively tested a left-hand drive Renault Clio Cup car for his first time. These cars are faster and much more challenging to drive then Niki’s last year’s Stock Hatch race car. The Clio race car, built by Renaultsport France, is running 190+ horsepower and slick tyres. “To drive the Clio to the limit you got to really drive aggressive! You just flick it in the corner and go full on the accelerator!” exclaimed Niki after his first of the two test days. Colin Stancombe, team manager, was very happy to see the test day go well. “Niki was setting very good lap times!” said Stancombe, “I’m very happy he joined the team!”
Honour graduate of Greenfields School, Forest Row, Niki Lanik, took up his motor racing career during the 1st year of his A-Levels, while studying Physics, German, Chemistry and Mathematics. Instead of going to university like most other students, Niki decided that he wanted to get into the business side of things, so a few months later Niki and his father founded a motorsports company, Vibrant Motorsports Limited. For more information about the Ashurst Wood-based company and its campaigns visit www.vibrant.ms.
At the age of 14 Niki started racing old bangers with his mate, JJ Vannier, around his father’s farm property. He then participated in the famous 5-day Race Intensive Course at Silverstone’s Racing Academy, which he attended at the age of 16, acquiring his National-B race license. Niki placed 4th out of 40 in his first ever race in a Formula Ford in August 2003, and placed 1st out of 40 in a Caterham skid competition within that same month. This was considered quite a performance for a 16 year old.
In 2005, after a year of full-time studying, Niki joined the Narconon® UK Race Team to promote “Drive-Against-Drugs” and Narconon®’s world-wide drug education and re-habilitation programmes. Niki raced an XR2 along with JJ Vannier and gave a great performance setting 1 fastest lap and 1 heat win. Niki placed in the top 20% of his class. Colin Stancombe, ex-Ford UK development engineer and successful racing driver, was always there for help and difficulties, chassis set-ups and driver coaching.
In 2007 JJ and Niki will be racing two cars in the NEW ELF Renault Clio Cup with Stancombe Vehicle Engineering for a national anti-drug and health campaign, “Drive 4 Life – be drug free”. If you are interested in this, visit www.drive4life.tv
