MAX Coates' emotions overflowed at his home circuit of Croft on Sunday.

The Scorton racer took victory in the Renault UK Clio Cup to head the standings at the halfway point of the season.

After setting a new qualifying lap record, Team Pyro’s Coates started race one, held on Saturday, from pole position and initially held the lead through the first bend.

However an error by him at the second corner allowed WDE Motorsport’s Paul Rivett to pounce and this proved decisive in the outcome of the race.

Rivett would lead all the way with Coates finishing close behind him in second as Daniel Rowbottom (Kidderminster), back with his family’s small DRM team, took third.

Behind, Westbourne Motorsport’s Dorlin finished in sixth place meaning suddenly he had lost his championship lead to both Coates and Rivett.

Race two was a role reversal at the front as Coates, again starting from pole, this time stayed ahead of Rivett for the full 12 laps for a famous and emotional victory in front of his home crowd. 

Third was Rivett’s team-mate Lee Pattison (Halifax) in a result that helped their WDE team close significantly on Pyro at the head of the Entrants Trophy standings, but for Dorlin the race had ended in retirement on lap one with a punctured tyre.

As a result Coates goes into the mid-season break with a six-point lead over Rivett at the top of the championship.

Dorlin, the leader arriving at Croft, has fallen to third, some 31 points behind new leader Coates.

"The aim before this weekend was to come out leading the championship. Whilst I was pleased with second place in race one I was disappointed not to have won as I felt I had the pace," Coates said.

"On Sunday, with over 100 guests and in front of a home crowd, I knew it was important to get the win.

"After I had led the first two laps I could then show the pace we had with a lead of over a second.

"The support I’ve had this weekend was amazing and thanks to friends, family, sponsors and supporters who made it another fantastic event at Croft."