Ross, aged 20, will compete with his father’s Bob Ross Racing team which will also be making its first appearance in the UK Clio Cup. Together they previously won the BRSCC’s Ford Fiesta Junior and Ford Fiesta (senior) crowns.

He is currently leading his class in club-level production saloon car competition and has also occasionally raced the ex-Sutton Clio Cup car in other categories. However the car is now back to full UK Clio Cup specification ahead of his appearance at Rockingham.

Sutton used the car to win six times in 2015’s UK Clio Cup which he won in the final race of the season. Since he has gone on to become one of the hottest properties in the British Touring Car Championship, the UK’s premier motor racing category alongside which the UK Clio Cup appears in front of huge trackside crowds and also live on ITV4.

Bob Ross commented: “JJ and I have wanted to race in the UK Clio Cup for some time – it stands out for its professionalism as do the Clio Cup cars for their performance, technical excellence and reliability. So when this opportunity came up in between his other racing commitments – even as a one-off – we took it immediately.

“JJ believes he’s got a good feel for the car’s set-up but this will be our first time on the Michelin tyres used in the UK Clio Cup. Let’s just see… the weekend is all about having fun.”

Ross, sponsored by ASNU Performance Injectors, becomes the third driver to make his UK Clio Cup debut at Rockingham this weekend, with 16-year-olds Bradley Burns (2016’s Fiesta Junior runner-up) and Zak Fulk (a former top international kart racer) also set to make their first appearances in the championship.

Will Fewkes, Renault Sport’s UK Motorsport Championship Manager said: “JJ and his father Bob have been talking to us for some time so it’s great to see them get their moment in the UK Clio Cup. They have clearly worked very effectively as a father and son team to date and it will be interesting to see how they perform this weekend at Rockingham.”