Restart Racing and Cranswick continue relationship into 2023

Restart Racing and Cranswick Country Foods will continue its partnership into the 2023 TCR UK Touring Car Championship season, as the quality UK food producers will support driver Chris Smiley as he fights to defend his title.

Cranswick was a key supporter of Chris’ campaign last year, in which Chris won the burgeoning UK tin-top championship’s drivers’ title on his first attempt, then in a older Honda Civic touring car.

Now equipped with the latest eleventh generation Civic Type R, Chris will be battling to retain his crown. The season got underway last weekend with Chris scoring a podium on what was effectively the car’s shakedown meeting.

The relationship with Cranswick is an important one to Chris. As well as working with them to promote the quality food brand and its sustainability goals, they’ll also work together to support a charity that’s important to them both, Race Against Dementia.

The charity was founded by Sir Jackie Stewart OBE, and it finances scientific research with the goal of finding a breakthrough in the cure or prevention of dementia.

The TCR UK championship got underway last weekend at Snetterton, and will conclude at Brands Hatch in October after seven race weekends, this year headlining at the UK’s top race tracks over a seven-month campaign.

Chris Smiley, #1 Restart Racing Honda Civic Type R FL5 TCR

“I’m delighted to be working with Cranswick Country Foods again. They were an important part of my programme last year, and are a fantastic brand to be associated with.

“I’ll be working with them to support the local community this year near their Ballymena site, working on fundraising activities for the local schools and college.

“It’s also great to be working with Cranswick and working to support a very important charity together, Race Against Dementia. We raised a lot for their vital research projects last year, and will be looking to do even more this year alongside our racing programme in TCR UK.”

Tony Demaine, Site Director at Cranswick Country Foods, said:

“We’re proud to be supporting Chris again for another year in the TCR UK championship. Working together last year reaped fantastic rewards with Chris winning the drivers’ championship first time out, and I know he and the team have even higher ambitions this year with the new car.

“Chris also is a very important brand ambassador for Cranswick Country Foods. We’ll continue to work together to support community initiatives here near the Ballymena site, which are extremely important to us.

“I’m also very thankful for the work Chris does to fundraise for Race Against Dementia, a charity which is very close to my heart.

“We’re really looking forward to another very exciting season working with Chris and Restart Racing in 2023.”

Photo Credit – Phil Laughton, Post Credit – Restart Racing