TCRUK Donington Park GP April 2022 Review

TCR UK Championship 2022

It was an exciting weekend of racing again in the TCR UK, this time out it was the turn of Donington Park and the GP circuit to experience the action.

Chris Smiley came into the weekend with weigth in the car and sitting 2nd in the Championship just behind Max Hart who had a great weekend at Oulton last time out.

Donington Park GP – Qualifying – 28th May 2022

Chris Smiley Pole Donington

Photo Credit – TCR UK

Qualifying was tight with narrow margins separating the top drivers despite a long lap here at Donington. After an excellent qualifying from Chris with another pole and a time of 1:35:067 we went into Sundays racing 1st in the Championship standings.

Driver Entry Time
Chris Smiley Honda Civic Type R FK7 – Restart Racing 1:35.067
Hugo Cook Audi RS3 LMS TCR – Privateer 1:35.088
Adam Shepherd Hyundai i30 N TCR – Jamsport Racing With Shepherd 1:35.352
Max Hart Hyundai i30 N TCR – Jamsport Racing 1:35.385

Donington Park GP – Round 3 – 29th May 2022

Watch the full race on the TCR UK Channel – https://youtu.be/lep9nR8H4gw

Chris Smiley - Restart Racing - Donington Park GP 2022

Photo Credit – Mike Kitchen

With Chris on pole we were hoping for a good getaway as there are several cars behind with less weight on board who were quick in qualifying. The start and first lap was good however coming into McLeans for the second time saw Chris hit from behind and onto the grass where the radiator collected a fair amount of grass, just enough to block the radiator and affect the cooling which meant a pit stop was needed and effectively ended any chance of a top finish.

The second race is a reverse grid and we effectively had little chance of that, Chris needed to get as high as possible to get the best starting position for Round 4, with a superb drive he managed to get back to 14th position. Both Chris and Max Hart drove extremely well with Max going onto win with his first of two wins for the weekend and Chris giving a fighting chance of some decent points for Round 4.

Position Driver Entry Best Lap
1 Max Hart Hyundai i30 N TCR – Jamsport Racing 1:35.170
2 Bradley Kent Hyundai i30 N TCR – Essex & Kent Motorsport 1:35.602
3 Isaac Smith Volkswagen Golf GTi TCR – Race Car Consultants 1:36.421
14 Chris Smiley Honda Civic Type R FK7 – Restart Racing 1:35.579

Donington Park GP – Round 4 – 29th May 2022

Watch the full race on the TCR UK Channel – https://youtu.be/FUer8fMXTuk

Donington Park GP TCR UK Podium Chris Smiley Restart Racing

Starting from 14th was always going to be tough, a great start would really help and Chris did exactly that making up several places in the first couple of corners. Chris made it 9th by McLeans and was up to 6th by the start of lap 2.

Chris made great progress and through to 4th at the halfway stage and as we approach the last 10 minutes Chris was up to 3rd with Whorton-Eales in 2nd and Hart in 1st.

Chris took 2nd place with 9 minutes to go and stretched out a gap to the pack but couldn’t catch Max Hart who went on to win his 2nd race of the weekend and complete the double.

Position Driver Entry Best Lap
1 Max Hart Hyundai i30 N TCR – Jamsport Racing 1:35.920
2 Chris Smiley Honda Civic Type R FK7 – Restart Racing 1:36.324
3 Bruce Winfield Cupra TCR – Area Motorsport 1:36.414

 

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TCR UK – Championship Standings after Round 4

Position Driver No Entry Points
1 Max HART 101 Hyundai i30 N TCR – Jamsport Racing 159
2 Chris SMILEY 22 Honda Civic Type R FK7 – Restart Racing 115
3 Isaac SMITH 123 Volkswagen Golf GTi TCR – Race Car Consultants 112
4 Lewis KENT 1 Hyundai Veloster N TCR – Essex & Kent Motorsport 90
5 Jamie TONKS 74 Cupra TCR DSG – Area Motorsport With FASTR 67
6 Jessica HAWKINS 21 Cupra TCR – Area Motorsport With FASTR 64
7 Bruce WINFIELD 37 Cupra TCR – Area Motorsport 62
8 Bradley HUTCHINSON 17 Audi RS3 LMS TCR – BOND-IT With MPHR 55
9 Jac CONSTABLE 257 Cupra TCR – Power Maxed Racing 49
10 Callum NEWSHAM 16 Cupra TCR – Power Maxed Racing 48
11 Bradley KENT 5 Hyundai i30 N TCR – Essex & Kent Motorsport 35
12 Jack DEPPER 33 Volkswagen Golf GTi TCR – Capture Motorsport 33
13 Matthew WILSON 31 Cupra Leon Competicion – JWB Motorsport 33
14 Russell JOYCE 72 Cupra TCR – Power Maxed Racing With Joyce Design 28
15 Adam SHEPHERD 117 Hyundai i30 N TCR – Jamsport Racing With Shepherd M 27
16 Alex LEY 76 Hyundai i30 N TCR – Daniel James Motorsport 21
17 Scott SUMPTON 27 Hyundai i30 N TCR – Essex & Kent Motorsport 21
18 Anthony WHORTON-EALES 11 Subaru WRX STI TCR – Jamsport Racing 18
19 Andrew WILMOT 210 Hyundai i30 N TCR – Jamsport Racing 18
20 Neil TROTTER 12 Cupra TCR – Chameleon Motorsport 7
21 Steve GALES 35 Audi RS3 LMS TCR – Playerlands 5
22 Darelle WILSON 50 Vauxhall Astra TCR – DW Racing 5
23 Hugo COOK 29 Audi RS3 LMS TCR – Privateer 5
24 Chris WALLIS 52 Hyundai i30 N TCR – Power Maxed Racing 4
25 Mark SMITH 77 Cupra TCR – Richmond Fire Motorsport 1
26 Simon TOMLINSON 40 Cupra TCR – Jamsport Racing 0
27 Kieran GRIFFIN 47 Volkswagen Golf GTi TCR – JWB Motorsport 0
28 Rob BUTLER 94 Volkswagen Golf GTi TCR – JWB Motorsport With Maxi 0

Donington Park GP 2022 Restart Racing

What a great weekend of racing, close and competitive with some great drives throughout the field. We look forward to Brands Hatch on 18th and 19th June where we will be racing around the Indy circuit.

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TCRUK Donington Park GP April 2022 Review was first seen on Restart Racing