As the clock counts down to the first race weekend of the 2022 season, TCR UK welcomes touring car expert Chris Smiley and the return of Honda to its ranks, with new team Restart Racing.
With six years of high-level touring car competition behind him and the knowledge of what it takes to win races, Smiley’s extensive experience and back-catalogue of results make him a formidable force, as he gets set for a full season TCR UK campaign.
Working with Restart Racing Team Principal Bert Taylor and his son Ben as race engineer, Smiley’s entry brings the Honda brand back to the UK TCR Championship for the first time since 2019. This latest addition to the grid will see seven different manufacturers represented and provides further evidence that TCR UK is increasing in appeal and profile.
Driving a 2022 version of the Honda Civic Type R FK7, Smiley is eager to get the season underway, which begins at Oulton Park over the Easter Weekend:
“It’s a fresh challenge for me with a brand-new team and a brand-new car. Working alongside both Bert and Ben, we have everything in place to get our season off to a positive start.
“I’m very confident in the team and looking forward to getting to grips with the new car. I’m also very grateful to Cranswick Country Foods, who are one of a number of sponsors supporting me in my new journey.”
Mads Fischer, JAS Motorsport (the official Honda TCR constructors) Project Leader expressed his delight with the Honda brand returning to TCR UK:
“It’s fantastic to see the FK7 version of the Honda Civic Type R TCR represented in the UK for the first time since 2018 – when it won four races and took the title fight down to the final round. In Restart Racing we have an ambitious customer team and in Chris Smiley, they have a driver with a proven race-winning pedigree in the BTCC spearheading their challenge.
“TCR UK has grown enormously in the past 12 months and we would be very keen to support as many Civic Type R TCRs racing there as possible.”
Championship Manager Stewart Lines is very pleased to welcome Smiley and Restart Racing into the championship:
“It makes us proud to see the Honda brand returning to TCR UK, especially with such a recognised talent as Chris behind the wheel.
“With Honda providing support to Restart Racing this season, it shows their commitment to the UK series and endorses the credibility of the championship as it moves up another level ahead of its fifth consecutive season.”
