TCR UK Touring Car Championship
{{Sources exist|date=April 2022}}
{{Infobox motorsport championship
| logo = Touring Car Trophy Logo.jpg
| pixels =
| caption =
| category = Touring cars
| inaugural = 2018
| folded =
| drivers = 34 (2022)
| teams = 21 (2022)
| constructors = Audi, Cupra, Honda, Hyundai, Subaru, Vauxhall, VW
| tyres = Goodyear
| engines =
| country/region = United Kingdom
| champion driver = {{flagicon|GBR}} Chris Smiley
| champion team =
| manufacturer =
| current_season = {{CURRENTYEAR}} TCR UK Touring Car Championship
| website = https://www.tcr-uk.co.uk/
}}
The TCR UK Touring Car Championship, known as the Touring Car Trophy from 2019 to 2021, is a touring car racing series based in the United Kingdom. It features production-based touring cars built to TCR specifications, and formerly also NGTC and Super 2000 specifications from 2019 to 2021. The championship is aimed as a feeder category to the BTCC and operated by Stewart Lines' Maximum Group.
History
The TCR UK Touring Car Championship was first established in 2018 and was organised by the BRSCC.{{cite news|url=https://www.touringcartimes.com/2017/07/07/tcr-uk-given-the-go-ahead-by-the-msa-for-2018-launch/|title=TCR UK given the go-ahead by the MSA for 2018 launch|publisher=Mediaempire Stockholm AB|date=7 July 2017|access-date=23 October 2022|work=TouringCarTimes}} TCR UK was introduced as a feeder series for the more popular and expensive British Touring Car Championship although there was no direct link between the two series'. Interest in the new championship initially appeared high, with organisers discussing the possibility of qualifying races in order to accommodate the projected large grids.{{cite news|url=https://www.touringcartimes.com/2017/07/12/tcr-uk-surprised-by-level-of-interest-after-2018-launch-announcement/|title=TCR UK Series surprised by level of interest after 2018 launch announcement|publisher=Mediaempire Stockholm AB|date=12 July 2017|access-date=23 October 2022|work=TouringCarTimes}}{{cite news|url=https://www.touringcartimes.com/2017/08/21/tcr-uk-planning-no-grid-limit-run-alone-2018/|title=TCR UK planning on no grid limit, and to run alone in 2018|publisher=Mediaempire Stockholm AB|date=21 August 2017|access-date=23 October 2022|work=TouringCarTimes}} However, in reality grid numbers were low throughout the year with only 5 drivers competing at every event and the grid peaking at 13 cars in the season opener at Silverstone.{{cite news|url=https://brscc.co.uk/lucky-13-for-tcr-uk-season-opener/|title=LUCKY 13 FOR TCR UK SEASON OPENER|publisher=BRSCC|date=29 March 2018|access-date=24 October 2022|work=BRSCC}} Dan Lloyd took the inaugural championship in dominant fashion, winning 7 of the first 8 races and taking 4 pole positions.
The championship continued to struggle in 2019 and a few weeks before the first scheduled round at Snetterton, and with only 3 entries announced, the decision was made to combine the championship with Stewart Lines Touring Car Trophy. Lines would also takeover the running and organisation of the championship. The Touring Car Trophy was established in 2019 for older Super 2000 and NGTC machinery which was no longer eligible for the British Touring Car Championship. TCR UK would now be a class within the Touring Car Trophy with drivers in TCR cars able to fight for two championships.{{cite news|url=https://www.touringcartimes.com/2019/04/05/tcr-uk-championship-combines-touring-car-trophy/|title=TCR UK championship combines with Touring Car Trophy|publisher=Mediaempire Stockholm AB|date=5 April 2019|access-date=5 April 2019|work=TouringCarTimes}} Henry Neal, son of 3 time BTCC champion Matt Neal, won the inaugural Touring Car Trophy driving a NGTC specification Honda Civic Type R while James Turkington, younger brother of another BTCC champion, Colin Turkington, fought off Lewis Kent to win the TCR UK class.{{cite news|url=https://www.tcr-uk.co.uk/turkington-crowned-provisional-2019-champion-as-neal-wins/|title=TURKINGTON CROWNED PROVISIONAL 2019 CHAMPION, AS NEAL WINS|publisher=TCR UK|website=tcr-uk.co.uk|date=20 October 2019|accessdate=24 October 2022}}
For 2020 the Volkswagen Racing Cup also joined the grid. Henry Neal and Lewis Kent dominated the season with Neal defending his title and Kent clinching his first TCR UK class title.{{cite news|url=https://www.tcr-uk.co.uk/max-hart-secures-maiden-win-as-henry-neal-crowned-tct-champion/|title=MAX HART SECURES MAIDEN WIN AS HENRY NEAL CROWNED TCT CHAMPION|publisher=TCR UK|website=tcr-uk.co.uk|date=18 October 2020|accessdate=24 October 2022}}
In 2021 the championship began to recover with entries reaching double figures for the first time since 2018. By seasons end the grid was entirely made up of TCR cars with Lewis Kent taking his second title ahead of 2020 Civic Cup champion Bruce Winfield.{{cite news|url=https://www.tcr-uk.co.uk/lewis-kent-takes-goodyear-touring-car-trophy-title-in-three-race-donington-thriller/|title=LEWIS KENT TAKES GOODYEAR TOURING CAR TROPHY TITLE IN DONINGTON FINALE THRILLER|publisher=TCR UK|website=tcr-uk.co.uk|date=1 September 2021|accessdate=24 October 2022}}
The Touring Car Trophy was dissolved for 2022 with TCR UK once again becoming a standalone championship.{{cite news|url=https://www.touringcartimes.com/2021/12/09/tcr-uk-granted-championship-status-wsc-licence-extended/|title=TCR UK granted championship status as WSC licence extended|publisher=Mediaempire Stockholm AB|date=9 December 2021|access-date=24 October 2022|work=TouringCarTimes}} The series experienced its biggest season yet with 20 cars appearing at every round and the grid peaking at 25 cars for 3 events. The championship was won by Chris Smiley ahead of Isaac Smith.{{cite news|url=https://www.touringcartimes.com/2022/10/23/chris-smiley-lands-2022-tcr-uk-title-lewis-kent-wins-final-race/|title=Chris Smiley lands 2022 TCR UK title as Lewis Kent wins final race|publisher=Mediaempire Stockholm AB|date=23 October 2022|access-date=24 October 2022|work=TouringCarTimes}}
Champions
| class="wikitable" style="font-size:85%" |
| colspan="7"| TCR UK Touring Car Championship |
|---|
| Year
!colspan="2"| Champion (Car) !colspan="2"| Team Champions (Car) |
| 2018
| {{flagicon|GBR}} Daniel Lloyd | File:Volkswagen logo 2019.svg Volkswagen Golf GTI TCR | {{flagicon|SWE}} WestCoast Racing |
| colspan="7"| Touring Car Trophy |
| Year
!colspan="2"| Champion (Car) !colspan="2"| Team Champions (Car) !colspan="2"| TCR UK (Car) |
| 2019
| {{flagicon|GBR}} Henry Neal | File:Honda.svg Honda Civic Type R | {{flagicon|GBR}} Ciceley Motorsport | File:Cupra.svg CUPRA León TCR | {{flagicon|GBR}} James Turkington |
| 2020
| {{flagicon|GBR}} Henry Neal | File:Honda.svg Honda Civic Type R | {{flagicon|GBR}} Maximum Motorsport | File:Cupra.svg CUPRA León TCR | {{flagicon|GBR}} Lewis Kent |
| 2021
| {{flagicon|GBR}} Lewis Kent | File:Hyundai logo.svg Hyundai i30 N TCR | {{flagicon|GBR}} Essex & Kent Motorsport | File:Hyundai logo.svg Hyundai i30 N TCR | {{flagicon|GBR}} Lewis Kent |
| colspan="7"| TCR UK Touring Car Championship |
| Year
!colspan="2"| Champion (Car) !colspan="2"| Tom Walker Memorial Trophy (Car) !colspan="2"| Goodyear Diamond Trophy (Car) |
| 2022
| {{flagicon|GBR}} Chris Smiley | File:Honda.svg Honda Civic Type R TCR (FK8) | {{flagicon|GBR}} Chris Smiley | File:Honda.svg Honda Civic Type R TCR (FK8) | {{flagicon|GBR}} Andy Wilmot |
| 2023
| {{flagicon|GBR}} Carl Boardley | File:Cupra.svg CUPRA León TCR | {{flagicon|GBR}} Carl Boardley | File:Cupra.svg CUPRA León TCR | {{flagicon|GBR}} Carl Boardley |
| 2024
| {{flagicon|GBR}} Carl Boardley | File:Cupra.svg CUPRA León TCR | {{flagicon|GBR}} Rick Kerry | File:Cupra.svg CUPRA León TCR | {{flagicon|GBR}} Darron Lewis |
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- {{Official website|https://www.tcr-uk.co.uk/}}
{{TCR Series championships}}
Category:Touring car racing series