Experienced touring car racer Howard Fuller will return to TCR UK Championship action with top team SWR at Brands Hatch Indy Circuit this coming weekend, 2nd/3rd June, where the Surrey driver is determined to help the Oxfordshire squad continue its podium-finishing momentum.
The 25-year-old, from Worcester Park, piloted the SWR Honda Civic Type-R during the championship curtain-raiser at Silverstone last month where he took a best finish of fourth place on his first race outing since 2015.
Unfortunately having to sit-out rounds three and four at Knockhill in Scotland, where SWR team owner Sean Walkinshaw substituted and secured the squad’s first podium, Fuller is now absolutely delighted to be back in action and focused on adding to SWR’s TCR UK silverware tally.
“It’s obviously good to be back for Brands and I’m very excited to be racing again”, said the TDI North and RBC Project Management backed driver, “Sean [Walkinshaw] did a great job at Knockhill and I want to continue that momentum moving forward.
“I’m actually more prepared now than when we arrived at Silverstone for the first round, I’ve got experience of the TCR car in a race situation and I think I’ll be more feisty over the opening laps now I know what to expect – that’s where we lost out a little bit at Silverstone. I have to say a huge thank you to my sponsors RBC and TDI for getting us back on track, hopefully it’ll be a strong weekend.”
SWR gives big thumbs-up to TCR UK
Ahead of the third event of the inaugural TCR UK season, eight months on from announcing its commitment to joining the grid, SWR says its experience of the category over the first two race meetings has been ‘nothing but positive’.
After taking delivery of its JAS Motorsport-constructed Honda Civic last October, the Chipping Norton based squad headed into the maiden TCR UK race meeting last month at its home track, Silverstone, determined to make a strong start to its first year in touring cars.
Fuller raced to fifth in round one and an improved fourth in round two, just a couple of seconds shy of the podium, and when team owner Walkinshaw filled-in at Knockhill a top five result in the first contest was bettered in race two with a richly deserved top three finish.
Impressed with both the level of competition and championship organisation of TCR UK, SWR team manager Ken Page says involvement in the category is very much part of the squad’s long-term plans and believes the series will only grow over the next 12 to 18 months.
“Our experience of TCR UK up to now has been nothing but positive”, he commented, “It’s a great championship to be part of and the first two race meetings certainly exceeded our expectations. It’s a format which has proven to be a huge success around the world and, given a little more time, I’m sure we’ll be seeing expanded and enhanced grids in the UK.
“The cars are fantastic pieces of kit, the regulations make it very easy for European teams to come over to race in the UK, and vice-versa, and the organisers are doing a good job behind the scenes to build a stable and positive long-term future for the championship. We’re delighted to be part of TCR UK and obviously very happy to see Howard back with us for Brands Hatch this weekend.”
Warm-Up and Free Practice at Brands Hatch for the TCR UK competitors will take place at 10.50 and 13.25 on Saturday, 2nd June, with Qualifying following at 16.20. On Sunday, 3rd June, round five of the season will commence at 13.20 with round six scheduled to begin at 15.45.
Live online streaming will be available through the official championship website www.tcruk.co.uk.