Arkiv: News

WestCoast Racing kör finalen i TCR Europa med Ashley Sutton

NewsTCR Europe

WestCoast Racing gör ett inhopp i finalen av TCR Europa i helgen med 2017 års BTCC-mästare Ashley Sutton bakom ratten. Andreas och Jessica Bäckman gör också Sutton sällskap i finalen.

Finalen i TCR Europa körs i Barcelona i helgen och WestCoast Racing kommer att ställa upp med en bil för 2017 års BTCC-mästare Ashley Sutton utöver bilar för Andreas och Jessica Bäckman. Trots att teamet kört dubbla program i år med mästerskapssegrar i TCR UK och fullständig säsong i STCC blir det ytterligare tävlingar innan teamet avslutar årets säsong.
– Vi sonderar vilka möjligheter vi har för nästa år och det här är ett perfekt tillfälle att verkligen utvärdera ett eventuellt deltagande i TCR Europa, säger teamchef Dick Jönsson Wigroth. Det känns också extra motiverande att få chansen att arbeta med en så snabb och meriterad förare som Ashley. Det kommer ge oss en bra måttstock på vad vi skulle kunna göra i TCR Europa och en bra chans att avsluta året så bra som möjligt. Just nu är det här bara ett inhopp men TCR Europa är ett av många alternativ vi överväger för nästa år.

Ashley Sutton är en välbekant förare i Touringcarsammanhang med mästerskapstitlar i Renault Clio Cup UK och inte minst i BTCC 2017. I år slutade han fyra totalt i BTCC med sex segrar och han gjorde dessutom ett inhopp i TCR UK där han vann två race. Nu väntar ett inhopp för WestCoast Racing i TCR Europa-finalen i Barcelona.
– Jag ser fram emot att köra finalen i TCR Europa med WestCoast Racing, säger Ashley. Jag har haft ögonen på TCR länge och varit sugen på att prova på det. Jag hade möjlighet att hoppa in i TCR UK men har inte kört TCR internationellt så när WestCoast Racing kontaktade mig var det en perfekt möjlighet för båda parter. Jag ser fram emot att se vad helgen har att bjuda på. Jag har inte kört Volkswagen Golf GTI TCR än och bara gjort ett handfull antal varv på Catalunyabanan så det är mycket nytt som väntar. Teamet har precis avslutat TCR UK som mästare så de har en bra trend jag gärna är med och bidrar till i helgen.

WestCoast Racing secures team championship in TCR UK

NewsTCR UK

With two race weekends left to run WestCoast Racing has mathematically secured the team championship in TCR UK, with 691 points collected at the top of the standings.

WestCoast Racing has run dual race programs this year with three cars competing in STCC as well as the first season of TCR UK which has given the team a challenging race schedule during the spring and summer. Team manager James Rogers Nixon is proud of the team’s effort that has now secured the team championship and sees the Dan Lloyd topping the drivers championship with Andreas Bäckman third overall and Jessica Bäckman fifth overall.
”It’s a fantastic job by the team to do two championships in two different countries with the same cars. That is not easy, says James. Being team champions is a just reward for that and something we are proud of. Our cars has won with great realiability and good customer support from Volkswagen which has made it possible for us to prepare and compete in two championships during one season.

Dan Lloyd has dominated the drivers championship so far this season and his success means he’s been carrying maximum success ballast throughout the race weekends, but his success has also meant that rookies Andreas and Jessica Bäckman equally has been carrying maximum success ballast in their cars. James particularly highlights their performances as a key to securing the team championship.
”Andreas and Jessica has done an absolutely amazing job. Some of the other drivers in TCR UK not carrying ballast should be embarrassed by that. Not only is this Andreas and Jessicas first year in racing and having to learn new tracks, they’ve had to do all that while carrying maximum ballast in their cars. They way they have handled that is a big factor to why we are on top in the team championship.”

Next weekend on the schedule for WestCoast Racing is the STCC-round at Karlskoga in Sweden August 18th-19th. After that the penultimate rounds in both championships are held on the same weekend, the TCR UK weekend at Croft being held at the same time as the penultimate round in STCC at Rudskogen in Norway. WestCoast Racing is yet to make a decision which championship round to contest that weekend.

WestCoast Racing säkrar teammästerskapet i TCR UK

NewsTCR UK

Med två tävlingshelger kvar har WestCoast Racing säkrat teammästerskapet i första säsongen av TCR UK och har efter fem tävlingshelger samlat ihop ointagliga 691 poäng.

WestCoast Racing har parallellt med STCC också deltagit med tre bilar i den första säsongen av TCR UK vilket har gett teamet ett rejält tävlingschema under våren och sommaren. WestCoast Racings operativa teamchef James Rogers Nixon är stolt över teamets bedrift i år.
– Att delta i två mästerskap i två olika länder med samma bilar är inte lätt och det är ett fantastiskt jobb av hela teamet som har gjort det möjligt och teamsegern i TCR UK är en bra belöning för det, säger James. Våra bilar har haft en fantastisk tillförlitlighet och Volkswagen har gett bra kundsupport vilket har gjort det möjligt för oss att köra i två mästerskap samtidigt.

Dan Lloyd har varit en succé i TCR UK och mästerskapsledaren var länge helt obesegrad. Hans succé innebär att han haft maximal straffvikt i bilen men det är också något som Andreas och Jessica Bäckman har haft tack vare Lloyds segrar. James vill särskilt lyfta fram deras insats med hur de tacklat första året i racing med att både lära sig nya banor och köra med maximal straffvikt i bilarna, och trots detta ligga trea och femma totalt i mästerskapet.
– Andreas och Jessica har gjort ett helt fantastiskt jobb, säger James. Några av de andra förarna som inte haft straffvikt borde faktiskt skämmas lite. Det här är Andreas och Jessicas första år i racing och att sättet de hanterat både första året i racing, lära sig helt nya banor och samtidigt göra det med maximal straffvikt i bilarna är väldigt starkt och har utan tvekan bidragit till att vi nu är teammästare.

Nästa race för WestCoast Racing är nu STCC i Karlskoga 18-19 augusti. Därefter har teamet två tävlingshelger samtidigt, STCC-helgen i Rudskogen i Norge som krockar med TCR UK på Croft 8-9 september. WestCoast Racing har ännu inte tagit beslut om var teamet ska delta den helgen.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year from WestCoast Racing

Formula STCC NordicNewsTCR International

Another year and with that another busy racing season is coming to an end and some well deserved Christmas break is upon us.

We have had another interesting racing year on both home soil in Sweden and on the international arena in TCR International Series. In TCR we made a switch to Volkswagen Golf this year and after a tricky start to the season we are proud of the whole team that managed to turn it around and in the end score two wins and four podiums and play a part in securing Volkwagen the manufacturers title this year.

At home in Sweden we saw a successful conclusion of our two year partnership with Swedish go-kart team Ward Racing that started last year with an aim to give two young Swedish go-kart talents a chance to step up to car racing in the Nordic Formula Renault 1,6 series. Hugo Nerman and Philip Hall was the first two talents chosen and together they exceeded all our expectations – and we always have high expectations. Hugo Nerman dominated in his second year and secured the championship after a run of 10 victories from 14 races. Philip Hall had a tricky start to the year but turned it around to finish in 3rd place overall, his second top-3 championship finish in his two years of the championship. We will continue this partnership into 2018 to bring two more young talents up from the go-kart ranks into car racing, while we thank Hugo and Philip for their hard work and wish them all the best in their future racing careers.

So now there is nothing left for us except the most important thing – to thank all of you who have followed and supported us throughout the year. We thank you for all of your support and want to wish everyone a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.

We will recharge our batteries and return once again to racing in the new year, when we will present our plans for the 2018 racing season.

Dick Jönsson Wigroth on behalf of the whole WestCoast Racing Team.

WestCoast Racing cap off 2017 TCR International campaign with strong P2

NewsTCR International

The very final round of the 2017 TCR International campaign at Dubai Autodrome on Saturday (21 November) saw WestCoast Racing secure a sensational second position with Gianni Morbidelli at the wheel of the Tegera Infinity sponsored Volkswagen Golf GTI TCR.

Morbidelli was joined for rounds 19 and 20 by Benjamin Leuchter, who arrived at the team with bags of Volkswagen experience courtesy of his programme in the TCR Germany series in 2016. He duly impressed the team throughout the weekend with his commitment, pace and enthusiasm.

The opening race of the weekend proved to be tough for both Leuchter and Morbidelli however. Following great qualifying runs where the duo qualified third and fifth respectively, the start saw the former run wide at the first turn in avoidance of Jean-Karl Vernay in a sister Golf GTI TCR.  Morbidelli meanwhile was soon cruising back to the pits having picked up a front left puncture after contact, but this would later prove significant to his success in the second race.

Having pitted for fresh tyres, Morbidelli re-joined at the tail of the field. While not in contention for points, the team completed a simulated race and used that data to tweak the car and tyre pressures for the final race. Leuchter finished in 13th after a puncture on the final lap after a spirited drive that could have yielded more.

The season concluded with Morbidelli chasing Stefano Comini across the line in a fine second position in the final race. The start saw Morbidelli move third from the outset while teammate Leuchter ran a little wide. Morbidelli was pushing hard and took the position on lap two of the race to run second to Attila Tassi, but Comini fought back to regain the place.

Tassi was soon given a drive through penalty for a jump start and that moved Comini and Morbidelli to first and second but despite the best efforts of the WestCoast racer, he had to be content with the runner-up position with teammate Leuchter shining on his debut with sixth on what was another great performance from the Swedish-based outfit.

“It was another good weekend for us,” stated team manager James Nixon. “We had issues in the first race with both Gianni and Benny getting punctures but this allowed us to do a long run with Gianni and really get a great balance on the car for the second race.

“Both made good starts in race two and Gianni did a great job, especially with the 20 Kilos of ballast he was carrying to get the second position. Benny was a pleasure to work with and he fitted in well with the team and we’d love to welcome him back one day. He really wanted to get the results and clearly loved the experience. We like that attitude as a team!”

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