Now in 2013, the British Touring Car Championship announced a record 32 car entry for the 2013 season. In fact its possible at one of the next few rounds of this season there could be 30 cars on the grid...
So it got me thinking to back in 2011 when my partner Nik, Stepson Aaron and I were lucky enough to be at the last BTCC event that had a record number of cars on the grid...
16th October 2011 at Silverstone...
Let me tell you about that day... Better put that Kettle on...
2011 was a season of many highlights for the BTCC. Turbo engines, performance balancing, Jason Plato bitching on TV, Fully NGTC Cars and the first season for Team ES Racing & Chris James and a certain Tony Gilham in BTCC. Now I've already explained about Aaron sponsoring Tony in another post, so you already know we were there supporting Mr Gilham...
But this time he wasn't in a 888 Vauxhall Vectra. After the Croft meeting, Tony and 888 parted ways and we were left crestfallen. Aaron even refused to watch the Knockhill meeting on ITV4, purely for the reason Tony wasn't there. It was that simple.
Although he did miss a great 2 wheel moment from Chris James during qualifying in the Team ES Racing Chevrolet Lacetti...
However that changed when it was announced that Tony would return to the BTCC in the next round at Rockingham with Geoff Steel Racing in their normally aspirated BMW 320si that Dave Newsham had driven at Brands Hatch and Donington Park earlier in the season.
So we made a huge effort to get to Rockingham to support our man with his new team and steed "Clarence".
Yes, the Green and Pink BMW was called Clarence...
Seriously!!!
The Pink and Green BMW image on this blog was called Matilda...
Anyway, we made our way to Rockingham with my friend Kane in tow. He is a close friend of mine who was into photography at the time and having a tryout for Team ES Racing, taking photos of the team in action. So we were there supporting 2 normally aspirated cars amongst a field of turbo powered cars of various weights and boosts to keep things equal.
We met up with Gary, his manager along with the beautiful Sammi, Big Tony, Deb, Deb, the lovely Ben (The Rock of the Tony Gilham operation...) and the man himself. They were so happy we had come to support Tony and the team. Before long we were treated to hospitality and Aaron was shown around the garage and the BMW that Tony would drive in all three races. Aaron was in his element while myself and Nik watched the 3 races from on top of the Pit Garages.
I recommend it for the good viewing...
What we didn't know until later was that Tony's family had stayed on site at Billing Aquadrome for the weekend, where we live. How we missed each other isn't a mystery as the place is so huge, but it didn't stop Aaron challenging Tony to a race on the Go Kart track on site next time they stayed there. Cant wait for that day...
Anyway we spent the day cheering on Tony from the rooftops as he fought bravely against the other 28 S2000/Turbo's, S2000 N/A, NGTC and BTC regulation cars in the field, taking finishes in the top 15 in all 3 races. At the Rockingham meeting there were 29 BTCC cars entered and at the season finale meeting at Silverstone, a record 30 cars were entered.
I will point out that Aaron's high point was Tony showing him around the car. This high point beats the on the spot photo he had taken with Lewis Hamilton (who was there supporting his brother Nick in Renault Clio support races) and asking who James Thompson was and why so many people wanted to talk to him... To be fair, Aaron didn't know who James was, but that didn't stop him asking him for a photo with "That Johnny Depp looking bloke..."
Anyway, again we gathered the funds together and headed to Silverstone for the Season Finale. Another of my friends Jon Mason from work met up with us there to see what this "Touring Car Malarky" was all about and why it got me as excited as F1 did. Jon and I love Motorsport and love chatting about it every second we can get...until they seperate us...
Even to this day I am still unsure as to how Jon and his brother in law made it onto the actual grid for one of the races. One minute he is in the RML Chevrolet Team garage, the next he is being ushered onto the grid! I reckon he traded in on his rockstar looks...
This time, Tony was armed with a TOCA supplied Turbo engine for his Geoff Steel Racing BMW and hopes were high in Camp Gilham that he could end the season on a high note. However Race 1 spelled a bad start to the race day.
Nik, Aaron, Sammi and I watched with a few of Tony's staff between Copse and Maggotts hoping to get a good view of the field on the first few laps. We cheered as he went past on the warm up lap. At the start of Race 1, Tony was turned around and fired off into the barrier on the start/finish straight after contact with Ollie Jackson in the 888 Vectra, damaging the BMW. Our hearts were in our mouths as we prayed for him to be ok.
Aaron sprinted from the hospitality tent to the pits, whilst Sammi grabbed Nik and Big Tony in a golf cart to see if Tony was ok. Aaron beat them to the garage to make sure his hero was ok. Tony was battered and bruised but ready to carry on. The cheer that roared through the hospitality tent drowned out the noise of the racing outside as Tony made it back, giving a thumbs up that he was ok.
For Race 2, Tony would start at the back of the grid with the BMW repaired and ready to race. This time Aaron, Nik, Sammi and I took up seats in the massive grandstand that was erected at Maggotts corner, where the cars turned onto the National Circuit. Whilst Matt Neal and Gordon Shedden were fighting for the title, our interest was focused on the comeback drive of the Pink and Green BMW. As the cars circulated, I couldn't help myself counting positions and calling out drivers names as they raced past.
Seeing as it wasn't clear who had a turbo engine and who didn't, who was in an NGTC car and who wasn't, I was happily pointing out who had a normally aspirated engined car to Nik and Sammi, so that they knew who Tony was up against and if he had a fair chance at passing them. A cheer went up each time he made a position on track and we happily told other spectators "We're cheering for the Pink & Green Beemer!!" when asked.
After the final race of the day, all of Tonys friends, family and fans were treated to a great performance by topline Elvis impersonator Scott Elvis (yes thats his name and he's bloody good too!). However at one stage the whole tent was clapping and singing when suddenly it all went quiet...
Why? I hear you ask...
Aaron did it again...
Not content with the tyre he got from 888 at Thruxton earlier in the season (signed by Tony and James Nash), Aaron was happily wheeling in the front wheel and tyre that was detached in the Race 1 retirement after being given permission to take it home but none other than Geoff Steel himself!!! He had the biggest smile on his face as he declared to Nik... "Mum, look what I got!!!"
Tony signed the wheel that evening "To Aaron, My Number 1 fan" and it sits proudly with his other touring car parts. We sung and danced to Elvis as the night came in, celebrating an exciting season as supporters of Tony Gilham and the first season where Nik, Aaron and Myself visited Silverstone, Donington Park, Thruxton, Snetterton and Rockingham for the first time in one season.
Tony would go on to setup Team HARD. for 2012 and take his first Indie win at Donington Park in the Honda Civic (yup we were there too) and lead Race 3 in the wet at Thruxton.
So thats the story of how we enjoyed the day that the BTCC last had a record number of entries...
Anyway, go and make that cup of tea... You've earned it.
Cheers
Phil.
No comments:
Post a Comment