Andreas Bäckman claims his first TCR UK victory in Croft opener
Andreas Bäckman claimed a comfortable maiden TCR UK championship victory in the opening race at Croft, while Ollie Taylor kept the title fight alive with second.
Only eight cars started the race following the withdrawal of DPE’s Derek Palmer Jr and a late car swap between Bäckman and Sean Walkinshaw to allow the Swede to race the Honda Civic Type R FK2.
A clean getaway off the line from pole position ensured Bäckman led into Clervaux for the first time, as Taylor consolidated second place.
Lloyd made the most of a tardy start for WestCoast Racing team-mate Jessica Bäckman in the second Volkswagen Golf GTI TCR to secure fifth by Hawthorn.
The championship leader then set his sights on passing Stewart Lines’ Maximum Motorsport Cupra TCR for fourth, but Lines defended well and made Llyod wait five laps before forcing his way through.
The move when it came, was clumsy as the pair touched on the entry to Tower Bend. Lines took to the grass on exit and fell to the back of the field, ahead of only Lewis Kent’s Essex and Kent Hyundai i30 N TCR.
Kent himself had fallen to the rear of the field after opening lap contact with the Vauxhall Astra TCR of Darelle Wilson. The DW Racing driver pulled off at the Complex into retirement, while Kent solidered on to finish sixth after Lines made a pit stop.
Once Lloyd made it past Lines, he closed the gap on Taylor in second place and began to harry the Pyro Motorsport driver entering the final stages. Taylor defended heavily but effectively, the pair running side-by-side down the main straight and into Clervaux with three laps to go.
Lloyd’s chance came when Taylor run too deep into the Hairpin, which allowed the VW Golf GTI TCR to sneak down the inside. The two title rivals got even exits and, with nothing to choose between them, Taylor managed to keep the advantage into the first corner.
Their squabbling allowed Bäckman to extend his lead in front to over seven seconds as the Swede, racing a Honda Civic Type R FK2 for the first time this season, cruised to his maiden TCR UK series victory.
Taylor headed Lloyd to second place with the second Pyro Motorsport Honda Civic Type R FK8 of Finlay Crocker securing fourth after a brief battle with Jessica Bäckman.
The younger Bäckman had recovered from a poor start which left her sixth, to challenge Crocker approaching mid-distance. But the Scotsman was able to hold on and pull away in the closing stages to secure his bst result of the year.
Behind Bäckman, Kent headed Lines while Wilson was the only retirement from the race.
Race 2 at Croft is scheduled to take place at 15:15 BST, with Pyro Motorsport’s Taylor due to start from pole position.
