Dan Lloyd secures 2018 TCR UK title with victory at Donington Park

Dan Lloyd put on a brilliant performance in the delayed and shortened first race of the TCR UK Touring Car Championship weekend at Donington Park to win by 17 seconds and secure the 2018 drivers’ title in his WestCoast Racing Volkswagen.

The race was delayed by 1hr 50 minutes after delays due to accidents earlier in the day during the support races, with heavy rain having been falling on the Donington Park circuit throughout the day.

The race was rescheduled from 13:10 BST to 15:00, and shortened from 30 minutes to 15.

At the start, Lloyd launched away from pole with team-mate Andreas Bäckman in tow, while Lloyd’s only title rival Ollie Taylor moved up to third in his Pyro Motorsport Honda Civic Type R FK8 TCR, but ran wide at Redgate and dropped to eighth, handing third back to WestCoast’s Jessica Bäckman.

Jessica Bäckman herself ran wide at Hollywood, which allowed the fast-starting Josh Price up to second in his Pyro Honda Civic FK2.

Price closed up on Andreas Bäckman’s Volkswagen and made his way past at the Old Hairpin on lap five, only to stop one lap later with a mechnical issue.

Ollie Taylor was trying to work his way back into title contention, but with Lloyd on course for victory his efforts were in vain.

Taylor passed Stewart Lines’ Maximum Motorsport Cupra TCR for fifth at the Dunlop Straight on lap three, which was fourth following Price’s retirement.

Finlay Crocker and Taylor both closed up on Andreas Bäckman’s car in the final stages, but the Swede held them off for second place, with Crocker securing the final spot on the podium.

Lloyd’s victory means he’s now extended his championship lead to 50 points over Taylor, with just 40 available from today’s second race, with the schedule yet to be confirmed.