Chris Smiley

Last updated

Chris Smiley
Chris Smiley TCR UK Honda.jpg
Nationality Flag of the United Kingdom.svg British
Born (1992-04-06) 6 April 1992 (age 32)
Carrickfergus, Northern Ireland, UK
British Touring Car Championship career
Debut season 2016
Current teamRestart Racing
Car number222
Former teams Tony Gilham Racing, BTC Racing, Excelr8 Motorsport
Starts192
Wins1
Poles0
Fastest laps1
Best finish13th in 2018
Previous series
2016-2021
2014
2014
2013
2007-08
2007		 British Touring Car Championship
Volkswagen Scirocco R-Cup
Volkswagen Racing Cup
Mini Challenge UK
Karting
Ginetta Junior Championship
Championship titles
2022
2013 		TCR UK Touring Car Championship
Mini Challenge UK

Christopher Smiley (born 6 April 1992) is a British racing driver from Northern Ireland currently competing in the British Touring Car Championship for Restart Racing. He is the 2022 TCR UK champion.

Contents

Racing career

Early career

Smiley began his career in karting in 2000 he finished 3rd overall in the BRDC Stars Of Tomorrow in 2006, he also raced in the Ginetta Junior Championship after winning the junior scholarship in 2007. He went on to win the 2013 Mini Challenge GB title, scoring 9 wins and 14 podiums in 20 races. He made a one-off appearance in the 2014 Volkswagen Racing Cup winning both races at Oulton Park Circuit , as well as finishing 4th in the Volkswagen Scirocco R-Cup in 2014. [1]

British Touring Car Championship

In January 2016, it was announced that Smiley would make his British Touring Car Championship debut with TLC Racing driving a Toyota Avensis. [2] However, he was forced to leave the championship at the mid-way point due to funding issues. [3] He would end up 32nd in the standings with a best result of 16th at Thruxton. For the second half of the 2016 season he joined the Renault UK Clio Cup and achieved a best result of 5th at Rockingham and finished the season in 17th position scoring 92 points.

Smiley returned to the BTCC in 2017 with BTC Norlin Racing where he would stay for the next 3 seasons. [4] [5] [6] The relationship proved fruitful with Smiley scoring a debut win at Rockingham in 2018 alongside a further 4 podiums. [7] His best season was 2018 where he finished 13th and scored 132 points.

For 2020 Smiley joined Excelr8 Motorsport and the brand new Hyundai i30 Fastback project. [8] In the season opener at Donington Park Smiley secured a first ever podium for Hyundai in the championship on the cars debut. [9] He finished the season in 14th with 106 points. He was retained by the team for 2021 but endured a tougher season, finishing 15th with a best result of 4th. [10]

TCR UK Touring Car Championship

Having been left without a BTCC drive, Smiley joined the 2022 TCR UK Touring Car Championship grid driving a Honda Civic Type R TCR (FK8). He re-joined his former BTC Racing team boss, Bert Taylor, at the newly formed Restart Racing. [11] In the opening race at Oulton Park Smiley completed a grand chelem by taking pole position, fastest lap and leading every lap on his way to victory. In the reverse grid second race of the day he managed to fight his way up to 5th and left the opening round 2nd in the championship behind Max Hart. [12]

In the second event Smiley once again qualified on pole but contact with Adam Shepherd in the Hyundai sent him tumbling down the order. He recovered to 14th after a pit-stop. In the reverse grid race he fought his way through to second but fell 44 points behind after Max Hart's double victory. [13]

Round 3 took place at Brands Hatch and was a triple header. The weekend started well for Smiley with a 2nd place in the opening encounter but a mechanical failure in the reverse grid race and an 8th place finish in the third race dropped him to fourth in the championship behind Isaac Smith and reigning double champion Lewis Kent. [14]

The championship returned to Oulton Park for Round 4 but Smiley was unable to reproduce his race winning form the opening event taking 2 4th places which lifted him back up to 3rd in the championship. [15]

Round 5 took place at Castle Combe and Smiley returned to form by taking pole position. However a clutch issue at the start of the opener led to him stalling on the grid when the lights went out. He managed to battle his way back through the pack to 5th position and secured an additional point for fastest lap. In the second race Smiley was forced to start from the pit-lane due to the same clutch issue that hindered him in the first race. Again he picked his way back through the field to finish 4th and took fastest lap. Due to issues for Lewis Kent and Max Hart, Smiley was able to pull himself back up to second in the championship behind Isaac Smith. [16]

The penultimate event saw the championship return to Donington Park with Smiley qualifying 2nd for the opening encounter but he fell back to 3rd by the end of the race. However in the second race contact between Jamie Tonks and Adam Shepherd caused Shepherd's Hyundai to hit Smiley's Honda breaking the right rear suspension and forcing him out of the race. Due to the championship's drop score system however Smiley found himself leading the championship, albeit equal on points with Smith. [17]

The season finale took place at Snetterton after an almost 2 month break. In wet conditions Smiley took pole by just over a second and took his second victory of the season in the first race. However, with Smith finishing behind him, and also taking the point for fastest lap, Smiley could only extend his advantage to 8 points. In the final race of the season Smiley and Smith battled on track with Smith eventually succumbing to the pressure, running wide, and handing the championship to Smiley with a margin of 21 points.

Racing record

Complete British Touring Car Championship results

(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position – 1 point awarded just in first race; races in italics indicate fastest lap – 1 point awarded all races; * signifies that driver led race for at least one lap – 1 point given all races)

YearTeamCar123456789101112131415161718192021222324252627282930DCPoints
2016 TLC Racing Toyota Avensis BRH
1
24		 BRH
2
28		 BRH
3
Ret		 DON
1
22		 DON
2
21		 DON
3
17		 THR
1
18		 THR
2
22		 THR
3
16		 OUL
1
28		 OUL
2
22		 OUL
3
21		 CRO
1
24		 CRO
2
24		 CRO
3
23		 SNE
1 		SNE
2 		SNE
3 		KNO
1 		KNO
2 		KNO
3 		ROC
1 		ROC
2 		ROC
3 		SIL
1 		SIL
2 		SIL
3 		BRH
1 		BRH
2 		BRH
3 		32nd0
2017 BTC Norlin Racing Chevrolet Cruze BRH
1
21		 BRH
2
Ret		 BRH
3
25		 DON
1
Ret		 DON
2
17		 DON
3
17		 THR
1
19		 THR
2
15		 THR
3
18		 OUL
1
NC		 OUL
2
27		 OUL
3
20		 CRO
1
20		 CRO
2
20		 CRO
3
13		 SNE
1
14		 SNE
2
17		 SNE
3
20		 KNO
1
19		 KNO
2
14		 KNO
3
26		 ROC
1
20		 ROC
2
10		 ROC
3
9		 SIL
1
18		 SIL
2
11		 SIL
3
7		 BRH
1
11		 BRH
2
Ret		 BRH
3
11		21st45
2018 BTC Norlin Racing Honda Civic Type R (FK2) BRH
1
10		 BRH
2
17		 BRH
3
16		 DON
1
7		 DON
2
2*		 DON
3
NC		 THR
1
10		 THR
2
10		 THR
3
9		 OUL
1
12		 OUL
2
18		 OUL
3
Ret		 CRO
1
17		 CRO
2
12		 CRO
3
Ret		 SNE
1
7		 SNE
2
5		 SNE
3
Ret		 ROC
1
4		 ROC
2
7		 ROC
3
1*		 KNO
1
8		 KNO
2
10		 KNO
3
11		 SIL
1
25		 SIL
2
18		 SIL
3
Ret		 BRH
1
29		 BRH
2
12		 BRH
3
8		13th152
2019 BTC Racing Honda Civic Type R (FK8) BRH
1
Ret		 BRH
2
20		 BRH
3
7		 DON
1
7		 DON
2
Ret		 DON
3
11		 THR
1
14		 THR
2
15		 THR
3
11		 CRO
1
2		 CRO
2
27		 CRO
3
24		 OUL
1
16		 OUL
2
Ret		 OUL
3
Ret		 SNE
1
14		 SNE
2
8		 SNE
3
3		 THR
1
10		 THR
2
21		 THR
3
17		 KNO
1
6		 KNO
2
11		 KNO
3
4		 SIL
1
3		 SIL
2
6		 SIL
3
Ret		 BRH
1
Ret		 BRH
2
24		 BRH
3
Ret		14th132
2020 Excelr8 Motorsport Hyundai i30 Fastback
N Performance 		DON
1
8		 DON
2
12		 DON
3
2*		 BRH
1
15		 BRH
2
13		 BRH
3
Ret		 OUL
1
9		 OUL
2
14		 OUL
3
9		 KNO
1
14		 KNO
2
9		 KNO
3
7		 THR
1
13		 THR
2
16		 THR
3
16		 SIL
1
16		 SIL
2
15		 SIL
3
13		 CRO
1
12		 CRO
2
12		 CRO
3
19		 SNE
1
11		 SNE
2
10		 SNE
3
23		 BRH
1
13		 BRH
2
11		 BRH
3
12		14th106
2021 Ginsters Excelr8
with TradePriceCars.com 		Hyundai i30 Fastback
N Performance 		THR
1
Ret		 THR
2
Ret		 THR
3
15		 SNE
1
10		 SNE
2
13		 SNE
3
11		 BRH
1
7		 BRH
2
7		 BRH
3
10		 OUL
1
Ret		 OUL
2
14		 OUL
3
10		 KNO
1
5		 KNO
2
13		 KNO
3
6		 THR
1
16		 THR
2
11		 THR
3
9		 CRO
1
7		 CRO
2
11		 CRO
3
Ret		 SIL
1
13		 SIL
2
7		 SIL
3
4		 DON
1
9		 DON
2
12		 DON
3
16		 BRH
1
15		 BRH
2
Ret		 BRH
3
12		15th138
2024 Restart Racing Cupra Léon DON
1
15		 DON
2
14		 DON
3
Ret		 BRH
1
14		 BRH
2
17		 BRH
3
13		 SNE
1
18		 SNE
2
13		 SNE
3
Ret		 THR
1
17		 THR
2
16		 THR
3
14		 OUL
1
13		 OUL
2
8		 OUL
3
9		 CRO
1
15		 CRO
2
Ret		 CRO
3
11		 KNO
1
13		 KNO
2
13		 KNO
3
13		 DON
1
13		 DON
2
15		 DON
3
Ret		 SIL
1
13		 SIL
2
6		 SIL
3
16		 BRH
1
13		 BRH
2
12		 BRH
3
16		17th70

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References

  1. ↑ "Chris Smiley career statistics". Driver Database. Retrieved 25 April 2016.
  2. ↑ "TEAM HARD TARGET 'REGULAR POINTS' WITH NEW RECRUIT SMILEY". British Touring Car Championship . TOCA. 27 January 2016. Retrieved 25 April 2016.
  3. ↑ "MICHAEL CAINE MAKES BTCC COMEBACK". British Touring Car Championship . TOCA. 26 July 2016. Retrieved 23 October 2022.
  4. ↑ "BTC NORLIN RACING JOINS GRID". British Touring Car Championship . TOCA. 13 December 2016. Retrieved 23 October 2022.
  5. ↑ "BTC Norlin Racing Names Smiley For 2018 as Newsham Retires". British Touring Car Championship . TOCA. 9 January 2018. Retrieved 23 October 2022.
  6. ↑ "Chris Smiley re-signs with BTC Racing". TouringCarTimes. Mediaempire Stockholm AB. 11 February 2019. Retrieved 23 October 2022.
  7. ↑ "Chris Smiley joins BTCC winners list in Rockingham finale". TouringCarTimes. Mediaempire Stockholm AB. 12 August 2018. Retrieved 23 October 2022.
  8. ↑ "Chris Smiley completes Excelr8 line-up". TouringCarTimes. 10 February 2020. Retrieved 23 October 2022.
  9. ↑ "Ash Sutton storms to first Infiniti victory". TouringCarTimes. 2 August 2020. Retrieved 23 October 2022.
  10. ↑ "EXCELR8 retains Chris Smiley for second season". TouringCarTimes. 15 January 2021. Retrieved 23 October 2022.
  11. ↑ "Chris Smiley makes TCR UK switch for 2022". touringcartimes.com. 11 April 2022. Retrieved 23 October 2022.
  12. ↑ "OULTON PARK REVIEW – SMILEY & HAWKINS VICTORIOUS ON EASTER MONDAY". TCR UK. 25 April 2022. Retrieved 23 October 2022.
  13. ↑ "DONINGTON PARK REVIEW – HART DOES THE DOUBLE TO STAY OUT FRONT". TCR UK. 30 May 2022. Retrieved 23 October 2022.
  14. ↑ "BRANDS HATCH REVIEW – TCR UK BREAKS RECORDS AND MAKES HISTORY". TCR UK. 21 June 2022. Retrieved 23 October 2022.
  15. ↑ "OULTON PARK ISLAND REVIEW – SCORCHING START TO SECOND HALF OF 2022 SEASON". TCR UK. 19 July 2022. Retrieved 23 October 2022.
  16. ↑ "CASTLE COMBE REVIEW – TCR UK PUTS ON A FAST AND FURIOUS SHOW IN WILTSHIRE". TCR UK. 9 August 2022. Retrieved 23 October 2022.
  17. ↑ "DONINGTON PARK NATIONAL REVIEW – SHEPHERD AND CONSTABLE VICTORIOUS IN BANK HOLIDAY THRILLER". TCR UK. 1 September 2022. Retrieved 23 October 2022.
Sporting positions
Preceded by
Lee Allen
 Mini Challenge UK
Champion
2013 		Succeeded by
Chris Knox
Preceded by
Lewis Kent
 TCR UK Touring Car Championship
Champion
2022 		Succeeded by
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