Tilley roars into new season with three podium finishes
LEICESTER DRIVER IS AMONG THE FRONT-RUNNERS IN THE GT CUP
LEICESTER racing driver Grahame Tilley celebrated the start of his 2021 season with three third-place finishes from his four races in the GT Cup at Donington Park.
After qualifying for the first of the weekend’s Sprint races, Tilley was disappointed to be eighth quickest in his Nissan NISMO GTR GT3.
“I couldn’t get a clear lap, there was so much traffic. The car was fine but just frustrating,” said Tilley, who was named the Sunoco driver of the weekend after the meeting.
With a 37-car grid track, space was going to be at a premium too, but a good clean start saw him up to fourth place on the opening lap.
Having lost out to Michael Igoe’s Lamborghini Huracan on lap two, Tilley was soon challenging John Dhillon’s Lamborghini and was back into fourth on lap eight.
“Igoe got me at Coppice corner, but just clipped my rear corner as he went by,” said Tilley, who began to close in on Richard Chamberlain’s Porsche after a three-lap safety car interlude and was safely in third place with five laps to go, to secure his first podium of the weekend.
He said: “It was very fraught and the safety car spoiled my rhythm. Once I was into third I got clear, but it kept me on my toes.”
The second of Saturday’s races was a 50-minute Enduro, with Tilley handing over to Will Tregurtha for the second half of the race.
Starting from the third row of the grid, Tilley was in seventh for much of his stint, but enjoyed a great duel
Tilley enjoyed a great duel with Ben Dimmack’s Radical RXC before breaking clear
with Ben Dimmack’s Radical RXC before breaking clear and closing on John Seale’s Lamborghini. “I swapped and changed with Ben about three times, but was losing out in the traffic. I lost two places at the first corner after a tap from behind too,” Tilley admitted. After the stop, Tregurtha rejoined in fifth, before chasing Abbie Eaton to the flag in the Seale’s Lamborghini, for a solid fourth place. It was second row start for Sunday’s
sprint race, and from the start Tilley was challenging for another podium finish.
From fourth he was chasing Lucky Khera’s Lamborghini, but was up to third when Igoe pitted.
After a brief threat from Chamberlain and Seale, he secured a solid third and his second podium.
“I was catching Khera before the safety car, but a good solid performance,” Tilley said.
In the final race of the weekend, Tilley was in third from the start, but couldn’t keep pace with British GT regulars Neary and Igoe in their newer Mercedes and Lamborghini.
After the stops Tregurtha came out in fourth behind Phil Quaife in the Dhillon Lamborghini, but he was soon on the attack to reclaim their podium place.
On lap 31 he shot down the inside at the chicane and went on to secure a clear third, their third podium finish from a positive weekend.
“The car got better as we bedded in some new tyres, but once again the safety car hurt me, but I just kept it safe,” said Tilley.
Tregurtha said: “I didn’t look where we were, really. I just knew the car ahead was for a position and went for it.”
Tilley was grateful for the hard work of the Triple M Motorsport team, who only completed the season’s shakedown a few days prior to the event, due to delays receiving parts.
The next of the Championship is at Brands Hatch on May 1.