Team Hard boss Tony Gilham is back behind the wheel of a racing car this weekend as he makes his return to the Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship at Rockingham.

Gilham hasn’t raced in the BTCC since jumping back in the car for the final few rounds of the season culminating in the final round at his home circuit of Brands Hatch in October 2015.

This season he is stepping in for Michael Caine who joined the team last time out at Knockhill and has been suffering with a back problem, and by Tony taking the ride this weekend it is hoped that Caine can be back in the car at Silverstone to resume his season.

Speaking to Kent Sports News ahead of the weekend, Tony said: “It was very unexpected, we got Michael Caine to replace Chris Smiley in for the rest of the season for the second half of the season, following an unfortunate event with Chris’ title sponsor. Michael committed to the end of the season and with him it is more of a long term plan into next season.

“Unfortunately a recurrence of an old back injury from last season, which he had in the Ginetta which he had an operation on, has flared up. He had a little bit of pain at Snetterton, and the way these new seats work they are part of the cage as a new safety feature and there is very little give in them. He really flared up at Knockhill and he was losing feeling in his toes and his leg and it became a safety issue.

“The safety car came out which gave him a short reprieve so he was able to make the end of the race, but come the end of the race we literally had to help him out of the car. He is in a bad way and he was signed off the rest of the meeting. Ever since he has been having physio trying to make good, but unfortunately he is not going to make it for Rockingham. We will see how we get on for Silverstone as we have three weeks before then. It means I get another go.”

With the short notice it brings its own challenges for Tony, as he has to make the weight to be able to race, as well as passing a medical ahead of the weekend to say that he is fit to race.

“We’ve got a lot of cars this year, we have the GTs and the Golfs and the touring cars. I deliberately stay out of the cars because I am still a frustrated racing driver, and when I drive them I want to drive them more. I have not actually sat in a race car on track since Brands Hatch in the touring cars at the end of last year. It is close to twelve months out of the seat, we are sitting here and it is Wednesday night, we are racing this weekend and I still don’t have a licence.

“I have my medical tomorrow (Thursday), I can get that round and get my licence for the weekend, so yes it has been last minute. With my personal life as well with a new baby it has meant that my fitness has suffered. We are literally on a crash course for fitness and a little bit of weight loss and hopefully we can do the best job possible.”

Tony won’t be setting himself to many targets for the weekend, although there is one goal that he would like to achieve with the Toyota Avensis that he will be piloting in the three races.

He added: “To be fair the car has not scored a point all year, so if we can nick a point this weekend that is going to be a massive achievement for me. These guys have raced day in day out most of them, driving all different cars on track they are instructing, driving and racing. They have been racing, testing whatever I will literally have my first time out in the car in FP1. So I am going to be thrown in the deep end and these boys are all quick and experienced racing drivers, I am not expecting miracles, obviously I want to do the best job possible.

“If we can by the end of the weekend if we can put in some competitive lap times and maybe nick a point then that would be an amazing weekend for us. There has been a lot of damage this year to a lot of cars, I am not going there this weekend to avoid all damage, we definitely don’t want to be picking up damage. Jake has had a lot and Mike has been through the wars the last couple of racing weekends unfortunately, and he hasn’t been able to achieve what his pace has deserved because of on track incidents. Hopefully we can keep our nose clean and see where we end up.”

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