Hill ready for Croft battle
Just over three years ago in June 2009 a then-15-year-old Jake Hill scored his first ever car-racing win at Croft in Tollbar Racing’s Ginetta Junior.
The following year a perfect weekend – fastest in testing, double pole position, double win and double fastest lap, a new lap record and the championship lead – meant that a visit to Croft was always going to hold strong memories for Hill.
“I love Croft – it’s one of those tracks I have a great feeling for – my first win, a perfect weekend in 2010 and last year I was fastest in testing and took a podium in the GT Supercup in the G50….so I hope I can do more of the same in 2012” said Hill.
Having made his return to racing for the first time since October in the previous meeting at Oulton Park, Hill is determined to build on the lessons learned there.
“It was wet all day Friday for practice and we had problems before qualifying so to finish 6th from 11th on the grid in Saturday’s race – the first time I’d driven a Ginetta G55 in dry conditions – and then 5th on Sunday and lap as fast as Championship leader Tom Sharp was a really encouraging result” added Hill.
Thanks to support from Cloud 9 Hosts, Celtic Speed, Fuji Film, GT-R Owners Club, Sportif Group, Online Media, MMC Broking Group Ltd., SDS Graphics, Bishopston Developments, Apex Tubulars and BRDC Rising Stars Hill and his team Tollbar Racing have been able to get everything in place for the Croft weekend.
“As often is the case it’s been a bit of a struggle to get everything in place but we got there so I want to do everyone proud and repay them for their support. I know it will be really tough but if we have a dry practice session and qualifying I think we will be somewhere near the front and then who knows?” smiled Jake.
After two practice sessions on Friday, qualifying is at 11.20am on Saturday with a 10 lap race at 3.55pm on Saturday afternoon, then two 15-lap races on Sunday both shown LIVE on ITV HD’s coverage of the British Touring Car Championship – one at 12.45pm and the final race at 3.45pm, showing to over 800,000 viewers.
“I am so looking forward to Croft….I think a weekend like 2010 will be tough to repeat but a podium is definitely a possibility” said Jake.
