Daniel Lloyd has paid tribute to WestCoast Racing after provisionally sealing the inaugural TCR UK Touring Car Championship title at Donington Park with the Swedish equipe.
Lloyd’s partnership with the team – originally intended as a once-race deal for the opening round at Silverstone back in March – has since delivered 8 wins, 11 podiums and 4 pole positions en route to the crown.
The British Touring Car Championship race winner sealed the honours in style, blitzing the rest of the field by over 16 seconds to win a delayed opening race at Donington Park amid torrentially wet conditions.
“I’m just over the moon,” said Lloyd.
“It’s felt like such a long summer; we made a good start, but with a few things like ballast, penalty points and a failure at Croft, it started going the other way.
“But I kept positive, kept focused and just did everything I could and put everything into it. The team at WestCoast Racing have been faultless, I owe it all to them and I wouldn’t have had this opportunity without them.
“It was only supposed to be a one-race deal, and we’ve built from that.”
Lloyd also admitted that being the runaway title favourite after his initial six-race winning streak brought with it a unique sense of pressure, but was pleased to rise to the challenge.
He also paid tribute to TCR UK, thanking the fledgling series for improving his racing career in 2018.
“On paper everyone says I should win it, but it comes with a different type of pressure, it’s expected of you,” he explained.
“But I’m pleased about what we’ve done this year, it’s had it’s ups and downs but what I would like to say is – without this championship, I wouldn’t have started racing anything this year.
“It’s led to other good things, it’s brought on new sponsors, so whether it’s a huge series or a smaller one, it is what you make of it. Thanks again to everyone for all their supportive comments.”
The final round of the championship takes place at the East Midlands venue at 16:55 BST, and will run to an amended time of 15 minutes once again.