Restart Racing returned to Donington Park for the second time this season, contending with the longer Grand Prix loop for the eighth event of the 2024 Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship.
The weather once again played its part with varying conditions, including heavy rain during Saturday's practice sessions and a drying qualifying session that afternoon. All three races took place on a mostly dry track, although brief showers in between races and during the final race of the day added an element of jeopardy.
In the opening race of the day, Chris Smiley managed to fend off Mikey Doble after a safety car interruption to finish 13th, securing second in the Independent Drivers’ championship, whilst Sumpton had a quieter start to the day in 18th.
Smiley leveraged a strong start in race two, to move up to 11th, avoiding a spinning Dan Cammish on the exit of Redgate.
The #222 would eventually move into the top ten after overtaking Árón Taylor-Smith, before a braking issue caused his Cupra to slide wide, losing him several places. The Restart Racing duo would find each other on track as Smiley fought back into the mid-pack, eventually finishing in 15th, one place ahead of team-mate Sumpton.
The final race of the day was a mixed bag for the latest two-car entry into the series. A five-second penalty for a start infringement was not the ideal start for Smiley and soon after he was involved in an incident that damaged his car, forcing his retirement.
Sumpton enjoyed the better side of the contest, improving his pace throughout the race, keeping the #29 machine out of trouble to finish 14th, bringing home two championship points to round off a challenging day for the team.
Chris Smiley, #222 Restart Racing, said: “It was a really tough day at Donington Park. Race one saw some good progress, and I managed to gain a few places, finishing in 13th.
“In race two, I had a great start, overtaking quite a few cars and was up to P9, in contention for an independent win. Unfortunately, we encountered a brake issue going into McLeans, causing me to lose the rear of the car.
“That led to a collision, and I ended up finishing 15th. It was really disappointing, especially since we were on track for an independent win and a top ten finish, which would have set us up nicely for the reverse grid in race three.
“Sadly, in race three, we started from 15th and were making some good progress. However, going down into the first hairpin at the Melbourne loop, another car took me out of the race. It was an incredibly frustrating and disappointing end to the day.
“We've got a bit of a longer break now before Silverstone in a few weeks, and we're really aiming to finish the season strong. I believe we’re capable of achieving some great results, so I’m looking forward to Silverstone."
Scott Sumpton, #29 Restart Racing, said: "It was a tough day at Donington for event eight of the British Touring Car Championship.
“Races one and two didn't go as I had hoped. It was challenging – I’d make a small mistake, and the gap to the other cars would just widen, making it incredibly difficult to recover.
“The pace was there, but it came too late in the races, which was frustrating. However, race three was a different story. I got stuck in, made some good moves, and it was great to be battling with some of the faster drivers like [Tom] Chilton, [Dan] Rowbottom, and even Rob Huff.
“I'm really pleased with how race three turned out. Now, we just need to channel this aggression and determination as we head to Silverstone."
Ben Taylor, Team Principal Restart Racing, said: "While we faced some tough moments, the team's positive attitude and hard work were evident. Chris showed great resilience, particularly in the first two races which were highlights for us.
“These moments show our potential and ability to compete and with that, we can take confidence. As we head to Silverstone, we’re focused on finishing the season as strongly as we can.”
