Pictured: Superbike Champ Tommy Hill. Click to open hi-resolution version

NEWS RELEASE: 30 AUGUST 2013

BIKE CHAMP TOMMY TO RACE GOLF GTI AT DONINGTON

Former British Superbike Champion Tommy Hill is to switch from two wheels to four and make his car-racing debut in the final rounds of the 2013 APR Volkswagen Racing Cup. The 28-year-old will race a JWB Motorsport Golf GTI at Donington Park on 6 October.

Tempted to try the sport following the successes enjoyed in the VW Cup by his friend and ex-bike racer Josh Caygill, Tommy, who won the BSB crown in 2011, says he is excited about his debut: “I’m really looking forward to it: it’s something different for me and I want to go and enjoy it. Running at the top of my game on bikes week in, week out adds a lot of pressure and a lot of the enjoyment goes out of the sport. I’m keen to give it a good shot. I’ve never raced a car but have always liked racing karts, which gives me a lot more of an adrenalin buzz than I get from racing a bike – I’ve been on bikes since I was six and it’s the norm for me. I’m pretty excited about it.”

Kent racer Hill will be helping raise awareness of the CJ Riders Fund, a charity which provides safety equipment at BSB events and supports injured riders. It was set up in memory of 14-year-old racer Christopher Jones, who was killed in a British Championship 125cc race in 1990. Christopher’s sister, Lucy, is engaged to Volkswagen Racing Cup regular and JWB Motorsport patron Chris Levett.

Despite his years of experience on two wheels, Tommy will have to start his car career from scratch. He will be guided through his ARDS test and pre-race familiarisation by JWB team manager Nick Beaumont. “Tommy’s pre-race test at Donington Park will be his first time in a proper racing car,” said Nick, “but we are pretty confident that with the help of JWB Motorsport he will learn the ropes quickly.”

“I know Donington well from bike racing,” says Hill, “but I need to re-learn the lines in a car. I’m impressed by the Racing Cup: I popped along at Brands Hatch and saw the show, someone got in touch and we went from there.”

His friend Caygill has enjoyed a successful rookie season in the championship. Josh switched to cars after a bone-breaking crash in the British Supersport Championship; he is the VW Cup’s leading rookie, currently 10th in the championship thanks to a string of top-10 race finishes at the wheel of his AWM/Warranty Direct Golf GTI.

October’s championship finale at Donington will see Caygill’s team-mate, Scirocco racer Aaron Mason, bidding to secure the crown after leading the points table since late May. Further backing for the APR Volkswagen Racing Cup comes from ECM, CEVA, Hankook, Milltek, Paragon and Prestige Performance Centre.