Chris Swanwick
Encyclopedia
Chris Swanwick is a British
racing car
driver currently competing in the British Touring Car Championship
for Rob Austin Racing. Swanwick made his BTCC
début on 2 October 2011 at Brands Hatch
. Swanwick currently competes in a NGTC
spec Audi A4
.
Not being happy to stay in cadets for another year, Swanwick decided to move up to Mini Max for the 2005 season, and by the end of the year was a regular on the podium at Wombwell. He could have stopped in mini Max for another couple of years, but having the need for speed, Swanwick decided he wanted to drive JICAs. In the middle of 2006, he had a time at Strawberry Racing, but damaged his rib badly and did not race again until the second half of the year
8 podiums and completed the season in 7th.
for Team Parker Racing where he finished with 2 podiums (Thruxton
Round 1 and Snetterton
Round 12). He finished the season in 14th. Swanwicks aggressive driving style saw him disqualified in Round 14 of the championship at Silverstone
after a incident that resulted in 3 cars retiring from the race. Team Pryo saw potential in Swanwick and signed him up for the Renault Clio Cup 2011
.
for Team Pryo. Swanwick found the front wheel drive Clio more of a challenge than the rear wheel Ginetta G20. Despite this, Swanwick's aggressive driving style saw him take 7th and 8th place twice over the season. Rob Austin
again saw Swanwick's potential and signed him up as the team's junior driver after testing at Pembrey
in July 2011.
Spec Audi A4 for Rob Austin Racing and made his BTCC
début on 2 October 2011 at Brands Hatch
. He is also due to compete in the BTCC final rounds at Silverstone
on 17 October 2011.
† Season in progress
, England
and attended Dagfa House School. Swanwick lives in Moorgreen near Eastwood, Nottinghamshire
. He attended Dagfa House School between ages of 11 and 16, Dagfa school allows flexible school hours which suited Swanwicks race schedule. Swanwick currently works as a diamond driller for his father's company East Midlands Diamond Drilling (EMDD). EMDD is also one of his main sponsors.
Swanwick is 6ft3 and has gained the nickname Sonic Swanwick due to his spiky hair.
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
racing car
Auto racing
Auto racing is a motorsport involving the racing of cars for competition. It is one of the world's most watched televised sports.-The beginning of racing:...
driver currently competing in the British Touring Car Championship
British Touring Car Championship
The British Touring Car Championship is a touring car racing series held each year in the United Kingdom. The Championship was established in 1958 as the British Saloon Car Championship and has run to various rules over the years – "production cars", then FIA Group 1 or 2 in the late 1960s...
for Rob Austin Racing. Swanwick made his BTCC
British Touring Car Championship
The British Touring Car Championship is a touring car racing series held each year in the United Kingdom. The Championship was established in 1958 as the British Saloon Car Championship and has run to various rules over the years – "production cars", then FIA Group 1 or 2 in the late 1960s...
début on 2 October 2011 at Brands Hatch
Brands Hatch
Brands Hatch is a motor racing circuit near West Kingsdown in Kent, England. First used as a dirt track motorcycle circuit on farmland, it hosted 12 runnings of the British Grand Prix between 1964 and 1986 and currently holds many British and international racing events...
. Swanwick currently competes in a NGTC
Next Generation Touring Car
Next Generation Touring Car, also known as NGTC, is a TOCA specification and classification for production based race cars. The specification covers touring car racing. The goal of the NGTC classification is to allow more manufacturers and privateers to race by reducing the cost of a competitive...
spec Audi A4
Audi A4
The first generation Audi A4 debuted in 1994, with production starting November 1994. It was built on the Volkswagen Group B5 platform, which it shared with the fourth generation Volkswagen Passat . It had a front-mounted longitudinal engine and front-wheel drive...
.
Karting
Swanwick was a relative late starter to karting, starting in 2003 at the age of 9 in Formula cadets where he did his novice plates. He quickly progressed and by the end of the next year won the Comer cadets, North Regional Final.Not being happy to stay in cadets for another year, Swanwick decided to move up to Mini Max for the 2005 season, and by the end of the year was a regular on the podium at Wombwell. He could have stopped in mini Max for another couple of years, but having the need for speed, Swanwick decided he wanted to drive JICAs. In the middle of 2006, he had a time at Strawberry Racing, but damaged his rib badly and did not race again until the second half of the year
2009
Swanwick tested and signed for Tollbar Racing in January 2009. He passed is ARDS test in February to gain his racing licence. Swanwick competed in the Ginetta Junior Championship for Tollbar Racing where he finished with8 podiums and completed the season in 7th.
2010
Swanwick competed for half a year in the Ginetta Junior Championship2010 Ginetta Junior Championship season
The 2010 Ginetta Junior Championship season was the eighth season of the Ginetta Junior Championship. The season began at Thruxton on 3 April and concluded after 20 races over 10 events at Brands Hatch on 10 October...
for Team Parker Racing where he finished with 2 podiums (Thruxton
Thruxton Circuit
Thruxton Circuit is a motor racing circuit located near the village of Thruxton in Hampshire, England which is used to host a number of motorsport events including British Touring Cars and Formula 3 racing....
Round 1 and Snetterton
Snetterton Motor Racing Circuit
Snetterton Motor Racing Circuit is a motor racing circuit in Norfolk, England. Owned by MotorSport Vision, it is situated on the A11 road some 20 km north-east of the town of Thetford and 30 km south-west of the city of Norwich...
Round 12). He finished the season in 14th. Swanwicks aggressive driving style saw him disqualified in Round 14 of the championship at Silverstone
Silverstone Circuit
Silverstone Circuit is an English motor racing circuit next to the Northamptonshire villages of Silverstone and Whittlebury. The circuit straddles the Northamptonshire and Buckinghamshire border, with the current main circuit entry on the Buckinghamshire side...
after a incident that resulted in 3 cars retiring from the race. Team Pryo saw potential in Swanwick and signed him up for the Renault Clio Cup 2011
2011 Renault Clio Cup United Kingdom season
The 2011 AirAsia Renault Clio Cup UK season will begin at Brands Hatch on 3 April and will finish after 16 races over 8 events at Brands Hatch on 2 October. The season will support rounds of the British Touring Car Championship...
.
2011
Swanwick competed in Renault Clio Cup 20112011 Renault Clio Cup United Kingdom season
The 2011 AirAsia Renault Clio Cup UK season will begin at Brands Hatch on 3 April and will finish after 16 races over 8 events at Brands Hatch on 2 October. The season will support rounds of the British Touring Car Championship...
for Team Pryo. Swanwick found the front wheel drive Clio more of a challenge than the rear wheel Ginetta G20. Despite this, Swanwick's aggressive driving style saw him take 7th and 8th place twice over the season. Rob Austin
Rob Austin
Rob Austin is an English racing driver.-Racing career:His career started in British Formula Renault in 1998, where he raced until 1999. An accident put him out of racing for the 2000 season, but he returned in British Formula Three for Alain Menu's team in 2001, where he has raced until 2004...
again saw Swanwick's potential and signed him up as the team's junior driver after testing at Pembrey
Pembrey Circuit
Pembrey Circuit is a racing circuit outside Pembrey village, south Wales. It is deemed to be the home of Welsh motorsport, providing racing for cars, motorcycles, karts and trucks...
in July 2011.
British Touring Car Championship
Late 2011
Swanwick dubbed "The first of the next generation drivers", Has been testing a Second NGTCNext Generation Touring Car
Next Generation Touring Car, also known as NGTC, is a TOCA specification and classification for production based race cars. The specification covers touring car racing. The goal of the NGTC classification is to allow more manufacturers and privateers to race by reducing the cost of a competitive...
Spec Audi A4 for Rob Austin Racing and made his BTCC
British Touring Car Championship
The British Touring Car Championship is a touring car racing series held each year in the United Kingdom. The Championship was established in 1958 as the British Saloon Car Championship and has run to various rules over the years – "production cars", then FIA Group 1 or 2 in the late 1960s...
début on 2 October 2011 at Brands Hatch
Brands Hatch
Brands Hatch is a motor racing circuit near West Kingsdown in Kent, England. First used as a dirt track motorcycle circuit on farmland, it hosted 12 runnings of the British Grand Prix between 1964 and 1986 and currently holds many British and international racing events...
. He is also due to compete in the BTCC final rounds at Silverstone
Silverstone Circuit
Silverstone Circuit is an English motor racing circuit next to the Northamptonshire villages of Silverstone and Whittlebury. The circuit straddles the Northamptonshire and Buckinghamshire border, with the current main circuit entry on the Buckinghamshire side...
on 17 October 2011.
Complete BTCC Results
(Races in bold indicate pole position) (Races in italics indicate fastest lap)| Year | Team | Car | Position | Points | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2011 2011 British Touring Car Championship season The 2011 Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship is a multi-event motor racing championship for sedan based touring car racing cars held across England and Scotland... |
Rob Austin Racing | Audi A4 Audi A4 The first generation Audi A4 debuted in 1994, with production starting November 1994. It was built on the Volkswagen Group B5 platform, which it shared with the fourth generation Volkswagen Passat . It had a front-mounted longitudinal engine and front-wheel drive... |
BHI Brands Hatch Brands Hatch is a motor racing circuit near West Kingsdown in Kent, England. First used as a dirt track motorcycle circuit on farmland, it hosted 12 runnings of the British Grand Prix between 1964 and 1986 and currently holds many British and international racing events...  |
DON Donington Park Donington Park is a motorsport circuit near Castle Donington in Leicestershire, England.Originally part of the Donington Hall estate, it was created as a racing circuit during the pre-war period when the German Silver Arrows were battling for the European Championship... |
THR Thruxton Circuit Thruxton Circuit is a motor racing circuit located near the village of Thruxton in Hampshire, England which is used to host a number of motorsport events including British Touring Cars and Formula 3 racing.... |
OUL Oulton Park Oulton Park Circuit is a motor racing track in the small village of Little Budworth, Cheshire, England. It is about from Winsford, from Chester city centre, from Northwich and from Warrington with a nearby rail connection along the Mid-Cheshire Line. It occupies much of the area which was... |
CRO Croft Circuit Croft Circuit is a motor racing circuit located near Dalton-on-Tees in North Yorkshire, England. The tarmac circuit is just over long and is based on the lands of an airfield, but has long since moved on from being a basic airfield circuit... |
SNE Snetterton Motor Racing Circuit Snetterton Motor Racing Circuit is a motor racing circuit in Norfolk, England. Owned by MotorSport Vision, it is situated on the A11 road some 20 km north-east of the town of Thetford and 30 km south-west of the city of Norwich... |
KNO Knockhill Racing Circuit Knockhill Racing Circuit in Fife is Scotland's national Motorsport centre. The circuit is located in the Fife countryside about north of Dunfermline. The track, initially opened in 1974, is long and 10 metres wide and was created by joining service roads to a nearby disused mineral railway,...  |
ROC Rockingham Motor Speedway Rockingham is the UK's most modern motorsport venue and Europe's fastest racing circuit, hosting corporate driving days, driver training, conferencing & exhibitions, vehicle manufacturing events, track days, testing, driving experiences and motorsport... |
BHGP Brands Hatch Brands Hatch is a motor racing circuit near West Kingsdown in Kent, England. First used as a dirt track motorcycle circuit on farmland, it hosted 12 runnings of the British Grand Prix between 1964 and 1986 and currently holds many British and international racing events... |
SIL Silverstone Circuit Silverstone Circuit is an English motor racing circuit next to the Northamptonshire villages of Silverstone and Whittlebury. The circuit straddles the Northamptonshire and Buckinghamshire border, with the current main circuit entry on the Buckinghamshire side... |
31† | 0† | ||||||||||||||||||||
| DNS | DNS | DNS | DNS | DNS | DNS | DNS | DNS | 17 | 27 | 20 | 22 | 18 | Ret | |||||||||||||||||||||
- Note: bold signifies pole position (1 point given in first race only), italics signifies fastest lap (1 point given all races) and
* signifies at least one lap in the lead (1 point given all races).
† Season in progress
Personal life
Swanwick, was born in NottinghamNottingham
Nottingham is a city and unitary authority in the East Midlands of England. It is located in the ceremonial county of Nottinghamshire and represents one of eight members of the English Core Cities Group...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
and attended Dagfa House School. Swanwick lives in Moorgreen near Eastwood, Nottinghamshire
Eastwood, Nottinghamshire
Eastwood is a former coal mining town in the Broxtowe district of Nottinghamshire, England. With a population of over 18,000, it is northwest of Nottingham, and northeast of Derby, on the border between Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire. Mentioned in Domesday Book, it expanded rapidly during the...
. He attended Dagfa House School between ages of 11 and 16, Dagfa school allows flexible school hours which suited Swanwicks race schedule. Swanwick currently works as a diamond driller for his father's company East Midlands Diamond Drilling (EMDD). EMDD is also one of his main sponsors.
Swanwick is 6ft3 and has gained the nickname Sonic Swanwick due to his spiky hair.
External links
- www.chrisswanwickracing.com
- BTCC Debut
- Renault Clio Cup
- Rob Austin Racing
- http://www.dagfaschool.notts.sch.uk/
- http://www.btcc.net/html/driver_detail.php?id=190