Tony Gilham

{{Short description|British racing driver (born 1979)}} {{BLP sources|date=December 2025}} {{Use dmy dates|date=February 2014}} {{Use British English|date=February 2014}} {{Infobox racing driver | name = Tony Gilham |image = Tony gilham oultonpark2011.jpg |caption = Gilham in 2011. | nationality = {{flag|GBR|name=British}} | birth_name = Anthony Allen Gilham | birth_date = {{Birth date and age|df=yes|1979|05|19}} | birth_place = Bromley, England | relatives = | current_series = British Touring Car Championship | first_year = 2011 | current_team = Team HARD. Racing | car_number = 34 | former_teams = Thorney Motorsport Geoff Steel Racing Triple 8 Race Engineering | starts = 66 | wins = 0 | poles = 0 | fastest_laps = 0 | best_finish = 17th | year = 2012 | prev_series = Porsche Carrera Cup GB VW Cup Toyota MR2 Championship F600 Championship | prev_series_years = 2008–10 2006–07 2005 1999 | titles = VW Cup Toyota MR2 Championship | title_years = 2007 2005 | awards = | award_years = }} '''Anthony Allen Gilham''' (born 19 May 1979) is a British motorsport executive and former racing driver. He was the founder and owner of race team, Team HARD. Racing, who competed in various championships including the British Touring Car Championship.

==Racing career==

===Early years=== Born in Bromley, London, Gilham's first full season of racing – after previously competing as a flower arranger – came in 2005, competing in the MR2 Championship. He won the drivers title, including four race wins. The following year he switched to the VW Cup. With four race wins, he finished the year fourth on points despite reliability issues with the car. In 2007, he won the championship. In 2008, he competed in the Porsche Carrera Cup GB, finishing as runner-up in the pro-am 1 class. Gilham spent two more years in the championship, finishing fourth in class during 2009 with Redline Racing, and third in class in 2010.

===British Touring Car Championship=== For 2011, Gilham stepped up to the British Touring Car Championship. He competed in a Vauxhall Vectra for Triple 8 Race Engineering under the 888 Racing with Collins Contractors banner.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.btcc.net/html/generalnews_detail.php?id=2294&month=3&year=2011&form=browse&searchterm=|title=BTCC official 2011 entry list|work=btcc.net|publisher=British Touring Car Championship|date=2011-03-24|accessdate=2011-03-24|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20120318012107/http://www.btcc.net/html/generalnews_detail.php?id=2294&month=3&year=2011&form=browse&searchterm=|archivedate=18 March 2012|df=dmy-all}}</ref> Gilham started the season well at Brands Hatch. He scored points in each of the first three meetings, before his form dropped off in the three after in which he scored no points.

[[File:Tony Gilham, Thruxton, Apr 2012.jpg|thumb|left|Gilham driving for RCIB Insurance & HARD at the Thruxton round of the 2012 BTCC season.]]

It was announced in mid-August that due to funding issues, Gilham had lost his seat at Triple Eight.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.touring-cars.net/2011/08/gilham-and-triple-eight-part-ways |title=Gilham and Triple Eight part ways|work=Touring-Cars.Net|date=2011-08-22|accessdate=2011-08-24}}</ref> He missed the Knockhill round before returning at Rockingham for Geoff Steel Racing<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.touringcartimes.com/article.php?id=6677 |title=TouringCarTimes - BTCC: Tony Gilham is back with Geoff Steel Racing |website=www.touringcartimes.com |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110910131715/http://www.touringcartimes.com/article.php?id=6677 |archive-date=2011-09-10}}</ref> in a BMW 320si which ran a normally aspirated engine until the Silverstone round when a Next Generation Touring Car turbo engine was fitted.

For 2012, Gilham driving for his own team, Tony Gilham Racing, which races under the RCIB Insurance & HARD banner. Gilham announced he would race the Super 2000-NGTC Honda Civic which Gordon Shedden had driven to second in the championship the previous season.<ref>[http://www.touringcartimes.com/article.php?id=7339 BTCC Media Day car livery picture special] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120502030122/http://www.touringcartimes.com/article.php?id=7339 |date=2 May 2012 }}, TouringCarTimes.</ref><ref>[http://www.touringcartimes.com/article.php?id=7214 Tony Gilham to race Honda Civic turbo] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120604165550/http://www.touringcartimes.com/article.php?id=7214 |date=4 June 2012 }}, TouringCarTimes.</ref> He took pole position for the reversed grid race at Thruxton but having slipped down to third, damaged his car and retired from the race.<ref>[http://www.touringcartimes.com/article.php?id=7540 Gordon Shedden leads Honda 1–2 in race three at Thruxton] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120617233129/http://www.touringcartimes.com/article.php?id=7540 |date=17 June 2012 }}, TouringCarTimes.</ref> Gilham drove a Vauxhall Insignia for Thorney Motorsport at the Snetterton meeting to allow Robb Holland to drive the Team HARD Honda Civic and to allow his team to familiarise itself with NGTC machinery.<ref>{{cite web|title=Gilham to drive Thorney Motorsport NGTC Vauxhall Insignia in BTCC round at Snetterton|url=http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/101742|work=Autosport|publisher=Haymarket Publishing|accessdate=12 October 2012}}</ref> Gilham sat out the next two meetings as Holland and series newcomer Howard Fuller raced the Civic, but he made an unexpected return with Thorney Motorsport at Silverstone when Chris Stockton fell ill after qualifying.<ref>{{cite web|title=Gilham to replace Stockton|url=http://www.btcc.net/html/generalnews_detail.php?id=3196&month=10&year=2012&form=browse&searchterm=|work=BTCC.net|accessdate=12 October 2012|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20130704083453/http://www.btcc.net/html/generalnews_detail.php?id=3196&month=10&year=2012&form=browse&searchterm=|archivedate=4 July 2013|df=dmy-all}}</ref> Gilham purchased Thorney Motorsport's Vauxhall Insignia prior to the final round of the season at the Brands Hatch GP circuit, along with a spare shell.<ref>{{cite web|title=Two Insignias for HARD|url=http://www.btcc.net/html/generalnews_detail.php?id=3216&month=0&year=2012&form=&searchterm=|work=BTCC.net|accessdate=16 October 2012|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20130704081350/http://www.btcc.net/html/generalnews_detail.php?id=3216&month=0&year=2012&form=&searchterm=|archivedate=4 July 2013|df=dmy-all}}</ref> Renault Clio Cup UK driver Aaron Williamson would race the S2000 Honda Civic at Brands Hatch alongside Gilham.<ref>{{cite web|last=O'Leary|first=Jamie|title=Aaron Williamson to make BTCC debut in Brands Hatch finale|url=http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/102933/|work=Autosport|publisher=Haymarket Publishing|accessdate=16 October 2012}}</ref>

==Racing record==

===Complete British Touring Car Championship results=== (key) (Races in '''bold''' indicate pole position – 1 point awarded just in first race) (Races in ''italics'' indicate fastest lap – 1 point awarded all races) (<nowiki>*</nowiki> signifies that driver lead race for at least one lap – 1 point given all races)

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center; font-size:85%" ! Year ! Team ! Car ! 1 ! 2 ! 3 ! 4 ! 5 ! 6 ! 7 ! 8 ! 9 ! 10 ! 11 ! 12 ! 13 ! 14 ! 15 ! 16 ! 17 ! 18 ! 19 ! 20 ! 21 ! 22 ! 23 ! 24 ! 25 ! 26 ! 27 ! 28 ! 29 ! 30 ! Pos ! Pts |- |rowspan=2| 2011 ! nowrap| 888 Racing with Collins Contractors ! nowrap| Vauxhall Vectra |style="background:#DFFFDF;"| BRH 1 8 |style="background:#DFFFDF;"| BRH 2 10 |style="background:#DFFFDF;"| BRH 3 9 |style="background:#CFCFFF;"| DON 1 15 |style="background:#DFFFDF;"| DON 2 8 |style="background:#EFCFFF;"| DON 3 Ret |style="background:#CFCFFF;"| THR 1 11 |style="background:#DFFFDF;"| THR 2 10 |style="background:#DFFFDF;"| THR 3 9 |style="background:#CFCFFF;"| OUL 1 14 |style="background:#EFCFFF;"| OUL 2 Ret |style="background:#CFCFFF;"| OUL 3 12 |style="background:#EFCFFF;"| CRO 1 Ret |style="background:#CFCFFF;"| CRO 2 12 |style="background:#CFCFFF;"| CRO 3 12 |style="background:#EFCFFF;"| SNE 1 Ret |style="background:#CFCFFF;"| SNE 2 13 |style="background:#CFCFFF;"| SNE 3 15 | KNO 1 | KNO 2 | KNO 3 | | | | | | | | | !rowspan=2| 19th !rowspan=2| 12 |- ! nowrap| Geoff Steel Racing ! nowrap| BMW 320si | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |style="background:#CFCFFF;"| ROC 1 15 |style="background:#CFCFFF;"| ROC 2 14 |style="background:#CFCFFF;"| ROC 3 17 |style="background:#CFCFFF;"| BRH 1 15 |style="background:#CFCFFF;"| BRH 2 23 |style="background:#EFCFFF;"| BRH 3 Ret |style="background:#EFCFFF;"| SIL 1 Ret |style="background:#CFCFFF;"| SIL 2 19 |style="background:#CFCFFF;"| SIL 3 19 |- |rowspan=3| 2012 ! nowrap| RCIB Insurance & HARD. ! nowrap| Honda Civic |style="background:#CFCFFF;"| BRH 1 18 |style="background:#DFFFDF;"| BRH 2 13 |style="background:#DFFFDF;"| BRH 3 10 |style="background:#DFFFDF;"| DON 1 14 |style="background:#DFFFDF;"| DON 2 7 |style="background:#FFDF9F;"| DON 3 3 |style="background:#DFFFDF;"| THR 1 11 |style="background:#DFFFDF;"| THR 2 9 |style="background:#EFCFFF;"| '''THR 3''' Ret* |style="background:#EFCFFF;"| OUL 1 Ret |style="background:#DFFFDF;"| OUL 2 11 |style="background:#DFFFDF;"| OUL 3 10 |style="background:#DFFFDF;"| CRO 1 12 |style="background:#DFFFDF;"| CRO 2 11 |style="background:#EFCFFF;"| CRO 3 Ret | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | !rowspan=3| 17th !rowspan=3| 71 |- ! nowrap| Thorney Motorsport !rowspan=2 nowrap| Vauxhall Insignia | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |style="background:#DFFFDF;"| SNE 1 13 |style="background:#EFCFFF;"| SNE 2 Ret |style="background:#EFCFFF;"| SNE 3 Ret | KNO 1 | KNO 2 | KNO 3 | ROC 1 | ROC 2 | ROC 3 |style="background:#EFCFFF;"| SIL 1 Ret |style="background:#EFCFFF;"| SIL 2 Ret |style="background:#EFCFFF;"| SIL 3 Ret | | | |- ! nowrap| RCIB Insurance & HARD. | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |style="background:#EFCFFF;"| BRH 1 Ret |style="background:#CFCFFF;"| BRH 2 NC |style="background:#CFCFFF;"| BRH 3 16 |- | 2015 ! nowrap| RCIB Insurance Racing ! nowrap| Toyota Avensis |style="background:;"| BRH 1 |style="background:;"| BRH 2 |style="background:;"| BRH 3 |style="background:;"| DON 1 |style="background:;"| DON 2 |style="background:;"| DON 3 |style="background:;"| THR 1 |style="background:;"| THR 2 |style="background:;"| THR 3 |style="background:;"| OUL 1 |style="background:;"| OUL 2 |style="background:;"| OUL 3 |style="background:;"| CRO 1 |style="background:;"| CRO 2 |style="background:;"| CRO 3 |style="background:;"| SNE 1 |style="background:;"| SNE 2 |style="background:;"| SNE 3 |style="background:;"| KNO 1 |style="background:;"| KNO 2 |style="background:;"| KNO 3 |style="background:#;"| ROC 1 |style="background:#;"| ROC 2 |style="background:#;"| ROC 3 |style="background:#EFCFFF;"| SIL 1 Ret |style="background:#CFCFFF;"| SIL 2 20 |style="background:#DFFFDF;"| SIL 3 15 |style="background:#CFCFFF;"| BRH 1 22 |style="background:#CFCFFF;"| BRH 2 20 |style="background:#CFCFFF;"| BRH 3 20 ! 31st ! 1 |- | 2016 ! nowrap| TLC/RCIB Insurance Racing ! nowrap| Toyota Avensis | BRH 1 | BRH 2 | BRH 3 | DON 1 | DON 2 | DON 3 | THR 1 | THR 2 | THR 3 | OUL 1 | OUL 2 | OUL 3 | CRO 1 | CRO 2 | CRO 3 | SNE 1 | SNE 2 | SNE 3 | KNO 1 | KNO 2 | KNO 3 |style="background:#CFCFFF;"| ROC 1 24 |style="background:#EFCFFF;"| ROC 2 Ret |style="background:#EFCFFF;"| ROC 3 Ret |style="background:#CFCFFF;"| SIL 1 NC |style="background:#CFCFFF;"| SIL 2 21 |style="background:#CFCFFF;"| SIL 3 20 |style="background:#EFCFFF;"| BRH 1 Ret |style="background:#CFCFFF;"| BRH 2 28 |style="background:#EFCFFF;"| BRH 3 Ret ! 35th ! 0 |}

==References== {{Reflist}}

==External links== *[http://www.team-hard.com/ Team HARD. Official site] *[http://www.team-hard.com/ Tony Gilham's Team Hard Race Team Official Website] *[https://web.archive.org/web/20081112074336/http://www.btcc.net/html/home.php BTCC official site] *[http://www.touring-cars.net/drivers/gilham.php Touring-Cars.Net Profile]

{{DEFAULTSORT:Gilhan, Tony}} Category:Living people Category:English racing drivers Category:1979 births Category:British Touring Car Championship drivers Category:Porsche Carrera Cup GB drivers Category:People from Bromley