Tony Gilham Racing
British motor racing team associated with the Team HARD. organization.
Last updated October 14, 2026
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Overview
Tony Gilham Racing was a British motor racing team founded by Tony Gilham and based in Dartford, Kent. The organization was also widely known as Team HARD. and frequently entered championships under sponsor-led or partner-led names rather than using Tony Gilham Racing as its visible competition identity. Examples included RCIB Insurance Racing, Re.Beverages, Bartercard, Autobrite Direct with Miller Oils, and PPCGB.com/Kraftwerk Racing. This naming pattern reflected the commercial structure of British club and touring-car racing, where race entries are often branded around sponsors, technical partners, or associated operating entities. The team became particularly visible through its participation in the British Touring Car Championship. Its BTCC programme began in 2012 after Gilham acquired a Super 2000 Honda Civic from Team Dynamics. The car was entered under the RCIB Insurance & HARD. banner. Although the season was affected by driver changes, accidents, reliability problems, and limited resources, the team achieved an early high point when it scored its first podium at Donington Park after Mat Jackson was disqualified. Robb Holland and Howard Fuller subsequently shared driving duties at selected meetings, while Aaron Williamson drove the Civic at the final Brands Hatch round. For 2013, the organization shifted its emphasis toward New Generation Touring Car machinery. It acquired Vauxhall Insignias from Thorney Motorsport and developed a Volkswagen CC, entering the Vauxhalls under the RCIB Insurance Racing name and the Volkswagens under the PPCGB.com/Kraftwerk Racing identity. Tom Onslow-Cole, Jack Goff, James Cole, Robb Holland, Howard Fuller, and other drivers were associated with the programme during the season. Onslow-Cole produced three podium finishes, while Goff delivered a notable second-place result in the final race at Brands Hatch. The team also supplied a Volkswagen CC to Team BMR Restart after the latter moved away from older Super 2000 equipment. Before the 2014 BTCC season, Tony Gilham Racing merged with Team BMR to form Team BMR Racing. Jack Goff was confirmed as a driver in a Vauxhall Insignia under the RCIB Insurance Racing banner. The relationship was short-lived: by the middle of the season, Warren Scott and Team BMR had acquired the relevant assets, including Vauxhall Insignias and Volkswagen CCs, and the operation continued under the Chrome Edition Restart Racing identity. Tony Gilham and Team HARD. returned to the BTCC in 2015 with a Toyota Avensis acquired from United Autosports. Kieran Gallagher drove the car, but the programme was hampered by budget constraints, poor results, and occasions when the car did not start. The organization continued to participate in other British racing categories. It entered the Volkswagen Racing Cup, Ginetta GT4 Supercup, Mini Challenge UK, and GT Cup series, and it developed a substantial endurance-racing presence. In the Britcar Endurance Championship, Team HARD. entered two Ginetta G55 GT4 cars for the 2016 Into-the-Night event at Brands Hatch. It expanded to four Class 3 endurance cars in 2017, with several driver pairings achieving strong championship positions and a Team HARD. sweep of the Class 3 standings. In 2018, its Ginetta programme again produced competitive results, including first place in Class 3 for Simon Rudd and Tom Barley and additional high finishes for another team entry. The organization also appeared in later Brands Hatch Into-the-Night events. The team introduced Cupra to the BTCC in 2021, entering three new Cupra Leons for Jack Goff, Glynn Geddie, and Aron Taylor-Smith. This marked a significant technical and brand change for the organization, which had previously raced Honda, Vauxhall, Volkswagen, Toyota, and Ginetta machinery. Financial difficulties later led to a smaller BTCC operation. For 2024, the team was reported as planning a two-car programme that would apparently be rebranded as Un-Limited Motorsport, with a single-car effort. The available reference material does not establish whether Tony Gilham Racing continued as a standalone active brand after that transition.
History
Tony Gilham Racing emerged as a British racing organization under the direction of Tony Gilham and operated from Dartford, Kent. The team was commonly associated with the Team HARD. name and used a range of entrant identities linked to sponsors and partners. Its competition history covered touring cars, GT racing, endurance racing, and national support categories rather than a single permanent championship structure. Its best-documented period began in 2012, when Gilham acquired a Super 2000 Honda Civic from Team Dynamics and entered the British Touring Car Championship. The car ran under the RCIB Insurance & HARD. banner. The season involved several drivers and mixed results. Gilham took pole for a reversed-grid race at Thruxton, but the car fell back and retired after damage. At Donington Park, the team scored its first podium when the Honda was classified third following Mat Jackson's disqualification. Robb Holland drove at Snetterton and Knockhill, while Howard Fuller took the car at Rockingham and Silverstone. Aaron Williamson drove the Honda at the season finale, where a further Vauxhall Insignia was also entered. The organization moved toward NGTC equipment for 2013. It bought a full NGTC Vauxhall Insignia and an incomplete shell from Thorney Motorsport and announced development of a Volkswagen CC. Jack Goff joined for one Insignia, Tom Onslow-Cole was signed for the Volkswagen, and James Cole initially took the other Insignia. The Honda was sold before the season so that the operation could concentrate on three NGTC cars. The Vauxhalls were entered as RCIB Insurance Racing cars, while the Volkswagen entries used the PPCGB.com/Kraftwerk Racing identity. Onslow-Cole scored three podiums, and Goff finished second in the final Brands Hatch race after contesting the lead with Gordon Shedden. James Cole departed during the season and was replaced by Robb Holland; Kieran Gallagher and Paul O'Neill also made selected appearances. The team supplied a Volkswagen CC to Team BMR Restart from the Snetterton round onward. A merger with Team BMR preceded the 2014 BTCC season. The resulting Team BMR Racing operation initially included Jack Goff in a Vauxhall Insignia. During the season, Warren Scott and Team BMR acquired the relevant Tony Gilham Racing assets, including the Vauxhall Insignias and Volkswagen CCs. The entries subsequently ran under the Chrome Edition Restart Racing banner. Tony Gilham and Team HARD. returned to the championship in 2015 with a Toyota Avensis bought from United Autosports. Kieran Gallagher drove the car, but the campaign was constrained by budget and reliability difficulties. Outside the BTCC, the organization participated in the Volkswagen Racing Cup, Ginetta GT4 Supercup, Mini Challenge UK, and GT Cup series. Its endurance programme was especially visible in Britcar. Two Ginetta G55 GT4s were entered for the 2016 Brands Hatch Into-the-Night race as invitation entries. In 2017, four cars competed in Class 3, with several pairings finishing near the top of the overall Endurance standings and Team HARD. occupying the first three positions in the Class 3 points table. In 2018, three Ginetta entries competed, with Simon Rudd and Tom Barley winning Class 3 and finishing second overall in the Endurance championship. The team returned to the Brands Hatch Into-the-Night format in 2019 with further Ginetta entries. In 2021, Team HARD. introduced Cupra to the BTCC with three new Cupra Leons for Jack Goff, Glynn Geddie, and Aron Taylor-Smith. Later financial pressure resulted in a smaller planned BTCC operation. The available account states that the team was expected to be rebranded as Un-Limited Motorsport for 2024 and reduce to a single-car effort. It does not clearly establish the subsequent legal or operational status of Tony Gilham Racing as a separate entity.
- 2024
Planned rebranding and downsizing
[1]Financial difficulties were associated with a planned reduction in the BTCC programme and an apparent transition toward the Un-Limited Motorsport name.
- 2021
Cupra enters the BTCC with Team HARD.
[1]The team introduced three Cupra Leons to the championship.
- 2017
Four-car Britcar expansion
[1]The team expanded to four Class 3 Ginetta entries and achieved a leading group result in the class standings.
- 2016
Britcar Ginetta debut
[1]Team HARD. entered two Ginetta G55 GT4s in the Brands Hatch Into-the-Night Britcar event.
- 2014
Merger with Team BMR
[1]Tony Gilham Racing merged with Team BMR before the BTCC season, although the relationship ended with Team BMR acquiring the assets during the year.
- 2013
NGTC expansion
[1]The organization began a three-car NGTC-focused programme using Vauxhall Insignias and Volkswagen CCs.
- 2012
BTCC debut with a Honda Civic
[1]Tony Gilham Racing entered the British Touring Car Championship with a Super 2000 Honda Civic purchased from Team Dynamics, using the RCIB Insurance & HARD. entrant identity.
- 2012
First BTCC podium
[1]The team scored its first BTCC podium at Donington Park, where its Honda was classified third.
Products and positioning
A sponsor-supported British racing organization focused on touring cars, GT machinery, endurance events, and multi-category race-car operation.
Touring-car motorsport · 2012
BTCC race entries
The team's principal programme involved entering and operating touring cars in the British Touring Car Championship. Machinery included a Super 2000 Honda Civic, NGTC Vauxhall Insignias, NGTC Volkswagen CCs, a Toyota Avensis, and Cupra Leons. Entries were frequently presented under sponsor or partner identities such as RCIB Insurance Racing and PPCGB.com/Kraftwerk Racing.
GT and endurance racing · 2016
Ginetta G55 GT4 endurance programme
Team HARD. used Ginetta G55 GT4 cars in Britcar endurance competition. The programme began with two invitation entries at Brands Hatch in 2016, expanded to four Class 3 cars in 2017, and continued with a multi-car effort in 2018 and later selected events.
Motorsport services
Multi-category racing programmes
Beyond BTCC and Britcar, the organization competed in or was associated with the Volkswagen Racing Cup, Ginetta GT4 Supercup, Mini Challenge UK, and GT Cup series. These activities combined race-car preparation, driver participation, sponsorship activation, and event-level team operations.
Brand decisions
2024
Planned downsizing and rebrandingStrategyBackground
Financial difficulties affected the scale of the organization's planned BTCC participation.
Action taken
The team was expected to reduce its programme and apparently operate under the Un-Limited Motorsport name with a single car.
Aftermath
The available material does not confirm the later standalone status of Tony Gilham Racing.
2021
Introduction of Cupra LeonsProduct launchBackground
The team needed a new touring-car platform for its BTCC programme.
Action taken
It introduced Cupra to the BTCC with three new Cupra Leons.
Aftermath
Jack Goff, Glynn Geddie, and Aron Taylor-Smith were named as drivers for the three-car programme.
2014
Merger with Team BMRM&ABackground
The two British touring-car organizations combined before the 2014 BTCC season.
Action taken
They formed Team BMR Racing and initially fielded Jack Goff in a Vauxhall Insignia.
Aftermath
Team BMR later acquired the relevant assets, and the cars continued under the Chrome Edition Restart Racing identity.
2013
Shift from Super 2000 to NGTC machineryStrategyBackground
After its 2012 season with a Super 2000 Honda Civic, the team sought a more modern and competitive BTCC platform.
Action taken
It sold the Honda and concentrated on starting the 2013 season with NGTC Vauxhall Insignias and Volkswagen CCs.
Aftermath
The programme produced several podiums, including three for Tom Onslow-Cole and a second-place finish for Jack Goff at Brands Hatch.
Sources2 sources
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