Kent’s Simon Rudd and Tom Barley have today announced that they will team up as they enter the Dunlop Britcar Endurance Championship with Team Hard for 2017 .
It will mean a full Kent team up from start to finish for 2017, following a successful debut for the team in the recent night race at their local circuit of Brands Hatch in Kent, they have decided that they would continue support the continued growth of the reinvented Britcar championship in to 2017 and beyond.
The team are even more excited to have secured a deal that will see Simon Rudd and Tom Barley pairing up in what they believe to be a very strong partnership. Simon will be the team’s longest serving driver and entering his fourth consecutive season.
Simon has developed so much on and off track and no doubt there will be some very strong performances at the wheel of one of the Ginetta G55 cars. He has matured in to a top racing driver and will be looking to fight for the Championship win.
Speaking about the Simon said” I am really excited to start this new chapter in my career. We had a lot of offers from different teams and championships off the back of our successful 2016, however when the opportunity came up to jump into the Ginetta with Tony and the team it was something I couldn’t turn down.
“This will be my fourth year with the team and they proved last year they have the speed in the car to win races. I am grateful that Tony has given me the opportunity, once again, to go racing. I am super excited to pair up with Tom. We have been talking over the winter about teaming up together and making the step up into GT racing. We are mates off the track and that will make a difference – I think we are a strong pairing that have every chance of being successful in 2017 and beyond. A huge thanks to Tony, Team Hard, my family and all my sponsors for giving me this opportunity!”
Alongside Simon will be Tom Barley who the team have also enjoyed a great relationship with over the last few years and seen his progression with us all the way to his BTCC debut in 2013. Tom is also a very capable racing driver and Team Hard believe that he will have the pace, consistency and concentration that is so important in endurance racing.
Giving his thoughts, Tom said “I’m over the moon to be joining forces with Tony and the rest of the team again in 2017. Tony has played a key role in my racing career, and I’m very excited by the challenge of GT racing. The GT4 Ginetta is a fantastic piece of kit, and I couldn’t be happier to pair up with Simon. I think we’ll be a strong force in 2017, with consistency and experience being our forte.”