It’s been a long time since my last blog, a lot has happened this season, both on and off the track.
On track I made my debut in the British Touring Car Championship with Support Our Paras Racing. Ever since I started on the TOCA package the goal has been to reach the BTCC so to fulfill that dream in June this year was an incredible feeling.
The drive came around last minute, the deal was done a week before the Croft round of the championship so my preparation before the weekend was limited. The first time I drove the car was in free practice one and I hadn’t been on track in anger since the Croft round in 2014.
By the end of the day I felt fairly comfortable in the car. My aim for the first race was just to stay out of trouble and feel more comfortable in the car. After a fairly hectic first lap I got what I really needed, some clear track time. I finished 21st just ahead of my team mate who had been caught up in the first corner incident.
Coates: “To Fulfil My Dream Was An Incredible Feeling” – Credit: btcc.net
The second race was going well but I had an alarm on the dash from lap one and pitted to be safe. The final race, on the soft tires, was by far my favourite. The car felt so much better and the pace was really coming to me, by the end I was just over a second a lap off the front running cars.
My aim for the weekend was to get a top 20 finish and I did that with 20th in the final race. Unfortunately I didn’t make it back out in the car after that weekend and instead had to sit on the sidelines watching for the remainder of the year. The weekend was a dream come true, it has only wetted my appetite and the lure of the BTCC only becomes bigger.
Off the track I have been finishing my Sports Marketing degree at Leeds Beckett University and working for iON Action Cameras at the FIA World Rallycross Championship. It’s been great to put my university degree to practice working with quite literally the best RX driver in the World, Petter Solberg.
I’ve really enjoyed learning from the iON athletes, Petter and Liam Doran as well as the World RX organizing team on both a racing and marketing side. To see what I have been getting up to like the iON Camera facebook page.
I’m now working on my racing plans for next year, everything is going well so far and I am in advanced talks with sponsors. Hopefully I’ll have some good news soon!
