Nick Garner #42
The beginnings...karts
Nick started his motorsport career at the age of 13 (1997), in karts - competing in the 2-Stroke TKM Class. Following moderate success in his first two years, Nick's racing became far more serious, racing 3 or 4 times a month with test sessions in between.
In 1999 and 2000 Nick won back-to-back British TKM NatSKA Championship titles, and one Endurance title. He narrowly missed out on a third successive title, coming 3rd in the TKM Class and 5th in the ICA class in 2001.
During University Nick continued racing - achieving a number of wins at club level.
The Clio...an intro to cars
After an 8 year hiatus Nick returned to motorsport in the 750 Motor Club run Renault Clio Cup Series, mid way through the 2015 season; this was a learning year and Nick's first time racing a front-wheel drive saloon car; but progress was positive.
In 2016 continued his progress with a number of podiums and 4th place in the championship
2017 was successful but disappointing, Nick ran worthy championship leader, Patrick Fletcher, close all season, with numerous wins and podiums, but a few mechanical issues, meant another 4th place!
Please see a few videos:
National ‘A’ License
International ‘C’ License
Clio 182 Championship Seasons: 3 (‘15,’16,’17)
Race Wins: 2
Lap Records: 2
Pole Positions: 2
Podiums: 6
Race Starts: 29
Best Championship Position: 4th
Other Formulae Wins: 41
Championships: 3
Tom Stroud #6
How it began
Tom started his racing career in November 2014, at the age of 21, when he jumped behind a Clio 182 Cup car for the first time. Prior to this, he has been playing around with cars on circuits with track days along with off road racing on gravel stages in a Subaru Impreza, which has made him learn how to handle a car in most scenarios.
In 2015, Tom entered the K-Tec Clio 182 Championship, with Go Racing Motorsport. It was his first year to be racing door to door with other competitors, which was a large learning curve for him. In his first ever race, he managed to finish 16th out of 34 cars on the grid, and throughout the year, he worked his way up the leader board. During this year, he met our other driver Nick Garner, while racing at Silverstone on the International circuit. That race was very memorable for both drivers, as they fought over a position for the most part of both races held that weekend.
The 2015 season was very memorable for Tom, and despite the highs and lows that he experienced, he managed to finish the championship in 14th place overall, which is brilliant considering he was displaying a novice black cross on the back of his car for the season.
Further progress
Tom has been training very hard throughout 2017, to learn how to master endurance racing, which is the polar opposite of what he has been used to, with the determination of being able to take part in 24 hour races. Extra test days throughout the winter period of 2017 and 18, Tom is ready for another year with Garner Racing!
National ‘A’ License
Clio 182 Championship
Seasons: 1 (‘15)
Race Starts: 14
Best Championship Position: 14th
Other Racing Experience
Rallying
Endurance Racing (6,12 and 24 hour)
Drifting
Team Co-Ordinator and Mechanic for Garner Racing in ‘16 and ‘17
Marcus Short #24
Marcus' love for cars started from when he was born, with his parents showing him a home video of himself at 2 years old doing handbrake turns on a push on car in the family kitchen! However the passion for racing started out around 2005, his dad had a Mk2 escort rally car and his earliest memory was helping him change a leaking bottom radiator hose in the garage. For years he learnt to fix his car and became his dads service crew over time, then at the age of 14, Marcus took a project on of rebuilding his first running engine, which was out of dad's escort. It took time but he managed to get an impressive 190bhp at the flywheel out of an old 8v Pinto engine.
In 2012 Marcus took part in his first ever track day in his Citroen Saxo Vts and in the same year he bought a Citroen C2 and stripped it out as his first purpose use track day car. Over the next couple of year, he improved on the car and built it into a full blown out track car. In 2016 Marcus made the step into the co-drivers seat, sitting next to his dad in his new Mk1 Escort rally car with Honda S2k engine, then later on in the year co-driving for a friend in the Gwynnespeed C2 Rally championship. In 2017, Marcus agreed to be a co-driver all year, in the Gwynnespeed C2 Rally championship Max Class, and including a overall win in class at Brawdy Stages 2017 and another overall win in class for Rockingham Stages with his dad driving, Marcus also ended up finishing 2nd overall Navigator in the championship for the year.
For 2018, Marcus has built a Citroen C2 GT Rally Car which he is going to compete in the Gwynnespeed C2 Rally Championship Max Class, but this time he is in the driving seat. Marcus has taken everything he has learnt about rallying, from building cars to being able to learn how to drive on every kind of surface, from behind the wheel and the passenger seat. The car he has built has been featured in Performance French Car Magazine, as well as being the front face of many social media pages. Marcus is very recognised at events he attends, and we welcome him as the latest driver to join Garner Racing.
