Photo credit: (Robert Borowik of High Row Marketing)
The inaugural Dragon Sport Scholarship winner Jack Meakin will be joined by Rhys Lloyd in a Renault Clio Cup car for the 2023 Britcar Trophy Championship.
Continuing to be supported by the Essex based Amigo Motorsport team Rhys and Jack will be looking to take class honours, for Jack going one place better after finishing 2nd in last seasons series with team-mate James Black. The 18-year-old from Melksham in Wiltshire was awarded the ‘rookie of the year’ at this years Britcar Awards evening and will continue to be supported by his position on the Motorsport UK Academy DiSE course and Dragon Sport Academy. Rhys has significant experience in TCR machinery having raced in the Dubai 24hr twice, winning the 2020 16 hours of Hockenheim and competing alongside Max Coates in the TCR class within the British Endurance Championship in 2022.
Jack was selected for the drive through the Dragon Sport Scholarship which ran for the first time in 2022. The event was held at Blyton Park in November with 30 drivers aged between 16 and 30 entering for a shot at winning a free season drive in the Britcar Trophy alongside Rhys, what is surely a competitive drive. In addition to Jack winning the team also selected Jake Hewlett, Travis Coyne and Harry Hickton as Dragon Sport Academy drivers who will be invited to learn through the team at BEC rounds as well as in dedicated workshop sessions throughout the year focussing on topics including driving, fitness, media and best practices for motorsports role in protecting the planet. The scholarship is expected to run around the same date in 2023.
The Dragon Sport team will be supported by C&R Cottage collection at Redberth Gardens, Sure Sales and Lettings, Custom Homes Ltd, Buildsafe and High Row Marketing as well as a continued relationship with Jack’s personal sponsors Magic Brands who represent the Starbucks and Denny’s Diner franchises and South Wales based Edwards & Ross Palletts Ltd.
An excited Rhys Lloyd said “The Dragon Sport brand has grown significantly in it’s first year and I’m delighted that our inaugural scholarship event want so well. We have found a fantastic winner in Jack and I am looking forward to racing alongside him in 2023. He was fast, consistent and a really easy guy to get along with whilst racing against us in 2022 so I am sure these attributes will be a massive benefit in our side of the camp next year.”
Jack Meakin added, “Winning the Dragon Sport Scholarship was brilliant and it’s allowing me to focus on my future plans within the sport. The opportunity isn’t just of a free drive, but one that I know will be competitive given Rhys’ ability he showed last year. He got to grips with the car straight away and together we are definitely aiming to win the class.”
Team manager Rob Gaffney said, “We are very pleased to working alongside Rhys and Dragon Sport going into 2023 with his TCR and Clio Cup cars. The scholarship was brilliant to be involved with and has ensured we have the best driver pairing possible for next season. We were able to watch Jack progress last year and we look forward to helping him become a better and more experienced driver throughout the season.”
With additional driving duties for Rhys in the British Endurance Championship the team are using the winter to prepare both cars for early season testing ahead of the first round of both the BEC and Britcar Trophy at Donington Park in March.
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