SHOCK WIN FOR BURNS ON HACKETT BEAUJOLAIS RUN 2008
Alex Burns, father of the late World Rally Champion Richard Burns stormed to victory in the maps only GT1 class of this year’s Hackett Beaujolais Run.
A family flair for navigation was evident as Burns, and his co-driver Peter Martin beat a field of 45 teams to victory.
Alex piloted a Subaru Impreza number one of 320 built to commemorate his son. Amongst a pack of 45 cars taking part in the navigational shoot out at the heart of this event (the official celebration of sixty years of the Jaguar XK) Burns and Martin were seen taking up to half an hour plotting routes to their next checkpoint on the ‘Run.
Alex Burns said “I was driving a commemorative car that was built to celebrate Richard, so it was doubly special to me.”
Rob Bellinger and Elaine Hart ‘Run Directors said “To be passed en route by a vehicle bearing the Burns name was very emotional for all competitors. They certainly held their own against the pack of Jaguars and when their victory was announced it resulted in a spontaneous standing ovation.”
Background:-
The Hackett Beaujolais Run is a trademarked, not for profit event. Each team pays an entry fee which covers the cost of the event, ensuring 100% of all sponsor monies go in total to the events nominated charities. This year’s event benefitted the Richard Burns Foundation, Winston’s Wish and CLIC Sargent.
This year Jaguar Cars Ltd celebrated sixty years of XK on the Hackett Beaujolais Run 2008. In a fitting competitive tribute, the ‘Big Cats’ competed amongst a varied and spectacular field including everything from Morgan to Maserati.
This year’s ‘Run saw an eclectic mix of forty five vehicles compete to ‘Bring Back the Beaujolais’. Famous faces and eminent motoring journalists joined this showcase of the unofficial motorsport calendar. Amongst those involved were Des Lynam, Neil and Christine Hamilton, Mike Brewer, Anthony Reid, Steve Berry, Sir Stirling Moss, Henri Leconte and Eddie Jordan.
For the first time in decades the ‘Run left London bound for France. This year, the ‘Run rested its spiritual home at Goodwood bound for the bright lights of the city. Those who have accepted this fiercely fought challenge battled it out on French soil, covering some of the most spectacular roads on the continent.
This years ‘Mad Dogs and Englishmen’ event was once again full of suprises and ‘money can’t buy experiences’; from Embassy to private Chateaux and public Fete, all in the name of raising money for worthwhile causes.
Vodafone enabled real-time tracking of the forty five teams, en route, via its software platform Track a SIM. Official time keeping was by CASIO who provided chronometers as prizes for the winning teams.
Sir Terence Conran’s Bibendum restaurant in London welcomed a 0800hrs start on Tuesday 18th November 2008. With competitors’ expectations running high, Sir Stirling Moss saw the competitors on their way with a wave of a chequered flag.
Jeremy Hackett, Founder of the Hackett brand, then joined competitors to enjoy an exclusive Champagne Taittinger reception at the British Embassy in Paris.
En route to Louis Jadot’s vineyards in deepest Burgundy, the now famous navigational shoot out at the heart of this iconic event took place. Teams headed south to Macon via a series of cryptic checkpoints, in a battle to cover the course in the shortest possible distance. On arrival in Macon, Footman James wined and dined competitors in true French style as they eagerly anticipated the spectacular midnight release of this year’s harvest.
A black tie, prize giving dinner in a spectacular location awaited competitors in Paris on their return leg. Galeries Lafayette was closed to the public and the private rooftop terrace with “the best view in Paris” was put at the disposal of the competitors as a real ‘money can’t buy’.
In a blaze of glory, on the evening of Friday 21st November 2008, the Jaguar led pack lit up the King’s Road as they return this year’s harvest to Blighty.
