The Ginetta Junior Championship front-runner is no stranger to endurance events, having impressed late last year on his debut in the annual Johnny Herbert Karting Challenge – but whilst that was a three-hour affair, the 2010 Race for Heroes charity outing in support of the British Armed Forces is due to run for six hours. Count them. Six. Long. Hours.
Tom will be competing as part of the four-strong ‘Junior Ginetta’ entry, alongside Alex Austin, Thomas Howard and Jake Rattenbury – and there will doubtless be a fair dose of healthy pre-season internecine rivalry amongst the ultra-competitive quartet before the serious action gets underway in a couple of months’ time.
They will be up against 16 other teams composed of more than 80 drivers, including some very big names indeed, such as British Touring Car Championship (BTCC) race-winners Tom Onslow-Cole, Stephen Jelley and Paul O’Neill, British F3 contender Riki Christodoulou, Superleague Formula runner-up Craig Dolby, sportscar ace Chris Dymond – and even Boyzone singer and car nut Shane Lynch.
“It’s always nice to say you have raced against drivers like that,” mused 16-year-old Tom, who similarly rubbed both shoulders and sidepods with the likes of grand prix-winners Johnny Herbert and Riccardo Patrese at Docklands Raceway in London in November. “Some teams have six or seven drivers, whereas we’ve only got four. I’m not sure if that will be an advantage or disadvantage, though it might give the others a bit of a handicap by having to stop to change over more times than us.
“An endurance race is very different to what I’m used to. You need to pace yourself a lot more, rather than going out and trying to set the fastest lap on lap three. It’s about putting in consistent times all the way through – the last thing you want to do is be dropping off the pace towards the end because you’re tired. The race won’t be won into the first corner or on the first lap – and even if you do have a disaster early on, there will be more than enough time left to make the places back up again.”
Having proven to be the quickest driver in his team in the Johnny Herbert Karting Challenge, Tom is clearly fired-up to repeat that feat at Daytona, where the last time he raced – in sodden, treacherous wet conditions – he very nearly won. Well aware that a solid team effort will be crucial to success in such a mentally and physically gruelling event, the former British Karting Champion’s confidence and enthusiasm is palpable.
“I really enjoy the track,” he enthused. “It’s very undulating, and generally quite quick but with some slow sections as well. It’s a long lap and a challenging one, but it’s really fun to drive.
“Help The Heroes is a really good cause, and I’ve been going round college to try to raise some money for it. I’ve personally managed to collect £150 so far, and obviously the more money we can make for it the better.
“I’m really looking forward to the race – it should be good fun. It’s going to be really competitive too, and especially with there being some touring car drivers out there, I think it’s going to get pretty messy! The organisers keep saying ‘you’re not out there to win, you’re out there to make money’ – but try telling almost 100 racing drivers that! We all want to win!”
If you are interested in sponsoring Tom for the Race for Heroes, please contact his father Bruce on 07778 833485 or at bruce@ingram26.fsnet.co.uk
Donations can be made at www.race4heroes.co.uk/index.html
