SPRING HOLIDAY MONDAY 27 MAY 2013
Motor sport legend,John Surtees OBE, the only person to have won world championships on both two and four wheels, will be supporting the Edenbridge Fun Day on Monday 27th May 2013.
The event in Surtees' home town will celebrate his achievements on two and four wheels as well as the success of Team Surtees which gained worldwide success winning American and British championships with its Formula 5000 cars and the European Formula 2 Championship in 1972 (runner-up in 1973). There were also race wins in non-championship Formula 1 races and podium and points winning positions in Grand Prix races.The special event will feature static displays and a parade of rarely seen race cars and bikes as well as veteran and classic vehicles along Edenbridge High Street. The Edenbridge Fun Day will raise awareness and funds for the Henry Surtees Foundation which was established by John Surtees following the tragic death of his son Henry while competing in Formula 2 race in 2009 aged just 18. The Henry Surtees Foundation aims to give young people from the community at large opportunities to experience the emotion, disciplines and learning that the world of motor sport offers.The Team Surtees and John Surtees related vehicles taking part in the Edenbridge Fun Day and parade will include: ■A TS7 Formula 1 car which John Surtees raced at the British Grand Prix in Brands Hatch in 1970. John Surtees will drive it. ■The TS14 Formula 1 car which Mike Hailwood drove to second place in the 1972 Italian Grand Prix. It will be driven by McLaren Formula 1 team reserve driver Oliver Turvey. ■The TS15 2-litre Formula 2 car which won the prestigious Interlagos race in Brazil in 1973. Past Formula 3 British Champion and A1 Grand Prix runner-up Robbie Kerr will drive it. ■A 1960 MV Agusta four-cylinder GP motorcycleJohn Surtees won seven motorcycle championships riding for MV Augusta. ■A 1954 BMW Rennsport twin-cylinder motorcycleJohn Surtees raced for the factory team at the Nurburgring in 1955. Engineers associated with John Surtees career on two wheels will ride the motorcycles.The vehicles will be displayed throughout the day outside the Bradford shop, Station Road, where they were built and designed by predominantly local residents.Road cars and motorcycles in the parade range from two TVR sports cars to several Lambretta and Vespa scooters. There will be a 1968 Jaguar S Type Police car is in its original black livery and is complete with radio, bell, klaxons and two 'uniformed officers' (mannequins) in the back! The 1932 Alvis Firefly is one of the first that was built and was displayed on the company's stand at the Motor Show of that yearwhere it was sold for 495 (more than four times the price of a new Austin 7). A 1995 Reliant Scimitar Sabre Mk2 is one of just 30 still in useonly about 60 of them were made. Even rarer is the 1938 Scott Prototype Clubman Special, of which only four were built.Press Call:12.00noonFircroft Way, John Surtees OBE and the Cars and motorcycles featured in the parade will assemble. John and co-drivers Oliver Turvey and Robbie Kerr will be available for interviews and picture opportunities14.00Following the course carJohn Surtees will lead the procession in the TS7 Formula 1 car along closed roads through Edenbridge before returning to Station Road.John Surtees claimed the 500cc GP title on two wheels four times before winning the 1964 Formula One World Championship. He started competing as a sidecar passenger for his fatheralthough in their debut race together the duo were disqualified after crossing the finish line first because John was too young to compete within the rules. He was not put off and after a spell riding for the Norton works team, he moved to MV Augusta a duly won the 500cc World Championshipthe first of seven world titles he secured in just five years and which resulted in the award of an MBE. By 1960 Surtees was also competing on four wheelswinning his first Grand Prix in 1963, driving a Ferrari. He survived a terrible crash at the Canadian GP for sports cars in 1965 returning to win the Can-Am Championship in his Lola T70. Drives for Honda and BRM followed, and then in 1970 Team Surtees entered its own cars in F2, F5000 and F1 events. He won the non-championship Oulton Park Gold Cup in two consecutive years then retired from the cockpit in 1972 with a third place in the F1 International Trophy Race at Silverstone and two wins in F2driving Surtees cars, all of which he designed and built. Surtees continued to manage Team Surtees until 1978 with drivers Mike Hailwood, John Watson, Alan Jones and Ren Arnoux.Surtees is a Vice President of the British Racing Drivers' Club and supports initiatives to encourage young drivers. In 2008 he was awarded an OBE in the Queen's Birthday Honours list for 'services to motorsport and charity'.The decision to form the Henry Surtees Foundation was inspired by what John Surtees and his family had seen happening to Henry and many of the youngsters all around him through motor sport. They decided to give young people in the community opportunities for developing, learning and enjoying some of the activities associated with motor sport that Henry had. Such as engineering, IT, fitness, public relations and team work etc.
The Henry Surtees Foundation mission is to: ■Assist people with brain or physical injuries caused by accident to return to community living by the provision of support for equipment and facilities ■Provide education and training associated with motorsport-related programmes in technology, engineering, and road safety instruction for two and four wheels.The foundation acts as a resource for young people up to the age of 18 by providing advice, assistance and organising programmes of physical, educational and other activities in order to: ■Advance young people in life by helping them to develop their skills, capacities and capabilities so that they can participate in society as independent, mature and responsible individuals ■Advance their education; and relieve unemployment.Many events have been organised to raise money for the foundation including the second annual charity karting event that will take place on Tuesday 25 June 2013 at the Mercedes-Benz World test circuit, Brooklands during the week preceding the British Grand Prix. Thirty-five teams of four people have already entered the two-hour karting endurance event, which costs 1,000 a team to enter and includes four reception tickets to the champagne and canap evening reception. During the interval between qualifying and racing there will be a demonstration of exciting cars.The champagne reception, prize-giving, interviews and fundraising auction will be hosted by Steve Rider, Henry Hope-Frost and Malcolm Barber of Bonhams. Tickets for the reception are open to all, and are priced at 45 each.Last year the foundation raised a net amount of 33,905, after direct expenses incurred. 25% of which went to the Brookland Museum Trust, and the balance, together with funds that was raised at Buckmore Park, Kent for an All-comers race targeted at young developing race drivers, has enabled the Foundation to purchase the equipment required for the introduction of a blood transfusion service into the Kent Surrey Sussex Air Ambulance. The Foundation, in conjunction with Honda, have supplied two Honda CR-Vvehicles to transport blood to the Air Ambulance service. One of which will be taking part in the Edenbridge parade
