Members of the Southern Group of Motoring Writers and valued contacts in the UK motor industry’s PR world, have taken to the kart track to deliver a £3,325 cash injection to lifesaving by Kent, Surrey and SussexAir Ambulance.
A total of 81 drivers across 17 teams joined the SGMW Karting Grand Prix, a night of thrills, spills and spins at TeamSport Karting in Crawley on Thursday February 6, watched by many colleagues and supporters.
Expertise ranged from complete novices to some experts, but the endurance relay format ensured that all team drivers could play their part as they tore round a twisting course arranged on three levels formaximum excitement.
The top teams were: 1 – Fiat, 2 – Audi and 3 – Porsche; with best drivers: 1 – Harrison Scott (Ford), 2 – Chris Clubley (Fiat) and 3 – Rob Punshon (Porsche).
The cause was close to the hearts of the group’s motoring writers and their readers: nearly half of all Kent, Surrey and Sussex Air Ambulance’s 999 scrambles are for road accidents, but the service needs £6 million a year to maintain lifesaving missions to the region’s 4.5 million people.
Air ambulance paramedic Charlie Leahy, delivering thanks at the presentation of the cheque from the event, said: “We know there are a lot of charities out there, but this cheque can save someone’s life - literally.”
SGMW chairman Sue Baker added: “It is a sobering thought that a single air ambulance mission costs £2,500, but donations from our friends in the industry – some who raced and others who didn’t, but pledged support anyway - have tonight raised more than enough for one potentially lifesaving flight and, hopefully, sown seeds for yet more support to a fantastically deserving cause.
“Apart from the money raised and the big turnout of racers and supporters, the greatest measure of the event’s success has been the many people asking whether we will run another – it’s something we must look at.
“The whole thing came from a flash of inspiration by two members, Kevin Haggarthy and Massimo Pini, which was then brilliantly executed by our events officer Chris Rees.”
Most teams came from manufacturers’ press offices, but PR consultancy PFPR and Air Ambulance staff also joined the fray.
Organiser Chris Rees said: “Race marshals kept a tight rein on sharp practices and it was good to see three teams - Kia, Hyundai and Suzuki – keep a clean sheet on penalties, but Ford was awarded a special prize – a first aid kit – for the most amusing penalty incident of the night.”
Though quarter was rarely given in the racing, trackside banter was always light-hearted. One manufacturer’s team member – he and his company shall remain nameless – was overheard to say near the leader board: “Look, if that was our market position, we’d take it wouldn’t we?”
