MR2 CHALLENGE RACING AND CLUB BBQ -
MALLORY PARK, LEICESTERSHIRE, SUNDAY 15th AUGUST 2004
Sunday morning 15th August, cars packed up with all the kit
to make the day a success, club banner and frame, flag with associated pole and
base, cooler boxes filled with thirst quenching drinks etc. and loads of beef
burgers and sausages plus enough rolls to feed an army, so we were ready to hit
the road, four Helios Blue Mark one's ( Doris and Fred and Lois and Geoff ) and
Isabel in her White Mark 1 set off in convoy heading out of Loughborough for the
12 mile drive to Mallory Park.
Just as we arrived at the track Stuart tagged onto the end of our group.
The morning being warm and sunny we had a short and pleasant drive to the
track where we set up the club pitch with a brand new double gazebo provided by
Lois and Geoff Cordon and the club flag which saw its debut at Billing. We all
enjoyed a walk around the pits and had a natter with Lauren Blighton and the
other four MK1 drivers. (and a MK2!) Lunchtime fast approaching, barbecues were
lit and soon beef burgers and sausages were sizzling and the feeding of the
occupants of the thirteen MK1s that attended the meet together with the drivers
who were going to entertain us was well under way.
Once the racing started in the afternoon, it was inevitable with all the
cloud about that it would rain and that certainly livened the racing up.
Fortunately the weather remained fine until late afternoon and the final race –
an all comers invitation race.
One of the MR2 Challenge cars entered by Aurora Racing was driven by 18 year
old Darren Burke who, although being a kart racer for many years, had never
driven a racing car before, never driven an MR2 before, never been to Mallory
before and started the race 18th and last on the grid next to a Porsche. What
happened next – in the pouring rain - was truly remarkable.
I was watching the Porsche expecting it to eat up the field and saw it scythe
through the pack and exit Gerrards having gained several places. I then noticed
that the MR2 was in front of it! Unbelievably the MR2 continued to swallow up
all sorts of cars until Darren got up into 5th place. The pack then realised
that this MR2 was putting them to shame but by the end of the 15 minute race
Darren managed to fly past the chequered flag in 8th place out of 18 starters. A
staggering achievement cheered on in disbelief by the rest of The Aurora team in
the pits and the club members watching on the bank opposite.
FRED SANDERSON
A good pitch overlooking the start finish line
Chef Fred with his bangers and burgers....
.... it took a long time to get the damn thing going - am I expected to eat these?
feeding time
yes it rained
watching the invitation race
See race report and pictures at .....mr2challenge13
