National Motorsport Week gathers speed

Motorsport clubs, organisers, participants, marshals and spectators are all gearing up for National Motorsport Week 2007 – August 11-19, for which all manner of activities are planned, nationwide.

The purpose of National Motorsport Week is to increase involvement in one of the most exciting sports on the planet. Marshals, drivers and spectators are being encouraged to take a mate with them when they attend motorsport meetings, race car manufacturers (eg Lola of Huntingdon) will be opening their doors to visitors and organisers will be making special offers to motorsport newcomers.

Among the many companies and bodies with special plans in train are: Karting Nation, who organise arrive-and-drive karting and the Shenington Kart Racing Club, who are putting together a weekend of family fun around the ABKC Open Championship. This will give visitors a feel for all types of kart racing from the Cadet Class (for 8-12 year olds) to the ultimate adult 250cc machines that are capable of 150mph.

The Cirencester Car Club are running a Motorsports Weekend in their area on 10/11/12 August, with the specific aim of attracting new members, as well as organising three days of activities of appeal to their existing ones.

The Heritage Motor Centre at Gaydon is hosting a three-day motorsport Summer School for school children during National Motorsport Week and, in full support of the week, there will be a new initiative of POWERnights – a series of three not-to-be-missed night race meetings on: Thursday August 2, Silverstone; Thursday August 9, Donington Park and Thursday August 30 at Silverstone.

Said Chris Aylett, CEO of the Motorsport Industry Association, the instigators of the National Motorsport Week, “Fans who enjoy F1 on TV are only experiencing the tip of a vast motorsport iceberg. Every weekend during the season there are thousands of motorsport events around the UK they could watch live, assist with, compete in, photograph, report on for the media etc. National Motorsport Week is our way of opening people’s eyes to the huge range of activities that’s available to them – the scope is endless!”

For further details of National Motorsport Week and how you or your friends, club or company can become involved, visit nationalmotorsportweek.co.uk or call Russell Douglas of the Motorsport Industry Association (MIA) on 02476 692600.