The Road to Rally – Chapter 5: Thatcham Research’s Road To Rally project crosses the finish line, raising over ￡4,500 for charity
Thatcham Research
News and comment on vehicle safety, security and sustainable repair Automotive Risk Intelligence
Automotive risk intelligence company Thatcham Research is celebrating participating in the AutoRaise and Bangers4Ben charity rallies in their restored 2007 Mazda MX5, raising ￡4,953 for two automotive charities.
Scott Loran AMIMI and Kieron Woolgar , team leaders from Thatcham Research’s automotive academy, drove the MX5 on a five-day course across the stunning Irish countryside to raise money for automotive charity Ben.
Loran said: “We set off on the six-hour journey from Thatcham to Holyhead where we spent the night before boarding the ferry to Ireland. This was to be the first big test of the car and it did not disappoint, driving without fault the whole way.
“On Saturday morning we had breakfast before heading to the ferry port where we met the other teams doing the rally. It was great to meet new people and of course, enjoy the variety of cars and costumes.”
Our driving duo then took a choppy ferry crossing to Dublin where they began the first full day of the rally.
Loran said: “We headed from Dublin through Dunleary to Glendalough where we stopped to take in some of the breathtaking sites across the lakes before we continued our journey to Wicklow, Wexford and finally to Waterford where we would be spending the night. We covered 149 miles in five hours and truly enjoyed the drive with the sun still shining and the roof down.”
Days two and three saw Loran and Woolgar travel more than 500 miles with stops at the Ring of Kerry (which Loran highly recommends visiting) and Doolin where Woolgar braved the icy water for a very quick paddle before leaving a commemorative message in the sand.
At the end of day three, they caught up with the rest of the group for a meal at the Leonardo Hotel, Dublin. Loran said: “It was nice to speak with different people about their rally experiences and those that had been doing this rally for years. We had a lovely meal before heading into Dublin to see the sites and historic places and sampling the local Guinness.”
On day four, they caught up with Woolgar’s cousin who lives in Ireland before setting off to the port to say their goodbyes to the Emerald Isle.
Loran said: “The car made it all the way home and did not miss a beat, our MX5 did us proud and was a pleasure to drive. I spoke with the organisers who have said this was their biggest year to date and have currently raised ￡71,300 which will go towards helping a lot of people.
“It has been an absolute pleasure to be part of this great event and raise awareness and money for such a great cause. #Bangers4Ben has been a pleasure and we look forward to next year.”
Earlier this month, our Mazda MX5 went to auction alongside the other rally entrants where it sold for ￡800.
This marks the end of Thatcham Research’s Road to Rally project which began when UK automotive remarketing, recycling, and auction company Copart UK donated the car for our entry in the Bangers4Ben and AutoRaise charity rallies.
The car was then restored by apprentices, overseen by Loran, at our automotive academy.
Loran said: “We started the Road To Rally project with apprentices from Thatcham Research, APOLLO MOTOR GROUP LIMITED , and Steer Automotive Group giving the car a full once over.”
Loran continued: “Together, we made a list of required components, sourcing a lot from eBay so we could use second hand parts to keep the build as sustainable as possible.”
Once repaired, the MX5 then took part in the two-day AutoRaise charity rally with media specialists Andy Mackay and Samuel Morris driving it more than 300 miles, starting at Lotus HQ and making pit stops at Brigg, the Cadwell Park circuit and Stourton Park before finally finishing at Doddington Hall, Lincoln.
Morris said: “The MX5 Andy and I drove was restored and repaired to such a high standard in our automotive academy. It really is testament to high level of skill, talent, and craftsmanship our trainers have, which is being passed on to the wealth of young talented apprentices that come through our doors.”
Mackay (pictured) said: “Taking part in the AutoRaise Rally was a great opportunity to network and showcase the great work both AutoRaise does and the extremely high standard of engineering skill, talent, and attention to detail that our trainers and apprentices have at Thatcham Research. The MX5 with the roof down was great fun. The event, the people and the roads were brilliant.”
Dean Lander , head of repair sector services at Thatcham Research, said: “It has been a pleasure to not only see our apprentices and learners bring the Mazda back to life in our workshop but also to see Andy and Sam and then Scott and Keiron representing Thatcham Research at the AutoRaise and Bangers4Ben charity rallies.
“The events saw entrants from across the UK automotive and repair industry come together to fundraise for very important causes which support so many within our sector."
“I’d like to thank headline sponsor AirPro Diagnostics once again for supporting our entry into the rallies and our other sponsors Repairify Europe , Fix Auto , 宣伟 , Collision Repair Group , Chubb , 阿克苏诺贝尔 , Steer Automotive Group , Motofix Group , and INDASA Abrasives .
“We hope to take part in future rallies so we can continue to raise funds and awareness for these very worthy causes.”
?To catch up on the complete Road to Rally journey, read the chapters below: