I know there are a fair few ex Forces bods on here....
It’s been 5 years since Mission Motorsport was set up and an amazing ongoing success it is.
To commemorate the milestone an ‘Invitational’ event was organised at Glorious Goodwood.
With a 4.5 to 5 hr commute I figured I’d turn up a day early and help set up the race truck awning etc.
I did have to wait for the frosty/icy drive from the garage to thaw a tad and ended up setting off a bit later than I’d hoped.
Meadowhell, shopping, my idea of hell so a quick refuel and away again.
I got as far as Guildford before I needed a comfort break and while queuing to pay for my health food (Double pack choccie bars were on offer..result) the feller behind asked how far I’d come on this miserable day with poor weather on the horizon. Over a quick coffee we nattered about bikes as he showed me photos of his collection including a lovely 1981 RD350LC. It came out in chatting that his daughter was a therapist at Headley Court Military Rehab Unit. What a small world.
I digress, I arrived after finding my original route shut and following a vague diversion down some leafy muddy lanes.
The MM team were just parking the race truck up having unloaded the MX5s. A good 3 hours later we had got the awning up and tethered it...to the MX5s.
We left in several vehicles to the overnight digs at Thorney Island Sailing Club...part of a large MOD establishment on this peninsular and from there to a local pub for an evening meal.
Decent food and great company followed by the odd extra beer back at the digs…
The 5 hours in bed coupled with a room full of snoring, farting c###s made for a tired start to the big day. Ooops.
Ablutions sorted and we were at Goodwood raring to go for just shy of 7am.
It all became a bit of a blur for the next couple of hours as we set to work sorting parking, drivers, beneficiaries etc but pretty much bang on 9, after the briefings, bollockings and questions and answers (why some folk chip in with mad ‘what ifs’ I’ll never know.)
A mixed bag of stuff….the RS was very in demand by all ages of beneficiaries.
Always the case..try to get a photo and a vintage Bentley gets in the way…
I THINK it was a mid 60s Ford Falcon. It sounded amazing.
I either spent 3 or 4 minutes strapping folk in after adjusting 4 and 5 point harnesses or…..sit there...no airbag...no belt...hold on to, erm, anything.
This Jaguar was simply stunning...and really on it for each and every lap. These guys in their rather valuable works of art don’t fanny about on track, they really do push the cars hard. Great to see (and hear)
There were 3 or 4 Mustangs. Great sound and the one with 400+BHP went rather well off the line and seemed fine on the bendy bits.
I think this is a 904 Carrera GTS. (1964) Pretty sure a 7 figure sum would be needed to buy one. He drove it like he stole it. Lovely chap to boot. (He had a rather special 911 at Anglesey)
I’ve got to know a fair few of the beneficiaries now and it’s great to see them and find out how they’re getting on. Not speaking to them regularly I see BIG progress, not the little steps and real hard work that actually goes into their steps forward.
It panned out pretty much as the last 3….the guys (and odd gal) get sorted with a helmet nd are happy to get in whatever is next in line. Within an hour, 70% are ‘waiting’ for a specific car or cars. This causes acute embarrassment when a not so desirable car is sat with empty seat….so some were bullied oops, cajoled into seats.
It all went swimmingly and the weather was simply stunning.
Just before lunch, the only truly open wheeled car made an appeared for 2 laps out on its own.
This car is simply stunning.
A quick speech during which a lovely watch was presented to an absolute Stalwart, Tony Compson. (Falklands vet and ex Marine) Tony volunteers an immense amount of time to MM and has done so pretty much from the start. He’s a great chap
MM had had some brochures printed as a sort of review of the last 5 years. They were out of date within 2 days of printing because at least one further beneficiary has been offered a job.
I’m presuming it was this young chap who I spent much of the day chatting to having met him previously. He was offered a job by someone present that very morning. He had this grin on his face all….he probably still has it now. His future is bright.
He’d waited ages just for the RS ride...as did many others.
Hopefully many more will share the same feelings in the weeks, months and years to come.
The afternoon tailed off nicely with fewer and fewer cars coming back into the pitlane, but fewer beneficiaries
The guys in the Mini kept reappearing stating ‘If you keep putting people in the pax seat, we’ll keep lapping’ It was an awesome little thing.
I asked the last 2 beneficiaries what they hoped would appear to do their laps. He said “ The Mclaren would be nice..” She said “ The mini, but the Mclaren if not”
Fittingly, the Mini and McLaren appeared and their seats were filled with 2 immensely happy people.
Awning down and packed, just the cars to pop in the back….
It’s been 5 years since Mission Motorsport was set up and an amazing ongoing success it is.
To commemorate the milestone an ‘Invitational’ event was organised at Glorious Goodwood.
With a 4.5 to 5 hr commute I figured I’d turn up a day early and help set up the race truck awning etc.
I did have to wait for the frosty/icy drive from the garage to thaw a tad and ended up setting off a bit later than I’d hoped.
Meadowhell, shopping, my idea of hell so a quick refuel and away again.
I got as far as Guildford before I needed a comfort break and while queuing to pay for my health food (Double pack choccie bars were on offer..result) the feller behind asked how far I’d come on this miserable day with poor weather on the horizon. Over a quick coffee we nattered about bikes as he showed me photos of his collection including a lovely 1981 RD350LC. It came out in chatting that his daughter was a therapist at Headley Court Military Rehab Unit. What a small world.
I digress, I arrived after finding my original route shut and following a vague diversion down some leafy muddy lanes.
The MM team were just parking the race truck up having unloaded the MX5s. A good 3 hours later we had got the awning up and tethered it...to the MX5s.
We left in several vehicles to the overnight digs at Thorney Island Sailing Club...part of a large MOD establishment on this peninsular and from there to a local pub for an evening meal.
Decent food and great company followed by the odd extra beer back at the digs…
The 5 hours in bed coupled with a room full of snoring, farting c###s made for a tired start to the big day. Ooops.
Ablutions sorted and we were at Goodwood raring to go for just shy of 7am.
It all became a bit of a blur for the next couple of hours as we set to work sorting parking, drivers, beneficiaries etc but pretty much bang on 9, after the briefings, bollockings and questions and answers (why some folk chip in with mad ‘what ifs’ I’ll never know.)
A mixed bag of stuff….the RS was very in demand by all ages of beneficiaries.
Always the case..try to get a photo and a vintage Bentley gets in the way…
I THINK it was a mid 60s Ford Falcon. It sounded amazing.
I either spent 3 or 4 minutes strapping folk in after adjusting 4 and 5 point harnesses or…..sit there...no airbag...no belt...hold on to, erm, anything.
This Jaguar was simply stunning...and really on it for each and every lap. These guys in their rather valuable works of art don’t fanny about on track, they really do push the cars hard. Great to see (and hear)
There were 3 or 4 Mustangs. Great sound and the one with 400+BHP went rather well off the line and seemed fine on the bendy bits.
I think this is a 904 Carrera GTS. (1964) Pretty sure a 7 figure sum would be needed to buy one. He drove it like he stole it. Lovely chap to boot. (He had a rather special 911 at Anglesey)
I’ve got to know a fair few of the beneficiaries now and it’s great to see them and find out how they’re getting on. Not speaking to them regularly I see BIG progress, not the little steps and real hard work that actually goes into their steps forward.
It panned out pretty much as the last 3….the guys (and odd gal) get sorted with a helmet nd are happy to get in whatever is next in line. Within an hour, 70% are ‘waiting’ for a specific car or cars. This causes acute embarrassment when a not so desirable car is sat with empty seat….so some were bullied oops, cajoled into seats.
It all went swimmingly and the weather was simply stunning.
Just before lunch, the only truly open wheeled car made an appeared for 2 laps out on its own.
This car is simply stunning.
A quick speech during which a lovely watch was presented to an absolute Stalwart, Tony Compson. (Falklands vet and ex Marine) Tony volunteers an immense amount of time to MM and has done so pretty much from the start. He’s a great chap
MM had had some brochures printed as a sort of review of the last 5 years. They were out of date within 2 days of printing because at least one further beneficiary has been offered a job.
I’m presuming it was this young chap who I spent much of the day chatting to having met him previously. He was offered a job by someone present that very morning. He had this grin on his face all….he probably still has it now. His future is bright.
He’d waited ages just for the RS ride...as did many others.
Hopefully many more will share the same feelings in the weeks, months and years to come.
The afternoon tailed off nicely with fewer and fewer cars coming back into the pitlane, but fewer beneficiaries
The guys in the Mini kept reappearing stating ‘If you keep putting people in the pax seat, we’ll keep lapping’ It was an awesome little thing.
I asked the last 2 beneficiaries what they hoped would appear to do their laps. He said “ The Mclaren would be nice..” She said “ The mini, but the Mclaren if not”
Fittingly, the Mini and McLaren appeared and their seats were filled with 2 immensely happy people.
Awning down and packed, just the cars to pop in the back….
