All-student race team gears up for Britcar 500

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
(Free-Press-Release.com) October 14, 2009 --

Team Lunar Racing’s student mechanics are being given a chance to shine as the team gears up for the Britcar 500 endurance race. The crew of Lunar Racing’s 2.5 litre MG ZS entry in the Britcar 500 is among the country’s most successful student motorsport teams. Their two MG ZS cars are currently running second place in the MG Car Club’s Peter Best Insurance Challenge and fifth in the Britcar Series production class. Joining them on her first night race is the team’s latest addition, Cassey Watson, herself an 18-year old student. Together with drivers Rob Hedley, Peter Fairbairn and Paul McLean, she has high hopes for the team as they prepare for their most challenging race to date.

“Lunar Racing has gone from strength to strength this season,” comments Watson. “It’s a fantastic project to be involved in as the students have bundles of enthusiasm and a really thorough knowledge of the cars. I was particularly impressed when they re-built the gearbox for my car in just 25 minutes! The Britcar 500 will be my first night race and is a great opportunity for us to show the competition what we can do.”

By participating in Team Lunar Racing, pupils learn the fundamentals of body and mechanical repairs while actively preparing cars for racing and working as a pit crew at the track. Led by teacher Paul Kneeshaw, the project forms part of a motorsport technician course run by Bedford College and allows students to gain nationally recognised IMI and BTEC qualifications. MG Rover parts specialist XPart has supported Team Lunar since 2006 and provides parts for both MG ZS cars from its stock of £20m MG Rover parts. High quality replacement parts will be particularly important to the team as the car’s components come under additional stress during the Britcar endurance event.

Cassey Watson joined the team in June 2009, finishing second and third in class in her first two races. Having started kart racing aged 10, she has already experienced a successful karting career and scored numerous podiums wins in junior race series SAXMAX, Ginetta Junior and TCar before graduating to senior racing. Fast-paced with a passion for setting record lap times, she is currently competing for a place on the Grand Prix Shootout scheme, which gives aspiring motorsport stars the chance to develop their skills by winning a place with Raikkonen Robertson Racing in the Formula BMW Europe Championship.

“We’re delighted that such a strong, dynamic driver has joined Lunar Racing and we look forward to seeing how well the team performs in the Britcar 500,” says Paul Kneeshaw, team coach, Lunar Racing. “It always humbles me to see a group of under-18s working so competently and enthusiastically on a race car. Their dedication is really quite inspiring and I have every confidence that they will have a bright future in the world of motorsport.”

For further information on Team Lunar Racing, please visit www.lunarracing.com.