PROFESSIONAL racing drivers Tom Ingram and Chris Smiley have raised £1,000 for charity Race Against Dementia as part of the Vansdirect Treasure Hunt Challenge.
The pair are pictured above before the challenge, with Smiley on the left, and Ingram on the right.
It saw the Vansdirect-sponsored ExcelR8 Motorsport drivers from the British Touring Car Championship (BTCC) collect items from around Oulton Park racetrack in a pair of Maxus Deliver 9 vans, supplied by the leasing broker and vans specialist Vansdirect.
Points were awarded for each item collected and challenge completed, with deductions for missing or incorrect items, as well as every minute they exceeded the deadline.
The prize items included a Ginsters pasty and a Draper spanner, with challenges ranging from visiting two castles, to a walk with sharks.
Tom Ingram won the event, after some ‘creative interpretation of the rules’ from both drivers, and his selected charity received the £1,000 prize donated by Vansdirect and ExcelR8 Motorsport.
Race Against Dementia
The charity was founded by British racing legend Sir Jackie Stewart OBE whose wife, Helen, has been diagnosed with frontotemporal dementia. The charity raises funds for research to find a prevention or cure for dementia.
The challenge was followed by a camera crew, and the film debuted at the Thruxton weekend. It is now available to view on the Vansdirect and ExcelR8 social media channels.
Tom Ingram said: “Despite protests from Chris Smiley, I was most definitely the winner of this challenge, with more items collected and the most fuel still left in the tank. He was a good sport about it, but I could tell he was gutted – maybe he should take it as motivation out on the track!
“I’m very pleased that my win will help Race Against Dementia with a donation from Vansdirect and ExcelR8. The money will be put towards the battle against dementia. Jackie Stewart and his wife Helen are British racing icons, and Helen’s battle with dementia has been well documented and touched the hearts of many of us in the sport.
“I’d like to thank Vansdirect, ExcelR8 and all the sponsors who got involved. Not to forget everyone else who we came across during the challenge who helped make it a success.”
Clare Walker at Race Against Dementia, said: “We’re incredibly grateful that Tom chose Race Against Dementia as the cause to benefit from this donation. We’re proud to be supported by ExcelR8 and Vansdirect, helping us raise awareness and vital funds.”
“Investment is critically needed, and this donation will be used to fund research into combatting and preventing the diseases that cause dementia. Our thanks go to Tom, Chris, Vansdirect and ExcelR8 for their ongoing support.”
