16/11/2025
One week on from 2025s Race of Remembrance I suppose I’d best put a few words together, grab a brew as this could drag on…
This was the third RoR that the little Panda has taken part in, after last years slight hiccup the aim this year was to finish, in one piece with little to no mechanical issues. The car was prepped, the drivers lined up and we arrived at Thursdays practice happy, the main aim to get Mike some seat time as he’d never driven it before, and the Panda is a little different to the Jag he was in in 2024.
Practice went well, all the drivers on a very similar pace and the only note that the slippy diff was limited in its application. That’s fine, we have spares, so Friday morning was down to master spannerer Twiggy to swap it out, fortunately a simple job on the Panda. Onto qualifying, and a concern was raised about third gear starting to be difficult to select. Oh dear, was this the pattern for the weekend? “But it’s fine” said I, “we have a spare gearbox”, yeah but seconds questionable in that one I’m told. “It’s fine” said I, “I’ll strip them and build one good one”. All well and good if they shared the same input shaft, which of course they didn’t. Lesson learned there, which resulted in a four hour round trip back to the workshop, plus three hours building a new gearbox while I was there, and returning in the early hours for some sleep. I woke up on Saturday morning and Twiggy and Kade had already taken the box back to the track, fitted it and made sure it was alright, pair of legends.
Onto the race, we’d qualified 30th but felt that with good stints, seamless pit stops, reliable mechanicals and consistent drivers we could hold our own. And, boringly/brilliantly, that’s exactly what happened, all the drivers kept it mostly on the tarmac, one small skirmish with a C1, pit stops to perfection under the direction of Twiggy and no issues meant we steadily rose up the ranks, finishing 17th overall and 3rd in class.
But of course, it’s not just about the race. The memorial service was, as always, stunning. The friends and faces I see and smile to, the new people you meet and talk to, the stories you hear and the memories made, the hugs and biscuits you borrow from other garages and the general “we’re all here for a good time” vibe are, and always will be, the reasons I’ll be there year after year.
Onto the list of Thankyous.
First and foremost, as always, Dean Lomas and Sam Lomas for allowing this lunacy year on year. Love you guys.
Vinny Lomas and Mike Burton for your impeccable, safe and consistent driving, general good humour and joining in with the journey, you’re one of us now.
Twiggy for running the garage side, keeping the stops organised and telling me to go get some sleep. Kade Snelson and Simon for spannering and fueling, wheel swapping and keeping up spirits.
Sarah Jayne McKeegan for supplying us with food and refreshments, lifts to and from the track and chasing us with our food to ensure we ate.
James Maguire and Rossi Stanners for gophering, fetching, running, photographing and social media-ing
Scott Armstrong for trying to do some driver coaching, 2/3 listened, and Lewis Armstrong for being our pit stop timer
GSF Car Parts and all involved with the support for this year, including getting Mike in the car
Cosign Winsford for the beautiful wrap
The BRSCC for their continued support of the race and faultless organising
Anglesey Circuit for providing the views, backdrop, track and weather. Maybe not the weather…
Mission Motorsport and James Cameron, and everyone else involved, what a brilliant charity and what a wonderful event every year.
The photographers who braved the conditions, and occasionally my glare 😂
The Orange Army, the marshalls who do this for fun, always happy to make sure you’ve got a brew and a biscuit if you’re passing (Rossi gets an extra thanks for making all the brews I promised to said passing marshalls) 🧡
To all the spectators, friends, casual observers, micky takers and people who just came to say “I love that car”,
Thank you to all of you, and especially if you’ve made it this far. Well done, have a biscuit.
(I’m sure Dean will edit this with a hundred other tags, things I’ve forgotten an hopefully some extra pics)
