PEDAL CAR RACING: Rugby teams are British champions - but need your help!

Swebbelli Racing - the pedal car team of Rugby Explorer Scouts - triumphed in the British Championship in both under 16s and under 14s classes.

They took top spot after a six-race series totalling over 50 hours racing between April and October - but despite their success now they will need new cars to enable them to continue in 2019.

“The cars were built by a few of the leaders, assisted by some of the Explorer Scouts between 2011 and 2012,” explained Jeremy Featherstone.

“ While they’ve had modifications and been well looked after, the chassis weldments (the equivalent of the ‘tub’ on a full sized sports prototype) are now very much worn out and also outdated due to the advances that other teams have made in that time.

“They’ve served Rugby Scouts faithfully, giving many youngsters the chance to get involved in this incredible, somewhat addictive, activity that combines cycling, car racing, engineering team working and a great deal of pure simple fun over those years but now something new is needed if we are to continue offering this chance to the next generation of scouts.

“Even with re-using as many of the parts off the old cars as we can, we are probably still looking at needing to raise around £2,000 to get the Explorers to the first race of the 2019 season at Wombwell on March 31,” Jeremy added.

“Therefore, if there is anyone in the local area - or beyond - who feels they would like to help out Rugby Explorer Scouts in their efforts to build the new cars then please feel free to get in touch with us via [email protected].”

All being well, Swebbelli Racing will take up their place on the British Pedal Car Championship grid at next year but, whilst celebrating the achievements of 2018, it is going to be a busy winter for the scouts.

# At the season closing seven-hours of Curborough - an endurance race finishing in darkness last Saturday - the team scored another one-two in PC2 (U16s) with the younger drivers dominating the PC3 (U14s) as they have done all season. The year included an unprecendented top two podium places in class at the most prestigious race in the British Pedal Car Calendar, the 24 hours of Shenington at the end of June. There six drivers are allowed to share each car rather than the usual four.

However, success comes at a price and the three home-built human-powered racing cars are at the end of their lives.