Home » Blog » News » SPORTSCAR ACE McNISH HEADS TO BIRMINGHAM FOR CHARITY KART RACE
14 January 2010 | Posted in News
Double Le Mans 24 Hour race winner Allan McNish leads an Audi Sport UK team in a Celebrity Karting Challenge event at Autosport International at the National Exhibition Centre in Birmingham on Friday (15 January).
Dumfries-born McNish, who became the first Briton to drive a diesel-engined sportscar to victory at Le Mans when he scored Audi's eighth victory in 2008, contests a 90-minute multi- driver race to help raise awareness and funds for Malaria No More UK.
McNish, who recently turned 40 (29 Dec), competes in David Brabham's Racing4Charity event staged on a brand new 0.5-mile, 10-corner circuit in the Live Action Arena at the NEC. Five-time Le Mans winner Emanuele Pirro (Italy), who is an ambassador for Audi Sport nowadays having scored Audi's maiden Le Mans triumph (2000), plus Audi DTM drivers Katherine Legge (Surrey) and Alexandre Prémat (France), also feature in the Audi Sport UK team alongside McNish.
"I'm delighted to support David's charity kart race in aid of Malaria No More UK and I'm really looking forward to the inevitable competition," confirmed McNish.
"Racing drivers always want to race even when it's a fun, charity event like this so it's likely to be an entertaining spectacle with everyone dusting themselves off after Christmas and New Year celebrations.
"It is all for a good cause and the event is a great concept, with fans and stars competing with and against each other at Europe's biggest motorsport show which I've been attending for a number of years."
McNish raced karts between 1981-6, finishing third in the 1985 World Championships. He was British Champion three times and Scottish Champion six times.
Audi Sport UK is one of over 20 teams comprising of four "celebrity" and two paying public drivers. The unique event is the only charity kart race in the country that hosts the international motorsport elite from across the racing echelons.
Britain's five-time Le Mans 24 Hour race winner Derek Bell flies in to Birmingham from his home in Florida to be the event's Race Director. Derek, who was awarded the MBE in 1986 for services to motorsport, raced an Audi quattro in America in recent years.
Members of the public can join the Celebrity Karting Challenge and support Malaria No More UK's outstanding work for just £300. The charity entrance fee also includes two tickets to Autosport International, on what is an exclusive trade day. Book your public place now by contacting Bill Williams at bill@racing4charity.com or call 0044 (0)7712 578263.
Autosport International trade visitors can take a grandstand seat and watch the Celebrity Karting Challenge action as a complimentary addition to their standard trade ticket. Trade tickets cost £24 per person, simply register via www.autosport-international.com/trade.
MSA licence holders can also attend Autosport International on both trade days, 14&15 January, as well as the public days, on 16 & 17 January. Simply register by visiting www.autosport-international.com/trade.
Event timetable:
15.00hrs - Free Practice
15.30hrs - Qualifying
15.45hrs - Refuelling
16.15hrs - Race Start
17.45hrs - Race End
17.50hrs - Presentation of Trophies
For more information on Allan McNish and Audi, please contact:
Martyn Pass, Audi UK Sport Press. T +44 1564 824600. M +44 7801 859502.
E
Skype martyn.pass
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