eBay Motors track day

Ever wondered what it must be like to be a BTCC driver? A lucky few need to wonder no longer after a hugely successful eBay Motors track day at the Bedford Autodrome, where a group of touring car fans, competition winners and eBay employees were able to sample some exotic machinery on track for themselves.

The track day - featuring competition winners from the official BTCC website, The Sun, MSN and this very site – saw the lucky drivers take part in no fewer than eight different activities under glorious sunshine at the Bedford facility, home to PalmerSport, the driving event run by the same MotorSport Vision company that owns Brands Hatch, Snetterton, Oulton Park and Cadwell Park.

The morning kicked off with the chance to sample a Caterham Superlight around the 0.75 mile East Circuit, before an eye-watering opportunity to get behind the wheel of the extreme Ariel Atom - a car that proved more than a handful to the majority of those who drove it.

After a run in the BMW M3 GTP and some lunch, there was time for a head-to-head Caterham Pursuit and some off-roading before heading into the main event of the day.

A quick blast in some karts led into time behind the wheel of the Palmer Jaguar JP-LM prototype car and the fantastic Formula Jaguar single-seater.

With each event bar the Formula Jaguar being scored, there was a competitive element to the day, but the main focus was on giving those involved something of an insight into what eBay Motors drivers Tom Onslow-Cole, Rob Collard and Nick Foster do behind the wheel.

To further drive home that point, Tom was on hand with his eBay Motors BMW 320si to provide hot laps of the same circuit used for the prototype and single-seater element of the day, giving the ‘rookies’ the opportunity to see first hand how a professional BTCC driver would attack the same track they themselves had been trying to tame.

The opportunity to see Tom ‘at work’ isn’t one that comes along every day and alongside the driving element of the day, it left those attending with a fresh appreciation of what it takes to be a top-level racer.

“I enjoyed that more than anything I’ve done in my life,” competition winner Lucy Fryer from Preston said. “That is the first time I’ve ever been on a track and I loved it all, although I was a bit nervous in the single-seater without an instructor alongside me.

“Having been on track, I have the ultimate respect for what the touring car guys do. They must have fantastic physical and mental strength because they have to get the balance right between the physical co-ordination and the mental concentration – there is so much to take in!”

eBay Motors Business Manager Europe (Automotive) Tony Austin insisted that the day had been more than worthwhile for those able to attend.

“I think it’s been a great day and everyone has had a fantastic time,” he said. “The track day represents what motoring enthusiasm is all about. It’s great for making the BTCC and motorsport more accessible as we can all be Tom Onslow-Cole for a day.”

A run down of the top three from each activity can be seen below…

Palmer Jaguar JP-LM:
Tom Mallett 77.66secs
Sam Tremayne 79.57secs
Tony Austin 79.69

Ariel Atom:
Tom Mallett 54.59secs
Tony Austin 54.70secs
James Dunsford 54.77secs

BMW GTP M3:
Tony Austin 67.64secs
Sam Tremayne 68.55secs
James Dunford 68.69secs

Caterham 7 Sprint:
Tom Mallett 50.99secs
James Dunford 51.99secs
Sam Tremayne 52.16secs

Karts:
Sam Tremayne 28.98secs
Matt Salisbury 29.34secs
Tom Mallett 29.34secs

Caterham Pursuit:
John King 30.68secs
Matt Salisbury 31.07secs
Tony Austin 31.55secs

Off-Roading:
Tony Austin 39/40
Matt Salisbury 39/40
Chris Pickering 36/40

Formula Jaguar:
Sam Tremayne

Driver of the Day:
Tony Austin 120 *
Tom Mallett 117
Sam Tremayne 114

* Not eligible to win