| DRIVER
NEWS: West Yorkshire's Josh Benson lines up against F1 greats and BBC
commentators in charity kart race
13 January 2010:
Talented teenage racing star Josh Benson will put his driving
skills to the test in the ultimate challenge, when he fulfils a
childhood dream of racing against some of the speediest ex-F1
drivers. The
18-year-old from West Yorkshire will battle wheel-to-wheel with
the likes of Alex Wurz, Allan McNish and Franck Montagny as part
of David Brabham's Celebrity Karting Challenge, to be staged this
Friday as part of the Autosport International show at the NEC,
Birmingham.
The charity event
is run by Racing4Charity and is set to raise thousands of pounds
for Malaria No More UK, which aims to ensure every man, woman and
child at risk of the disease in Africa has access to a mosquito
net by the end of 2010.
Benson, who lives
in Drighlington, near Bradford, and will compete in the MSA
Formula Ford Championship of Great Britain this year, said: “The
Celebrity Karting Challenge is an exciting, fun and friendly way
to start the 2010 season but it's also competitive and an
incredible experience. Where else can you race against the F1
drivers I grew up watching on the TV?
“It's sobering to
think that during our 90-minute race, 180 tiny babies and little
children will lose their lives to malaria. I'm delighted to
support Racing4Charity and Malaria No More UK and hope I can play
even a small part in the fight against this terrible
disease."
Benson's other
'rivals' in the sporting showdown include BBC F1 commentators
Anthony Davidson, Ted Kravitz and Lee McKenzie, as well as
three-times World Touring Car champion Andy Priaulx and British
rally ace Mark Higgins.
He will be part of
‘The Race-Boots Boys’ team and will race alongside GP2 racer
Sam Bird and 2010 Porsche Carrera Cup GB Scholarship winners
Michael Meadows and Euan Hankey. Two 'guest' drivers will also
enjoy the experience of a lifetime when they take part in the
charity challenge. The team has been entered by Fyshe Limited, the
adidas motorsport partner which distributes adidas racing boots
through its Race-Boots.com website.
Benson and his
team-mates will compete on a specially-erected karting track in
Autosport International's Live Action Arena, designed by Apex
Circuit Design. The temporary venue will be built by an Army Air
Corp team in just 90-minutes and will be a match for many
permanent circuits, with live timing facilities, safety barriers
and a dedicated pitlane. |
