Race of Remembrance - 11-13th November 2022
The Mission Motorsport Race of Remembrance is more than just a traditional motor race. A weekend ran and organised by the Mission Motorsport Charity, its a fundraiser, remembrance parade and a chance to reflect.
Oh and alongside that there’s a 12hr multi class endurance race!
RABsport racing have competed on this great event for 3 years now, and in 2019 managed to win the hard fought C1 class. After retiring from the 2021 event, the team were after another chance to try and take the silverware back to Cumbria.
The race is ran in 4 parts, a day qualifying session to set the grid positions, a night qualifying session to get drivers accustomed to racing at night. This is then followed by 7 hours of racing into the night on the Saturday, and the final 5 hours of racing on the Sunday, with an hours halt for Remembrance service in the pit-lane at 11am.
The team would be headed by two customer drivers this year. 16yr old Ethian Symonds and former Nurburgring 24hr racer Kiefer Del Piero. The duo would drive the #432 C1, accompanied by RABsport racings driver coach Gary Mitchell.
The weekend started with a full days pre event test, the drivers working with Gary to get up to pace on the twisty Ty-croes circuit on the isle of Anglesey. Good gains were made, with both drivers shaving seconds off their lap times and the team headed into qualifying confident.
Testing day, getting that all important lap time down, despite the wild weather!
Day qualifying took place on the Friday afternoon, Gary Mitchell would head out to set an early fast lap, putting the team in P1 right away. Ethian and Kiefer followed with their stints to complete their mandatory 3 flying laps, and then the plan was for the team to wait, and pounce should the laptimes change. About 40 mins into the session a sweet spot opened up with conditions and a drying track. Every team headed out to try and set their quick lap. Gary belted up and went out, setting a solid outlap but conditions changed quickly and the wind picked back up. We narrowly missed the window, seeing the RABsport car line up P5, 1.15 seconds off class pole.
Night qualifying would be about getting Ethian experience having never raced at night, and with Kiefer and Gary completing the minimum mandatory laps required, the remainder of the session was spent with Ethian lapping and gaining confidence in the dark, with much faster cars on track.
Quali complete the team reprepped the car and was ready to go for race day!
The race would be 12 hours long in total and require 6 mandatory 4 minute pit stops.
Race Part 1
7 hours of racing, 5.5 of this in the dark loomed upon us on Saturday. Ethian would start the race, getting the chance to complete as much of his first stint in daylight as possible. As the grid lined up and the nerves built up, the team took the opportunity to soak in the grid walk, a rare opportunity at this level! 20 mins later and its time to get serious…
Lined up and ready on the Grid
The lights went out and the race got underway at 3pm, and Ethian did a great job. After hour 1 he was holding steady in 5th place and setting good consistent times to remain in touch with the leaders. By hour 2 Ethian had manoeuvred the car into P3 and onto the podium, setting some of his best times in the dark – he's a night owl we discovered! The pitstop cycles had begun, but the teams strategy was to play the long game, waiting as long as possible before the first stop. The call to pit was made shortly after the 2 hour mark, and with a clean stop for fuel, and new front tyres Kiefer Del Piero headed out into the night in P8.
Another long stint required, Kiefer ran well, and despite a long period behind the safety car, and a wing mirror folded in after some contact he set good consistent times, and by the 4hr mark was sat back in P5. A call was made to box slightly early, with debris having got caught in the rear left arch he came into the box. Fuel churns on and….. nothing! No fuel would flow into the car, the debris having damaged the fuel filler neck! A quick repair was made and eventually fuel went into the car, but a minute was dropped during the stop, something hard to make up. Before the 5 hour mark Gary Mitchell took the wheel, with orders to push hard!
Garys stint was one of determination and grit, and one worthy of showing why he coaches other drivers! Consistently the little #432 was pushed to its limit, being the fastest C1 on track for nearly all of his stint. With some sweating in the pits by Team manager Richard about if the tyres would last at this pace, Gary clawed his way through the field and bringing the car home at the end of day 1 having climbed to 4th Place!
With the pit stop analysis made after the race, we worked out we had a stop in hand on the leading two cars, and would be pushing for the podium on day 2! Reprep overnight made sure the car was in perfect order and it was time for some sleep.
Day 2 started early, assembly opening at 08:30, and once again the team lined up on the grid. Rules dictating Gary would have to start the day and at 09:00 part 2 got underway.
The team at the end of Race part 1!
Gary stint was to be a short one, pushing hard he stopped 50 minutes in for a driver change to Ethian. The stop was to involve a complex tyre change, and unfortunately this lost us another minute. Ethian headed out, now sat in P5.
Ethian once again impressed, pushing out consistent, and quality laptimes, on slightly different tyres to even the wear out and ensure we lasted to the finish. The difference in top end speed was noticeable, and despite his best efforts the car was dropping pace slightly however pitstop cycles had yet to play out.
The race stopped once again, and with cars parked on the grid in race order, the team headed to the pitlane. Berets and medals on, time for the remembrance parade. A moving and solemn ceremony was held, paying respects to those who sacrificed themselves so we can enjoy the freedoms we have today. The parade was well observed, and the turnout huge and at the end the cry went out ‘Lets go Racing!’
Teams hurried back to their cars and Ethian would continue his stint.
Part 3 got underway and Ethian continued to improve in pace, as the tyres wear down the grip increases in the C1’s. By the end of his stint he was once again lapping competitively, and by the 9 hour mark he had pulled the car back into P4 with other teams pit stops playing out.
Shortly after the 10 hour mark the final call to box was made and in came the 432. A clean stop meant we dropped no time, and Kiefer headed out on the final stint remaining in P4. To make P3 now was looking increasingly difficult, and we were gapping the P5 car behind. The goal now was to keep that gap to the rear increasing and guide the car home.
Kiefer drove a steady and mature stint, consistently lapping well in somewhat of a no mans land, and at the 12 hour mark took the chequered flag in P4, a lap down on P3 and 2 laps ahead of P5.
The fuel filler problem certainly cost a chance at the podium this weekend, but sometimes that's just racing, and one to learn from!
P4 was a great result for the team with the company they were competing against, and all the drivers did their utmost to make it a great weekends racing. The pace was there for the team to fight for great results next season. We cant wait!
Thankyou to Tracey Porter, Ethian Symonds and Kiefer Del Piero - our wonderful customers and friends who made this weekend happen.
Thankyou to all the team for their efforts throughout 2022, and or great sponsors CTJ Recovery and West Coast Trailers without whom this would not be possible.
Plans are now underway for 2023, with a multi car team being assembled for the season, and we look forward to having Ethian and Kiefer together in a car once again!
For now and for me.….. its time for a break!
Stay tuned for next time!
Richard Barnard
Team Manager
RABsport Racing
RABsport Racing Clubsport and Endrance Team, Race of Remembrance 2022
