Lancaster Insurance supports Team at Race of Remembrance 2024

RACE OF REMEMBRANCE by Peter McNicol – Race Team Manager

This month, Lancaster Insurance supported our special three-part 12-hour endurance race in honour of Remembrance weekend. The race pits numerous teams and cars together across this unique endurance test, all in aid of Mission Motorsport’s great cause; to support service leavers and veterans in recovering and retraining for careers in motorsport and automotive sectors.

This year’s entry for the 2024 edition was to be one of its strongest yet, a fitting accolade given this will be the tenth running of the event as well as Race of Remembrance’s tenth anniversary since it first began in 2014. To see how ROR has progressed to become one of the best loved and most important events of the British motorsport season is something truly special.

Lancaster insurance kindly came forward to sponsor a Mazda Mx-5 which has entered this event nearly every year since it began 10 years ago. Carrying the Number 14 for the race, the build-up and preparation of the team and car started in April 2024. A lesser tuned engine and chassis preparation, tyre selection, a communication system, extra lights for the night driving, plus the purchase of race fuel and the entry fee, meant there wasn’t much change out of a £7000 investment.

Prior to the race, the team took the opportunity to practice on the Friday morning before official qualification in the afternoon with no issues. Qualification is split into two parts with the day qualification being the time that dictates the grid positions for the start of the race on Saturday afternoon. After day qualification the clutch become faulty and was replaced in just over an hour in time for the compulsory night qualification. The team qualified in 15^th position out of a field of 55 cars.

To try and cover 12 hours of racing in a report is not easy, the most important part of the whole event is the Remembrance Parade held in the pit lane with everybody involved attending. The majority of those attending were ex forces or beneficiaries of the Mission Motorsport charity. The priority being to remember the fallen.

After the parade, racing recommenced to 3pm where the chequered flag was shown after 12 hrs had been completed. Prior to the finish, through no fault of our own the car was involved in an incident with 15 minutes to go, fortunately the driver was ok and managed to keep the car going until the finish, the picture below tells the story!

After the 12hrs and 342 laps the team managed second place in class finishing on the same lap as the class winner. Also finishing 8^th overall out of a grid of 55 starters.

This achievement would not have been possible without the help and financial support from Lancaster insurance, the continued support that the team has received over the past years has been invaluable. Thanks must go out to Paris Kirby and Brian Thomas from Lancaster Insurance for their help and assistance in making this happen. Unfortunately, this will be my last time taking part as a driver due to my lack of fitness due to a severe illness, however I will endeavour to manage a team next year if somebody wants me.

Thanks again to Lancaster Insurance for all their support.

Peter McNicol - Team Manager