Latest news with #PorscheSprintChallenge
North Wales Chronicle
08-07-2025
- Automotive
- North Wales Chronicle
North Wales College students build Targa rally car with NAPA
Coleg Menai has teamed up with automotive parts giant NAPA UK to give motorsport engineering students practical training, technical support, and exclusive access to professional racing environments. The collaboration includes the donation of original equipment (OE) quality parts and technical guidance to help students build a Targa rally car—broadening their understanding of motorsport engineering from the classroom to the track. Daron Evans, motorsport programme lead at Coleg Menai, said: "The NAPA partnership is supporting our learners here at Coleg Menai in many ways. "They are providing OE (original equipment) quality parts for our Targa rally car, have allowed our learners to support them with their own marketing campaigns, and more recently gave our students the opportunity to visit Oulton Park as guests of NAPA Racing. "Activities such as those provided by NAPA and NAPA Racing enrich the learning experience for our learners and also give them insight into possible career paths for the future. "We are very grateful for these opportunities and the current partnership." The NAPA Racing UK team talking to Coleg Menai motorsport students at Oulton Park race track (Image: Coleg Menai) During a recent visit to Oulton Park, students toured team garages and paddocks, participated in a Q&A with drivers and mechanics, and watched the British Touring Car Championship and other motorsport events, including the Porsche Sprint Challenge and British Formula 4. They were also given a guided tour of NAPA Racing's pit facilities, where they learned about the technical and logistical operations behind a professional racing team. The visit and ongoing partnership were made possible after Mr Evans invited NAPA UK representatives to the Llangefni campus, where they were impressed by the programme and facilities. Motorsport engineering students working on a Targa rally car at Coleg Menai in Llangefni (Image: Coleg Menai) A key focus of the collaboration is the construction of a Targa rally car, which allows for limited modifications to a road-going vehicle. NAPA has donated braking, suspension, and chassis components, as well as engine and workshop consumables, all supplied through its Llangefni store. READ MORE: Anglesey school to close for funeral of 'excellent' teacher who died suddenly Students are also benefiting from technical resources and hands-on training delivered through TechMate, NAPA's educational partner. Adam McNaney, marketing manager at NAPA, said: "We are proud to support Coleg Menai in nurturing future talent through quality resources and training. "This partnership aligns with our commitment to excellence and investing in the development of skilled professionals who will drive the automotive sector forward."
BBC News
21-05-2025
- Automotive
- BBC News
Porsche switch paying off for Walmsley
Lydia Walmsley believes her decision to switch to the Porsche Sprint Challenge GB Championship has been fully justified after achieving her first win in the Pro from Kesgrave in Suffolk, has stepped up this season after racing Minis for the past few years and is having to adjust to rear-wheel drive cars for the first following three second places at Donington Park last month, she achieved a maiden victory in between two more runner-up finishes at Brands Hatch on 12 are four more rounds, each featuring three races, to come and she told BBC Radio Suffolk: "I think we're 10 points behind, which is not a lot really at this stage of the championship."It's definitely all still to play for. I'm hoping we'll be right there at the end of it."I'd never have believed we'd be in contention for the championship and there's obviously a long way to go, so I don't want to look ahead too much - I'm just trying to focus on every weekend and doing the best that we can." Last year, Walmsley became the first female driver to achieve a podium finish in the JCW Mini Challenge Championship, relying solely on her parents and mechanic Dave Barber for help with her car., externalThe change of competition for this season pits her against a small field of rival drivers in identical Porsche 718 Cayman GT4 Clubsport vehicles and she is second in the Pro Series drivers' standings behind Jonathan Moore."Even before the season started I knew it was definitely the right decision to make the move, and I've never had such a successful start to a season ever," she said."When you think back to this time last year, my first race weekend at Donington Park, I didn't leave with a single point to my name."There's still a lot of work to be done but it's been fantastic and I couldn't have really asked for it to go any better."I've had more testing this year than I've ever had in anything previously - because it was a new car, I needed the testing to get some laps under my belt and figure out what I was doing with this car because it's very different to what I'd been used to."The championship now moves on to Oulton Park - one of Walmsley's favourite circuits - where the next round will take place on the weekend of 21-22 June."There isn't really much room for error - if you have a bit of a moment, you're either in a gravel trap or in a barrier so I'm going next week for a test day to get acquainted with the circuit," she added."It always feels faster than others because of how narrow it is and how close the barriers are to the circuit. It'll take me a while to get used to [but] hopefully will get me ready for the race weekend."
Daily Tribune
24-02-2025
- Automotive
- Daily Tribune
Ajith Kumar Survives Dual Crash Unscathed at Porsche Sprint Challenge in Spain
South Indian Superstar Ajith Kumar emerged unscathed despite being involved in a dramatic dual crash during the Porsche Sprint Challenge in Valencia, Spain. The actor's car toppled twice in a high-speed collision but remained well-protected, allowing him to finish the race in 14th position. Sources close to Ajith confirmed that despite the severity of the crash, he reassured his teammates that he was unharmed and there was no cause for concern. "He took the crashes in his stride, acknowledging them as part and parcel of racing," a source told IANS. A video from the event, which has since gone viral, captures the moment Ajith's car rear-ended another racer before flipping multiple times and coming to a halt on the gravel. His manager, Suresh Chandra, shared the footage on social media platform X, explaining the sequence of events. "In Valencia, Spain, where the races were happening, Round 5 was good for Ajith Kumar. He ended in 14th place, earning appreciation from everyone. Round 6 was unfortunate. Crashed twice due to other cars. The video clearly shows he was not at fault," Chandra wrote. "Despite the first crash, he returned to the pit and was doing well. When the second crash happened, he toppled twice but remained unharmed. His perseverance is stronger, and he came out unscathed again to continue the race. Thanks for all the prayers and wishes. AK is all right." The actor's resilience and determination have garnered widespread admiration from fans and motorsport enthusiasts alike.
