Goblin Team Race at Goodwood
This year the Prep took on a new and ambitious challenge in the Greenpower Goblin car project. Funded by a generous donation from the PA, the children worked in three teams through the year, starting in the senior school garage and moving to the purpose-built Prep Workshop after Easter. Over the course of the year, three teams rotated through, each contributing to the planning, construction and testing of the car. Over the months, the car grew from a pile of parts to a racing car, with each team passing the torch (and the tools) on to the next in order to bring the project together. With support from Mr Lang and Miss Carter and with generous donations of time and effort from Mr Wilkinson (senior school) and Mr Bartlett, the Caterham Prep Bee (a.k.a. ‘Bob’ or ‘Stinger’) was finally ready for race day and hit the road to go to Goodwood for the annual ‘Gathering of Goblins’.
On Sunday 30 June the Goblin Car club took the track with a team of Prep children at the wheel. Starting at the crack of dawn and ending in the evening, the team entered the car in five events across 17 individual runs, with members of the current team each taking the wheel for one or more challenges while WW2 planes flew overhead throughout the day. With 91 cars taking part, it was a big day for Caterham’s first ever attempt at the challenge and an impressive finish, with a total ranking close to the top third of the table and a top-3 finish in the Drag race.
|
Car Name |
Organisation |
Drag |
Slalom |
Chicane Sprint |
Pit Stop Challenge |
Lap of Champions |
TOTAL |
RANK |
|
Caterham Prep Bee |
Caterham School |
3 |
86 |
18 |
72 |
22 |
201 |
36 |
More importantly than the results, though, was the team spirit that made the day possible, running across every child who contributed to the project throughout the year. The race day itself was great fun, with a huge array of cars from teams all over the country and fantastic support from parents and even a former member of the team.
Next year’s team will have the benefit of a workshop from day one and a group of veterans with experience to contribute to the new team as the Goblin’s Cave opens its doors for the next generation!
To watch some of the video action of the day click here
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